Latvian Uliana Semenova, one of the first great stars of women’s basketball, died on Wednesday at the age of 73, the Latvian Basketball Federation announced on its website this Friday (9).
Standing 2.10 meters tall, the former center was inducted into the Latvian Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 and later into the FIBA Hall of Fame (2007). She has an impressive resume, including two Olympic gold medals with the Soviet Union in 1976 and 1980.
A dominant force on the court thanks to her physique, Semenova also won three World Championships and ten European Championships with the Soviet national team.
She spent most of her career with TTT Riga (1967-1987) before leaving her country to play in Spain and France.
“World basketball is in mourning. The Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) expresses its condolences on the passing of Uliana Semenova, member of our Basketball Hall of Fame,” declared the Federation.
