In 1952, the year the Soviet Union made its first appearance in the Olympic Games, 34-year old Galina Urbanovich won a gold medal in Team All-Around and silver in Team Portable Apparatus. Individually, she finished 5th in the All-Around, Horse Vault and Balance Beam events.

The core years of her gymnastics career, however, were accomplished prior to the Soviet Union's entry into the Olympics family. Urbanovich won her first Soviet Championship gold medal in 1939, and thereupon was All-Around Soviet champion seven times, Rings seven times, Uneven Bars five times, Pommel Horse three times, Horse Vault/Balance Beam/Floor Exercises twice each, and one victory on Horizontal Bars.

She worked as a coach for several years after retiring following the '52 Olympics.