Larisa Latynina
Legendary Soviet gymnast, record-holder of Olympic medals and gold.
Chronology: 1934-12-27 – Present
Origins & Early Life
Larisa Semyonovna Latynina (Russian: Лариса Семёновна Латынина, née Diriy, Дирий; born 27 December 1934) is a Soviet former artistic gymnast. Between 1956 and 1964 she won 14 individual Olympic medals and four team medals for the Soviet Union. She holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals by a female gymnast, with nine. Her total of 18 Olympic medals was a record for 48 years.
Pivotal Works & Achievements
She held the record for individual event medals for over 52 years, winning 14. She is credited with helping to establish the Soviet Union as a dominant force in gymnastics. == Early life == She was born as Larisa Semyonovna Diriy in Kherson, Ukrainian SSR. Her father, Semyon Andreyevich Diriy, left the family when she was 11 months old, and she was raised by her illiterate mother, who worked as a cleaner during the day, and as a watchman during the night. Her father was killed at the Battle of Stalingrad, where he served as a machine gun operator.
Enduring Legacy & Impact
Young Diriy-Latynina survived the occupation of Ukraine by Nazi Germany in 1940s. She first practiced ballet, but turned to gymnastics after her choreographer moved out of Kherson. Her first gymnastics coach was Mykhailo Sotnychenko. In 1950 young Diriy-Latynina...
Source: Wikipedia