Alina Kabaeva
Alina Maratovna Kabaeva is a Russian Honored Master of Sports, a retired individual rhythmic gymnast, a model and film star, and a politician.
Kabaeva is one of the most decorated gymnasts in rhythmic gymnastic history, with 2 Olympic medals, 14 World Championship medals, and 25 European Championship medals.
From 2007 to 2014, Kabaeva was a State Duma Deputy from the United Russia Party. In September 2014, Kabaeva became the chairwoman of the board of directors of the National Media Group.
Personal life
Kabaeva, the daughter of a Tatar father and Russian mother, was born in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, in the Soviet Union, on 12 May 1983. Kabaeva's father, Marat Kabayev, was a professional football player, and the family was constantly following him to different places in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Russia.Kabaeva previously practiced Islam, but was later baptized into Christianity.
She was engaged to policeman David Museliani in 2004. They began a relationship in 2002 but separated in 2005.
In April 2008, the Moskovsky Korrespondent reported that Kabaeva was engaged to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The story was denied and the newspaper was shut down. In the following years, the status of Kabaeva and Putin's relationship became a topic of speculation, including allegations that they have multiple children together. In July 2013, Kabaeva reported that she does not have any children. In March 2015, Kabaeva was reported to have given birth at the VIP-hospital of Saint Ann in Ticino, Switzerland; the paternity of her child is unknown.
Rhythmic gymnastics career
Kabaeva started Rhythmic Gymnastics at age 3, with Coach Margarita Samuilovna.In her young teens, Kabaeva moved to Moscow, where her mother took her to the Russian Head Coach, Irina Viner.
1996 to 1999
Kabaeva stayed with Viner, and made her international debut in 1996. In 1998, the 15-year-old Kabaeva won the European Championships in Portugal. At the time, Kabaeva was the youngest member of the Russian squad, competing alongside internationally recognized teammates, such as Amina Zaripova. In 1999, Kabaeva became the European Champion for the second consecutive time, and won the World Title in Osaka, Japan. Kabaeva went on to win a total of 5 All-Around titles at the European Championships.At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, in Australia, Kabaeva was expected to claim Gold in All-Around; however, due to an error in an otherwise exceptional performance—she dropped her hoop, and ran to retrieve it outside of the competition area—Kabaeva won the Bronze Medal, with the final score of 39.466. Belarus' Yulia Raskina took the Silver Medal, while fellow Russian teammate, Yulia Barsukova, won the Olympic Gold Medal.
2001 to 2004
At the 2001 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, Kabaeva won the Gold Medal for the Ball, Clubs, Hoop, Rope, the Individual All-Around, and the Team competitions. At the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia, Kabaeva won the Gold Medal for the Ball, Clubs, and Rope competitions, and the Silver in the Individual All-Around, and Hoop. However, Kabaeva and her teammate, Irina Tchachina, tested positive to a banned diuretic, and were stripped of their medals.Viner, the Russian Head Coach, who also served as the Vice President of the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee at the time, said her gymnasts had been taking a food supplement called "Hyper", that contained mild diuretics, which, according to Viner, the gymnasts were taking for premenstrual syndrome. When the supply ran out shortly before the Goodwill Games, the team physiotherapist restocked at a local pharmacy. According to Viner, the supplement sold there was fake and contained furosemide. The Committee requested that the Goodwill Games Organizing Committee nullify Kabaeva and Tchachina's results. The FIG also nullified their results from the World Championships in Madrid, Spain, causing Ukraine's Tamara Yerofeeva to be declared the 2001 World Champion.
Kabaeva added another World Title in 2003 in Budapest, Hungary. Kabaeva won the All-Around Gold Medal at the 2003 World Championships, as well as the event final in Ribbon and Ball ahead of Anna Bessonova from Ukraine.
In 2004, Kabaeva won the All-Around Gold at the 2004 European Championships in Kiev. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Greece, Kabaeva won the Gold Medal in the Individual All-Around for Rhythmic Gymnastics, with a score of 108.400, the Silver Medal went to her teammate, Irina Tchachina.
