Anna Bessonova

Hanna Volodymyrivna Bezsonova (; born 29 July 1984) is a Ukrainian former individual rhythmic gymnast. She's one of the most decorated rhythmic gymnast of her generation. Bessonova is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist (2004 in Athens and 2008 in Beijing); a five-time medalist in the all-around competition of the World Championships: gold in 2007, silver in 2003 and 2005, bronze in 2001 and 2009; a four-time medalist in the all-around competition of the European Championships: silver in 2004 and 2008, bronze in 2002 and 2006; and a four-time medalist in the all-around competition of the Grand Prix Final: gold in 2003, silver in 2002 and 2005, bronze in 2004.

Personal life Bessonova's father is the Dynamo Kyiv football player Vladimir Bessonov. Her mother, Viktoria, is a former two-time World champion group rhythmic gymnast. She is the one that introduced her daughter to the sport.

After retiring, Bessonova coached girls at the Deriugins School. Her students include Yeva Meleshchuk.

Bessonova moved to the United States in 2017 and coaches girls in Florida.

Career

Bessonova began training in rhythmic gymnastics at age five. Her mother preferred to see her daughter on the ballet stage; however, Bessonova decided on rhythmic gymnastics. She was coached by Albina Deriugina and her daughter Irina Deriugina at the Deriugins School in Kyiv.

In 1999, Bessonova was the youngest in the Ukrainian team during the 1999 World Championship in Osaka, Japan, yet she made such a good impression that the RG specialists wrote her name immediately as a future top gymnast. In the 2001 World Championships, Alina Kabaeva and her teammate Irina Tchachina who originally won gold and silver medal in all-around respectively tested positive to a banned diuretic (furosemide) and were stripped of their medals. Ukraine's Tamara Yerofeeva who originally won bronze was awarded the gold with Bulgaria's Simona Peycheva from 4th to taking the silver and Bessonova from 5th was awarded the bronze medal.

In 2001, Bessonova participated at the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane and won a bronze medal in clubs.

In 2002, Bessonova tested positive for norephedrine, a banned stimulant in March during a competition in Disneyland Paris Stadium by France and was banned for two months. Bessonova briefly competed as member of the Ukrainian Group. She and the Ukrainian Group won the gold medal in five Ribbons in New Orleans. She dominated the 2002 World Cup Final in Stuttgart in November, by winning the first place on the hoop, the rope and the clubs. After that Bessonova (aged 18) became a leader of the Ukrainian national team.

In 2003 in Budapest she won two World titles — the hoop event final edging out Alina Kabaeva (performing to music from Swan Lake) and the clubs final where she beat Irina Tchachina for the gold. Bessonova was very close to the all-around title but finished with the silver medal behind Russia's Alina Kabaeva after a drop during her ball routine. In 2003, she won three European gold medals — in hoop, clubs and ribbon event finals. She won three of four finals in the 2003 Grand Prix tournament in Kyiv.

In 2004, Bessonova won the all-around silver medal at the 2004 European Championships. She made her Olympic debut and won the bronze individual all-around medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics with a total score of 106.700 (ribbon 26.725, clubs 26.950, ball 26.525, hoop 26.500) behind two Russians, silver medalist Irina Tchachina and gold medalist Alina Kabaeva.

In 2005, Bessonova became a six-time silver medalist during 2005 World Championships in all-around, rope, ball, clubs and ribbon finals. She took four gold medals at the 2005 Universiade in İzmir, winning the all-around, rope, ball and clubs. She won the all-around bronze at the 2006 European Championships.

In 2007, Bessonova competed in a number of Grand Prix and World Cup Series. The year would also mark the start of a new challenge for Bessonova with rise of new Russian gymnast Evgenia Kanaeva. At the 2007 Corbeil-Essonnes World Cup, she won the silver medal behind Evgenia Kanaeva. She won all the gold medals in 2007 Summer Universiade beating Sessina and Kapranova. She became World champion at the 2007 World Championship in Patras, winning the all-around gold medal defeating Russians Vera Sessina and Olga Kapranova.

In 2008, Bessonova won all-around golds at the LA Lights, Deriugina Cup (Kyiv World Cup) and Miss Valentine Competitions, as well as the all-around silver at the European Championships in Torino behind Russian star Evgenia Kanaeva. At the 2008 World Cup events, Bessonova accumulated 15 medals. The year culminated in her all-around bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with Kanaeva winning the gold medal and Belarus' Inna Zhukova taking the silver medal.

In 2009, Bessonova placed first in the all-around at the Kyiv World Cup and Deriugina Cup events, and also won bronze in the World and European Championships behind reigning Olympic champion Evgenia Kanaeva and Daria Kondakova. She competed at the 2009 Universiade in Belgrade and won four silver medals again behind Kanaeva. Bessonova finally completed her career in 2010 at the Deriugina Cup in Kyiv.

In 2013, Bessonova performed at the opening ceremony of the 2013 World Championships, in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Other professional and social activities Bessonova at the 2011 LG WHISEN Rhythmic All Stars Gala doing a Leap in her Freehand routine. After completing her career in professional sports, Bessonova appeared in Ukrainian television projects. During the UEFA Euro 2012, she was a TV presenter, a commentator and a special correspondent in a Ukrainian sports TV channel. Back in 2009, Bessonova took part in «Dancing for You» TV show, becoming the winner (partnered with Olexander Leshchenko). After some time, she was a chief editor of Ukrainian edition of the magazine Pink. Bessonova is also known as an active promoter of sports and healthy lifestyle among young people in Ukraine.

