Maria Tyshko was the first Soviet gymnast to win an AA title in international competition. But she never made it to the Olympics due to the Soviet refusal to join the Olympic movement prior to 1952. Continue reading Gymnastics Bios #9: Maria Tyshko
The 1984 Olympics is best know for the AA battle between Ecaterina Szabo and Mary Lou Retton. But perhaps the biggest threat to the title was the lesser known Lavinia Agache. Continue reading Gymnastics Bios #8: Lavinia Agache
In 1987 Tatiana Tuzhikova was an unknown gymnast with no wins to her name. That didn’t stop her from rising to the top of the Soviet program. Continue reading Gymnastics Bios #7: Tatiana Tuzhikova
Natalia Tereschenko isn’t the most famous gymnast from the Soviet program, but she is certainly amongst its most interesting. Continue reading Gymnastics Bios #6: Natalia Tereschenko
In 1975 the USSR had a famed quartet of juniors. Three of them became legends. This is the story of the 4th gymnast. Continue reading Gymnastics Bios #5: Olga Koval
The little known gymnast who was the grandmother of the Soviet WAG dynasty. Continue reading Gymnastics Bios #3: Galina Urbanovich
The life of the Olympic Champion who survived a brutal WWII siege, the Holocaust, and hid her Jewish background from Soviet officials. Continue reading Gymnastics Bios #4: Maria Gorokhovskaya
The story of the 12-year old gymnast with an Olympic medal who lived for over a century. Continue reading Gymnastics Bios #2: Carla Marangoni
The 1975 European Championships are best known for establishing the careers of Nadia Comaneci and Nellie Kim. This is the story of the gymnast who finished 3rd. Continue reading Gymnastics Bios #1: Annelore Zinke