2005 to 2007
In October 2004, Kabaeva announced her retirement from the sport. However, in June 2005, the Russian Head Coach Irina Viner announced a possible comeback. Kabaeva resumed her sport career at an Italy-Russia friendly competition in Genoa, on 10 September 2005. On 5 March 2006, Kabaeva won the Gazprom Moscow Grand Prix, with fellow Russians Vera Sessina and Olga Kapranova, taking the Second and Third places. Kabaeva won the Silver Medal in All-Around at the 2006 European Championships, behind teammate, Sessina.At the 2007 European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan; Kabaeva, Sessina, and Kapranova were chosen to represent Russia. However, on the eve of the competition, Kabaeva withdrew due to an injury. Viner selected rising upcoming gymnast Evgenia Kanaeva from Russia's National Team as the replacement. Kabaeva finished 4th in All-Around qualifications at the 2007 World Championships, and did not advance into the finals due to the two per country rule, with Vera Sessina and Olga Kapranova placing ahead of Kabaeva.
Kabaeva completed her career after the 2007 Season.
Contributions to rhythmic gymnastics
Kabaeva revolutionized rhythmic gymnastics as one of the few gymnasts to have performed new skills and elements, including the back split pivot with hand help, the ring position with a slow full turn, and the backscale pivot that she first performed.Rhythmic gymnastic achievements
- Won the 1998 European Championships in the all-around in Porto, Portugal, at 15 years of age, the youngest ever to do so.
- Leveled with Elena Karpuchina as one of the youngest Rhythmic Gymnast to win the All-Around World Championships in 1999 Osaka at 16 years old, until Yana Kudryavtseva of the Russian Federation broke the record winning the All-Around 2013 World Championships at 15 years old.
- Performed the backscale pivot first.
- Holds the record for the most European All-Around titles, in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2004.
- Won all Grand-slam titles, and is only one of the three rhythmic gymnasts ever to do so. The titles are: Olympics, World Championships, European Championships, World Cup Final, and Grand Prix Final.
- Became a six time Russian National All-Around Champion, in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, and 2007.
Detailed Olympic results
| Year | Competition Description | Location | Music | Apparatus | Score-Final | Score-Qualifying |
| 2000 | Olympics | Sydney | All-around | 39.466 | 39.691 | |
| 2000 | Olympics | Sydney | Dilorom / Yor Yor by Yulduz Usmanova and Shahzod | Ribbon | 9.950 | 9.925 |
| 2000 | Olympics | Sydney | Felicia by Luis Bravo | Ball | 9.950 | 9.925 |
| 2000 | Olympics | Sydney | Les Toreadors by Georges Bizet | Hoop | 9.651 | 9.925 |
| 2000 | Olympics | Sydney | Tsiganochka | Rope | 9.925 | 9.916 |
Routine music information
| Year | Apparatus | Music title |
| 2007 | Hoop | Allegro Vivo from Faust by Charles Gounod |
| 2007 | Hoop | Payadora by Julian Plaza |
| 2007 | Rope | Rio Rita by DJ Valer |
| 2007 | Rope | Sirtaki by André Rieu |
| 2007 | Clubs | Rio Rita by DJ Valer |
| 2007 | Clubs | Sardarabad by Ara Gevorgian |
| 2007 | Ribbon | Espana Cani music from Cincinnati by Pops Orchestra |
| 2006 | Ball | Sirtaki by David Moutsis |
| 2006 | Ball | Introduction music from Queen of Spades by Sofia Festival Orchestra |
| 2006 | Rope | Clockwork by Mambayaga Project |
| 2006 | Clubs | Overture from The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad by Bernard Herrmann |
| 2006 | Clubs | White Darbouka by Hovannes K. |
| 2006 | Ribbon | Granada by André Rieu |
| 2005 | Ball | Fuga Y Misterio by Astor Piazzolla |
| 2005 | Rope | Clockwork by Mambayaga Project |
| 2005 | Clubs | White Darbouka by Hovannes K. |
| 2005 | Ribbon | Suite – 1st Movement from The Valencian Widow by Aram Khachaturian |
| 2004 | Hoop | Carmen's entrance and Habanera by Georges Bizet |
| 2004 | Hoop | Finale / Dance / Prelude / Bolero from Carmen by Georges Bizet & Rodion Shchedrin |
