Galima Shugurova

Galima Akhmetkareevna Shugurova (; Tatar: Галима Әхмәтгәрәй кызы Шөгурова; born 8 November 1953 in Omsk) is a retired rhythmic gymnast who competed for the Soviet Union. She is the 1973 World all-around champion and two-time (1969, 1977) World all-around silver medalist. She is the first all-around winner of the European Championships.

Personal life Shugurova was born to a Siberian Tatar family in the city of Omsk, in western Siberia. She studied history at the Omsk Pedagogical Institute. Shugurova graduated from the Omsk Institute of Physical Training in 1975.

Career Shugurova was introduced to rhythmic gymnastics when she was nine years old. Initially, she was more attracted to figure skating and choreography classes.

She became a member of the junior national team at 13 and joined the senior national team a year later.

Shugurova debuted on the world stage as a 15-year-old in Varna, Bulgaria at the 1969 World Championships, winning gold medals in rope and ball. At 15, she made her first appearance at the USSR championships, placing second in the all-around. The following year she won a bronze medal in the USSR Cup competition and was also successful in international competitions in the former Yugoslavia, where the journalists voted her the "most engaging" gymnast.

At the 1973 World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Shurugova shared the world crown in the all-around with Bulgarian Maria Gigova. She also won gold medals in ribbon, ball and clubs. Both of the ribbon routines at this Championship were to the same music – a piece from Georges Bizet's ballet "Carmen".

In 1974, she performed on a Soviet Union national team tour of the United States. Although she was initially assigned to compete at the 1975 World Championships, which were held in Madrid, Spain, due to political issues in the wake of the end of Francoist Spain, the trip was cancelled at the last minute. Shurugova did not compete internationally for two years.

Shurugova was the third Soviet rhythmic gymnast to become world all-around champion—after Ludmila Savinkova (1963) and Elena Karpuchina (1967)—and the first ever European all-around champion in 1978.

Influence

Although apparatus difficulties are not currently officially named in rhythmic gymnastics, Shugurova helped create a new rhythmic gymnastics element named after her. The "Shugurova" consists of tipping or spinning a rolling hoop with the feet during a leap.

Achievements

First ever winner of the European Championships in 1978.