1992-1996 Following the breakup of the
Soviet Union, Ivankov began representing
Belarus. He competed at both the 1992 Junior European Championships, where he helped the Belarusian team to a gold medal finish, and the senior European Championships in
Budapest, where he placed 13th in the all-around. He competed in his first World Championships in 1993, where he won a bronze medal on the rings. 1994 was Ivankov's breakout year. At the
1994 World Championships in
Brisbane, he won the all-around gold, defeating reigning Olympic champion and teammate
Vitaly Scherbo in the process. The same year, Ivankov won his first all-around senior European Championships title and placed well in other international competitions.
1997–2004 Ivankov's Achilles injury required serious rehabilitation, reconstructive surgery and muscle grafts, and months of physical therapy. His condition was considered to be career-ending, however, only a year after rupturing his Achilles, Ivankov returned to win his second all-around gold medal at the 1997 World Championships. One year later, he won the all-around at the
Goodwill Games in
New York City. In 2009, he accepted a coaching job for the
Illinois Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team. In 2012, he was awarded the National Assistant Coach of the Year award as the Fighting Illini won the
2012 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championship. As of 2019, he is also now a coach for Champions Gymnastics Academy in Katy, TX. In 2019 he was inducted into the
International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. ==Personal life==