| 2004 | Ball | Syrtaki by D. Moutsis |
| 2004 | Clubs | Sphynx by Giampiero Ponte, Moran |
| 2004 | Ribbon | Sphynx by Giampiero Ponte |
| 2003 | Hoop | Finale / Dance / Prelude / Bolero from Carmen by Georges Bizet & Rodion Shchedrin |
| 2003 | Ball | Polovtsian Dances music from Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin |
| 2003 | Clubs | Moliendo café by Fanfare Ciocarlia |
| 2003 | Ribbon | Caravane / Der Bauch / Istikhbar by Radar / MC Sultan / Gnawa Diffusion |
| 2002 | Hoop | Finale / Dance / Prelude / Bolero from Carmen by Georges Bizet & Rodion Shchedrin |
| 2002 | Rope | Snakefood, Samba Adagio by Safri Duo |
| 2002 | Clubs | Hava Naquila by Party Animals |
| 2002 | Ball | Weather Storm by Craig Armstrong |
| 2001 | Hoop | Desert Rose by Sting feat. Cheb Mami |
| 2001 | Rope | Shark music from Full Sink by Laureate |
| 2001 | Clubs | Lament To Birch Bark from The Best Of Russian Folk Music by Moscow Balalaika Quartet |
| 2001 | Ball | Question of U by Classic Metropolitan Orchestra |
| 2000 | Hoop | Les Toreadors by Georges Bizet |
| 2000 | Rope | Tsiganochka |
| 2000 | Ball | Felicia from Forever Tango by Luis Bravo |
| 2000 | Ribbon | Dilorom / Yor Yor by Yulduz Usmanova / Shahzod |
| 1999 | Hoop | Spirit of Taiko by Kitaro |
| 1999 | Rope | Release the Dubs from Shallow Grave by Leftfield |
| 1999 | Ball | Felicia from Forever Tango by Luis Bravo |
| 1999 | Ribbon | Dilorom / Yor Yor by Yulduz Usmanova / Shahzod |
| 1998 | Hoop | Symphonica by DJ Quicksilver |
| 1998 | Clubs | Korobejniki from Kamarinskaya by Michael Glinka |
| 1998 | Ball | ? |
| 1998 | Ribbon | Kitri, Entrance, Coda music from Don Quixote by Leon Minkus |
| 1998 | Ribbon | Lo Sciecco Bianco by Nino Rota |
| 1997 | Hoop | Paradisio / Canton Express / I dream of Santiago by Gypsy |
| 1997 | Clubs | ? |
| 1997 | Ball | Finale from Charles by Camille Saint-Saëns |
| 1997 | Ribbon | Lo Sceicco Bianco by Nino Rota |
2014 Winter Olympics torch bearer in Sochi, Russia
Kabaeva was among the six Russian athlete torch bearers who carried the Olympic flame through Fisht Stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Kabaeva's selection as a torch bearer generated controversy in the international media because of her alleged close relationship with President Vladimir Putin.Model, film, and post-gymnastics careers
In 2001, Kabaeva appeared in the Japanese movie, Red Shadow, performing her gymnastic routine.In May 2009, Kabaeva traveled to Japan and participated in a bikini photo shoot.
In January 2011, Kabaeva appeared on the cover of Vogue Russia. In the same month, Kabaeva launched her singing career, taking to the stage for the first time.
In 2015, Kabaeva was an honorary guest at the 2015 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.
In 2017, Kabaeva became the official FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Ambassador at the 2017 World Championships in Pesaro, Italy.
Political career
Since 2005, Kabaeva was a member of the Public Chamber of Russia.Since February 2008, Kabaeva has been chairwoman of the :ru:Национальная Медиа Группа|National Media Group's Public Council, the media group that controls Izvestia, Channel One and REN TV.
Between 2007 and 2014, Kabaeva has been a Member of the Russian Parliament, the State Duma, representing the United Russia party. In her capacity of a Member of Parliament, Kabaeva voted for a number of controversial laws that were speedily adopted in 2012 and 2013, including the Anti-Magnitsky bill banning inter-country adoption by families in the United States, as well as the Russian gay propaganda law making the distribution of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships" among minors a punishable offense, the extrajudicial ban on access to websites which may host materials violating copyright laws, and the reorganization of the Academy of Sciences.
In September 2014, Kabaeva resigned from the Duma and accepted the position of chair of the board of directors of the National Media Group, the largest Russian media conglomerate.