Alina Kozich

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Alina Kozich (born December 16, 1987 in Ukraine) is a Ukrainian gymnast. She is from Kiev and was a member of the 2004 Ukrainian Olympic team in Athens, Greece. She started Gymnastics at the age of 5 and her younger sister Olha is also a very talented gymnast.

Alina Kozich at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Alina first came to prominence at the tender age of 13 when she competed at the 2001 European Youth Olympics in Murcia, Spain where she won the All Around competition and impressed judges and fans with her clean lines and form. Her success in the Junior ranks continued in 2002 with a Gold Medal on the Uneven Bars at the 2002 Junior European in Patras, Greece as well as a fourth place finish in the All Around. 2003 saw Alina move into the senior ranks where she continued to impress with a solid 8th place finish in the All Around as well as a 7th place finish with her Ukraine team, qualifying for the team competition at the 2004 Olympics. She eventually placed 11th in the All Around and 8th on floor.

The Olympic year started strongly with Alina with a career highlight victory in the 2004 European All Around competition where she narrowly defeated Romanian Daniela Sofronie. Expectations were high on Alina heading into the 2004 Olympics and While the Ukrainian team placed a respectable Fourth in the team competition, falls from the Balance Beam in the All Around and on her first tumbling pass on floor prevented Alina from winning a medal where she was capable of doing so. However, Alina still won many fans during the Olympics with her beautiful dance, elegance, sweet personality and charming smile.

Alina continued to compete after the Olympics, but has so far been unable to regain her 2004 form. She failed to make any finals at the 2005 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia or the 2006 European Championships in Greece, but did win a silver medal on floor at the 2005 Glasgow Grand Prix and helped the Ukraine team to a fifth place finish at 2006 European Championships. Alina hopes to compete with the Ukraine team at the 2006 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark and possibly at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.