Gymn Forum: Natalia Kuchinskaya Biography

Natalia Kuchinskaya (USSR)

1966 World AA Silver Medalist
1968 Olympic AA Bronze Medalist

Medal Total

Olympic Games: 2 Gold, 2 Bronze
World Championships: 3 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze
European Championships: 2 Silver

Natalia was born in Leningrad. Her mother, Ekaterina, founded a rhythmic gymnastics school so Natalia and her sister Marina naturally gravitated to the sport. Marina stayed in rhythmic, but Natalia discovered sports gymnastics. In Leningrad she was coached by Vladimir Reison. When Reison, a jew, applied for an exit visa, Natalia was sent to Kiev to train with Vladimir Smirnov (who had coached Polina Astakhova). After retiring, Natalia worked as a coach of beginning gymnasts in Kiev. In 1990, she accepted a one-year coaching job in Japan. She returned to Leningrad (by then called St. Petersburg), and then took a coaching job in the USA in the late 1990s.

Competition Results

1965
Jr. Friendship Tournament (Druzhba): 1st AA, 1st V, 1st V, 1st FX
USSR Championships: 1st AA, 1st B
USSR Cup: 2nd AA
USSR-JPN Dual Meet: 1st Team, 2nd AA

1966
Tiflis Invitational: 1st AA
USSR Championships: 1st AA, 1st B, 1st FX, 2nd UB, 4th V
USSR Cup: 1st AA
USSR World Trials: 1st AA
World Championships: 2nd Team, 2nd AA, 1st UB, 1st B, 1st FX, 3rd V

1967
European Championships: 9th AA, 2nd B, 2nd FX, 5th V
Pre-Olympics: 1st AA
USSR Championships: 1st AA, 1st V, 1st UB, 1st B, 1st FX
USSR Spartakiade: 1st AA

1968
Olympics: 1st Team, 3rd AA, 1st B, 3rd FX, 5th V
USSR Championships: 1st AA