Vera Biryukova

Vera Leonidovna Biryukova (Russian: Вера Леонидовна Бирюкова; born 11 April 1998 in Omsk, Omsk Oblast, Russia) is a Russian group rhythmic gymnast. She was member of the 2016 Olympics Group all-around champion.

Biryukova was born in Omsk (also home to two-time Olympic champion Evgenia Kanaeva, 2004 Olympic silver medalist Irina Tchachina, Soviet World champion Galima Shugurova, 1987 World Champion Tatiana Druchinina and 2012 London Olympics Group all-around champion Ksenia Dudkina). She began gymnastics at five years old under the encouragement of her mother, her first coach was Natalia Glemba, she studied at the Omsk schools number 61 and 125 where she began training with Elena Arais and her mother Vera Shtelbaums.

Biryukova was briefly included as part of Russia's group however she was later relegated to the reserve team. It wasn't until in 2016 that she had her big breakthrough, Biryukova returned as member of the Russian national group after replacing Ksenia Poliakova, she began competing with the Russian group at the 2016 World Cup series in Kazan and Baku.

On August 19–21, Biryukova was member of the golden winning Russian group (together with Anastasia Maksimova, Maria Tolkacheva, Anastasia Bliznyuk, Anastasiia Tatareva) that won gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

• Honored Master of Sports of Russia (2016).
• Order of Friendship (August 25, 2016) - for outstanding sports achievements at the Games XXXI Olympiad in 2016 in the city of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), manifested the will to win and sense of purpose.