Cristina Souto

Anna Bessonova (Анна Бесонова in Russian), was born in Kiev on 29th July 1984, the daughter of famous Dynamo Kiev football player, Vladimir Bessonov, and former two time world champion group rhythmic gymnast, Viktoria Bessonova. Anna is the number one rhythmic gymnast in Ukraine.

Anna follows in the line of great Ukrainin rhythmic gymnasts: Irina Deriugina (World champion in 1977 and 1979), who is now coaching Anna together with her mother Albina Deriugina; The 1992 Olympic champion Alexandra Timoshenko, Anna's idol; The 1996 Olympic Champion Ekaterina Serebrianskaya; The 1997 World and European champion Elena Vitrichenko, and numerous other World class gymnasts.

In the summer 2002, Anna won her first World gold medal as a member of the Ukrainian Group, in New Orleans, with her ribbon routine. Later the same year, she won first place on the Hoop, the Rope and the Clubs, in Stuttgart. by winning the first place on the Hoop, the Rope and the Clubs. Anna finished overall 3rd at the 2004 Athens Olympics with a total of 106.700 (Ribbon 26.725, Clubs 26.950, Ball 26.525, Hoop 26.500). Anna is now among the top rhythmic gymnasts in the world along side the Russian champions.

In the 28th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, held in Patras 2007, Anna won gold in the all round competition.