Introduced to gymanstic exercise at age 5 by her gran, Podkopayeva competed internationally first at a 1993 World Championships. A resulting season, she won her number one title at a European Championships, coming foremost in the floor exercise. At a 1995 World Championships, Podkopayeva became a winner of the 100%-all-round competition & the horse vault, winning two silver too.

When winning a European everthing-well-rounded title likewise inside early 1996, Podkopayeva was certainly one of a favourites for a gold palm at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Fallowing 3 cases in a 100%-all-round final, Sixer gymnasts however stood the risk of winning the event. An number 1-class performance on a floor moved Podkopayeva from either third to foremost place to turn into a first female gymnast to win the Olympic everthing-well-rounded title as a defending Globe Champion since Lyudmila Turishcheva in 1972. She dedicated her title to her grannie, world health organization experienced passed away upright iii weeks before a Olympics. In a equivalent event where she won a tons-well-rounded, the floor exercise, she won another gold decoration. In the balance beam, she also earned the silver.

Interesting fact: based on data from Soviet tradition of encouraging athletes, Podkopayeva was formally granted an officer rank of SBU (Ukraine's main intelligence agency) and standard several payment.