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Anna Dementieva - little fighter - video interview and translation by Ksenia

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I know that many of you are drowning in sadness that 2011 European Champion Anna Dementieva has not made the team for the 2012 London Olympics.  This is terribly sad news for this elegant 17 year old, who has contributed so much to Russian gymnastics over the past couple of years. 

Anna Dementieva prepares to compete beam for her local team at last week's Russia Cup.  Photograph courtesy of RGF


Anna's precise style and amplitude, and her sweet trademark smile, distinguish her as extraordinary.  She never sacrificed beauty for difficulty. Anna was injured at the recent Russia Cup and could perform bars and beam only, but she helped her Central Federal District team mates (Komova, Afanasyeva and Inshina) to a silver medal in the team event, and achieved a bronze medal in the beam event final.

Ksenia Chepur tracked down this January 2012 video (I'm afraid I can't embed it) shot by Alyona Shapalova in Anna's home gymnasium in Samara, and has provided us with a translation. 

AS :    What is your favorite kind of exercise? Maybe the uneven bars, or balance beam?

AD :     The beam perhaps, because it helped me to win the European Championship

AS :      Which apparatus is your least favourite?   Maybe the one on which you most often make mistakes?

AD :      You can make mistakes on any apparatus, but I think I am an all arounder, so do not have a favourite event

AS:     Maybe you are afraid of a particular apparatus? With the bars you had problems for some time.

AD :     Well, yes it used to be, but for now we have become "reconciled" (joke)

AS:      What is the news about the Olympics?  Is a place on the team already reserved for you?

AD :      I hope that I will go

AS :      On opening?

AD:      No, I hope to participate.


There is a brief profile of Anna also where she reveals that she loves sweets, especially cakes, likes red roses best of any flower, says her favourite apparatus is beam, her least favourite bars.

You can find more information about Anna here (video interview link with translation) and here (press interview full English translation).

Many, many thanks for the translation, Ksenia. 

And I for one hope that Anna keeps training and competing at international level.  


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Comments

  1. Anonymous20 June 2012 at 16:24

    Wow such a good photo she looks so beautiful here !
    I hope someone smacked in the face those people on youtube who made fun on Anna and called her ugly
    They just blind people were grown according to market standards of women's appearance
    with poor phantasy and taste
    Anna maybe not beauty but certainty pretty and wonderful girl : )

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous20 June 2012 at 16:37

    Thanks for this wonderful translation. Personally, I'm absolutely devastated that we will not see Dementyeva at london. She has like you said being such a fighter and with such a beautiful smile. I was just wondering could someone translate this video that features Dementyeva and Mustafina, if possible.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzrSyM5ghYM
    Always been very interested in what they are saying but never seemed to find a translation, many thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous22 June 2012 at 19:41

      The translation of this video could be found here on the blog http://www.facebook.com/RewritingRussianGymnastics
      or here http://www.facebook.com/whitelazyfox/posts/196106460515980

      Delete
    2. Anonymous24 June 2012 at 14:16

      Thanks alot!!

      Delete
  3. Lyudmilla Shanzhen21 June 2012 at 17:30

    I suppose Komova, Grishina and Dementyeva on the same team is too good to be true. Damn the Amanar!

    ReplyDelete

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