Zhaneta Ilieva

Zhaneta Tosheva Ilieva (Bulgarian: Жанета Тошева Илиева; born 3 October 1984 in Veliko Tarnovo) is a retired Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast.[2] 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, Ilieva helped her squad claim a bronze medal in the same program before her official retirement from the sport.

Zhaneta Ilieva
Full name	Zhaneta Tosheva Ilieva
Country represented	Bulgaria
Born	(1984-10-03) 3 October 1984 Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Residence	Sofia, Bulgaria
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	54 kg (119 lb)
Discipline	Rhythmic gymnastics
Years on national team	1988–2004[1]
Club	Club Iliana Levski[1]
Head coach(es)	Tatiana Stoianova
Assistant coach(es)	Ina Ananieva
Choreographer	Biser Deyanov
Medal record Women's rhythmic gymnastics Representing  Bulgaria Olympic Games 2004 Athens Group All-around World Championships 2003 Budapest Group All-around 2003 Budapest 3 Hoops 2 Balls 2003 Budapest 5 Ribbons European Championships 2003 Riesa 3 Hoops 2 Balls 2003 Riesa Group All-around 2003 Riesa 5 Ribbons

Career

2000–2003

Ilieva made her senior official debut in 1999, and later competed as part of the Bulgarian women's rhythmic gymnastics team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where she placed seventh 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).[3]

At the 2002 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, Ilieva 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, Ilieva 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.[4]

2004 Summer Olympics

See also: Gymnastics at the 2004 Summer Olympics

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Ilieva competed for the Bulgarian women's rhythmic gymnastics team in the group all-around tournament, after receiving a qualifying berth from the World Championships.[4] Teaming with Eleonora Kezhova, Zornitsa Marinova, Kristina Rangelova, and twin sisters Galina and Vladislava Tancheva in the competition, Ilieva 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.[5][6][7]

Life after gymnastics

Shortly after the Olympics, Ilieva announced his retirement from rhythmic gymnastics to further pursue her degree in sports journalism at the National Sports Academy in Sofia, and later worked as a recreational and competitive team and individual coach for the Bulgarian team.[1]

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in gymnastics (women)

References

1. "Coach Profile: Zhaneta Ilieva". zhanetailieva.com. Zhaneta Ilieva. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
2. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Zhaneta Ilieva". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2013. Full name: Zhaneta Tosheva Ilieva / Original name: Жанета Тошева Илиева
3. "Sydney 2000: Rhythmic Gymnastics – Group Competition (Final)" (PDF). library.la84.org. LA84 Foundation. p. 26. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
4. "Bulgarians Win Silver and Qualify for the Athens Olympics". standartnews.com. Standart. 28 September 2003. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
5. "Women's Rhythmic Gymnastics Group All-Around". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC Sport. 28 August 2004. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
6. "Russia takes rhythmic gymnastics group all-round gold". english.peopledaily.com.cn. People's Daily. 29 August 2004. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
7. "Twins Celebrate Rhythmic Bronze with Oriental Dances". novinite.com. Novinite. 29 August 2004. Retrieved 26 August 2013.

External links

• Official website
• Zhaneta Ilieva at the International Gymnastics Federation
• Zhaneta Ilieva at the International Olympic Committee