Routine music information

Year Apparatus Music title 2009 Hoop Carrots/Shots / Struggle For Ebullience / Night Running / Earth Zoom In / Linda Looks For Love (Part 1) / Plan B music from Burn After Reading by Carter Burwell Rope Boat Chase / Chopper Chase / Face Off music from The Italian Job by John Powell Ball Chapel / Filet / Red Men music from Le Rêve by Benoît Jutras Ribbon Carmina Burana by Carl Orff 2008 Hoop music from Avrora by Valeri Tishler Rope Shiro's Estate by Brian Tyler Clubs Gladiator soundtrack – "Barbarian Horde" Ribbon Hopak (Ukrainian Folk) 2007 Hoop music from Avrora by Valeri Tishler Rope The Dance At The Gym music from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein Clubs Gladiator soundtrack – "Barbarian Horde" Ribbon Boléro by Maurice Ravel 2006 Ball You Have A Special Purpose In Life / I'm Not Ready To Die / Renovatio music from The Island by Steve Jablonsky Rope Conga Fury music from The Animatrix by Juno Reactor Clubs Plaza of Execution / Leave No Witnesses / The Ride / The Fencing Lesson / The Mask of Zorro music from The Mask of Zorro by James Horner Ribbon Molto Meno Mosso (Act IV, no.28) / Moderato (Act III, no. 24) music from Swan Lake by Pyotr Tchaikovsky 2005 Ball Miss San / Miko's Testimony / Song to Miko music from Wasabi by Éric Serra Rope Finale from Carmen by G. Bizet, R. Shchedrin Clubs Jesus Arrested / Mary Goes to Jesus / Jesus is Carried Down music from The Passion of the Christ by John Debney Ribbon Fantasy – overture for orchestra in B minor from Romeo and Juliet by Pyotr Tchaikovsky 2004 Hoop Molto Meno Mosso / Allegro – Valse – Allegro – Vivo / Finale – Andante – Allegro Agitatoo - Alla Breve – Moderato e Maestoso – Moderato / Moderato by Tchaikovsky Ball Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian Clubs Mona Lisa Overdrive from The Matrix Reloaded by Don Davis and Juno Reactor Ribbon Nyah / La Cavalera from Mission Impossible II by Hans Zimmer and Elliot Goldenthal 2003 Hoop Molto Meno Mosso / Allegro – Valse – Allegro – Vivo / Finale – Andante – Allegro Agitatoo - Alla Breve – Moderato e Maestoso – Moderato / Moderato by Tchaikovsky Ball Tennessee / Attack (from Pearl Harbor) by Hans Zimmer Clubs Su-Chow Prison (from Spy Game by Harry Gregson-Williams Ribbon Nyah / La Cavalera from Mission Impossible II by Hans Zimmer and Elliot Goldenthal 2002 Hoop Molto Meno Mosso / Allegro – Valse – Allegro – Vivo / Finale – Andante – Allegro Agitatoo - Alla Breve – Moderato e Maestoso – Moderato / Moderato by Tchaikovsky Rope Nyah music from Mission Impossible 2 by Hans Zimmer Clubs The Word [PMT Remix] music from Swordfish by Dope Smugglaz Ball Tennessee / Attack (from Pearl Harbor) by Hans Zimmer 2001 Hoop Raid on Leonesse music from First Knight by Jerry Goldsmith Rope Nyah music from Mission Impossible II by Hans Zimmer Clubs Concierto Para Quinteto by Astor Piazzolla Ball Barbarian Horde / To Zucchabar (from The Gladiator) by Hans Zimmer 2000 Hoop Act 1 and 2 (from Giselle) by Adolphe Adam Rope Night Borders / Camel Race / Main Theme music from The Mummy by Jerry Goldsmith Ball Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach Ribbon "Serpent Dream" by Mike Oldfield 1999 Hoop Nuestro Poema by Raul di Blasio Rope Felicia music from Tango Forever by Luis Bravo Ball ? Ribbon "Serpent Dream" by Mike Oldfield 1998 Hoop ? Clubs ? Ball "Gory, gory, moya zvezda" (Ukrainian traditional) Ribbon Private Investigations by Dire Straits

Detailed Olympic results Year Competition Description Location Music Apparatus Score-Final Score-Qualifying 2008 Olympics Beijing All-around 71.875 72.825 Hopak (Ukrainian Folk) Ribbon 18.225 18.325 Shiro's Estate by Brian Tyler Rope 17.975 17.950 Avrora by Valeri Tishler Hoop 17.775 18.450 Gladiator Soundtrack – Barbarian Horde Clubs 17.900 18.100 Year Competition Description Location Music Apparatus Score-Final Score-Qualifying 2004 Olympics Athens All-around 106.700 104.725 Nyah / La Cavalera from Mission Impossible II by Hans Zimmer and Elliot Goldenthal Ribbon 26.725 25.325 Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian Ball 26.525 26.750 Molto Meno Mosso / Allegro – Valse – Allegro – Vivo / Finale – Andante – Allegro Agitatoo - Alla Breve – Moderato e Maestoso – Moderato / Moderato by Tchaikovsky Hoop 26.500 25.900 Mona Lisa Overdrive from Matrix Reloaded by Don Davis & Juno Reactor Clubs 26.950 26.750