Aliya Yussupova

Aliya Yussupova (Kazakh: Әлия Мақсұтқызы Жүсіпова; born May 15, 1984) is an individual rhythmic gymnast who competed for Kazakhstan, coached by Irina Viner.

Personal life

Aliya Yussupova is of Kazakh ethnicity.

Career

Yussupova moved to Moscow, Russia and began training with renowned Russian coach Irina Viner.

She won two silver medals in ball and clubs at the 2004 World Cup Final in Moscow. At the 2004 Athens Olympics she qualified for the finals in 5th. In the finals she was placed fourth with a total of 103.975 (Ribbon 25.550, Clubs 26.325, Ball 26.600, Hoop 25.500).

Yussupova won the Kazakhstani National Championships in the individual all-around competition in 2000-2005. In 2006 Asian championships in Surat, India, (from July 29 to August 3), she swept the rhythmic gymnastics medals. She won six gold medals, including four individual apparatus titles, the team gold and individual all-around title. She finished 6th in All-around at the 2007 World Championships.

Yussupova competed in her second Olympics at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, she finished 5th at the All-around event finals. She was the also all around bronze medalist at the 2009 Universiade and in 2009 Asian championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, she won all the gold medals again.

Yussupova retired from competition at the end of the 2009 season. In 2013 she started to train fellow Kazakhstan rhythmic gymnast Sabina Ashirbayeva who achieved 18th place at the 2015 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships and it is improving under her tutelage.

Coaching career

Her notable students include Sabina Ashirbayeva.

Achievements

• First Asian and Kazakh rhythmic gymnast to medal at the World Cup final.
• First Kazakh gymnast to place in top 10 Finals in the Olympic Games (2004 and 2008).

Detailed Olympic results