Albina Nikolaevna Deriugina ( Ukrainian: Альбі́на Микола́ївна Дерю́гіна, romanized: Albina Mykolayivna Deriuhina, 16 March 1932 – 29 March 2023) [1] was a Soviet and Ukrainian rhythmic gymnastics coach. She trained her daughter Irina Deriugina to Olympic success and the two then became a very successful coaching team. She was made a Hero of Ukraine in 2002.
Albina Deriugina was born 1932 in Makiivka. [2] She married Ivan Deriuhin (an Olympic gold medallist in modern pentathlon) and they brought up a daughter, Irina Deriugina. Albina became the Soviet rhythmic gymnastics coach and coached Iryna to all-round gold medals at both the 1977 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships and 1979 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. [3]
After Iryna stepped down from competition at the age of 24, mother and daughter combined as a highly successful coaching team, creating a private school and training athletes who won a total of 120 gold medals. [3] The Deriuginas coached among others Hanna Rizatdinova. [4]
Albina Deriugina is regarded as a legendary figure in gymnastics. [2] [3] In 1995, Irina Deriugina established the Deriugina Cup, an international gymnastics competition in Kyiv, in tribute to her mother. [5] [6]
She was made a Hero of Ukraine, the highest civilian award in the Ukraine, in 2002. [6] [7] In 2015, the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine celebrated its 25th anniversary and presented Deriugina with its highest award, the NOC medal. [8]