Art Gymnastics in Bulgaria

For that purpose, we look through the archive films having registered their golden compositions. We will not be objectively enough, however, if we do not take into consideration the time differences.

Maria Gigova became world champion in 1969, 1971, and 1973. During this period the rhythmic gymnastics improved and the progress of the Bulgarian competitors was characterized by the concurrence of the Soviet gymnasts only. The Bulgarian school was in the initial stage of its development. These years are filled with search, enthusiasm, and hard work.

Maria Gigova

Maria Petrova

Twenty-four years later, in 1993, 1994, and 1995, Maria Petrova repeats the triumph of Maria Gigova. It should be mentioned that while Maria Gigova maintained a top form during a five-year period, Maria Petrova remained high-ranked for three years only. During these years, however, there are already numerous teams such as Ukrainian, Belorussian, Spanish, French, etc. on the horizon, which makes the competition rather stronger, the struggle more difficult, and thus the success much more valuable, indeed.

Maria Gigova's play-styles are distinguished by expressiveness and charm. She demonstrates extraordinary qualities and much more difficult exercises than her rivals. Her performances are charactrized by preciseness and artistic features.According to the opinion of the specialists, she remains unsurpased in her ability to contact the audience.

Maria Petrova's play-styles are characterized by difficult exercises, too. Besides her compositions are very original, riskful, and dynamic. She demonstrates perfect technical handling the apparata. She plays for the audience and receives much love and applauze in return.

We were very pleased to make friends and take pictures with Maria Petrova, the threefold world and European champion, during a competition in the town of Bourgas in 1995. Although being very eminent at that time, she was so kind to speak with us like with people of her rank. She shared with us that the price of the success consists in the hard training and permanent diets. At parting, she signed on her picture and wished us good luck.

The First World Championship in Budapest in 1963 was already marked with the successful participation of the Bulgarian art gymnastics. Yulia Trashlieva was ranked third in the individual competition with all the apparata. This bronze medal was the first in the history of our art gymnastics school. This school became rather reputable during the Third World Championship in Copenhagen in 1967. Maria Gigova received a gold medal in hoop exercise but Neshka Robeva, Krasimira Filipova and the group exercise team - bronze medals. In the subsequent years Bulgarian competitors belonged to the best in the world. There are no gymnasts with three world titles from the other countries at all.