Biography
Bessonova began rhythmic gymnastics at age 5. Her mother would have rather seen her daughter on the ballet stage, however, Bessonova decided on rhythmic gymnastics. She is coached by the mother/daughter combination of Albina and Irina Deriugina at the Deriugins School in Kiev. She is 1.74m (5'9") and weighs 49 kg (108 lbs).
Since 2003, when Bessonova was 19, she became a leader of the Ukrainian National Team. During ten years Anna Bessonova entered the top gymnasts list.
In 2003 Bessonova became twice World Champion - she won the Hoop Event Final (Anna performed her hoop routine by music from ballet Swan Lake, this routine is still one of her best) as well as the Clubs Final. In the Budapest World Championships Anna Bessonova was very close to the All Around title, but a drop during the ball routine made her Silver medalist.
Moreover, in 2003, Anna became triple European Champion - in Hoop, Clubs and Ribbon Event Finals.
In 2004 Season, She won the bronze individual all around medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics. (with a total score of 106.700: Ribbon 26.725, Clubs 26.950, Ball 26.525, Hoop 26.500).
In 2005 Anna Bessonova became a 6-times Silver Medalist during 2005 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships - in All Around, Rope, Ball, Clubs and Ribbon Finals.
In 2007, Bessonova became world champion at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship in Patras winning the all-around gold medal. This was long-awaited by the RG community after her second places at the previous 2003 and 2005 Championships.
In 2008, Bessonova also won all around golds at the LA Lights, Deriugina Cup (Kiev World Cup) and Miss Valentine Competitions as well as the all around silver at the European Championships in Torino. At 2008 World Cup events, Anna accumulated 15 medals. The year culminated in her all around bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics with Russia's Yevgeniya Kanayeva winning the gold medal and Belarus' Inna Zhukova taking the silver medal.
In 2009, Anna placed first in the All-Around at the Kiev World Cup and Deriugina Cup events, and also won bronze in both the World and European Championships behind Russians Yevgeniya Kanayeva and Daria Kondakova.
Bessonova retired in 2010.
Read more about this topic: Anna Bessonova
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