Eleоnora Valerieva Kezhova (Bulgarian: Елеонора Валериева Кежова; born 28 December 1985 in Sofia) is a retired Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast.[1] She is a two-time member of the Bulgarian rhythmic gymnastics team at the World Championships, and contributed to a silver medal in the group all-around in 2003. The following year, at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Kezhova helped her squad claim a bronze medal in the same program.

Eleonora Kezhova
Full nameEleоnora Valerieva Kezhova
Country represented Bulgaria
Born (1985-12-28) 28 December 1985 (age 38)
Sofia, Bulgaria
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight50 kg (110 lb)
DisciplineRhythmic gymnastics
Years on national team1992–2004
ClubClub Iliana Levski
Head coach(es)Iliana Raeva
Assistant coach(es)Ina Ananieva
ChoreographerTsvetanka Petkova
Medal record
Women's rhythmic gymnastics
Representing  Bulgaria
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Athens Team
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Baku 5 Ribbons
Silver medal – second place 2003 Budapest All-Around
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2003 Riesa 3 Hoops 2 Balls
Silver medal – second place 2003 Riesa Group All-around
Silver medal – second place 2003 Riesa 5 Ribbons

Career

edit

2000–2003

edit

Kezhova made her official worldwide debut, as a 15-year-old teen, at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where she placed seventh for the Bulgarian squad in the group all-around tournament with a composite score of 38.432 (19.166 for five clubs and 19.266 for two hoops and three ribbons).[2]

At the 2002 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, Kezhova and her Bulgarian team finished fourth in the same program with a score in 47.050, missing out the medal podium by 350-thousandths of a point.

The following year, at the 2003 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Kezhova pulled off the second highest score both in ribbons and in hoops and clubs to hand the Bulgarians a silver medal in the group all-around tournament (a score of 50.175), and a qualifying ticket to her second Olympics.[3]

2004 Summer Olympics

edit

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Kezhova Zhaneta Ilieva, Zornitsa Marinova, Kristina Rangelova, and twin sisters Galina and Vladislava Tancheva in the competition, Kezhova performed a double routine using five ribbons (23.400) and a combination of three hoops and two balls (25.200) to deliver the Bulgarian squad a bronze-medal score in 48.600.[4][5][6]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Eleonora Kezhova". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  2. ^ "Sydney 2000: Rhythmic Gymnastics – Group Competition (Final)" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  3. ^ "Bulgarians Win Silver and Qualify for the Athens Olympics". Standart. 28 September 2003. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  4. ^ "Women's Rhythmic Gymnastics Group All-Around". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 28 August 2004. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Russia takes rhythmic gymnastics group all-round gold". Xinhua. People's Daily. 29 August 2004. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  6. ^ "Twins Celebrate Rhythmic Bronze with Oriental Dances". Novinite. 29 August 2004. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
edit