Skip to main content

Russians' chances of gold in London 50/50 - Alexander Alexandrov

Image
By
National team coach Alexander Alexandrov at the recent press day


There is a great radio interview with Russian team coach Alexander Alexandrov at NPR.

Alexandrov acknowledges the disadvantages Russia face: no Amanar vaults to date because of the injuries to Komova and Mustafina, and the American girls are all more athletic than the Russians (but do not benefit from the constant attentions of specialist choreographers, making them less elegant).  He rates the team's chances of gold as about 50-50, with probably the highest chances on the bars, but the lowest on the vault.

Veteran Lidia Ivanova, however, points out that the funding from VTB Bank has improved conditions and  attracted top coaches like Alexandrov back to Russia -  stating that 'You Americans should be getting nervous'.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Abdul Razak Abdul Kader23 April 2012 at 18:32

    I hope and wish that the Russian Team will be show that they are the best.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Simone and the others - results and reflections

By
In the end, it was as predicted : Simone and the others, with Simone's teammate, Alexandra Raisman, providing the back up.  I do not need to point out that, by definition, the Americans are scoring significantly higher marks than the rest of the field.  Congratulations to them! Aliya Mustafina finished in third place.  The 2012 bronze medalist led the competition after vault and uneven bars, but had a very nervous outing on beam that might have taken a less experienced gymnast out of the medals.  A bravura performance on floor brought Aliya back though to confirm her third place all around.  From her senior debut in 2010 to today, Mustafina has continuously set high standards of grace.    It is the first time since 2000 that a gymnast (Amanar) has medalled in the all around at two consecutive Olympics, and  if Aliya can medal on Saturday's uneven bars final, she will once again be Russia's biggest medal winner of the women's gymnastics.  Russ...
56 comments
Read more

Viktoria Komova - apology

By
Viktoria wrote some hasty words last night in the heat of the moment.  We all have such times, when hurt feelings lead us to behave uncharacteristically.  It is not important what she said; it is important that Vika has reflected and wants us all to read this message which she published on VK.com this morning. "Dear friends! I want to apologize for my statements about American girls, about drugs, all my words were spoken on emotions. Of course I haven't any proof and didn't really mean it and so on... I am so sorry. I want to apologize for my character to all of you". Vika, we are still with you every step of the way.
38 comments
Read more

WAG quals - results - and a reflection on Russia's need for revolutionary progress

By
See https://live.fig-gymnastics.com/schedule.php?idevent=6405 for the full information The leaders in the main events in Olympic order are USA, Biles, Biles, Kocian, Biles, Biles.  American gymnasts fill the first three spots AA, the first spot on vault, two of the top three on bars, and the top two in beam and floor respectively.  The Soviet Union was never as dominant as this - nor was the scoring as inflated.  Like the USSR, America deserves its success in general, but the bars scoring in particular has raised some eyebrows.  I am reminded of the 1972 Olympics when the Soviet Union took almost all the gold - but then again in one, bars, the winner was East Germany's Karin Janz.  Even in those days a slight sense of reality pervaded the scoring. Still though, USA's dominance is unquestionable.  Biles' vaulting and tumbling took my breath away.  America has found its style of gymnastics victory and made it the style of gymnastics globally.  ...
22 comments
Read more

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more