Anna Rizatdinova is the Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist in Rhythmic Gymnastics, a two-time World All-around medalist and a two-time and All-around bronze medalist in European Championships. Her book is the real story of an elite athlete from her chilhood as a gymnasts to the Olympic Games in Rio the Janeiro.
World Cup Guadalajara (Spain) 2016
Rizatdinova explained that life as a professional sportswoman is not as easy as it looks:
“My life was only focused in rhythmic gymnastics. My body and mind was all about sports. It is very difficult to be always ready to compete. I remember I had really difficult times.”
In 2014, Ukraine was involved in a political ongoing war. Despite of internal and external difficulties she continued her work and devotion to her dream.
“It is very difficult to prepare: both mentally and physically. I think that this time I will be very fit for this competition. We could not almost train in January and February 2014 due to political situation in Kiev.”
She opens up in an honest conversation with readers, revealing the backstage of Rhythmic Gymnastics and breaking common stereotypes of elite sport.
“In Olympic Games in Rio, the most emotional moment was when I was standing on the podium realizing my dream has come true.”
This book is a good advice both for parents and children throughout a sport. She talks about her experience as a gymnast, weight loss problems, mental breakdown, pre-competition stress, how to act under pressure and how to achieve your goal. On her book you can follow her career since her early life in Crimea to her top competition, the Olympic Games .
Anna said that after she left the sport, she started traveling, meeting friends and communicate with her parents.
Albina Deriugina, iconic Ukrainian coach, was an important person in Anna’s career. Albina died in March 2023.
Deriugina Cup 2017 was her last competition
“Many athletes have had an experience of depression on this background. You give up all of you into business, there is nothing but sport in life, because it requires full dedication and self-sacrifice. You have to fencing off yourself from friends and family, give up weekends and vacations. And when the sport ends, you ask yourself the question “What is my meaning in life now?” Such a question was in front of me. The dream came true. Where to go next?”
Anna said that after she left the sport, she started traveling, meeting friends and communicate with her parents.
Her great desire is my first secret. The recipe for her success was not in talent in the sense of data from nature. She described herself as an ordinary girl with short and slightly plump legs. At first she dreamed of joining the National Team, then of becoming the best in the national team, and then – the best in the world. She constantly set great goals: you should never give up.
Anna’s book is available in two languages in paper and Kindle version:
It’s been a while since Anna Rizatdinova announced retirement in 2017, a year after her most beloved year in her career as a gymnast. She won medals at European Championships, World Championships and she is the current bronze Olympic medalist.
In early 2017 she stops professional sports career, she flashed everyone in Pesaro World Championships showing off she was clearly pregnant. She gave birth to her son, Roman in Barcelona, Spain.
A few months after becoming mother, she is already fit and nearly eith the same weight she had during Olympic Games (just two kilos of difference.
“I worked out during the whole pregnancy, but the last month was tough. Now I feel fit again”
Rizatdinova’s work out routines “Dream Body Work by Anna”
Anna’s aim is to open a School of Rhythmic Gymnastics under her name. By now, she’s showing up all her rhythmic gymnastics skills on her Masterclass World tour, were she already visited Spain, Poland, France and Ukraine.
Life as a gymnast
Rizatdinova explained that life as a professional sportswoman is not as easy as it looks. “My life was only focused in rhythmic gymnastics. My body and mind was all about sports. It is very difficult to be always ready to compete. I remember I had really difficult times.” In 2014, Ukraine was involved in a political conflict so that Deriugina School was forced to change its location.
“Nowadays I feel plenty happy. My life totally changed after I became a mom. I really focused on my baby, every single decision is made thinking about Roman.”
Anna Rizatdinova’s next Masterclass stage is in Puebla, Mexico this July.
Olympic Bronze medalist and World Champion, Anna Rizatdinova has a brand new site, promoting a “dream body” workout. New Balance Ukraine gave Anna the opportunity to promote her image all around the world. This sports brand is also sponsoring Rhythmic Gymnastics National Team of Ukraine. The website includes exclusive content such as a interview to Anna just after Olympic Games.
What was the most emotional moment of your life?
Olympic Games in Rio: the moment I was standing on the podium realizing my dream has come true.
Who’s your favorite singer?
Lana del Rey and Sia
What’s your favorite apparatus?
Hoop. I became World Champion in Hoop in Kiev World Championships in 2013.
Who’s your inspiration in life?
Michael Jackson: People who is dedicated to their work and are passionated about what they do.
How many hours do you train per day?
I work 6 days a week from 9 am to 7 pm. Sunday is my day off
Which is the most beautiful city you have visited?
Rhythmic Gymnastics is a very emotive sport: isnt’t it? Gymnasts are rivals but they are also best friends. We all even can see the good relationship between coaches and their gymnast such as Amina Zaripova and Margarita Mamun, Ireesha Blohina and Anna Rizatdinova or Aleksandra Soldatova and Anna Dyachenko-Shumilova.
An example of friends are rivals are Yana Kudryavtseva and Margarita Mamun. They are happy for each other no matter what.
Yana Kudryavtseva (RUS) and Margarita Mamun (RUS)
Amina Zaripova was one of the top gymnasts from Russia on 90’s. And now, she is coach of an Olympic Champion. Amina support Rita since she was a junior gymnast. She is always really sweet with her gymnasts.
