Semjonova was born in Zarasai Hospital in Lithuania, but spent her childhood in Medumi, near Daugavpils. At the age of thirteen, she was invited to play basketball and within a few years became one of the leaders of the Riga TTT.
While training and playing under Raimonds Karnītis, Semjonova became the dominant player in the center. During her active career, the Rigans had no equal opponents – from 1966 to February 24, 1983, TTT did not lose any Eurocup games.
TTT won the European Championship Cup twelve times in a row (1964-1975). The series was interrupted by Soviet sports management plans – Soviet teams did not start in the Eurocups before the Olympics. It took place in 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1984.
Semyonov became a two-time Olympic champion in the ranks of the “red car”. She won her first Olympic tournament in Montreal in 1976, and four years later became champion of the Moscow Games. The third game in Los Angeles went secen due to a Soviet boycott.
At the end of the eighties, Semyonov was expelled from the Soviet national team – the management did not even call her … At the end of her career, the center player spent two seasons in French and Spanish clubs, but the salary had to be transferred to Moscow.
Ulyana Semyonova – 70!
Congratulations on the birthday of Latvian basketball legends – we wish you good health and joy of life!
Photo: @Olimpiade_lv
?ﾟﾧﾡ # TTTRiga # Direction Excellence #EuroLeagueWomen pic.twitter.com/yRhj1dJ3wo
– TTT Riga (@TTTRiga) March 9, 2022
In 1994, Semyonova became the first European player to be inducted into the James Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. The legendary basketball player was inducted into the first release of the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007.
At the end of his career, Semjonova turned to social work, caring for and supplying more than two hundred sports veterans with the support of the Latvian Olympic Committee.
Excellent. Legendary. Unique. Our Ulis or friend is also called Mika, today basketball player Uljana Semjonova celebrates her 70th birthday. “I never got tired of basketball,” Ula admitted. Congratulations to the outstanding athletes on their birthday and good health! pic.twitter.com/gfBna1cdna
– LTV News Service (@ltvzinas) March 9, 2022
My all-time favorite Olympic photo!!
Pat Summitt guarding Russian, Uljana Semjonova in 1976 Olympics for the @Hoophall @WBHOF Head Coach Billie Moore. I took this photo from the wall in Billie Moore’s home office! pic.twitter.com/FO3tQq5lbd— Debbie Antonelli (@debbieantonelli) August 8, 2021
Throwback to the 1983 @FIBA World Championship when @usabasketball faced the Soviet Union:
The legendary Uljana Semjonova led the Soviet Union, while @KimMulkey, @Cheryl_Miller31and the late Anne Donovan, w/ HC Pat Summitt, fought to defend their title: https://t.co/dWcszt0T7j pic.twitter.com/Dn3nfIrUIs
— Across the Timeline (@WBBTimeline) September 21, 2018
People think of @nyknicks @kporzee when they think of #Latvia100 & ?, but most storied player is Uļjana Semjonova. 2.15m (7ft 1in)-she wore size 58 trainers(men’s US 21), 2 Olympic?medals, 15 EuroChampionships & never lost an intl game.@FIBA Hall of Fame in 93. #100LatviaFacts pic.twitter.com/qEpsdOOUHb
— Latvia in USA | #StandWithUkraine ?ﾟﾇﾦ (@Latvia_USA) July 12, 2018
