Dalia Kutkaitė (born 11 February 1965 in Vilnius, Lithuania) is retired Lithuanian rhythmic gymnast who competed for the Soviet Union. She is the 1982 European all-around champion and the 1983 World Cup Final all-around silver medalist. She is the most successful Lithuanian rhythmic gymnast to date.[1]
Career
Kutkaitė started rhythmic gymnastics at age 7 years old under the advice of a kindergarten teacher to her mother, her first coach was Aldona Giryunine. She started out in the sport as sickly, frail, lacked musicality and dynamism under Vaida Kubiliene's tutelage. After feeling being left behind by other gymnasts, Kutkaitė improved significantly and carefully examining the mistakes of others, she would become one of the leading Soviet gymnast of the 1980s along (with Marina Lobatch, Galina Beloglazova, and Tatiana Druchinina).
The 1980s marked the golden age of the Bulgarian rhythmic gymnasts, yet Kutkaitė was amongst the leading gymnasts who defended for the medals of the Soviet Union.
Kutkaitė's first Worlds was at the 1981 World Championships where she finished 5h in all-around, At the 1982 European Championships, she was competing against a strong Bulgarian Team yet Kutkaitė won with her complex, original and fast routines with calm like style. She defeated Lilia Ignatova of Bulgaria, winning gold in (all-around, clubs, ribbon) and silver medals in (ball, hoop).[2]
From 1978 to 1983 she won 15 titles in Lithuanian Championships.[3]
After her retirement, she completed her University degree. Many years until 2015 she lived and worked as a trainer in Spain. An annual international competition, the Dalia Kutkaite Cup is held in Vilnius, Lithuania.
