Irina Viner-Usmanova

Irina Alexandrovna Viner-Usmanova
Born	Irina Alexandrovna Viner (1948-07-30) July 30, 1948 Samarkand, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union
Occupation	Head Coach of Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics 2001 - present
Known for	Head Coach of the Olympic Training Center of rhythmic gymnastics in Novogorsk and coach of multiple Olympic/World champions
Spouse(s)	Alisher Usmanov
Children	Anton Viner
Parent(s)	Zoya Zinovyevna Viner (mother), Alexander Efimovich Viner (father)
Awards

Irina Alexandrovna Viner-Usmanova (Russian: Ирина Александровна Винер-Усманова; born July 30, 1948) is a Russian-Jewish rhythmic gymnastics coach who is head coach of the Russian national team, president of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation and former vice president of the International Gymnastics Federation.

In 2015, Viner was awarded the Olympic Order in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the global sports, this makes Viner the first gymnastics coach in history to be a recipient of the award. Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee personally handed the necklace and presented the award.^[1]

Viner is one of the most successful gymnastics coaches of all time. Her pupils include the past five Olympic all-around champions: Margarita Mamun (2016), Evgeniya Kanaeva (2008 and 2012), Alina Kabaeva (2004) and Yulia Barsukova (2000).^[2]

She is married to business magnate Alisher Usmanov, Russia's richest man, who has a net worth of more than $14 billion.^[3]

Career

(L-R) Viner with rhythmic gymnasts Yana Lukonina, Daria Dmitrieva, Evgenia Kanaeva, former President Dmitri Medvedev, Daria Kondakova and RG coach Anna Shumilova

Irina Viner was born in Samarkand, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union. Her father, Alexander, was a People's Artist of the USSR. Her mother, Zoya, was a doctor. As a young girl Viner wanted to take ballet but was discouraged, so she took up gymnastics at the age of 11.^[2]

Viner was a three-time champion of the Uzbek SSR and graduated from the Uzbek State Institute of Physical Culture. She worked as coach of the national team in rhythmic gymnastics in Tashkent, and under her tutelage, Venera Zaripova became her first successful gymnast. In 1990, Viner moved to Great Britain to coach the British national team.^[4]

In 1992, Viner was invited to become head coach of the Russian national team and moved to Moscow. Since 2001, Viner is the head coach of the Olympic Training Center of the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics in Novogorsk and in 2008 became president of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation.^[5]

In 2015, Viner was awarded the Olympic Order in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the global sports, this makes Viner the first gymnastics coach to be a recipient of the award. Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee personally handed the necklace and presented the award.^[1]

Viner has said about receiving the award: "I never expected that I would be awarded such an important Order. It was an honor that President of IOC, Thomas Bach arrived here. Sport is the only war that has a peaceful end. I believe that the whole world of gymnastics was awarded, for women and girls. It is important that we train together and help other countries - That is why a lot of representatives of other countries train in Russia. We will do our best in order that this kind of sport remains in the Olympic program. I think we will never be thrown to the sidelines and rhythmic gymnastics will remain in the Olympic Family".^[6]

Notable pupils

Viner with President Vladimir Putin in May 2015

Viner has trained many Russian Olympic/World/European/World Cup medal winners,^[3] including:

Individual rhythmic gymnasts:

• Evgenia Kanaeva (born in 1990) (2 gold at the 2012 Olympics and 2008 Olympics, 17 gold in World, 13 gold in European, 4 gold in World games, multiple World Cup medals)^[7]
• Alina Kabaeva (b. 1983) (1 gold in 2004 Olympics and a bronze in 2000 Olympics, 10 gold in World, 15 gold in European, 5 gold in World Cup)^[8]
• Margarita Mamun (b. 1995) (1 gold in 2016 Olympics, 7 gold in World, 4 gold in European, 4 gold in World Cup Final) ^[9]
• Yulia Barsukova (b. 1978) (1 gold in 2000 Olympics, 1 gold in World, 3 gold in European, 1 Gold in World Cup)^[10]
• Yana Kudryavtseva (b. 1997) (1 silver in 2016 Olympics, 13 gold in World, 8 gold in European, 5 gold in World Cup Final, 4 Gold in European Games) ^[11]
• Irina Tchachina (b. 1982) (1 silver in 2004 Olympics, 3 gold in World, 6 gold in European, 4 gold in World games, 2 Gold in World Cup)^[12]
• Daria Dmitrieva (b. 1993) (1 silver in 2012 Olympics, 4 gold in World, 1 gold in European, 1 gold in Universiade)^[13]
• Yanina Batyrshina (b. 1979) (1 silver in 1996 Olympics, 5 gold in World, 5 gold in European)^[14]
• Daria Kondakova (b. 1991) (4 gold in World, 3 gold in European)^[15]
• Olga Kapranova (b. 1987) (10 gold in World, 5 gold in European, 2 gold in World Games)^[16]
• Vera Sessina (b. 1986) (6 gold in World, 6 gold in European, 1 gold in World Games, 4 gold in World Cup)^[17]
• Oxana Kostina (b. 1972, d. 1993) (7 gold in world, 5 gold in Europeans).
• Amina Zaripova (b. 1976) (5 gold in World, 5 gold in European)^[18]
• Aleksandra Soldatova (b. 1998) (2 gold in World, 1 gold in European)^[19]
• Natalia Lipkovskaya (b. 1979) (3 gold in World, 1 gold in Europeans).
• Lyasan Utiasheva (b. 1985) (2 gold in European).
• Zarina Gizikova (b. 1985) (2 gold in European).
• Alexandra Merkulova (b. 1995) (1 gold in 2014 Youth Olympic Games).
• Olga Belova (b. 1983) (1 gold in World and European team).
• Julia Rosliakova (b. 1975) multiple World and European team medalist.
• Vera Shatalina (b. 1966) - former Soviet rhythmic gymnast and Honored Master of Sports coach of Russia in rhythmic gymnastics.
• Venera Zaripova (b. 1966) - pioneered student, multiple Soviet champion and competed at the World championships.

