Amina Vasilovna Zaripova (Russian: Амина Василовна Зарипова; Tatar: Әминә Васил кызы Зарипова, born 10 August 1976) is a retired Russian individual rhythmic gymnast who now works as an elite rhythmic gymnastics coach. She is the 1994 World All-around silver medalist, 1993 World All-around bronze medalist and a two time (1996, 1994) European All-around bronze medalist. She finished fourth at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.[1]

Amina Zaripova
Zaripova at the 1996 World Championships
Personal information
Country represented Russia
Born (1976-08-10) 10 August 1976 (age 47)[1]
Chirchik, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union[1]
Height176 cm (5 ft 9 in)[1]
DisciplineRhythmic gymnastics
GymOlympic Village
Head coach(es)Irina Viner
RetiredYes
Medal record
International gymnastics competitions
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Championships 5 4 3
European Championships 3 0 6
Grand Prix Final 0 0 1
Summer Universiade 1 2 1
Goodwill Games 3 1 1
Total 12 7 12
Representing  Russia
Rhythmic Gymnastics
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1995 Vienna Ball
Gold medal – first place 1995 Vienna Clubs
Gold medal – first place 1995 Vienna Team
Gold medal – first place 1996 Budapest Clubs
Gold medal – first place 1997 Berlin Team
Silver medal – second place 1994 Paris All-around
Silver medal – second place 1994 Paris Ribbon
Silver medal – second place 1995 Vienna Ribbon
Silver medal – second place 1996 Budapest Ball
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Alicante All-around
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Alicante Team
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Paris Clubs
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1994 Thessaloniki Ball
Gold medal – first place 1994 Thessaloniki Clubs
Gold medal – first place 1996 Asker Clubs
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Stuttgart Team
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Thessaloniki All-around
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Thessaloniki Hoop
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Thessaloniki Ribbon
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Asker All-around
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Porto Team
European Cup Final
Gold medal – first place 1995 Telford Ribbon
Silver medal – second place 1995 Telford Clubs
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Málaga Hoop
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Málaga Clubs
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Telford Rope
Grand Prix Final
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Vienna All-around
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1997 Sicily Clubs
Silver medal – second place 1997 Sicily Rope
Silver medal – second place 1997 Sicily Ribbon
Bronze medal – third place 1997 Sicily All-round
Goodwill Games
Gold medal – first place 1994 St.Petersburg All-round
Gold medal – first place 1994 St.Petersburg Ball
Gold medal – first place 1994 St.Petersburg Hoop
Silver medal – second place 1994 St.Petersburg Clubs
Bronze medal – third place 1994 St.Petersburg Ribbon

Personal life edit

Amina Zaripova is of Tatar descent. She is married to Alexei Kortnev, lead singer of Neschastny Sluchai, with whom she has two sons, Arseniy and Afanasiy, and two daughters, Aksiniya and Agafiya.[2]

Career edit

Zaripova studied ballet until the age of ten when she caught the eye of then-Uzbek head coach Irina Viner. When Viner relocated to Moscow to become the Russian head coach, Zaripova followed. early in her career, she was called the second Zaripova who shares the same last name of Viner's first international gymnast Venera Zaripova.[2]

At the 1991 European Junior Championships, Zaripova won her first set of medals—gold for the team event and bronze for the all-round and clubs.

After the death of Oxana Kostina, Zaripova became the leader of the Russian national composition. Zaripova along with Julia Rosliakova and Inessa Gizikova won bronze in the team at the 1993 World Championships, she also won bronze in the all-around. The following year, she placed second at Corbeil-Essonnes International and third at the 1994 European Championships, earning four medals in the apparatus finals with gold for ball, clubs and bronze for hoop, ribbon. She also won three titles at the 1994 Goodwill Games, the (all-round, hoop, ball), as well as a silver medal (clubs) and a bronze medal (ribbon).

At her next World event, Zaripova placed second in All-round at the 1994 World Championships, where she also came in third with clubs and second with ribbon. She was leading going into the final apparatus of the All Around, but a mistake in her final routine cost her the All Around gold which went to the 93, 94, and 95 world AA champion Maria Petrova. The following years, she was overshadowed by rising Russians stars Yanina Batyrchina and Natalia Lipkovskaya. At the 1995 World Championships, Batyrchina won the bronze medal while Zaripova finished fourth. Zaripova finished 4th in the All-around at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, narrowly losing to both Ukraine's Olena Vitrychenko and her teammate Yanina Batyrchina who controversially held on for silver after she made a mistake in her final routine. She finished less than a tenth of a point behind both the silver and bronze medalists.[1]

At the end of 1996, Zaripova underwent surgery to repair a torn left Achilles' tendon. She briefly returned to competition in 1997 as part of the Russian team that won the bronze at the 1998 European Championships. Zaripova's final event was the Schmiden International where she won gold medal for her ball exercise and silver for hoop. She then retired from competition.

Zaripova was invited by the Greek Gymnastics Federation to coach their team. She helped prepare the team for the 1999 World Championships, but ended up returning to Russia shortly afterwards. In addition to publishing her own rhythmic gymnastics magazine, she works as a coach in Moscow.[2]

Notable trainees include:

Detailed Olympic results edit

Year Competition description Location Music [3] Apparatus Score-Final Score-Qualifying
1996 Olympics Atlanta All-around 39.265 38.748
Kitri, Entrance, Coda music from Don Quixote by Leon Minkus Ribbon 9.832 9.750
Theme from Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin Rope 9.783 9.716
At the Circus / Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia music from Spartacus by Aram Khatchaturian Ball 9.866 9.699
Ole Guapa by Malando Clubs 9.783 9.583

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Amina Zaripova. sports-reference.com
  2. ^ a b c Amina Zaripova Profile. r-gymnastics.com
  3. ^ "Zaripova RG music list". rgforum.

External links edit