| Marta Pihan-Kulesza | |
|---|---|
 Pihan-Kulesza at the 2016 Cottbus World Cup | |
|
Country represented |
|
|
Born |
July 23 1987 |
|
Years on National Team |
2003-2016 |
|
Height |
5 ft 4 in |
|
Club |
MKS Kusy Szczecin |
|
Coach(es) |
Jarosław Duda |
|
Current status |
Retired |
Marta Pihan-Kulesza (born July 23, 1987 in Szczecin) is a retired Polish gymnast. She traveled to the Beijing Olympics in 2008. She was Polish all-around champion in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2012, Marta won her 6th National all-around title. She became known for a remarkable beam routine with high difficulty including a clean switch 1/1 and a double front (later on a double arabian) dismount. Her floor routine showed off her talent for performing and had considerable difficulty as well.
Competitive History
She represented her country at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London where she had a chance to be in the top 12 after three rotations of the All-Around finals, but eventually she finished 19th because of the fall on the balance beam. Pihan-Kulesza was also second reserve for the floor exercise finals, where she placed 11th.
In 2013, Pihan-Kulesza competed at the World Championships, but missed the all-around and event finals.
In February 2014, she competed at the 1st Italian Serie A Nationale, placing fourth with her team. At the 2nd Serie A Nationale, she placed eighth with her team. At the Cottbus World Cup, she won gold on floor exercise, and placed seventh on uneven bars after taking a big step on her double front dismount. At the third Serie A in Desio, she placed sixth with her team. In April, she competed in a friendly meet against gymnasts from Austria, Israel, and the Czech Republic, winning gold with her team.
In May, she competed at the European Championships, placing fourth on floor and sixth on beam. In September, she competed in a friendly competition against the Czech Republic, winning all-around gold and team silver. In October, she competed at the World Championships in Nanning, China. The Polish team finished seventeenth in qualifications, qualifying a full team to the next World Championships. Individually, Pihan-Kulesza finished fourteenth in the all-around.
Following Nanning, she won silver in the all-around at the Blume Memorial in November. In December, she won the all-around at the Mexico Open.
In February 2015, she won team bronze at the 1st Italian Serie A Nationale. At the 2nd Serie A, she placed sixth, and at the 3rd Serie A in March, she placed eighth, and went on to win gold on floor at the Cottbus World Cup. At the European Championships, she placed fifth in the all-around, a first for Poland, and fifth on floor exercise. In May, she placed fourth with her team at the 4th Serie A. She sustained an injury following the Serie A.[1] In October, she was well enough to compete at the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, but Poland failed to qualify a full team to the Olympics or the Test Event.
In February 2016, she placed fifth with her team at the 1st Italian Serie A Nationale. In March, she placed fourth with her team at the Stuttgart World Cup. Upon realizing she would not compete at the Olympic Test Event, and therefore would not be in contention for an Olympic spot, she chose to retire following the Cottbus World Cup in April, where she tied for fourth place on floor exercise, and the 4th Italian Serie A Nationale in May, where she won team bronze.[2]
Medal Count
Floor Music
2008 - "Assassin's Tango" from Mr. and Mrs. Smith
2014-2015 - theme from The Pink Panther