Vera Tugolukova

Cypriot rhythmic gymnast
Vera Tugolukova
Country represented Cyprus
Former countries represented Russia
Born (2008-09-16) 16 September 2008 (age 15)
Moscow, Russia
HometownLyubertsy, Russia
Training locationNovogorsk, Russia[1]
DisciplineRhythmic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2023–present (Cyprus)
Head coach(es)Christaleni Tricomiti and Natalia Sokolova
Medal record
Representing  Cyprus
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
FIG World Cup 0 0 1
European Cup 0 1 2
Total 0 1 3
European Cup
Silver medal – second place 2024 Baku Ribbon
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Baku Hoop
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Baku Clubs

Vera Tugolukova (born 16 September 2008) is a Russian-born rhythmic gymnast who has competed for Cyprus in international competitions since 2023. She will represent Cyprus at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Career

Russia

In 2022, Tugolukova won the gold medal with the hoop at the Russian Junior Championships.[2] At the Children of Asia International Sport Games in Vladivostok, she won silver all-around as well as gold in the ribbon final, bronze in the ball final, and silver in the club final.[3] She could not compete in International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) sponsored competitions due to the suspension of Russian athletes following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[4] In November 2022, the FIG announced that Tugolukova had changed her nationality to Cyprus.[5] Irina Viner, head coach of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team, noted that Tugolukova's parents had moved to Cyprus.[6]

Cyprus

Junior

Tugolukova joined the Cypriot national team as a junior in 2023 and her first international competition representing Cyprus was in March at the Aphrodite Cup in Athens, Greece, finishing fifth in the all-around in her age category and winning silver in the hoop final.[7] Then at the Sofia Cup, she won two golds in the ball and club finals and silver in the ribbon final, while in hoop she was fifth.[8][9] In the AGF Trophy in Baku, Azerbaijan, she won gold medals in the all-around and with the hoop and silver medals in the ball and clubs finals.[10]

Tugolukova was selected to compete at the 2023 Junior World Championships in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She competed with hoop, ball, and clubs, while her teammate, Nika Khodareva, did so with the ribbon.[11] Tugolukova qualified for three apparatus finals and finished seventh in hoop, fifth in ball, and sixth in clubs.[12]

Senior

Tugolukova became age-eligible for senior competitions in 2024. She made her senior debut at the Palaio Faliro World Cup and finished sixth in the all-around.[13] She then won a bronze medal in the ribbon final, which was the first-ever medal for Cyprus on the FIG World Cup series.[14] She then finished 14th in the all-around at the Sofia World Cup.[15] She then won three medals at the European Cup in Baku- silver with the ribbon and bronze with the hoop and clubs.[16]

At the 2024 European Championships in Budapest, she finished 11th in the all-around during the qualification round. As the highest-ranked gymnast from a country that had not already qualified, Tugolukova earned the continental berth for the 2024 Summer Olympics ahead of Poland's Liliana Lewińska.[17][18] The Polish Gymnastics Federation protested the results and filed appeals to the FIG and the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation.[19][20] Tugolukova's Olympic qualification was confirmed by the FIG on 4 June.[21] She finished 16th in the all-around final,[22] fourth in the clubs final,[23] and seventh in the ball final.[24]

Achievements

Competitive history

Year Event Team AA HP BA CL RB
Junior
Representing Russia Russia
2022 Russian Junior Championships 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Children of Asia International Sport Games 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Representing Cyprus Cyprus
2023 Aphrodite Cup 5 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Sofia Cup 4 5 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
AGF Trophy 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Junior World Championships 7 5 6
Senior
2024 Palaio Faliro World Cup 6 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Sofia World Cup 14
European Cup 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
European Championships 16 7 4

[15]

Routine music information

Year Apparatus Music title
2023 Hoop Miserlou by Caroline Campbell and William Joseph feat. Tina Guo
Ball Mama by Dalida
Clubs Macarena by Los del Rio
Ribbon Gelato Al Cioccolato by Pupo
2024 Hoop Misirlou by David Garrett
Ball Seven Nation Army (feat. Haley Reinhart) by Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox
Clubs The 5th by David Garrett
Ribbon The Firebird (Ballet): 16. Infernal Dance of All Kashchei's Subject's by Chicago Symphony Orchestra

