Getting To Know Track & Field’s Elena Kulichenko
January 29, 2024 | Track & Field
By Will Bennett
Lady Bulldog junior Elena Kulichenko arrived in Athens, Ga., from her hometown of Odintsovo, Russia, with aspirations of earning her degree at the University of Georgia and having success in the high jump. As her third year continues, she has surpassed at least 1.82 meters/6 feet in her featured event 19 times and has been a scoring All-American for the Georgia women on three occasions Kulichenko is No. 3 on the school's all-time indoor top-10 list (1.91m/6-3.50) and No. 5 in the UGA record books outdoors (1.89m/6-2.75).
Here is a look at who Elena Kulichenko is . . .
Q: What was growing up in Russia like?
A: It was tough, but very nice. The people there all have amazing memories of their childhood. It wasn't really about the place, but more about your family and friends…although it was still cold. Overall though, pretty nice.
Q: Why did you choose to do high jump and not any other events?
A: When I did track for the first time, I started off doing everything like everyone else. My first coach was a high jumper herself and had won all these medals. She kind of forced me to do it but I did love it myself as well.
Q: What was the switch to the U.S. living like?
A: Everything was different, like the culture and the environment. It started with the warm temperature here in Georgia at the first practice. I was like dying because it was so hot. The coaching staff had a different approach, which I liked. I feel like throughout the years I have gotten used to it. It's definitely been a very interesting adjustment.
Q: How has Athens been and Georgia as a whole?
A: Coming from Moscow, it was tough to adjust but it is a beautiful place. I like the closeness of the community, like friends being able to make plans in five minutes. I also enjoy being able to get the city experience in Atlanta, which is still close. Having everything so close is super awesome.
Q: Favorite thing to do outside of track?
A: Hang out with friends. It's so important to switch the environment from sports and academics. It's always good to just have time to relax and just be a normal person.
Q: How has your athletic experience in the States been compared to Russia and other international places?
A: The biggest difference here is the teamwork aspect and the closeness of the team. When going to big events like Nationals or SECs, you obviously think about yourself but also about the team. It's weird having an individual sport like track have such a team connection. That was a shock at first. That is one thing I enjoy.
Q: Who have you connected with on the track team?
A: Charlotte Augustine, a cross country and distance runner, she is one of my best friends. She is one of the first people I met, and we just had a good connection, although we have completely different events. She is part German, which could be part of the reason with some international experience.
Q: What are some of your goals for this year?
A: I want to win Nationals individually indoors and outdoors, compete well as a team, win SECs and be able to go to the Olympics and perform my best.
Q: What are your end of college goals?
A: Like everyone in their college career, I want to win the NCAA title. Just to perform better over the years, jump higher and higher. Also, one personal goal that I have is to jump 2 meters (6 feet, 6 ¾ inches). In high jump, it's a huge goal to have and might be a SEC record so that's the goal for sure. I don't have goals to break records but more to perform my best and stay healthy.
Q: Other than track what is your favorite sport?
A: I would say beach volleyball just for fun, not competing or anything. I love volleyball.
Q: What is your favorite place to eat in Athens?
A: Bubble Café downtown for sure, they have great food and great tea.
Q: Who has been your mentor growing up?
A: My older brother because he was older and had more life experience. I feel like many kids look up to their older siblings because that's how it typically is. In Athens, probably Coach (James) Thomas although he left to be the head coach at Oklahoma. Also, Coach Caryl (Smith Gilbert) because she was super nice, and we were both new at the same time.
Q: What would you tell young athletes wanting to pursue track & field in college?
A: That it's hard and it's not easy. It's not a fun or perfect picture. Although you get gear and notoriety, it's still a lot of work and a lot of time. Balancing everything is super hard like track and academics. Practice and training here are super hard, especially at big (Division I) programs. While it looks and sounds hard, everything is possible and you should always believe in yourself. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't.
Q: What has been your favorite part about the U.S. so far?
A: Honestly lots of things like the University and the approach of all the faculty is so much different. Also, it's a lot of freedom with it being the first time away from my parents. I am enjoying the adult life that I have now. Just in general, college life has been so fun. It has been just how I thought it would be and how I dreamed it would be from the movies.
Q: What's the craziest food you have had in the US?
A: One food that I think the U.S. has too much of is fried chicken. Sometimes I just want a normal comfort food and there's just all this junk food. I'm definitely not the biggest food explorer so nothing really.
Q: Why did you choose to compete for Cyprus?
A: It's easy because I have the Cyprus citizenship already, so it was a super easy process. It was a smooth switch over rather than having to go through the process of getting another country's citizenship.
