Iliana Raeva
Encyclopedia
Iliana Raeva Sirakova is a Bulgaria
n gymnast who competed in modern rhythmic gymnastics
for her country from 1978 to 1982.
She was born on March 15, 1963 in Sofia
, Bulgaria. She was raised in Sofia, on the same street as fellow gymnasts Lilia Ignatova
and Anelia Ralenkova
, who also competed for the same Levski gymnastics club.
She placed sixth at her first European Championships in 1978 at the age of 16, and was 4th in the all round competition at the 1979 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships
where she won the gold medal for clubs, and the silver for ball. Raeva won her first all around gold at the 1980 Julieta Shishmanova Cup, and went on to dominate the European Championships in Amsterdam, winning the all around gold medal, gold for rope, hoop and clubs, and placing silver with the ribbon.
She claimed all around silver at the 1981 World Championships
, and tied with team mate Ignatova for the silver, one tenth of a point behind the winner Ralenkova. She won silver for hoop and ribbon, and bronze for the rope. She was third at the 1982 European Championships, picking up bronze in each apparatus final.
She relied on style and artistry, rather than excessively complex moves, with her 1980 ribbon routine to Zorba the Greek
and clubs routine to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake
, which remain outstanding examples of the sport.
After retiring from active competition she married Bulgarian world cup footballer Nasko Sirakov
, and now runs her own gymnastics club in Bulgaria. Since 2008, she has been the head coach of the Bulgarian national rhythmic gymnastics team.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n gymnast who competed in modern rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
for her country from 1978 to 1982.
She was born on March 15, 1963 in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Bulgaria. She was raised in Sofia, on the same street as fellow gymnasts Lilia Ignatova
Lilia Ignatova
Lilia Ignatova is a Bulgarian modern rhythmic gymnast.She was born in Sofia on May 17, 1965 and was part of the "golden girl" generation which dominated the sport in the early eighties. She won the all around silver at the 1980 European Championships, with an additional silver for the hoop, and...
and Anelia Ralenkova
Anelia Ralenkova
Anelia Ralenkova became one of Bulgaria's most distinctive rhythmic gymnasts. She is one of the so-called "Golden Girls" of Bulgaria. She won gold medals at both world and European championships, but missed competing at the Summer Olympics in 1984 due to the Soviet-led boycott...
, who also competed for the same Levski gymnastics club.
She placed sixth at her first European Championships in 1978 at the age of 16, and was 4th in the all round competition at the 1979 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships
1979 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships
IX World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships were held in London, England on the 4th and 5 July, 1979.-Rope:-Ball:-Clubs:-Ribbon:-All-Around:...
where she won the gold medal for clubs, and the silver for ball. Raeva won her first all around gold at the 1980 Julieta Shishmanova Cup, and went on to dominate the European Championships in Amsterdam, winning the all around gold medal, gold for rope, hoop and clubs, and placing silver with the ribbon.
She claimed all around silver at the 1981 World Championships
1981 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships
1981 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships were held in Munich, West Germany on October 17 – 20th 1981.-Participants:The following countries sent competitor Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Germany, France, Great Britain, Hungary,...
, and tied with team mate Ignatova for the silver, one tenth of a point behind the winner Ralenkova. She won silver for hoop and ribbon, and bronze for the rope. She was third at the 1982 European Championships, picking up bronze in each apparatus final.
She relied on style and artistry, rather than excessively complex moves, with her 1980 ribbon routine to Zorba the Greek
Zorba the Greek
Zorba the Greek is a 1964 film based on the novel Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis. The film was directed by Cypriot Michael Cacoyannis and the title character was played by Anthony Quinn...
and clubs routine to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
, which remain outstanding examples of the sport.
After retiring from active competition she married Bulgarian world cup footballer Nasko Sirakov
Nasko Sirakov
Nasko Petkov Sirakov is a retired Bulgarian footballer who played mainly as a striker.Part of the Bulgarian team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup as it finished fourth, he was one of the most important footballers in the country in the 80's/90's, being a legend at Levski Sofia, a club he represented in...
, and now runs her own gymnastics club in Bulgaria. Since 2008, she has been the head coach of the Bulgarian national rhythmic gymnastics team.