While being a member of the National team of USSR, Irina Deriugina became one of the most honored athletes of USSR and world of gymnastics. She stepped on to the winning step of the award podiums all possible competitions of that time: beginning from USSR Cups and  Championships to European and World Championships (1977, 1979). Moreover, Irina became a 4-times winner of the Intervision Cup, one of the most prestigious competitions of the 1980’s.

Irina Deriugina is one of the few talented and outstanding gymnasts that decided to enter the thorny path of a coaching carreir. While being a coach, Irina started her judging career in 1985. She participated in many different coaching and judging seminars as well as taking part in their organization. As evidence of her excellent work she has all the certificates and diplomas.

Since 1983 she has been working in a duet with Albina Nikolayevna Deriugina for the National team of Ukraine, and when Ukraine became an independent state, Irina became a Vice-President of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation. Their creative quest gave birth and showed the world such outstanding gymnasts as Aleksandra Timoshenko, Oksana Skaldina, Ekaterina Serebrianskaya, Tatiana Popova, Tamara Yerofeeva, Anna Bessonova, Natalia Godunko and many others. Among them are 2 Olympic Champions, 11 World Champions and 40 medal winners of European and World Championships. On major competitions over the twenty year period, the students of Irina Deriugina won over 120 gold medals, 40 silver medals and 30 bronze medals.

 This courageous woman is also the heart of all compositions of the National Team – her choreography of the routines are well known all over the world. These masterpieces helped to open the bright individualism of every Ukrainian gymnast as well as of the group routine. Such diamonds are the “Gladiator” of Tamara Yerofeeva, “Swan Lake” of Anna Bessonova and “5^th element” from Natalia Godunko. The music from the immortal ballet of Tchaikovsky was also used in the composition of group routine with ribbons. With this routine the team of Ukraine became World Champions in 2002.

Bright and original is the annual competition “Deriugina Cup” which is also organized by Irina Deriugina, who is the author of the idea of the competition. Only the best gymnasts have the right to perform at this competition as in 1997 it received the status competition of the Grand Prix series.

For the first time ever in the former-USSR country, European Championships in rhythmic gymnastics took place in Ukraine this year.. Irina Deriugina was appointed to be the local competition host of this competition.

Ukrainian government has greatly appreciated the work of Irina Deriugina. She has received the following national awards:

·       Order “Sign of order”

·       Diploma of the Presidium of the Supreme Rada

·       Order “Kniagini Ol’gi” of the III degree

On their mutual meeting Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation and Federation of gymnastics of Ukraine nominated Irina Deriugina as a candidate for the membership of the FIG Technical Committee in rhythmic gymnastics. She gave 35 years of her life to this sport and her great contribution to the development of rhythmic gymnastics should be marked accordingly.

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