Lady Bulldog junior Elena Kulichenko arrived in Athens, Ga., from her hometown of Odintsovo, Russia, with aspirations of earning her degree at the University of Georgia and having success in the high jump. As her third year continues, she has surpassed at least 1.82 meters/6 feet in her featured event 19 times and has been a scoring All-American for the Georgia women on three occasions Kulichenko is No. 3 on the school's all-time indoor top-10 list (1.91m/6-3.50) and No. 5 in the UGA record books outdoors (1.89m/6-2.75).
Here is a look at who Elena Kulichenko is . . .
Q: What was growing up in Russia like?
A: It was tough, but very nice. The people there all have amazing memories of their childhood. It wasn't really about the place, but more about your family and friends…although it was still cold. Overall though, pretty nice.
Q: Why did you choose to do high jump and not any other events?
A: When I did track for the first time, I started off doing everything like everyone else. My first coach was a high jumper herself and had won all these medals. She kind of forced me to do it but I did love it myself as well.
Q: What was the switch to the U.S. living like?
A: Everything was different, like the culture and the environment. It started with the warm temperature here in Georgia at the first practice. I was like dying because it was so hot. The coaching staff had a different approach, which I liked. I feel like throughout the years I have gotten used to it. It's definitely been a very interesting adjustment.
Q: How has Athens been and Georgia as a whole?
A: Coming from Moscow, it was tough to adjust but it is a beautiful place. I like the closeness of the community, like friends being able to make plans in five minutes. I also enjoy being able to get the city experience in Atlanta, which is still close. Having everything so close is super awesome.
Q: Favorite thing to do outside of track?
A: Hang out with friends. It's so important to switch the environment from sports and academics. It's always good to just have time to relax and just be a normal person.
Q: How has your athletic experience in the States been compared to Russia and other international places?
A: The biggest difference here is the teamwork aspect and the closeness of the team. When going to big events like Nationals or SECs, you obviously think about yourself but also about the team. It's weird having an individual sport like track have such a team connection. That was a shock at first. That is one thing I enjoy.
Q: Who have you connected with on the track team?
A: Charlotte Augustine, a cross country and distance runner, she is one of my best friends. She is one of the first people I met, and we just had a good connection, although we have completely different events. She is part German, which could be part of the reason with some international experience.
Q: What are some of your goals for this year?
A: I want to win Nationals individually indoors and outdoors, compete well as a team, win SECs and be able to go to the Olympics and perform my best.
Q: What are your end of college goals?
A: Like everyone in their college career, I want to win the NCAA title. Just to perform better over the years, jump higher and higher. Also, one personal goal that I have is to jump 2 meters (6 feet, 6 ¾ inches). In high jump, it's a huge goal to have and might be a SEC record so that's the goal for sure. I don't have goals to break records but more to perform my best and stay healthy.
Q: Other than track what is your favorite sport?
A: I would say beach volleyball just for fun, not competing or anything. I love volleyball.
Q: What is your favorite place to eat in Athens?
A: Bubble Café downtown for sure, they have great food and great tea.
Q: Who has been your mentor growing up?
A: My older brother because he was older and had more life experience. I feel like many kids look up to their older siblings because that's how it typically is. In Athens, probably Coach (James) Thomas although he left to be the head coach at Oklahoma. Also, Coach Caryl (Smith Gilbert) because she was super nice, and we were both new at the same time.
Q: What would you tell young athletes wanting to pursue track & field in college?
A: That it's hard and it's not easy. It's not a fun or perfect picture. Although you get gear and notoriety, it's still a lot of work and a lot of time. Balancing everything is super hard like track and academics. Practice and training here are super hard, especially at big (Division I) programs. While it looks and sounds hard, everything is possible and you should always believe in yourself. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't.
Q: What has been your favorite part about the U.S. so far?
A: Honestly lots of things like the University and the approach of all the faculty is so much different. Also, it's a lot of freedom with it being the first time away from my parents. I am enjoying the adult life that I have now. Just in general, college life has been so fun. It has been just how I thought it would be and how I dreamed it would be from the movies.
Q: What's the craziest food you have had in the US?
A: One food that I think the U.S. has too much of is fried chicken. Sometimes I just want a normal comfort food and there's just all this junk food. I'm definitely not the biggest food explorer so nothing really.
Q: Why did you choose to compete for Cyprus?
A: It's easy because I have the Cyprus citizenship already, so it was a super easy process. It was a smooth switch over rather than having to go through the process of getting another country's citizenship.
Players Mentioned
High Jump
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