Ksenia Dzhalaganiya

Ksenia Dzhalaganiya
— Gymnast —
Personal information
Alternative name(s)	Ксения Джалагания
Country represented	Russia (RUS)
Born	(1985-07-07) July 7, 1985 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Discipline	Rhythmic gymnastics
Level	Senior Elite
Gym	Novogorsk
Head coach(es)	Irina Viner
Assistant coach(es)	Oxana Skaldina
Retired	2003
Medal record Representing  Russia Group Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships 2002 New Orleans Group European Championships 1999 Budapest Group

Ksenia Dzhalaganiya (Russian: Ксения Николаевна Джалагания, born 7 July 1985) is a Russian group rhythmic gymnast, who is now the founder and director of Youth Olympic school of rhythmic gymnastics in the United Arab Emirates.

She is a World champion in group exercises (2002),^{[1][2][3][4][5]} a European champion in group exercises (1999), Honoured Master of Sports in rhythmic gymnastics,^[6][7] and winner of several international championships and Grand Prix events.^[8]

Personal life

Ksenia Dzhalaganiya was born to Tatiana and Nikolay Dzhalaganiya in Moscow. In 2004, she graduated from the Aspect College in London and in 2008 she graduated from the Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sport, Youth and Tourism.

In September 2015 Ksenia married her fiancé, the group chief operating officer of Cockett Marine Oil - Cem Saral. They met in Singapore in 2010 where Ksenia was coaching a junior national team of rhythmic gymnastics and three years later both moved to Dubai.^[9]

Gymnastics career

Dzhalaganiya started rhythmic gymnastics at the age of five. In 1993, she won her first gold medal t the Grand Prix in Germany.

In 1997, Dzhalaganiya began training with A.N. Janina and Oxana Skaldina.^[1] In 1998, she became a member of the Russian Junior team of rhythmic gymnastics. In 1999 she won the European Junior Gymnastics Championships in Budapest. In the same year Dzhalaganiya received the title Master of sports of international class (MSIC) and the title of an Absolute Champion of Europe in the group exercises.

Dzhalaganiya was a member of the Russian Olympic team in rhythmic gymnastics from 2000 to 2003. In 2002 as a member of the Russian team in the group exercises she won gold medals^[10] and became an absolute World Champion.^[3] After returning to Russia, Dzhalaganiya took part in a press conference devoted to the championship (along with the other winners).^[11] In the same year Dzhalaganiya was awarded the title of Honoured Master of Sports of Russia and completed her secondary education at the Moscow School of Olympic Reserve.^[1]

In 2003 Dzhalaganiya ended her sports career and moved on to coaching. In 2010, she became a coach of Singapore Junior national team of rhythmic gymnastics. While preparing young gymnasts for the Youth Olympic Games in 2014.^[12] Dzhalaganiya accompanied her team to many International competitions.^[13]

Coaching career

After retiring from professional sport, Dzhalaganiya continued her gymnastics career as a coach. In 2010 she signed a contract with Singapore Gymnastics Federation and led a Singapore junior national team of rhythmic gymnastics while preparing the team for Youth Olympic Games in 2014.

In 2015 Dzhalaganiya has opened Dubai Youth Olympic school of rhythmic gymnastics, the first gymnastics school in United Arab Emirates providing elite and national level training for rhythmic gymnastics, preparing young Emirati girls for world class tournaments and Olympic games 2020.^[14]

External links

• Official website
• Ksenia Dzhalaganiya on Instagram
• Video of Ksenia Dzhalaganiya at the World Cup 2002

References