Iuliana Semenova
Encyclopedia
Uļjana Semjonova (born March 9, 1952 in village Medumi, Daugavpils District
, Latvia
) is a retired Soviet
Latvian basketball player.
Standing at 2.13 metre Semjonova was the leading women's basketball player in the world in the 1970s and 1980s. Wearing a men's size 21 (US) / 58 (EU) shoe, she was known for having the largest feet ever in women's basketball. For almost all of her playing career, she played for TTT Riga
, which was part of Daugava Voluntary Sports Society. With TTT, she won 15 championships in the Soviet Union
and the European Champion's Cup 15 times. Semjonova was also very dominant in international play, winning two Olympic Gold medals while playing for the USSR
in 1976 and 1980 and never lost a game in official international competition.
She was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
in 1976, and in 1993 became the first non-US woman enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame
. She was an inaugural member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
in the class of 1999. In 2007, she was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame
. During the 2007 Latvian Sportspersonality of the year award ceremony
, Semjonova received the Lifetime Contribution to Sport award.
Daugavpils District
Daugavpils District was an administrative division of Latvia, located in Latgalia region, in the country's south-east. It was organized into two cities and twenty one parishes, each with a local government authority...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
) is a retired Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Latvian basketball player.
Standing at 2.13 metre Semjonova was the leading women's basketball player in the world in the 1970s and 1980s. Wearing a men's size 21 (US) / 58 (EU) shoe, she was known for having the largest feet ever in women's basketball. For almost all of her playing career, she played for TTT Riga
TTT Riga
TTT Rīga is the name of a professional women's basketball club based in Riga, Latvia. "TTT" means Tram and Trolley Trust.-History:TTT women's basketball team was founded in 1958. The team was to arrive by tram and trolley under the auspices of a trust. The first TTT Riga game was played on November...
, which was part of Daugava Voluntary Sports Society. With TTT, she won 15 championships in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the European Champion's Cup 15 times. Semjonova was also very dominant in international play, winning two Olympic Gold medals while playing for the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1976 and 1980 and never lost a game in official international competition.
She was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
The Order of the Red Banner of Labour was an order of the Soviet Union for accomplishments in labour and civil service. It is the labour counterpart of the military Order of the Red Banner. A few institutions and factories, being the pride of Soviet Union, also received the order.-History:The Red...
in 1976, and in 1993 became the first non-US woman enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
. She was an inaugural member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
in the class of 1999. In 2007, she was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame honors basketball players, coaches and administrators who have contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA in 1991. It includes the "Samaranch Library", the biggest basketball library in the world that, as of 2007, has over 10,000 basketball...
. During the 2007 Latvian Sportspersonality of the year award ceremony
Latvian Sportspersonality of the year
The Latvian Sportspersonality of the Year is chosen annually since 2005, for both men and women.-Titles by sport:- External links :*...
, Semjonova received the Lifetime Contribution to Sport award.