Did Elena Mukhina really have an ice eye?

Answer 1

The girl with the ice eyes is a metaphor used to describe Soviet gymnast Elena Mukhina because she is rarely, if ever, photographed or video taped smiling. Anyone who reads about Ms. Mukhina's past becomes aware of why this is likely so. At an early age she lost her parents to an automobile accident and was raised by her grandmother. While she secured a spot on the Soviet Olympic team at a young age and was quite successful, she broke her leg. Elena was moving fast to the top of the world gymnast community, winning All Around in the World Championship at Strasbourg, France in 1978. During practice the next year, she broke her leg that kept her out of competitions and practice. In preparation for the 1980 Olympics, Elena broke her neck and was left a permanent quadriplegic at the age of 20.