Yelyzaveta Merenzon

Yelyzaveta Merenzon (born August 12, 1999) is a Ukrainian-born American group rhythmic gymnast. She was the alternate for the 2020 United States Olympic team. She won the 5 hoops event final with the American group at the 2017 Pan American Championships and won two silver medals at the 2019 Pan American Games.

Yelyzaveta Merenzon
Nickname(s)	Liza
Born	(1999-08-12) August 12, 1999 (age 25) Ukraine
Residence	Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Gymnastics career
Discipline	Rhythmic gymnastics
Country represented	United States
Years on national team	2014–present
Club	North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Medal record Rhythmic gymnastics Representing  United States Pan American Games 2019 Lima Group all-around 2019 Lima 5 balls Pan American Championships 2017 Daytona Beach 5 hoops 2017 Daytona Beach Group all-around 2017 Daytona Beach 3 balls + 2 ropes 2021 Rio de Janeiro Group All-around 2021 Rio de Janeiro 5 balls 2021 Rio de Janeiro 3 hoops + 4 clubs

Early life and education

Merenzon attended Buffalo Grove High School in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. After graduating high school, she retired from the sport to focus on her education. She enrolled at the University of Chicago and majored in economics. After eight months, she decided come out of retirement and took a leave of absence from college to focus on training for the 2020 Summer Olympics.^[1][2] In 2024, she enrolled at the Medical College of Wisconsin.^[3]

Career

Merenzon competed as a junior at the 2014 Pacific Rim Championships and won a silver medal in the group all-around.^[4] She also competed at the 2014 Junior Pan American Championships and won gold in the five hoops and 10 clubs, and bronze in the group all-around.^[5][6]

Merenzon competed with the senior U.S. team at the 2017 World Championships in Pesaro and finished twelfth in the group all-around.^[7] She then competed at the 2017 Pan American Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida, and won the gold medal in the 5 hoops and silver medals in the group all-around and 3 balls + 2 ropes.^[8]

Merenzon competed at the 2019 Pan American Games and won the silver medal in the group all-around and in the 5 balls.^[9] Then at the 2019 World Championships in Baku, the American team finished tenth in the group all-around.^[10][11]

At the 2021 Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Merenzon and the U.S. team won the bronze medals in the all-around, and in both the 5 balls and the 3 hoops + 4 clubs.^[12][13] The United States qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games after Japan's host spot was reallocated. Merenzon was selected to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics as a reserve.^[14]

References

1. "Buffalo Grove Alum makes Comeback out of Retirement to the Olympics". d214.org. September 3, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
2. Brown, Andy (August 25, 2021). "UChicago student and gymnast fulfills Olympic dreams in Tokyo". uchicago.edu. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
3. "From Olympic Gymnastics to Medicine: Liza Merenzon's Inspiring Journey". mcw.edu. July 24, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
4. "U.S. Junior Rhythmic Group wins three medals at 2014 Pac Rim Championships". USA Gymnastics. April 10, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
5. "USA wins trampoline, rhythmic all-around titles at 2014 Junior Pan Am Championships". USA Gymnastics. May 10, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
6. "Zeng sweeps event final golds at 2014 Junior Pan Am Championships". USA Gymnastics. May 11, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
7. "U.S. rhythmic group finishes 12th at Rhythmic World Championships". USA Gymnastics. September 2, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
8. "Griskenas, Kapitonova win all-around gold in Daytona". USA Gymnastics. October 15, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
9. "Griskenas, Feeley win rhythmic gold medals at 2019 Pan American Games". USA Gymnastics. August 5, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
10. "USA finishes 10th in group all-around at 2019 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships". USA Gymnastics. September 21, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
11. "U.S. gymnasts found success on and off the competition floor in 2019". USA Gymnastics. December 31, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
12. "2021 Senior Pan American Championships continue Friday with rhythmic, trampoline and tumbling competitions". USA Gymnastics. June 11, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
13. "Yelyzaveta Merenzon". USA Gymnastics. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
14. Hart, Torrey (June 28, 2021). "Zeng, Griskenas qualify for Tokyo Olympics in Rhythmic Gymnastics". nbcolympics.com. Retrieved July 21, 2021.

External links

• Yelyzaveta Merenzon at the International Gymnastics Federation