Total Medals:
Olympics:
Worlds:
Euros:
Appearances:,,

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During the early 1990s Silvia Mitova was one of the few WAGs who can truly be described as a fan favorite. However her career ended in tragedy when Silvia suffered a broken neck in a training accident one month after the 1992 Olympics. The resulting accident left her paralyzed at just 16 years old.

Fans launched an international effort to raise the funds needed for Silvia’s medical expenses. It resulted in a series of major surgeries taking place in both France and South Africa. First Mitova was able to regain the ability to walk. Then doctors were able to reverse most of the major side effects such as allowing her to regain feeling in her hands and a resolving a knob in her neck. Among those who came to Silvia’s assistance, a South Africa doctor who operated on her free of charge and allowed Mitova to stay in his house during her recovery period. His daughter was one of South Africa’s top elite gymnasts.

Mitova’s eventual full recovery was dubbed “Mitova’s Miracle” and made the cover of International Gymnast. It marked the transition of one of WAG’s most tragic stories into one of its greatest redemption stories. Mitova hails from a gymnastics family. Her mother was a 1972 Olympian, her father was the coach of the Bulgaria’s 1992 team, and Silvia herself was named after a gymnast, 1972 Olympian Silvia Topalova. Silvia Mitova’s daughter currently competes NCAA for the University of Denver.

World Championships & Olympic Competition:

Results:

1989
International Junior Championships: 12th-AA, 6th-BB
Druzhba: 3rd-Team, 8th-VT, 3rd-B, 4th-FX
Jr. European Championships: 4th-AA

1990
Athens International: 3rd-VT
Golden Sands: 3rd-AA, 1st-VT
Jr. European Championships: 4th-AA
Medeco Cup: 3rd-AA

1991
DTB Cup: 5th-AA, 5th-VT, 4th-FX
Dutch Open: 1st-AA
European Cup: 4th-AA, 3rd-FX
BUL-FRA Dual Meet: 2nd-AA
Gander Memorial: 5th-AA
Hungarian International: 4th-AA
Jr. European Championships: 2nd-AA, 4th-VT, 6th-UB, 8th-BB, 2nd-FX
Rome Grand Prix: 5th-AA
Sofia International: 1st-AA
Swiss Cup: 2nd-Team
World Championships: 16th-AA, 6th-FX

1992
European Championships: 12th-AA, 3rd-VT, 4th-FX
World Championships: 4th-BB, 5th-VT, 9th-FX
Olympic Games: 11th-AA, 8th-FX

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.