Anelia Ralenkova

Anelia Ralenkova
Country represented	Bulgaria
Born	(1963-12-25) 25 December 1963 Sofia
Discipline	Rhythmic gymnastics
Eponymous skills	Ralenkova: 360 degree rotation on back
Medal record Representing Bulgaria World Championships 1981 Munich All-around 1981 Munich Clubs 1983 Strasbourg Hoop 1981 Munich Rope 1981 Munich Hoop 1983 Strasbourg All-around 1981 Munich Ribbon 1983 Strasbourg Ball 1983 Strasbourg Clubs 1983 Strasbourg Ribbon European Championships 1982 Stavanger All-around 1982 Stavanger Rope 1982 Stavanger Hoop 1984 Vienna All-around 1984 Vienna Hoop 1984 Vienna Ball 1984 Vienna Clubs 1982 Stavanger Clubs 1984 Vienna Ribbon World Cup Final 1983 Belgrade Ball 1983 Belgrade Clubs 1983 Belgrade All-around

Anelia Ralenkova (Bulgarian: Анелия Раленкова; born 25 December 1963) became one of Bulgaria's most distinctive rhythmic gymnasts. She is one of the "Golden Girls" of Bulgaria that dominated rhythmic gymnastics in the 1980s.

Biography

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. Her coaches were Zlatka Boneva and Neshka Robeva.

The 1982 European Championships were also successful for Ralenkova, who placed first in the all-around and with rope and hoop, and second with clubs. But at the 1983 World Championships, Ralenkova fumbled with ribbon and was defeated by teammate Diliana Gueorguieva. Ralenkova shared the silver medal with another teammate, Lilia Ignatova, and Soviet Galina Beloglazova. Ralenkova won a collection of medals in event finals but was just edged out of every title except hoop (she also earned bronze for ball, clubs, and ribbon).

Ralenkova tied Soviet Galina Beloglazova for the all-around title at the 1984 European Championships, a result she strongly contested. She finished the individual apparatus finals with golds for hoop, ball, and clubs and a bronze for ribbon. At the Friendship Games, she moved up from fifth place on the first day of competition to second place in the all-around on the second.

In 1989, the U.S. Gymnastics Federation invited Ralenkova to do clinics, workshops, and sports promotions in a 35-city tour across the U.S. She began a gym in Seattle before moving to Palm Beach, Florida in 2001 and coaching there. She has one son.

Eponymous skill

Ralenkova has one eponymous skill listed in the code of points, a turn of 360 degrees performed with the gymnast's back on the floor.

Name	Description	Difficulty
Ralenkova	Rotation on the back 360	0.1 each rotation

External links

• Anelia Ralenkova at the International Gymnastics Federation
• Bulgarian sport profile