Elena Kulichenko is a Russian-born Cypriot track and field athlete, a national record holder in the high jump. Elena was the 2017 Russia U-18 National Outdoor Champion and was a silver medalist at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival in Győr. In 2018, she was granted permission to compete in junior events as a neutral athlete.
In 2019, Elena was again declared eligible to compete as an authorised neutral athlete. She met the exceptional eligibility criteria to compete in international competition under competition Rule 22.1A(b).
After gaining Cypriot citizenship in 2019, The Amateur Athletic Association of Cyprus gave Elena the condition to serve a transition season prior to competing for them internationally. In July 2023, she won the Cypriot national championships with a 1.90m clearance in Nicosia. In the same month, Elena claimed Cyprus’ first ever gold medal at the 2023 European Athletics U23 Championships as she cleared 1.91m. For her incredible achievements, Elena was bestowed the honour of being Cyprus’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. At the Olympics, Elena became the first ever Cypriot female athlete to reach an Olympic track and field final. In the US, Elena set a new Cypriot national record clearing 1.95 meters to win the SEC Championship in Gainesville, Florida in May 2024. That was increased to 1.97m at the NCAA Championship final in Eugene, Oregon in June 2024.
Elena currently attends The University of Georgia in the US studying Human Development and Family Science with the aim to follow a career as a sports therapist
