You've been competing internationally for over 30 years. How has gymnastics changed over that time? Is there anything about your sport that has remained the same for decades? First of all, the age has changed. More mature athletes are competing now, which makes me happy. Secondly, the apparatuses. They've become more comfortable and sophisticated. Gymnastics in general has become more challenging, but in my youth, people performed mostly the same elements as they do now. Back then, this was par for the course, but now it surprises many. It's a bit amusing. Has the nature of the training itself changed? For me personally, absolutely. Now, my life isn't just about my athletic career. I'm involved with the Oksana Chusovitina Academy, which was personally opened by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It has 155 students, both girls and boys. I used to train three times a day, but now I train once. The entire afternoon is taken up with the academy and organi...
Gee, what a contrast. Aliya all smiling, Ksenia slightly more serious, and Anastasia... well, my apologies for asking, but does she ever look happy instead of grumpy?
ReplyDelete:-) She does have quite a sweet smile. Perhaps her nose was itching or something.
Deleteshe is just looking down. It's like when someone closes their eyes as the photo is taken..can make them look real sleepy or wierd. i'm sure we have all had akward photos taken of us we are just lucky (unless when we get tagged of facebook :P ) that they wont be online for everybody to pick on them.
DeleteI guess this anonymous is lifje on the International Gymnast Forum. ;) No disrespect meant to Anastasia, but I honestly hope to see her smile a bit more often. Now her smile is such a rarity.
DeleteNow, now.
DeletePoor Anastasia - she's only 15 and probably very shy. Russians smile much less frequently that we do in the West - I walk around with a silly smile plastered all over my face, partly to try to make my wrinkles curl in the right direction as I can't afford cosmetic surgery. Nastia doesn't have to worry about that just yet.
As an entirely optional exercise, I challenge you both to find a lovely photograph of Nastia with a big beautiful smile on her face (there are some), and post a link to it here.
I never ask people to do things I'm not prepared to do myself. So here's a start.
Deletehttp://russiangymnasts.net/anastasiya-grishina/pics/11nats/05.jpg
yes i am (i'm just anonymous here cuz it seemed easier :P )
Deleteanyway i found out what makes her smile! A hug from Queen Elizabeth! http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/404797_320075864701323_100000967355045_929214_283421317_n.jpg
http://gymnet.org/forum/files/2010_euros_anastasia_grishina_fx_aa_01_172.jpg
DeleteOK, I think this one comes close to a happy looking Grishina.
we want to see the same colored medal decorating your neck in London Aliya!
ReplyDelete