Uljana Semjonova
Stefania Passaro boxing out Semjonova in 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 9 March 1952 Zarasai, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 8 January 2026 (aged 73) Riga, Latvia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Latvian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 213[1] cm (7 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 127 kg (280 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1968–1989 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Center | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1968–1987 | TTT Riga | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | Tintoretto Getafe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Valenciennes-Orchies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basketball Hall of Fame | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's Basketball Hall of Fame | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FIBA Hall of Fame | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Uļjana Semjonova (Russian: Ульяна Ларионовна Семёнова, romanized: Ulyana Larionovna Semyonova; 9 March 1952 – 8 January 2026) was a Latvian basketball player of Old Believer descent[2] who competed for the Soviet Union.[3][4]
Career
Semjonova was the leading women's basketball player in the world in the 1970s and 1980s. Wearing a men's size 21 (US) / 58 (EU) shoe, she was known for having the largest feet ever in women's basketball.[5][6] For almost all of her playing career, she played for TTT Riga, which was part of Daugava Voluntary Sports Society. With TTT, she won 15 championships in the Soviet Union and the European Champion's Cup 15 times. Semjonova was also very dominant in international play, winning two Olympic Gold medals while playing for the USSR in 1976 and 1980 and never lost a game in official international competition.[4]
Between 1968 and 1985, she played 100 games for the Soviet Union, scoring 1614 points, committing 174 personal fouls and making 162 of 249 free throws.
Later life and death
Between 1991 and 2023, Semjonova was the head of the Latvian Olympic Social Fund, whose aim is to help retired athletes financially.
Later in life, she suffered from numerous medical complications. In 2017, she had cardiac surgery and was hospitalized for a fall.[7] In 2022, she had her leg amputated and was placed under class-2 disability.[8]
Semjonova died on 8 January 2026, at the age of 73.[9][10]
Honours
Semjonova was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1976,[11] and in 1993 became the first non-US woman enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame.[12] She was an inaugural member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in the class of 1999.[13] In 2007, she was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame.[14] During the 2007 Latvian sports personality of the year award ceremony, Semjonova received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to sports.[15]
References
- ^ "Olympic Legends - Latvia's Tower Of Power". FIBA. 18 November 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ "Legendary basketball player Uļjana Semjonova dies". Nashaniva.com. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
- ^ Semjonova, Uļjana; Kresa, Inita (1996). Kad es biju laimīga. Rīga: Latvijas Olimpiskā komiteja. p. 8. ISBN 9984-10-001-4.
- ^ a b Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Uļjana Semjonova". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016.
- ^ Gazzetta dello Sport, Photoserie Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Comparison with Bill Russell's footprint (size 16 US / size 52 EU),Photoserie Archived 8 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Анна Козина (5 October 2007). "Высокое искусство". Российская газета. Archived from the original on 16 August 2008.
- ^ "Ульяна Семенова передвигается в инвалидном кресле—ей ампутировали ногу". Delfi. 29 March 2023. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024.
- ^ "Latvian basketball legend Uļjana Semjonova passes away". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ "Latvia in mourning: Legendary basketball player Uļjana Semjonova has passed away". Baltic News Network. 9 January 2026. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
- ^ Khavin, Boris (1979). Всё об олимпийских играх [All About Olympic Games] (in Russian) (2nd ed.). Moscow: Fizkultura i sport. p. 578.
- ^ "Hall of Famers". Basketball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 22 April 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
- ^ "WBHOF Inductees". WBHOF. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
- ^ Straumanis, Andris (12 September 2007). "Basketball hall of fame inducts Semjonova". Latvians Online. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
- ^ "'Latvijas Gada balva sportā' vēsture: 2007.gads – Viktors Ščerbatihs un Jeļena Prokopčuka" (in Latvian). Delfi.lv. 18 December 2009. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
External links
- Uliana Semjonova at FIBA (archive)
- Uļjana Semjonova international stats at Basketball-Reference.com
- Uļjana Semjonova at Olympedia
- Iuliana Semenova at Olympics.com
- Uljana Semjonova, the Soviet paving roller of 2,13 meters www.abc.es/historia (Spanish)
- Basketball Hall of Fame entry at the Wayback Machine (archived 22 April 2010)
- FIBA Hall of Fame page on Semjonova at the Wayback Machine (archived 24 June 2007)
- Uljana Semjonova at IMDb