Melitina Staniouta Announces Retirement

The star of team Belarus in recent years, Melitina Staniouta has decided to retire from competition. Melitina was born on November 15, 1993. She is the great granddaughter of the famous actress Stefaniya Staniouta was was rumored to have been able to do a split when she was well into her 70s. Melitina was discovered for gymnastics at a very early age when a coach saw her at a bus stop and determined "gymnastics was just in her."

Melitina was known for her leaps and an extremely difficult pivot: a cossack turn starting on the floor that develops into a full penchee turn. At her debut in the 2009 World Championships in Mie, Melitina won silver with her team and bronze with hoop. She has collected multiple silver and bronze medals from apparatus finals in world events and won the all around silver medal at the European Championship in Baku in 2014. In 2015 Melitina won the gold with ribbon at the Summer Universiade in Gwandju. She finished 5th at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Melitina will also be remembered for very risky catches with hoop, wonderful work with rope, and, very recently, an elegant gala routine with an open-back purple leotard and two ribbons. Melitina has appeared in various fashion shoots and commercials including the commercial for  the bottled water Bon Aqua which featured various gymnasts from Belarus.

Tsvetelina Discharged from Hospital, Group Captain Shares Thoughts on Retirement

Tsvetelina Stoyanova has left the hospital on September 5 after her accident in mid-June. Her teammates from the group visited her and she congratulated them on winning an Olympic bronze.

All members of the current Bulgarian group are considering retirement with the exception of Lubomira Kazanova, who replaced Tsveti after the accident and made it possible for the team to win medals both at the European Championship in Israel and at the Olympics.

"We went through a lot of difficulties and what happened with Tsveti Stoyanova was one of the challenges. We still don't realize that gymnastics is now no longer a permanent part of our lives. You lie in bed and think of training camps, but they are in the past. You don't know what lies ahead. We have time to think. We are grateful to all of Bulgaria for supporting us for 8 years. Our fans gave us strength, " shared the captain, Mihaela Maevska.

Mihaela at the European Championship in Holon

The Talented Rebecca Sereda Accepted at Boston University

Rebecca Sereda is one of the most successful American rhythmic gymnasts of all time. A national champion, Rebecca also placed 7th with ribbon at the 2013 Corbeil World Cup in France; it has been a rare feat for an American to make a World Cup final and, in Rebecca’s case, this was well-deserved. Rebecca is also the 2009 Junior All-around Pan-American champion and has represented the United States at multiple international events.

Rebecca's recent retirement may have come a disappointment to many fans, but we have good news as well: she just got into Boston University. Since I have attended Boston University for law school, I would like to say that I am particularly proud of Rebecca for choosing a great school and I wish her new success and wonderful adventures in her life as a student. She will be missed at the great gymnastics stage!