Anastasia Baryshnikova

1.1. Birth and Early Life

Anastasia Baryshnikova was born on December 19, 1990, in Chelyabinsk, which was then part of the Soviet Union and is now in Russia. Her early athletic training began at the Burevestnik Youth Sports School, where she was coached by Mikhail Puzikov. She developed her skills in taekwondo, eventually competing in the welterweight category, typically around -67 kg, though she also competed in -73 kg events. She stands at 5.7 ft ^{(1.73 m)} tall and weighs 148 lb ^{(67 kg)}.

1.2. Personal Life

In December 2016, Anastasia Baryshnikova married fellow Russian taekwondo fighter Aleksey Denisenko, who is also a distinguished athlete in the sport.

2.1. Early Career and Training

Baryshnikova's professional taekwondo journey began with rigorous training at the Burevestnik Youth Sports School under the guidance of Mikhail Puzikov. She specialized in the welterweight category, adapting her competition weight primarily between -67 kg and -73 kg throughout her career. Her foundational training prepared her for the demanding international circuits, where she would later achieve significant recognition.

2.2. Olympic Games

Baryshnikova competed in two Olympic Games, securing a medal in one of her appearances.

• At the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London, she earned a bronze medal in the women's +67 kg category, marking a significant milestone in her career.
• She also participated in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

2.3. World Championships

Anastasia Baryshnikova has been a consistent medalist at the World Taekwondo Championships, securing bronze medals in two different editions.

• At the 2009 World Taekwondo Championships in Copenhagen, she won a bronze medal in the women's -73 kg division.
• She followed this with another bronze medal at the 2011 World Taekwondo Championships held in Gyeongju. Her repeated podium finishes at the world level underscored her competitive prowess.

2.4. European Championships and European Games

Baryshnikova has achieved remarkable success in European competitions, particularly dominating the European Championships with multiple gold medals.

• She claimed her first gold medal at the European Taekwondo Championships in 2010 held in Saint Petersburg, competing in the -73 kg category.
• She continued her winning streak at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships in Manchester, again securing a gold medal in the -73 kg division.
• In 2014, she earned her third European gold medal at the championships in Baku, this time competing in the -67 kg category.
• Her success extended to the European Games, where she won a gold medal in the women's -67 kg event at the 2015 European Games also held in Baku.

2.5. World Taekwondo Grand Prix

Baryshnikova has also excelled in the World Taekwondo Grand Prix series, a high-level competition circuit featuring top athletes.

• She won a gold medal at the 2015 World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Samsun, competing in the -67 kg category.
• In 2014, she had a particularly strong year on the Grand Prix circuit:
  • She secured a gold medal at the 2014 World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Manchester.
  • She earned a silver medal at the 2014 World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Suzhou.
  • She also claimed bronze medals at the 2014 World Taekwondo Grand Prix events in Astana and Querétaro.