Larissa Fontaine (USA)

Photo by Matt Barber

1989 American Classic: 16th AA, 3rd UB, 6th FX (junior division)
1989 U.S. Classic: 8th AA, 6th UB (junior division)
1990 American Classic: 9th AA
1990 Hungarian International: 6th AA (tie), 2nd UB, 6th V & FX
1990 U.S. Classic: 1st AA, 1st UB, 1st BB, 2nd FX (junior division)
1990 U.S. Gymnastics Championships: 2nd AA (junior division)
1990 U.S. Olympic Festival:  9th AA (tie), 1st BB, 2nd UB
1991 American Classic: 3rd AA, 1st BB, 6th UB, 7th FX
1991 Canada v France v Romania v United States
1991 U.S. Gymnastics Championships: 20th AA
1991 U.S. Olympic Festival: 10th AA, 5th BB
1992 Anne Dupuch Competition: 1st AA, 2nd V, 2nd UB
1992 Buckeye Classic: 1st AA (junior division)
1992 Brazil International: 3rd FX
1992 U.S. Gymnastics Championships: 17th AA
1993 Coca Cola National Championships: 6th AA, 4th UB, 5th BB 1993 Nikon International: 9th AA, 1st V, 2nd UB (tie)
1993 U.S. Classic: 5th AA (tie)
1993 U.S. Olympic Festival: 4th AA, 6th UB
1994 American Classic/World Championships Trials: 3rd AA
1994 Arthur Gander Memorial: 4th V, 4th FX, 2nd UB, 3rd BB
1994 USA vs. Romania: 2nd T, 2nd AA (tie)
1994 US National Championships (scratched)
1994 American Cup: 7th AA
1994 US World Team Trials: 6th AA
1994 Team World Championships: 2nd Team
1994 World Gymnastics Championships: 17th AA
1995 Coca Cola National Championships (scratched after compulsories)
1996 U.S. Classic: 9th AA, 5th V, 6th UB, 9th BB
1996 Coca Cola National Championships: 12th AA (tie)
1996 U.S. Olympic Trials: 11th AA

Results courtesy of USA Gymnastics

Larissa Fontaine was born on December 15, 1977. By 1990 she was one of the USA's top junior gymnasts. Larissa won the junior US Classic that year, placed second at the junior US Nationals, and medalled in numerous event finals (1990 US Classic - 1st UB, 1st UB, 2nd FX; 1990 US Olympic Festival - 1st BB, 2nd UB). She also competed in her international in 1990, the Hungarian International, in which she tied for 6th place and earned a silver on her specialty, bars.

In late 1990 Larissa moved to Houston, TX to train with Bela Karolyi. She trained here for only 5 months, her elbow shot. She returned back to Chicago, and with only light training managed to make it to the 1991 US Nationals. After more recovery time, but this time with an ankle injury, Fontaine emerged at the 1991 US Olympic Festival, where she improved to place tenth all-around. 

Larissa moved up to the senior ranks in 1993, consistently placing in the top 6 in National meets. That year she flew to Australia to participate in the Nikon International, winning vault and tying for silver on bars. "I was really happy with my performances on bars and vault...this is the first time I've been injury free in a long time," Fontaine told USAG. 

It was touch and miss for Larissa for awhile in 1994; she had to withdraw from the US Nationals due to injury and also looked for a new gym. Luckily she recovered from her injury in time to compete at the 1994 World Team Trials, where the National Team Coaches stood in as her personal coach, and she qualified to her first World team. She competed in Dortmund, Germany and brought home a team silver. Later that year she competed in the individual  World Championships in Brisbane, Australia. She placed 17th AA. Successfully competing her bars dismount, an arabian double front, this year at Worlds, the move was named "The Fontaine."

Fontaine at the 2000 US Nationals
Photo courtesy of Heather Maynez

Larissa eventually moved to Maryland to train with Kelli Hill. She returned to the 1996 US Classic after a long absence due to injury, placing 9th AA and qualifying herself to US Nationals. In New Orleans she placed 12th AA, earning a spot in the 1996 US Olympic Trials, where she placed 11th AA.

Larissa accepted a scholarship to compete NCAA for Stanford, and in 1998 became the NCAA vault champion. In 2000 she was awarded an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. Valued at $5,000, these scholarship are awarded to student-athletes in their last year of intercollegiate competition and who have excelled academically and athletically. (Larissa majored in English and Mechanical Engineering).

In 2000 Larissa also served as the athlete representative on USAG's Women's Technical Committee. In 2001 she was the alternate athlete representative on USAG's Women's International Program Committee. Larissa has kept ties with Stanford since graduating, now coaching their women's NCAA gymnastics team.

. This page was created on April 7, 2001 and last updated September 2, 2003.

 
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