Lily Ignatova

Lilia Ignatova is one of the finest gymnasts never to win a World or Olympic all-around title. Born May 17, 1965, in Sofia, Bulgaria, the remarkably innovative Ignatova became her country's most beloved rhythmic gymnast of all time. Ignatova made an impression at the 1980 European Championships, placing 2nd in the all-around and with hoop, and first with clubs and ribbon. At the 1981 World Championships she duplicated this result, and also claimed her share of medals in the event finals, with golds for rope and hoop and silver for clubs.

1982 proved to be more difficult, as Ignatova came in 5th at the European Championships. The following year Lilia Ignatova came dangerously close to finishing out of the medals after mistakes with ribbon. But this great crowd favorite finished up second overall at the 1983 World Championships

At the Vienna, Austria, European Championships of 1984, Ignatova again placed out of the medals, this time in 4th. A favorite for the 1985 World Championship title, Ignatova once again placed second to teammate Diliana Gueorgieva, but won a cache of apparatus medals. In 1986 she won her second World Cup title, and became the only gymnast to triumph an incredible six consecutive times (1981-1986) at the prestigious Julieta Shishmanova Cup. In her last major competition, the 1986 European Championships, Ignatova finally won a much-deserved all-around gold. After retiring in 1986, Lilia Ignaotva enrolled in the National Sports Academy in Sofia. Upon her graduation from college, Ignatova began coaching at Levski, the club where she trained as a gymnast. Lilia Ignatova helped coaching several excellent Bulgarian gymnasts, including Neli Atanassova and 1990 European Champion Julia Baicheva. Ignatova has one child, a young daughter named Ioana. In 1999, Ignatova was one of four rhythmic gymnasts inducted into the FIG Hall of Fame.