Lavrova Natalya Alexandrovna became the first two-time Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics in group exercises. She received the title of Honored Master of Sports of the Russian Federation. She was a coach of the Russian team. She became a five-time world champion. She died in a car accident at the age of 25.
Childhood
On August 4, 1984, the Russian gymnast Natalya Lavrova was born in Penza. Her parents were doctors. They moved to Penza even before the birth of their daughter, seduced by the offer of promising work. Natalia’s father was a boxer in his youth. Apparently, he transmitted this love for sports to his daughter. When the baby grew up, her father always met her when she returned from the competition.
Lavrova Natalia Alexandrovna from childhood was a fun and very active girl. And the parents decided to channel the endless energy of their daughter in the right direction, giving their child to rhythmic gymnastics. And made sure that they made the right choice. Natalya always ran with great pleasure to training. She herself said, recalling the first training, that she loved moving to music and coming up with her own movements. Her father always met her after training and was proud of her daughter's success.
Education
When the time came, Natalya was enrolled in Penza secondary school No. 75. After her graduation, the girl entered the State Pedagogical University named after Belinsky. She successfully graduated from it and completely plunged into her favorite business.
Sports career
Lavrova Natalia Alexandrovna began to play sports, starting from the age of five. It was then that her parents enrolled her in the rhythmic gymnastics section. Natalya had a wonderful and friendly relationship with her first coach. She absorbed all the elements of gymnastics like a sponge.
Always carried out new exercises with excitement and pleasure. I practiced them, repeating to infinity, bringing to complete perfection. But soon the coach went on maternity leave, and Natalya was sad. During this period, she went to training just out of habit.
Finally, the efforts and perseverance of Natalia was noticed by the honored coach of the Russian national team, Vasilieva T. A. At that time, she worked with groups of athletes. So began climbing the sports Olympus Lavrova Natalya Alexandrovna, rhythmic gymnastics for which became a way of life. In 1999, she came to the training camp for the first time and took 1st place in group competitions.
Six months later, Natalia was accepted into the main team. At that time, the next World Cup was held in Osaka. These were the qualifying competitions for the upcoming Olympic Games. There Natalya won her first league title. At that time she was only 15 years old. After winning the Japan, Natalia has been participating in competitions in the Russian national team for nine years.
In 2000, she won gold at the Olympics in Australia. In 2004, at the competitions in Athens, she again took 1st place. As a result, she received the title of two-time Olympic champion. Repeatedly won international competitions at the Grand Prix. At the same time she worked at the Dynamo Sports Club. She was a rhythmic gymnastics coach and trained athletes for the Olympic Games.
The tragedy that cut short life
Lavrova Natalya Alexandrovna died in a car accident on April 23, 2010, at the age of 25. She, along with her younger sister Olga, was traveling from Penza to Shemysheyka. On this day it rained in the morning, the road after it was very slippery, and the curb on the roadside. Mazda rode towards the sisters. Olga could not cope with the management, and their car was thrown into the oncoming lane.
Accidents could not be avoided. The cars ran into terrible power. The main blow fell exactly where Natalya was sitting - on the right side of the VAZ of the 14th model. Rescuers who arrived in an accident, pulled the bodies of girls out of the car. The sisters died immediately. According to the traffic police, the Mazda driver was not guilty in the accident.
So, by tragic accident, Natalya Alexandrovna Lavrova passed away. The funeral took place in Penza, at the Newwestern cemetery, on the Walk of Fame. Farewell to the sisters was held in the sports complex "Burtasy". The stream of people dragged on endlessly. Federation Vice-President Irina Viner, coaches and pupils of Lavrova arrived from Moscow. The funeral service was held at the Assumption Cathedral. The sisters were escorted to the last journey in three volleys.
Awards
Lavrova Natalia Alexandrovna, rhythmic gymnastics for which became not just a hobby, but a favorite thing of her life, was awarded the Orders of Honor and Friendship. The insignia was awarded for his great contribution to the development of physical education in the country and sports achievements at the Olympics. In 2012, competitions were held for the Olympic Cup. And the authorities of Penza plan to erect a monument to Lavrova.