Editing Larisa Latynina (section)

==Early life==
She was born as '''Larisa Semyonovna Diriy''' in [[Kherson]], [[Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic|Ukrainian SSR]].<ref name=r1/> Her father, Semyon Andreyevich Diriy, left the family when she was 11 months old, and she was raised by her illiterate mother, who worked as a cleaner during the day, and as a watchman during the night. Her father was killed at the [[Battle of Stalingrad]], where he served as a machine gun operator.<ref>{{cite news |script-title=ru:Лариса Латынина: «Я ушла от мужа к человеку, о котором не хочу даже вспоминать» |url=http://7days.ru/caravan/2015/4/larisa-latynina-ni-odnoy-zhenshchine-takogo-ne-pozhelayu.htm |access-date=9 May 2016 |work=7Days.ru |date=April 2015 |language=ru}}</ref> Young Diriy-Latynina survived the [[Reichskommissariat Ukraine|occupation of Ukraine]] by the [[Nazi Germany]] in 1940s.

She first practiced ballet, but turned to gymnastics after her choreographer moved out of Kherson. Her first gymnastics coach was Mykhailo Sotnychenko.<ref name=latynina_zp>[https://younglibzp.com.ua/larisa-semenivna-latinina-do-85-richchya-vid-dnya-narodzhennya-zirki-svitovo%D1%97-sportivno%D1%97-gimnastiki-devyatirazovo%D1%97-olimpijsko%D1%97-chempionki/ Лариса Семенівна Латиніна: до 85-річчя від дня народження зірки світової спортивної гімнастики, дев’ятиразової олімпійської чемпіонки]. younglibzp.com.ua</ref> In 1950 young Diriy-Latynina received her first sports degree (rozriad) and became a member of the Ukrainian students team at the All-Union gymnastics' competitions in Kazan.<ref name=latynina_zp/> She graduated from high school in 1953 with a gold medal,<ref name=latynina_zp/> and moved to [[Kyiv]]. She attended the [[Kyiv Polytechnic Institute]] (KPI), and continued her training at the [[Burevestnik (sports society)|Burevestnik]] [[Voluntary Sports Societies of the USSR|VSS]] under coaching of Oleksandr Mishakov.<ref name=latynina_zp/> Her first notable success came at the [[4th World Festival of Youth and Students]] in [[Bucharest]] where she won gold medals.<ref name=latynina_zp/> At the age of 19, she debuted internationally at the [[1954 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1954 Rome World Championships]], winning the gold medal in the team competition. Following the second semester, Latynina switched to the [[National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport|Institute of Physical culture]] from KPI.<ref name=latynina_zp/>