Ludmilla Tourischeva
Encyclopedia
Ludmilla Ivanovna Tourischeva (Russian: Людми́ла Ива́новна Тури́щева alternate spellings: Ludmilla Turischeva; Ludmilla Tourischcheva; Ljudmila Ivanovna Turichtchieva;, born October 7, 1952 in Grozny
) is a former Russian gymnast
and a nine-time Olympic medalist for the Soviet Union
.
Tourischeva began gymnastics in 1965 and began competing for the Soviet team as early as in 1967. Coached by Vladislav Rastorotsky
(who later trained Natalia Shaposhnikova
and Natalia Yurchenko
), she represented the USSR at the 1968 Summer Olympics
just after her sixteenth birthday, sharing the gold medal with the USSR team
and placing 24th in the all-around.
Two years later Tourischeva would become the leader of the Soviet team. From 1970 to 1974 she dominated almost every major international competition, winning the World Championships
all-around gold in 1970
and 1974
, the European Championships in 1971 and 1973 and the World Cup in 1975. She was considered to embody the classic Soviet style: grace, elegance, impeccable form and strong technique.
At the 1972 Olympics
in Munich
, Tourischeva was a medal favorite, but found herself overshadowed by the sudden popularity of her telegenic compatriot Olga Korbut
. After Korbut faltered on the uneven bars, however, Tourischeva won the all-around gold medal. She was less successful in the event finals, qualifying for all four, but winning only a silver and a bronze. Tourischeva was one of the first female gymnasts to use two separate pieces of music for her floor exercise routines at an international competition. For the team competition there was March from movie Circus by Isaak Dunaevsky, while for the all around - the music to the film Die Frau meiner Träume by Franz Grothe.
At the 1975 European Championships, Tourischeva lost the all-around competition, placing third to thirteen-year old Nadia Comăneci
, who also won the vault, bars, and beam apparatus finals. Tourischeva's teammate, Nellie Kim
, placed second and won the floor exercise competition. Nevertheless, Tourischeva rebounded later that year to sweep the World Cup.
After struggling with a back injury, Tourischeva competed in her third Olympic Games in Montreal
in 1976, winning her third team gold with the Soviet squad. In the all-around she finished third behind Romania
's Comăneci and her teammate Kim. Although Tourischeva lost to Kim on both vault
and floor exercise in the event finals, she overcame Comăneci on them and won silver medals, bringing her total Olympic medal count to four gold, three silver and two bronze.
In 1980, British journalist David Hunn wrote of Tourischeva, "(she) never had the cheek of some of her rivals, but for serenity she was supreme." This was famously illustrated during the 1975 World Cup at Wembley Stadium in London, when a broken hook holding support cables of the uneven bars caused the apparatus to fall apart and crashed to the ground, just as Tourischeva landed her dismount. Saluting the judges, she calmly walked off the podium without even turning around to look at the remains of the apparatus. She went on to win the all-around and every single event final gold. Years later, she said of the incident that at that moment she remembered only one thing - she must complete her routine and "stick it". Her trainer Vladislav Rastorotsky said about her: "Ljudmila would fight to death in any situation".
Tourischeva was also known for her gracious demeanor. At the 1976 Olympics
, she walked around the podium to personally congratulate champion Nadia Comăneci and shake her hand before accepting her own medal.
In 1977, she married the sprinter Valeriy Borzov, a two-time Olympic champion in 1972. She was elected to the Women's Artistic Gymnastics Technical Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in 1981 Tourischeva has remained involved in gymnastics as a coach, an international judge and an official with the Ukrainian
gymnastics federation. One of her proteges was Lilia Podkopayeva
, the 1996 Olympic all-around gold medalist.
Tourischeva has received many honors for her contributions to gymnastics, including the Women In Sport trophy by the International Olympic Committee
. In 1998 she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
.
Ludmilla Tourischeva is 1 of only 2 women (Yelena Shushunova
being the other) who have won the grand slam of All-Around titles: Olympics, World Championships, World Cup, European Championships.
Grozny
Grozny is the capital city of the Chechen Republic, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the preliminary results of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 271,596; up from 210,720 recorded in the 2002 Census. but still only about two-thirds of 399,688 recorded in the 1989...
) is a former Russian gymnast
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
and a nine-time Olympic medalist for 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....
.
Tourischeva began gymnastics in 1965 and began competing for the Soviet team as early as in 1967. Coached by Vladislav Rastorotsky
Vladislav Rastorotsky
Vladislav Stepanovich Rastorotsky is a Russian artistic gymnastics coach, Honoured Trainer of the USSR, who trained in Dynamo sports society. Sportswomen trained by him earned more than 50 Champion titles at the National championships, European championships, World championships and Olympic Games...
(who later trained Natalia Shaposhnikova
Natalia Shaposhnikova
Natalia Vitalyevna Shaposhnikova , , married name Natalia Sout, was a Soviet gymnast, two-time Olympic Champion, Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR. She was born in Rostov on Don, Russian SFSR. She was known for her risky and original skills along with her expressive choreography, especially on...
and Natalia Yurchenko
Natalia Yurchenko
Natalia Vladimirovna Yurchenko was a Soviet artistic gymnast, who was the women's all-around gold medalist at the 1983 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships...
), she represented the USSR at the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
just after her sixteenth birthday, sharing the gold medal with the USSR team
USSR at the Summer Olympics
The Soviet Union first participated at the Olympic Games in 1952, and competed at the Games on 18 occasions since then. At seven of its nine appearances at the Summer Olympic Games, the team ranked first in the total number of medals won, it was second by this count on the other two...
and placing 24th in the all-around.