Margarita Mamun (RUS) and Amina Zaripova
Anastasiya Serdyukova (UZB) and Sevar Karimova
Daria Svatkovskaya (RUS) and her mum (and coach) Oksana Skaldina
Carolina Rodríguez (ESP) and Ruth Fernández
Almudena Cid and Natalia García (ESP)
Anna Rizatdinova (UKR) and Ireesha Blohina
Russian twins Dina and Arina Averina always support each other . We can say they are almost the whole day, even in competitions, together.
Ukrainian graces, Anna Rizatdinova ( 2013 Word All-around silver medalist, the 2014 All-around bronze medalist and the 2014 European All-around bronze medallist) and European medallist, Viktoriya Mazur attended this month to Euskalgym Gala Show in Spain. These pictures where taken during autograph session and press conference.
Anna Rizatdinova was interviewed by one of the most popular sports press magazine in Spain. She revealed how happy she was for qualifying for Olympic Games in Rio. She already started her preparation looking forward Summer Olympic Games in 2016.
This season, 2014, was one of the most succesful in Anna Rizatdinova’s career: Bronze medal at European and World Championships in All-Around.
– “This year was not easy for us – the Ukrainian team. Since the beggining of the year, we had to move to other training room because of the political situation. Our hall is located in the center of Kiev so that it was dangerous to train over there. Now that the situation in Kiev is much better, we are back. But we still have problems with the boiling system: the hall is very cold”
– “My coach Ireesha, is very important for me. She knows how to handle me and makes me trust in myself. She was with me at European Championships, but not for World Championships. Ireesha became a mother some months ago so that she could not be with me. Instead of her, her grandma, Albina was my coach. Although she was not at World Championships, we were talking on phone everyday.”
World Championships Izmir 2014
– “The preparation for World Championships was really tough. I cried every single day. But finaly I could get a medal at World Championships. I was very happy.”
– “We are working really hard for the new routines. Next year is the one previous to Olympics. I wish Ireesha could be ready with me for World Championships 2015 in Stuttgart.”
Ukrainian champion, Anna Rizatdinova, bronze at European Championships this year is getting ready for Izmir Championships 2014, that will be held in Turkey the next week.
– How is your preparation going? There is only a week left for World Championships
– It is very difficult to prepare: both mentally and physically. I think that this time I will be very fit for this competition. We could not almost train in January and February due to political situation in Kiev.
– Have you been in Turkey before?
– I have been when I was a kid and I can’t almost remember anything. This time, during competition it will be very difficult to visit the city since we only visit the hotel. I do not know if it will work this time to get out. The schedule is pretty intense: five days of competition.
– Where is your gold medal (World Championships Kiev 2013)?
– It is at my parents’ in Simferopol
– How is the attitude towards Ukrainian gymnasts
– I can say it is very good. Last spring we competed in France where many people support us up. We did not expect this. Everybody was asking us if we were sad.
With Russian team we were talking as ever- but not about politics.
– Last year at World Championships in Kiev you won a gold medal. Accidentaly, Russian national anthem was played instead of Ukrainian. You began to sing but suddenly you said “Not this…”. How you would react at such mistake right now?
– My parents were born in Russia so they know both anthems. That happened last year, now the situation would be totally different.
– Recently, Alina Maksymenko uploaded a video performing a “basketball trick”. Was this your idea?
– No, I was not with Alina when she recorded this video. Now that she finished her career, we don’t see each other very often. Alina was invited in many countries (masterclasses) and she has scheduled about three others in Spain.
– Irina Blohina is pregnant, what do you think about it?
– We are all happy for her. Ireesha is coming to help us many times. It is a pity she can’t come with us to World Championships in Turkey, but fortunatly, we have phones.
How is your personal life?
– We don’t have so many free time. We just have a day off: Sunday. After trainings, we are very tired and we don’t even have time for going for a walk.
Anna loves American singer, Lana del Rey and “Summertime Sadness” gala is very special for her
Anna has a really close relationship with Ireesha: “Without her many things couldn’t be possible”
World Champion Anna Rizatdinova in an amazing photoshoot for fashion site called JetSetter. Anna is wearing designer clothes such as Valentino and Dolce&Gabanna, top designers nowadays. Anna also talks about her life and her victories this year.
Alina Maksymenko (UKR) won bronze medal at World Championships
Photo Copyright Olivier Aubrais
One of the most experienced gymnast nowadays, Carolina Rodríguez, gold medal at Mediterranean Games
Epic moment for Spanish group who won gold medal at World Cup Lisbon.
Bulgarian gymnast, Simona Peycheva is back to gymnastics after 5 years.
Darya Svatkovskaya (RUS) won gold medal in hoop at European Championships Vienna
Anna Rizatdinova (UKR) won All-Around at Corbeil-Essonnes World Cup
The audience (Euskalgym) giving a standing ovation to Alina Maksymenko. She will retire at the end of the year.
Photo Copyright FotoSport
Silviya Miteva announces her retirement
Team UKR won silver medal at European Championships Vienna
Fatal error for Ukrainian group during World Championships
Rhythmic Gymnastics Info 