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Svetlana Boguinskaya

Svetlana Boginskaya
Svetlana Boginskaya.jpg
Personal information
Full name Svetlana Lioubov Boginskaya
Alternative name(s) Svyatlana Leanidaŭna Bahinskaya (Святлана Леанідаўна Багінская)
Nickname(s) Belarusian Swan, Goddess of Gymnastics
Country represented  Belarus
Former countries represented Olympic flag.svg Unified Team,  Soviet Union
Born (1973-02-09) February 9, 1973 (age 44)
Minsk, Soviet Union
Height 157 cm (5 ft 2 in) (5'2")
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
Level Senior International Elite
Head coach(es) Tatiana Grosovivich
Former coach(es) Lyubov Miromanova
Retired 1997

Svetlana Lioubov Boginskaya (Belarusian: Святлана Леанідаўна Багінская), born February 9, 1973, is a former artistic gymnast for the Soviet Union and Belarus. She was called the "Belarusian Swan" and the "Goddess of Gymnastics" because of her height, balletic grace, and long body lines. Her last name derives from "boginya" (богиня), literally meaning "goddess" in Russian.

Boginskaya is known for the drama and artistry she displayed on floor exercise. She is a three-time Olympic champion, with an individual gold medal on vault from the 1988 Summer Olympics and team gold medals from the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics.

Boginskaya was born in Minsk. She was a figure skater for several years, but began gymnastics at age six. Two years later, she moved to Moscow to train full-time at the Round Lake Gymnastics Center. By age fourteen, she was a member of the Soviet national team.

She won her first world medal, a bronze on balance beam, at the 1987 World Championships. She went on to compete in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, where she won four medals: gold in the team competition, gold on vault, silver on floor, and bronze in the individual all-around.

Just three days after the Olympics, Boginskaya's longtime coach, Lyubov Miromanova, committed suicide. Miromanova had been a surrogate mother to Boginskaya, coaching and caring for her after she moved from Minsk to train full-time in Moscow. After her death, Boginskaya began training with Tatiana Grosovivich Under Grosovivich's tutelage, Boginskaya became world champion in 1989 and later dedicated her performance to her late mentor.


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