- Sofia Muratova
Infobox Gymnast
gymnastname= Sofia Muratova
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fullname=Sofia Ivanovna Muratova
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country=URS
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birthdate= birth date|1929|07|13
birthplace=Leningrad
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deathdate=death date and age|2006|09|25|1929|07|13
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discipline=WAG
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medaltemplates=Sofia Ivanovna Muratova (Russian: Софья Ивановна Муратова) (
July 13 ,1929 in Leningrad -September 25 2006 ) is a former Soviet gymnast, who competed in the 1950s and 1960s, training at Dynamo inMoscow , and won eight Olympic medals.Early life
Muratova's childhood passed in Leningrad during the Siege, her mother died there. In 1941 Muratova was evacuated from the city, but due to the war, she had not the ability to go to school regularly. Meanwhile, going in for sports became dominant in her life from the very beginning. She began
artistic gymnastics in 1943, entering a children's sports school, and just three months later she competed in theRussian SFSR Championships for girls. In 1944 Muratova went toMoscow , where she continued training sessions at theYoung Pioneers Stadium . Her trainer was Igor Zhuravlev.First successes
In 1945 Muratova won her first major competition, the USSR Junior Championships, and four years later enjoyed the first international success, winning in the team competition event at the
Hungary vs USSR Dual Meet inBudapest . She became one of the strongest Soviet gymnasts, and finally became the only one to win five all-around titles in the USSR Championships. At the same time, she was sometimes fatally unlucky in the major international events.World Championships and Olympics
Muratova missed the
1952 Summer Olympics due to injury, but one of the most disappointing was her injury at the1954 World Championships in Artistic Gymnastics . Muratova won gold in the Team Competition event and was a leader on all apparatus in the all-around, but had broken her arm during the warming-up and was out. Her husband Valentin Muratov, who competed in the men's competition, swore to win a gold medal for her and had kept his word, becoming the all-around champion. She debuted at the1956 Summer Olympics , winning the Team gold and two bronze medals in the all-around and on theuneven bars . At the rather unsuccessful1958 World Championships in Artistic Gymnastics inMoscow Muratova won the team gold and two bronzes on vault and on thebalance beam . Injuries haunted her on the way to the1960 Summer Olympics , and many people didn't believe her participation there. But with the help from the professorZoya Mironova (), who operated Muratova just three months before the Olympics, she managed to compete there and even won three medals — the team gold, all-around silver and bronze on the beam. She presented her gold medal to Zoya Mironova as a token of gratitude.She also successfully competed in the Nationals, where she won seven all-around titles, including the 1955 USSR Cup, held for the first time. Sofia Muratova finished her competitive career in 1965 and worked as a coach for 34 years. She was awarded
Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1957.Muratova died on September 25, 2006, her husband Valentin Muratov died on October 6 of the same year.
Achievements (non-Olympic)
External links
*fig|id=4860|name=Sofia Muratova
* [http://www.gymn-forum.net/bios/women/muratovs.html Valentin Muratov and Sofia Muratova at Gymn Forum]
*ru icon [http://www.biograph.comstar.ru/bank/muratova.htm Biography]
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