Yulia Raskina

Yulia Raskina, the prima of Belarussian gymnastic (sportfond.net/en/raskina/index.phtml)

I think that heroes are people who have achieved something great in their lives despite all difficulties and hardships, who have greatly contributed in the development of their country or the whole world. I'd like to tell you about my hero, the person whom I admire and adore. Her name's Yulia Raskina. She is a famous Belarussian sportswoman, the prima calisthenic gymnast.

I admire her as a strong personality who has achieved a lot in the field of art gymnastics due to her strong character, industry and talent. She has played a great role in my life. Calisthenics is my favourite kind of sport and I would like to go in for it. It's a pity we don't have an opportunity to develop this kind of sport in my native town. That's why I go in for sport dancing. "Kaskad" is our dancing group which is very popular in our town and in our country. I am keen on sport dancing though it's a hard daily routine requiring much energy and effort. Thanks to Yulia I have learned to overcome difficulties.

In the championship (http://www.angelfire.com/mi/rsgkb/pictures/raskina.html)

Callisthenics or Rhythmic gymnastics is a kind of sport where there are a lot of highly qualified, talented sportsmen and it's difficult to win prizes. Yulia could cope with it. She is the deserved master of the sport, the double champion of Europe, the fivefold prize-winner of the World championship. Yulia Raskina is an Individual Rhythmic Gymnast who won the All-Around Silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Watching her fluttering on the carpet like a graceful butterfly we can't imagine how much she must work to achieve this lightness. She was the art gymnast with a "spark" who could "light" the spectators. Her every performance was a real theatrical and musical show ending with a storm of applause. Yulia always came to the apparatus not only with desire to win the competition, but to win the hearts of the spectators, to whom she gave the warmth of her soul and burning heart.

In Belarussian State Circus (http://www.circus.by/en/?id=207)

Yulia Raskina was born on April 9, 1982 in Minsk in a family of young sportsmen. Her mother was the master of sports of the international class of the USSR in art gymnastics. Her father was also a master of sports, a trainer in track and field athletics. Yulia inherited diligence, a fighting spirit, persistence, femininity and a great deal of flexibility from both her parents. Spending much time with her mother in the gym, she wanted to go in for art gymnastics at the young age of seven. Since then, the gym has become her second home. Yulia Raskina's career in sports has been bright, stable, unforgettable. She has left a unique, unforgettable star in the history of world gymnastics, in the hearts of many admirers of her talent and in my heart.

Medal record - Olympic Games

Silver Sydney 2000 All-Around

Medal record - World Championships

Silver 1997 Berlin Team

Silver 1999 Osaka All-around

Silver 1999 Osaka Ball

Silver 1999 Osaka Ribbon

Silver 1999 Osaka Team

Bronze 1998 Seville Clubs

European Championships

Gold 1998 Porto Team

Gold 2000 Saragoza Ball

Silver 1999 Budapest All-around

Silver 1999 Budapest Hoop

Silver 2000 Saragoza All-around

Silver 2000 Saragoza Team

Bronze 1995 Bucharest Clubs(Junior)

Bronze 1998 Porto Clubs

Bronze 1999 Budapest Ribbon

Bronze 2000 Saragoza Ribbon

The basic achievements

The deserved master of sports of Belorussia

Two-time champion of Europe

The silver medal winner at the Olympic games in Sydney

The fivefold prize-winner of the World championship

Recipient of "The Sign on Honour"

Yulia Raskina, the winner of the Star Dances (http://www.photobelta.by/en/photos?rubric_id=15&theme_id=15809&id=72015)

Sports life in gymnastics does not last long and when she was 21 years old Yulia left "big sports" and dedicated herself to the circus. In 2005 and 2006 she took part in Cirque du Soliel. Later, she came to our Belarussian State Circus where she is still working as a gymnast with hula-hoops. When I come to Minsk I usually go to the circus to enjoy her performance.

Currently, she has become the winner of the most popular Belarussian TV project "Star Dances". Yulia Raskina and professional dancer Denis Moryasin have won the Star Dances project and will represent Belarus at the Eurovision Dance Contest.