Veterans of Rhythmic Gymnastics. History’s first European champion — Galima Shugurova

Soviet gymnast, USSR honored master of sport  in artistic gymnastics. First champion of Europe in artistic gymnastics (1978). Russia’s  Honored coach. She was awarded the Badge of Honor for her services in sports.

Galima Shugurova was born in Omsk in November 1953. She came to rhythmic gymnastics late, at the age of 9. This sport wasn’t particularly popular at that time, and few people knew about its intricacies. When the club was formed, Galima came along with her friends.

It was there that she met her first and only coach, Galina Gorenkova. She was the one instilled in Galima a love for rhythmic gymnastics and in four years raised an athlete, at the level of the USSR junior national team. Galina recalled their first meeting.

"I really liked her right away. Cute, soft, flexible, musical and so thin and light. She had a red leotard and a white bow. I remember our pianist said: "Give Shugurova away to ballet, don’t commit a sin" and I answered: "I need her for myself."

The girl with the white bow had a mischievous personality. One day the pranks went too far. Another act of defiance resulted in jumping from the second floor, and Galima injured her leg. Training had to be postponed. It was that story that was instrumental in Shugurova’s attitude towards sports. She firmly decided that rhythmic gymnastics was for her. After recovery, Galima returned to the hall.

In 1967, the athlete first competed at the RSFSR Championship. She won silver in the all-around and gold in an exercise without an object.

Before this, the athlete’s name was often incorrectly indicated as Galina. But after the national championship, everyone remembered the gymnast. Galima managed not only to perform elements with high quality, but also to subtly reveal musical images. Carmen from Omsk district - that’s what Shugurova was sometimes called.

Two years later, Galima was included in the Soviet Union national team. She went to the World Championships in Varna. There, international success awaited Shugurova - the gymnast became second in the all-around. She lost only to the more experienced Bulgarian Maria Gigova. Meanwhile, Shugurova won twice in certain events - with the ball and with the rope.

And in 1973, at the world championship in Rotterdam, Shugurova already shared the title of absolute world champion with Gigova - the gymnasts scored the same number of points.

Five years later, the first European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships took place in Madrid. There Galima became the first absolute champion. She was also able to win gold in exercises with a ribbon and a jump rope.  That same year Galima finished her gymnast career.

But sport did not leave her life, and  Shugurova became a coach. Together with Lyudmila Tomashevskaya, she worked with world champion Sania Babiy (Glyzina). Later, Galima was awarded the title of Russia’s  Honored coach.

In 1992, she was elected vice-president of the Russian Olympic Committee. She  served as vice-president of the All-Russian Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics.