Photo gallery - Russian Olympic Gymnastics Artistry

A single picture is worth thousands of words, so take your time to look at these images.  Consider the variety of feeling, shape and flow.  There is a quality of gymnastic eloquence that is about more than 'form'.  A quality that is trained, but innate and deeply embedded in Russia's gymnastics culture.  A quality that has been uniquely the possession, and responsibility, of the Russians in recent years. I believe it used to be called virtuosity.  Consummate artistry.   The beauty, the power and the glory.

These Russian women gymnasts are the rarest of the rare, the final, finest remaining strand of a chain of heritage begun by their sporting predecessors, the Soviet Union.  You are experiencing here the last masters of a fading art form.  In London, America may well take the medals with their power and consistency.  But Russia already owns the soul of artistic gymnastics.  Only they understand the sport in all its colours.  What we call choreography is for them an alchemy of technique, energy and emotion.  Few, if any, are capable of emulating them.  Their consummate mastery and leadership is vastly underrated.

These stunning photographs, updated to include all members of Russia's Olympic team, were taken by Elena Mikhailova for the Russian Gymnastics Federation.  There are more at the RGF's site.  There is also a series of galleries available on this blog's Facebook page.

2010 World Champion Aliya Mustafina.  Her downcast eyes lend a feeling of anticipation to this static pose

Anastasia Grishina draws attention towards her arms, hands and face in this strong, concentrated starting pose

Yulia Inshina, Olympic reserve.  The head position shadows the backward angle of the arms; eye and hand direction is aligned in this forward moving choreography

2011 World Uneven Bars Champion, Viktoria Komova's eyeline emphasises the grace and position of her arm; the flip of her ponytail gives a feeling of movement and energy to this transitional pose.

Team captain Ksenia Afanasyeva, veteran of the 2008 Olympics, World Floor Champion 2011.  Harmony: the 'X' of the arms is balanced by a similar pose of the legs; the downcast face lends drama

In flight, Komova is all amplitude, power and elevation; every finger and toe is in its proper position

Russia's number 5, Maria Paseka.  The eyes express confidence in this starting pose on floor

Even in transition, Mustafina displays grace and perfect body alignment in this difficult twisting leap on the beam

Mustafina's personal brand of expression: ambition, energy, charisma

Anastasia Grishina - head to toe expression

Even in this strong, risky flight Grishina's fingers and toes remain extended

Arms mirror legs in this softly flowing leap

Framing the face for dramatic effect

Mustafina maintains eye contact, even in this head position - notice the trademark purple nails!

'I want to fly' - Anastasia Grishina

Mustafina conveys determination and poise

Even this slightly off-angle shot captures Afanasyeva's talent for shape, mood and expression

Energy and emotion is emphasised by the backward sweep of the head, legs and arms
 Photographs by kind permission of the Russian Gymnastics Federation