Burtasy School of Gymnastics, Penza, will be hosting the all important Russian Cup competition, due to begin next Tuesday.
Penza local boy Denis Ablyazin has already been confirmed as part of the Olympic team travelling to London on the 21st July alongside his fellow European medallists Emin Garibov and Alexander Balandin. But the final composition of the team has to include two other gymnasts, plus one travelling reserve. The Russians have some difficult decisions to make over the coming weeks as they try to find a compromise between the potential of such apparatus specialists as Anton Golotsutskov (floor, vault) and valuable all arounders such as David Belyavski and Nikita Ignatiev. The team is weak on pommel horse and inconsistent on high bar. Whatever decision they make will be a compromise, and is not likely to please everyone. Data gathered at the forthcoming Russian Cup will be vital, but I doubt will provide a definitive solution.
The varying competition formats presented at the Olympics don't help anyone much. 5-4-3 in qualifying allows for the qualification of specialists to event finals alongside the all arounders, but the 6-3-3 format of finals encourages the use of specialists on each piece.
For the women, Aliya Mustafina, Viktoria Komova and Anastasia Grishina have already been confirmed as all arounders at the Olympics, but we do not know how the final two spots will be filled. Ideally, a mix of Ksenia Afanasyeva (floor, beam) and Tatiana Nabieva (vault and bars) would add experience and flair to the team, but neither have been seen in competition since the spring. Competing for those final spots will also be Maria Paseka (vault), Anastasia Sidorova (vault, beam, floor) and Yulia Inshina (beam, floor). But there are almost always surprises, last minute substitutions, and compromises on an Olympic team. I haven't mentioned here 2011 European Champion Anna Dementieva (bars, beam, floor) or the solid Yulia Belokobylskaya (floor, beam). Do not expect the selection to be straightforward.
In Penza, Viktoria Komova has already confirmed she will compete all four apparatus, but we haven't heard much about the involvement of Aliya Mustafina or Anastasia Grishina, for whom this competition may not be considered necessary or even desirable. But I'm guessing that all the gymnasts competing for spots three to six will have to do well here.
Some of you (hi Mustyfan!) have been asking for the dates of the Russian Cup, which I'll reproduce here, with thanks to Lifje who has posted the schedule for the competition at the IG Forum. The Russian language version is available here.
Monday, 11th June: Arrival and Podium Training
Tuesday, 12th June: MAG Team Final, and qualifications for AA and EF
Wednesday, 13th June: WAG Team Final and qualifications - competition begins at 14.45 (first round) and 16.30 (second round) and ends at 18.00
Thursday, 14th June: MAG AA
Friday, 15th June: WAG AA (16.30-18.30)
Saturday 16th June: MAG and WAG EF
Begins at 14.00, ends at 16.15. First day's competition appears to be :
men : Floor, PH, HB; women : vault and uneven bars.
Sunday, 17th June: MAG and WAG EF
Begins at 13.00, ends at 17.00.
Men: Rings, Vault, Parallel Bars; women : beam, floor
Good luck to all the gymnasts!
Penza local boy Denis Ablyazin has already been confirmed as part of the Olympic team travelling to London on the 21st July alongside his fellow European medallists Emin Garibov and Alexander Balandin. But the final composition of the team has to include two other gymnasts, plus one travelling reserve. The Russians have some difficult decisions to make over the coming weeks as they try to find a compromise between the potential of such apparatus specialists as Anton Golotsutskov (floor, vault) and valuable all arounders such as David Belyavski and Nikita Ignatiev. The team is weak on pommel horse and inconsistent on high bar. Whatever decision they make will be a compromise, and is not likely to please everyone. Data gathered at the forthcoming Russian Cup will be vital, but I doubt will provide a definitive solution.
The varying competition formats presented at the Olympics don't help anyone much. 5-4-3 in qualifying allows for the qualification of specialists to event finals alongside the all arounders, but the 6-3-3 format of finals encourages the use of specialists on each piece.
For the women, Aliya Mustafina, Viktoria Komova and Anastasia Grishina have already been confirmed as all arounders at the Olympics, but we do not know how the final two spots will be filled. Ideally, a mix of Ksenia Afanasyeva (floor, beam) and Tatiana Nabieva (vault and bars) would add experience and flair to the team, but neither have been seen in competition since the spring. Competing for those final spots will also be Maria Paseka (vault), Anastasia Sidorova (vault, beam, floor) and Yulia Inshina (beam, floor). But there are almost always surprises, last minute substitutions, and compromises on an Olympic team. I haven't mentioned here 2011 European Champion Anna Dementieva (bars, beam, floor) or the solid Yulia Belokobylskaya (floor, beam). Do not expect the selection to be straightforward.
In Penza, Viktoria Komova has already confirmed she will compete all four apparatus, but we haven't heard much about the involvement of Aliya Mustafina or Anastasia Grishina, for whom this competition may not be considered necessary or even desirable. But I'm guessing that all the gymnasts competing for spots three to six will have to do well here.
Some of you (hi Mustyfan!) have been asking for the dates of the Russian Cup, which I'll reproduce here, with thanks to Lifje who has posted the schedule for the competition at the IG Forum. The Russian language version is available here.
Monday, 11th June: Arrival and Podium Training
Tuesday, 12th June: MAG Team Final, and qualifications for AA and EF
Wednesday, 13th June: WAG Team Final and qualifications - competition begins at 14.45 (first round) and 16.30 (second round) and ends at 18.00
Thursday, 14th June: MAG AA
Friday, 15th June: WAG AA (16.30-18.30)
Saturday 16th June: MAG and WAG EF
Begins at 14.00, ends at 16.15. First day's competition appears to be :
men : Floor, PH, HB; women : vault and uneven bars.
Sunday, 17th June: MAG and WAG EF
Begins at 13.00, ends at 17.00.
Men: Rings, Vault, Parallel Bars; women : beam, floor
Good luck to all the gymnasts!
question: Vika, Alka and Nastia can't all compete in the AA final, can they? or is it no longer 2 gymnasts per country?
ReplyDeleteNo, only 2 of them, but they'll all do AA in prelims and at least 3 events each at TF
Deletethank you! great blog
DeleteWill there be live stream, videos or anything during the competition also are the times Russian local time??
ReplyDeleteHmm there nothing sad about it yet
DeleteI think information will be available around 1 or 2 days left before the competition
All times are Penza local.
DeleteWill update as soon as I hear any solid information.
Awesome can't wait to see how they are progressing so far.
ReplyDeleteNot sure I want Nabieva on the team - bad form and too much of a headcase.