Virginia Manzanera | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | Valladolid, Spain | 26 March 1965|||||||||||
Gymnastics career | ||||||||||||
Discipline | Rhythmic gymnastics | |||||||||||
Country represented | ![]() | |||||||||||
Years on national team | 1980-1985 | |||||||||||
Level | International Elite | |||||||||||
Club | Club Vallisoletano | |||||||||||
Head coach(es) | Emilia Boneva | |||||||||||
Retired | yes | |||||||||||
Medal record
|
Virginia Manzanera (born 26 March 1965) is a former Spanish rhythmic gymnast and coach. She won a European bronze medal in 1984.
Virginia began practicing rhythmic gymnastics when she was 9 years old at the Club Vallisoletano in Valladolid, the only rhythmic club that existed in the city at the time. Her sister Laura followed her footsepts, later joining her into the national team. [1]
In 1978 she won gold in freehands in the 2nd category in the Spanish Individual Championship. [2] In 1979 she won All-Around silver in the 2nd category of the Spanish Championship in Madrid. In 1980 she was 5th in the All-Around of the 1st category at nationals held in Alicante.
She was then scouted to join the national team, training at the Moscardó Gymnasium in Madrid under the orders of Emilia Boneva and the group coach, Ana Roncero. Georgi Neykov was the team's choreographer and Violeta Portaska was the pianist in charge of providing live music for the routines. [3]
In 1982, Manzanera participated as part of the Spanish group along Mónica Alcaraz, Elena García, Isabel García, Victoria García and Dolores Tamariz, with Pilar Domenech, María Fernández, María Martín and Sonia Somoza as substitutes, in the European Championships in Stavanger, where Spain placed 4th. [4] [5]
In 1983 she competed in the World Cup Final in Belgrade, where the group finished 4th, and in the World Championships in Strasbourg, getting 5th place. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
In 1984 Virginia was part of the Spanish group that won bronze at the European Championship in Vienna. The members of the group were Virginia, Pilar Domenech, María Fernández Ostolaza, Eva Obalat, Nancy Usero and Graciela Yanes, in addition to Rocío Ducay and Ofelia Rodríguez as substitutes. [11] [12] After this achievement, they were all awarded the Medal of Gymnastic Merit of 1984 from the Royal Spanish Gymnastics Federation that was given to them in 1985 in a ceremony presided over by Alfonso de Borbón y Dampierre, Duke of Cádiz, then president of the COE.
The following year she competed as an individual in the World Championships held in her native Valladolid, taking 22nd place in the All-Around. [13] [14]
After her retirement she became a coach, eventually training the national team's gymnasts Alicia Martín and Amaya Cardeñoso at the then recently inaugurated Technical Center of Castilla y León. She currently runs a company that manufactures wooden wine boxes. Her nieace María Arthaud, Laura's daughter, competes in rhythmic gymnastics at the national level. [1]
The bronze medal at the European Championships in Vienna in 1984 was the first for the Spanish group since 1975, and then began a long period of winning international medals. In an interview in 2016, María Fernández Ostolaza highlighted the importance of that medal for Spanish rhythmic gymnastics: [15]
At that time, what we wanted was to overthrow the Eastern countries [...] As the medals were always Russia, Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia, ours was a great milestone and the bronze in the European Championship was indeed a feat for the team . It was the start of something.
Ana Bautista Reyes is a former Spanish rhythmic gymnast who was a member of the Spanish national team of rhythmic gymnastics in individual form. In 1989 she won the first official gold medal for Spanish rhythmic gymnastics, with rope in the European Cup finals in Hanover, among others. She was Spanish champion in 1989.
Carolina Borrell Penades is a former Spanish rhythmic gymnast who competed in the Spanish national rhythmic gymnastics team. As an individual, she achieved bronze both in teams and in clubs at the 1991 European Junior Championships in Lisbon, while with the group she won bronze in both in the All-Around and with 4 hoops + 4 clubs at the 1993 European Championships in Bucharest.
Amaya Cardeñoso Durantez is a former Spanish rhythmic gymnast, member of the Spanish national rhythmic gymnastics team. She has participated in 3 World Championships and 1 European Championship, her best overall position was 11th place at the World Championships in 1994.
Emilia Boneva was a Bulgarian coach in rhythmic gymnastics and head coach of the Spanish national team from 1982 to 1996. Her achievements included the Olympic gold won by the Niñas de Oro in Atlanta 1996, Carolina Pascual's silver medal in Barcelona 1992. Among other awards, she received the silver medal of Royal Order of Sports Merit (1994).
María Fernández Ostolaza is retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast and coach. As a gymnast she's a European bronze medalist, as a trainer she led the group to international success.
Pilar Domenech is a former Spanish rhythmic gymnast, member of the national group. She won a European bronze medal in 1984.
Eva Obalat Mangrané is retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast and chief executive officer. As a gymnast she's a double European bronze medalist.
Marisa Centeno Carrasco is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast. She's a European and World bronze medalist.
Isabel Gómez Pérez is a former Spanish rhythmic gymnast. She is a European and World medalist.
María Flor Elso Torralba, known as Lorea Elso, is a former Spanish rhythmic gymnast. She was World champion in 1991 and two-time European champion in 1992. The generation of gymnasts that she was part of is known by the nickname "Primeras Chicas de Oro". Elso is tied with Teresa Fuster, Marta Baldó and Estela Giménez for the Spanish rhythmic gymnast with the most medals in World Championships, with a total of 8.
María Teresa Fuster Amades, also known as Bito Fuster or Teresa Fuster, is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast. She was World champion in 1991 and two-time European champion in 1992. The generation of gymnasts that she was part of is known by the nickname "Primeras Chicas de Oro". Fuster is tied with Lorea Elso, Marta Baldó and Estela Giménez for the Spanish rhythmic gymnast with the most medals in World Championships, with a total of 8. She was also part of the Spanish female rugby national team.
Montserrat Martín López, also known as Montse Martín, is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast, graphic designer, painter, illustrator, actress and dancer. She was World champion in 1991 and two-time European champion in 1992. The generation of gymnasts that she was part of is known by the nickname "Primeras Chicas de Oro".
Cristina Chapuli Egido is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast. She was World champion in 1991. The generation of gymnasts that she was part of is known by the nickname "Primeras Chicas de Oro".
Alicia Martín Jurado is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast. She is a two-time European champion and world runner-up, in addition to winning numerous other international medals.
Bárbara Plaza Hernández was a former Spanish rhythmic gymnast. She was a World and European medalist.
Maider Olleta Pérez is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast. She is a double bronze medalist at the European Championships.
Nancy Usero is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast, member of the national group. She was also national head coach from 1998 to 2001.
Paula Orive Ozores is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast. As a member of the senior group she is a European and World medalist.
Jennifer Colino Guerra is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast and coach. As part of the Club Atlético Montemar she is a multiple national champion.
Ana Mª Martínez Gómez is a retired Spanish rhythmic gymnast. She's a European and World bronze medalist.