Total Medals:

Olympics:

Worlds:

Euros:

World Cup:

Appearances:,,,,

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Ludmilla Turischeva is a 3x Olympian whose career started in the tail-end of the “romantic era” that existed under the likes of Vera Caslavska and Larissa Latynina. But by the time her career reached its conclusion WAG had pivoted to “little girl” gymnasts in the fashion of Nadia Comaneci. Turischeva’s success was particularly noteworthy with that contrast in mind. Turischeva was in many ways the last of her kind. She was a style of gymnast that had seen its day, but Turischeva’s win streak would be unmatched for decades to come.

Even Nadia struggled to match Turischeva’s combined medal count. It wasn’t until the 1990s that another gymnast (Lilia Podkopayeva) was able to hold the World Championships and Olympic AA titles at the same time as Ludmilla had done. It wasn’t until the current century (Dominique Dawes & Svetlana Khokina) that another WAG won medals in three different Olympics.

In spite of all that accomplishment, she was overshadowed by her more famous teammate Olga Korbut, even while Turischeva was clearly the more successful gymnast. When Nadia famously snatched away Turischeva’s crown, Turischeva responded with nothing but class and grace. Opting to be the perfect role model for a young 13-year old who now had the weight of the world now resting on her shoulders. Teaching the young Romanian how to carry it.

Turischeva did get one moment in the limelight, her famed “bars collapse” routine is one of the most popular highlight reels in sports and is frequently watched by non-gymnastics fans. After finishing her career Turischeva settled in Ukraine. She was vital to establishing the Ukrainian gymnastics program in the immediate aftermath of the breakup of the USSR.

World Championships & Olympic Competition:

Results:

1967
USSR Cup: 1st-AA

1968
USSR Cup: 3rd-AA
Olympics: 1st-Team

1969
European Championships: 3rd-AA, 3rd-UB, 3rd-FX
USSR Championships: 3rd-AA, 2nd-VT, 2nd-BB, 2nd-FX
USSR Cup: 1st-AA

1970
World Championships: 1st-AA 1st-Team, 3rd-VT, 2nd-UB, 1st-FX
USSR Championships: 1st-UB, 1st-FX
USSR Cup: 3rd-AA

1971
European Championships: 1st-AA, 1st-VT, 2nd-UB, 2nd-BB, 1st-FX
USSR Championships: 2nd-VT, 3rd-UB, 2nd-FX
USSR Cup: 1st-AA
Chunichi Cup: 2nd-AA

1972
USSR Championships: 1st-AA, 1st-VT, 1st-UB
USSR Cup: 2nd-AA
Olympics: 1st-AA, 1st-Team, 3rd-VT, 2nd-FX
Chunichi Cup: 3rd-AA

1973
European Championships 1st-AA, 1st-VT, 1st-UB, 1st-BB, 1st-FX
USSR Championships: 1st-VT, 1st-UB
USSR Cup: 1st-AA

1974
World Championships 1st-AA, 1st-Team, 2nd-VT, 3rd-UB, 1st-BB, 1st-FX
USSR Championships: 1st-AA
USSR Cup: 1st-AA

1975
European Championships: 3rd-FX
USSR Championships: 3rd-AA, 1st-VT
World Cup: 1st-AA, 1st-VT, 1st-UB, 1st-BB, 1st-FX
Chunichi Cup: 2nd-AA

1976
USSR Cup: 2nd-AA
Olympics: 3rd-AA, 1st-Team, 2nd-VT, 2nd-FX

Articles Featuring Turischeva:
The First Time Turischeva Met Nadia Was an Outlandish Incident
Ludmilla Turischeva Went Out Like a Legend

Gallery:

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Results are taken from Score for Score, The Gymternet, GymnasticGreats, My Meet Scores, Gymn-Forum, the official websites of various national gymnastics federations, newspaper clippings, classic gymnastics magazines, and in some cases, were provided by the gymnasts themselves. An explanation for the meaning of these symbols can be found here.