One of Maria's first international competitions was the 1975 Chunichi Cup, where she astounded the spectators and judges by performing a double back somersault on Floor.
She made her team to the 1976 Olympics (she was originally the team alternate, but an outstanding showing during podium training in Montreal made the coaches change their minds about her), being the smallest athlete in the competiton.
Maria won the World Cup twice -- in 1977 and 1978 -- but her greatest triumph was perhaps winning the silver all around medal at the 1981 World Championships, her last major competition.
After
retiring, she became a coach and judge, performed in the circus for a
while, and married tumbler Alexander Kurbatov. The pair coached in Belfast
for a few years before moving to the USA in 1996. Currently, they
work at Gymnastics Training Center
in Rochester, NY. Their daughter, Alexandra is a Level 10 gymnast.