Elvire Teza
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Elvire Teza (born March 29, 1981, La Réunion) is a retired French gymnast who competed at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. She was the French National Champion in gymnastics in 1997, 1999 and 2000.
Born on the island of Reunion, Teza trained in Marseilles under coaches Shi Mao, Lin Xuan and Ma Jun. She made her international debut at the age of thirteen at the Junior European Championships, where she won bronze medals on the balance beam and floor exercise. At the 1996 Junior Europeans, she improved on these results, winning a gold medal on the uneven bars and silver medals with the French team and the beam final. In 1997, Teza became the first (and to date, the only) French gymnast to win the American Cup.
Teza competed at three World Gymnastics Championships, in 1995, 1997 (where she placed 6th on balance beam in event finals) and 1999. She also represented France at the Olympics twice; at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and the 2000 Games in Sydney. In Sydney, Teza became the first French female gymnast ever to qualify for an Olympic event final, placing eighth on the uneven bars.
Teza's beam and bars routines typically combined artistry with extreme difficulty. On the balance beam (ironically, an event she was said to dislike) Teza developed two original skills: a full twisting Yurchenko loop to back hip circle and a sideways Yang Bo jump. Both elements are named after her in the Code of Points and are classified as high-difficulty skills. On the uneven bars she performed intricate work with German giant swings rarely seen in competition and two of those moves are named after her as well. Teza's tumbling and vaulting were considered relatively weak compared to her other events, however, on floor exercise she was known for presenting routines with expressive choreography and excellent dance elements.
Teza retired after the 2000 Olympics to pursue her education.