References

  1. ^ Volkova, Alyona (24 May 2024). "Последнюю квоту на Олимпиаду заберет русская гимнастка. Выступает за другую страну, хотя тренируется в Москве" [The last quota for the Olympics will be taken by a Russian gymnast. She competes for another country, although she trains in Moscow]. Sport24 (in Russian). Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  2. ^ Melnik, Yan (13 November 2022). "Чемпионка России среди юниоров Вера Туголукова сменила спортивное гражданство на кипрское" [Russian junior champion Vera Tugolukova changed her sports citizenship to Cypriot]. Sports ru (in Russian). Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Российская гимнастка Вера Туголукова сменила спортивное гражданство" [Russian gymnast Vera Tugolukova changed her sports citizenship]. Championat (in Russian). 12 November 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Российская гимнастка будет выступать за Кипр" [Russian gymnast will compete for Cyprus]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). 13 November 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Official News from the Executive Committee - November 2022". International Gymnastics Federation. 12 November 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Винер рассказала, почему гимнастка Туголукова решила выступать за Кипр" [Viner explained why gymnast Tugolukova decided to compete for Cyprus]. TASS (in Russian). 13 November 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Double joy for Greece's Seniors Group and Italy's Juniors Group – Griskenas and Lică shined in the apparatus finals". Aphrodite Cup. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  8. ^ Cintioli, Michela (9 April 2023). "Ritmica, Sofia Cup – Doppietta per Lara Manfredi" [Rhythmic, Sofia Cup – Double for Lara Manfredi]. Ginnasticando (in Italian). Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Россиянка принесла Кипру три медали" [The Russian woman brought three medals to Cyprus]. VK Cyprus (in Russian). 12 April 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Состоялась церемония награждения победителей Международного турнира AGF Trophy в Баку" [The award ceremony for the winners of the AGF Trophy International Tournament took place in Baku]. Caliber (in Russian). 16 April 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  11. ^ "2nd FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Junior World Championships CLUJ-NAPOCA (ROU), 7 - 9 July 2023 Individual Apparatus Qualification Team Ranking (Individual & Group combined)" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  12. ^ "2nd FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Junior World Championships CLUJ-NAPOCA (ROU), 7 - 9 July 2023 Individual Apparatus Finals" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. 9 July 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  13. ^ "FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Athens (GRE) March 23 Seniors All-Around" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  14. ^ a b "A golden World Cup debut for Elvira Krasnobaeva". International Gymnastics Federation. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Tugolukova Vera - FIG Athlete Profile". International Gymnastics Federation. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Гимнастка Вера Туголукова завоевала для Кипра три медали на Кубке Европы" [Gymnast Vera Tugolukova won three medals for Cyprus at the European Cup]. Russian Radio Cyprus (in Russian). Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Sofia Raffaeli on fire in #Budapest2024 qualification rounds". European Gymnastics. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Sixteen-year-old Vera Tugolukova, the latest member of the Cyprus Olympic team". Parikiaki. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  19. ^ Szutenberg, Aleksandra (2024-05-24). "Skandal! Polka ograbiona z olimpijskiej kwalifikacji i finałów ME!" [Scandal! The Pole was robbed of the Olympic qualification and European Championship finals!]. Polsatsport (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  20. ^ Brunetti, Mariacarmela (2 June 2024). "Lewinska-Tugolukova: la Federazione di Ginnastica polacca presenta ricorso alla FIG e al GEF per il pass olimpico" [Lewinska-Tugolukova: Polish Gymnastics Federation appeals to FIG and GEF for Olympic pass]. Ginnasticando (in Italian). Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  21. ^ "List of other Rhythmic Gymnastics 2024 Olympic Qualifiers". International Gymnastics Federation. 4 June 2024. p. 2. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  22. ^ "40th European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships All-around Final Individual" (PDF). European Gymnastics. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  23. ^ "40th European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships Clubs Final" (PDF). European Gymnastics. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  24. ^ "40th European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships Ball Final" (PDF). European Gymnastics. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.