World Floor Champion Ksenia Afanasyeva grew up in 2011. She has always had something special, but in Tokyo she found her competitive self.
Afanasyeva was a great technician during her first major competition, the Youth Olympic Festival (2005) and a gymnast who clearly wanted to communicate with her audience. She has had her competitive ups and downs since then, but has always maintained a great line, amplitude and quality and has gradually improved her consistency. There is an emotional depth to her work. Feel it, especially in the video of her beam routine from the 2011 AA final, set to the music of Liszt and Schubert.
By 2011, Afanasyeva had become a consummate artistic gymnast, judged better than the rest of the world on the Blue Riband event of gymnastics, the floor exercise. Facially, she now exudes a quiet confidence and enjoyment. She most elegantly fulfills the requirements of the Code. She is a leader who always works for the team.
Many gymnasts peak in the early years of their career, but fade as the pressures of expectation and growth take their toll. The beautiful, ever maturing, Afanasyeva only gets better. There has always been something magnificent about her in full flow. I hope she can go from strength to strength in 2012 and beyond.
2005 - European Youth Olympic Festival - FX (age 13)
2005 - European Youth Olympic Festival - beam
2007, Bercy - FX (age 15)
2008, Beijing Olympics, Team qualifications, FX (age 16)
2009, Milan European Championships, AA, FX
2010, Rotterdam World Championships, Team Final, FX
2011, Tokyo World Championships, AA, Beam. Afanasyeva, set to Liszt and Schubert
2011, Tokyo World Championships, EF, FX
Afanasyeva was a great technician during her first major competition, the Youth Olympic Festival (2005) and a gymnast who clearly wanted to communicate with her audience. She has had her competitive ups and downs since then, but has always maintained a great line, amplitude and quality and has gradually improved her consistency. There is an emotional depth to her work. Feel it, especially in the video of her beam routine from the 2011 AA final, set to the music of Liszt and Schubert.
By 2011, Afanasyeva had become a consummate artistic gymnast, judged better than the rest of the world on the Blue Riband event of gymnastics, the floor exercise. Facially, she now exudes a quiet confidence and enjoyment. She most elegantly fulfills the requirements of the Code. She is a leader who always works for the team.
Many gymnasts peak in the early years of their career, but fade as the pressures of expectation and growth take their toll. The beautiful, ever maturing, Afanasyeva only gets better. There has always been something magnificent about her in full flow. I hope she can go from strength to strength in 2012 and beyond.
2005 - European Youth Olympic Festival - FX (age 13)
2005 - European Youth Olympic Festival - beam
2007, Bercy - FX (age 15)
2008, Beijing Olympics, Team qualifications, FX (age 16)
2009, Milan European Championships, AA, FX
2010, Rotterdam World Championships, Team Final, FX
2011, Tokyo World Championships, AA, Beam. Afanasyeva, set to Liszt and Schubert
2011, Tokyo World Championships, EF, FX
Thank you for the post on Ksenia. She always has had it all, but the belief that she's worth the Gold.. Once again, great coach is Alexandrov, he broght back the winning tradition and attitude,among the other vital constituents of training and preparation.
ReplyDeleteI was jumping with joy when she won. So beautiful and powerful she is, so elegant and finally so golden!