Notable Group rhythmic gymnasts:

• Yelena Posevina (b. 1986) (2 gold in group at the 2004 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Olympics, 2 golds in Worlds Group all-around and 2 golds in European Group all around).
• Natalia Lavrova (b. 1984) (2 gold in group at the 2000 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Olympics, 2 golds in Worlds Group all-around and 2 golds in European Group all around).
• Anastasia Bliznyuk (b. 1994) (2 gold in group at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics, 1 gold in Worlds, 3 gold in European Championships group all-around).
• Anna Gavrilenko (b. 1990) (1 gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics, 2007 World Group all-around gold and 2 golds in European Group all around).
• Anastasia Maksimova (b.1991) (1 gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics, 2015 World Group all-around gold, 2 Gold in Europeans Games and 1 gold in European Championships group all-around).
• Diana Borisova (b.1997) (2015 World Group all-around gold, 2 Gold in Europeans Games and 1 gold in European Championships group all-around).
• Sofya Skomorokh (b.1999) (2015 World Group all-around gold, 2 Gold in Europeans Games and 1 gold in European Championships group all-around).

She has also trained the Russian Group that won the 2012 Summer Olympics Gold in Group All-around:
(Ksenia Dudkina, Uliana Donskova, Anastasia Bliznyuk, Alina Makarenko, Anastasia Nazarenko, Karolina Sevastyanova)

Counselor/Coordinator for Russian Group:

2016 Summer Olympics Group gold medalists
(Maria Tolkacheva, Anastasiia Tatareva, Anastasia Maksimova, Anastasia Bliznyuk, Vera Biryukova)

2008 Summer Olympics Group gold medalists
(Margarita Aliychuk, Anna Gavrilenko, Tatiana Gorbunova, Elena Posevina, Daria Shkurikhina, Natalia Zueva)

2004 Summer Olympics Group gold medalists
(Olesya Belugina, Olga Glatskikh, Tatiana Kurbakova, Natalia Lavrova, Yelena Posevina, Elena Murzina)

2000 Summer Olympics Group gold medalists
(Irina Belova, Yelena Chalamova, Natalia Lavrova, Mariya Netesova, Vyera Shimanskaya, Irina Zilber)

International gymnasts:

• Aliya Yussupova (b. 1984)
• Aliya Garayeva (b. 1988)
• Anna Alyabyeva (b. 1993)
• Ulyana Trofimova (b. 1990)
• Son Yeon-jae (b. 1994)
• Kaho Minagawa (b. 1997)
• Sakura Hayakawa (b. 1997)
• Elizaveta Nazarenkova (b. 1995)
• Dinara Gimatova (b. 1986)
• Varvara Filiou (b. 1994)
• Shin Soo-ji (b.1991)
• Debbie Georgiou (b. 1978)

Head of Famous Russian rhythmic gymnast coaches

Although Viner is the Head of the Russian National rhythmic gymnastics Federation. the Russian gymnasts have their own personal coaches and trainers supervising their daily training and in competitions. Notable Russian rhythmic gymnast coaches include:

• Vera Shtelbaums (b. 1937)
• Anna Shumilova (b. 1980)
• Vera Shatalina (b. 1966)
• Olga Buyanova (b. 1954)
• Elena Karpushenko (b. 1961)
• Amina Zaripova (b. 1976)
• Irina Zenovka (b. 1972)
• Oksana Skaldina (b. 1972)
• Daria Kondakova (b. 1991)
• Elena Nefedova (b. 1974)

Personal life

Viner is married to Russian tycoon Alisher Usmanov, who was also born in Uzbekistan.^[20] She and Usmanov originally met in their youth at a sports hall in Tashkent, where he was involved in fencing; they reconnected many years later in Moscow.^[2] She has a son from a previous marriage, Anton, who was born in 1973 and later adopted by Usmanov.^[21]

Usmanov is Muslim, but Viner is Jewish and practices Kabbalah.^{[22][23][24][25]} Among her many state awards, she was given the "Living Legend" prize by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia in 2007.^[26]

References