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Ludmilla Ivanovna Turischeva (Russian: ''Людмила Ивановна Турищева'' alternate spellings: ''Lyudmilla Turischeva'', ''Ludmilla Tourischeva'', born July 10 , 1952 in Grozny ) is a former Russia n Gymnast and a nine-time Olympic medalist for the Soviet Union . Tourischeva began gymnastics in 1965 and began competing for the Soviet team as early as in 1967 . Coached by Vladislav Rastorotsky (who later trained Natalia Shaposhnikova and Natalia Yurchenko ), she represented the USSR at the 1968 Summer Olympics just after her sixteenth birthday, sharing the gold medal with the USSR Team and placing 24th in the all-around. Two years later Turischeva would become the leader of the Soviet team. From 1970 to 1974 she dominated almost every major international competition, winning the World Championships all-around gold in 1970 and 1974 , the European Championships in 1971 and 1974 and the World Cup in 1975 . She was considered to embody the classic Soviet style: grace, elegance, impeccable form and strong technique. At the 1972 Olympics in Munich , Turischeva was a medal favorite, but found herself overshadowed by the sudden popularity of her telegenic compatriot Olga Korbut . After Korbut fell from the Uneven Bars , however, Turischeva easily won the all-around gold medal. She was less successful in the event finals, qualifying for all four, but winning only a silver and a bronze. Turischeva was one of the first female gymnasts to use two separate pieces of music for her floor exercise routines at an international competition. For the team competition there was March from movie '' Circus '' by Isaak Dunaevsky , while for the all around - the music to the film ''Die Frau meiner Träume'' by Franz Grothe. After struggling with a back injury, Turischeva competed in her third Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976 , winning her third team gold with the Soviet squad. In the all-around she finished third behind Romania 's Nadia Comaneci and her teammate Nellie Kim . Although Turischeva lost to Kim on both Vault and Floor Exercise in the event finals, she overcame Comaneci on them and won silver medals, bringing her total Olympic medal count to four gold, three silver and two bronze. In 1980 , British journalist David Hunn wrote of Turischeva, "(she) never had the cheek of some of her rivals, but for serenity she was supreme." Indeed, she was renowned for her cool head in competition. In one of Tourischeva's most well-known performances, the 1975 World Cup at Wembley Stadium in London , all people were amazed by the loud sound of the broken metal hook, which held support cables. The Uneven Bars literally fell apart and crashed to the ground at the end of her routine after she completed her dismount. Turischeva saluted the judges, and calmly walked off the podium without even turning around to look at the apparatus. She went on to win the all-around and every single event final gold. After many years she said, that at that moment she remembered only one thing - she must complete her routine and "stick it". Her trainer Vladislav Rastorotsky said about her: "Ludmilla would fight to death in any situation". Turischeva was also known for her gracious demeanor. At the 1976 Olympics , she walked around the podium to personally congratulate champion Nadia Comaneci and shake her hand before accepting her own medal. In 1977 , Ludmilla Turischeva married the sprinter Valeri Borzov , a two-time Olympic champion in 1972 . She was elected to the Women's Artistic Gymnastics Technical Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in 1981 Turischeva has remained involved in gymnastics as a coach, an international judge and an official with the Ukrainian gymnastics federation. One of her proteges was Lilia Podkopayeva , the 1996 Olympic all-around gold medalist. Turischeva has received many honors for her contributions to gymnastics, including the ''Women In Sport'' trophy by the International Olympic Committee . In 1998 she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall Of Fame . ACHIEVEMENTS (NON-OLYMPIC) REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS
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