Early Life
Born as Larisa Semyonovna Diriy in Ukraine, she first practiced ballet, but turned to gymnastics after her choreographer moved out of Kherson. She graduated from high school in 1953 and moved to Kiev to attend the Lenin Polytechnic Institute and continue training, where she trained at the Burevestnik Voluntary Sports Society. At the age of 19, she debuted internationally at the 1954 Rome World Championships, winning the gold medal in the team competition.
Read more about this topic: Larisa Latynina
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