Two years later Tourischeva would become the leader of the Soviet team. From 1970 to 1974 she dominated almost every major international competition, winning the World Championships
World Gymnastics Championships
The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique organises World Gymnastics Championships for each of the gymnastic disciplines:...
all-around gold in 1970
1970 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 17th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 1970.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:- Vault :...
and 1974
1974 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 18th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Varna, Bulgaria, in 1974.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:- Vault :...
, the European Championships in 1971 and 1973 and the World Cup in 1975. She was considered to embody the classic Soviet style: grace, elegance, impeccable form and strong technique.
At the 1972 Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Tourischeva was a medal favorite, but found herself overshadowed by the sudden popularity of her telegenic compatriot Olga Korbut
Olga Korbut
Olga Valentinovna Korbut , also known as the Sparrow from Minsk, is a Belarusian, Soviet-born gymnast who won four gold medals and two silver medals at the Summer Olympics, in which she competed in 1972 and 1976 for the USSR team....
. After Korbut faltered on the uneven bars, however, Tourischeva won the all-around gold medal. She was less successful in the event finals, qualifying for all four, but winning only a silver and a bronze. Tourischeva was one of the first female gymnasts to use two separate pieces of music for her floor exercise routines at an international competition. For the team competition there was March from movie Circus by Isaak Dunaevsky, while for the all around - the music to the film Die Frau meiner Träume by Franz Grothe.
At the 1975 European Championships, Tourischeva lost the all-around competition, placing third to thirteen-year old Nadia Comăneci
Nadia Comaneci
Nadia Elena Comăneci is a Romanian gymnast, winner of three Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and the first female gymnast ever to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. She is also the winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer...
, who also won the vault, bars, and beam apparatus finals. Tourischeva's teammate, Nellie Kim
Nellie Kim
Nellie Vladimirovna Kim is a retired Soviet gymnast who won three gold medals and a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics...
, placed second and won the floor exercise competition. Nevertheless, Tourischeva rebounded later that year to sweep the World Cup.
After struggling with a back injury, Tourischeva competed in her third Olympic Games in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1976, winning her third team gold with the Soviet squad. In the all-around she finished third behind Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
's Comăneci and her teammate Kim. Although Tourischeva lost to Kim on both vault
Vault (gymnastics)
The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...
and floor exercise in the event finals, she overcame Comăneci on them and won silver medals, bringing her total Olympic medal count to four gold, three silver and two bronze.
In 1980, British journalist David Hunn wrote of Tourischeva, "(she) never had the cheek of some of her rivals, but for serenity she was supreme." This was famously illustrated during the 1975 World Cup at Wembley Stadium in London, when a broken hook holding support cables of the uneven bars caused the apparatus to fall apart and crashed to the ground, just as Tourischeva landed her dismount. Saluting the judges, she calmly walked off the podium without even turning around to look at the remains of the apparatus. She went on to win the all-around and every single event final gold. Years later, she said of the incident that at that moment she remembered only one thing - she must complete her routine and "stick it". Her trainer Vladislav Rastorotsky said about her: "Ljudmila would fight to death in any situation".
Tourischeva was also known for her gracious demeanor. At the 1976 Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, she walked around the podium to personally congratulate champion Nadia Comăneci and shake her hand before accepting her own medal.
In 1977, she married the sprinter Valeriy Borzov, a two-time Olympic champion in 1972. She was elected to the Women's Artistic Gymnastics Technical Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in 1981 Tourischeva has remained involved in gymnastics as a coach, an international judge and an official with the Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
gymnastics federation. One of her proteges was Lilia Podkopayeva
Lilia Podkopayeva
Lilia Alexandrivna Podkopayeva ; born August 15, 1978 in Donetsk) is a retired Ukrainian gymnast who became the 1996 Olympic all-around champion, the 1995 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships all-around champion and the 1996 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships all-around champion...
, the 1996 Olympic all-around gold medalist.
Tourischeva has received many honors for her contributions to gymnastics, including the Women In Sport trophy by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
. In 1998 she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
The International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, located in Oklahoma City, USA, is a hall of fame dedicated to honoring the achievements and contributions of the world's greatest competitors, coaches and authorities in artistic gymnastics....
.
Ludmilla Tourischeva is 1 of only 2 women (Yelena Shushunova
Yelena Shushunova
Yelena Lvovna Shushunova is a Russian gymnast, World, European, and Olympic Champion. Shushunova is renowned for her dynamic vaulting and tumbling skills as well as her longevity and exceptional consistency...
being the other) who have won the grand slam of All-Around titles: Olympics, World Championships, World Cup, European Championships.
Achievements (non-Olympic)
| Year | Event | AA | Team | VT | UB | BB | FX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | USSR Cup | 1st | |||||
| 1968 | USSR Cup | 3rd | |||||
| 1969 | European Championships | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | |||
| USSR Championships | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | |||
| USSR Cup | 1st | ||||||
| 1970 | World Championships 1970 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships The 17th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 1970.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:- Vault :... |
1st | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | |
| USSR Championships | 1st | 1st | |||||
| USSR Cup | 3rd | ||||||
| 1971 | European Championships | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | |
| USSR Championships | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | ||||
| USSR Cup | 1st | ||||||
| 1972 | USSR Championships | 1st | 1st | 1st | |||
| USSR Cup | 2nd | ||||||
| 1973 | European Championships | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |
| USSR Championships | 1st | 1st | |||||
| USSR Cup | 1st | ||||||
| 1974 | World Championships 1974 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships The 18th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Varna, Bulgaria, in 1974.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:- Vault :... |
1st | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 1st |
| USSR Championships | 1st | ||||||
| USSR Cup | 1st | ||||||
| 1975 | World Cup | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |
| European Championships | 3rd | ||||||
| USSR Championships | 3rd | 1st | |||||
| 1976 | USSR Cup | 2nd |