Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

1980 Olympic Champion Elena Davydova at a London display in 1978 This French TV transmission of the historic final at the Moscow Olympics is fascinating for the mix of fluff and routines it presents.  Sadly, we see only two fragments of Nadia Comaneci's routines.  I would be tempted to say that this was a Soviet feed edited for diplomatic purposes, but I remember the BBC live transmission as covering Comaneci in full. I sat there, glued to my television set as the judges fought out the final rankings.  With Soviet Elena Davydova standing in first place, 1976 champion, the legendary Comaneci, needed a 9.95 on beam to take the gold.  Unfortunately, she took a rather hefty wobble half way through her routine, ending with a mark of 9.85 and the silver medal.  This was an astounding result for a gymnast who had been to hell and back since her former glorious victories in Montreal, but that did not stop Romanian judge Maria Simionescu from fighting and debating...

I remember Olga receiving this award back in 1972 ... I was 13 years old. It was before the time of video recorders, personal computers and Youtube, and therefore a rare opportunity to savour those amazing moments from Munich again. I was so thrilled to see Olga Korbut on my little black and white TV screen, collecting her BBC award as International Sportswoman of the Year. Gymnastics was new to me, Olga had opened my eyes to the sport, they have never closed. There was something so special about Olga. Those moments from 1972 never lose their freshness. With many thanks, once again, to Novosti, for reminding me of this great moment.

Olga Mostepanova in training.  Courtesy of RIA Novosti The joy of that video of the 1976 Olympics sent me into an Olympic reverie, a recollection of perfect tens of the past.  There is no greater unsung hero than 1983 and 1985 World Champion Olga Mostepanova, who competed at the 1984 Alternative Olympics in Olomouc, but was denied the chance of appearing at the Olympics thanks to larger, world political events that saw the Soviet Union boycott the Los Angeles Games.  I first saw Olga compete at Wembley in 1981 at the annual Champions All competition.  She was a tiny little thing, wearing a white leotard and with big white ribbons in her hair.  I remember how coach Vladimir Aksenov paid attention to her between each apparatus, holding her hand and leading her through the competition.  But for all her baby looks, Olga was an impressive gymnast, especially on beam where her lines, soft and sharp at the same time, melded with an innate sense of rhythm t...

It's hard to believe that it is now 36 years since Nadia fought Nelli at the Montreal Olympics, since Maria unveiled that trademark cheeky charm, since Ludmilla broke her heart and Olga broke ours. The sport has come a long way since those heady days. Turn the clock back another 36 years and we pre-date the beginning of the 'new' era of gymnastics that began with the entry of the Soviet Union into Olympic competition in 1952. In that sense only, the sport was still in its infancy. Just think of all the twists and turns since. Gymnastics was on the cusp of an acrobatically led revolution. Just look at the bars routines of Saadi, Tourischeva and Grozdova and compare them to those of Filatova, Comaneci and Korbut. Comaneci looks well ahead of the field on bars, but Nelli Kim soars ahead on floor and vault. This video reminds us that Comaneci's victory in Montreal was not as emphatic as the legend may lead us to believe: her floor is unsophisticated and relatively ...

Evgeniya Shelgunova, courtesy of the UEG Russia's women gymnasts took gold at two different competitions this weekend, showing an interesting level of development across the generations.  Veteran Anna Dementyeva competed with significantly improved form at the Joaquim Blume Memoria l, hitting a 14.75 on beam, while at the annual Massilia Cup in Marseille, France, emerging senior (eligible 2013) Evgeniya Shelgunova led her team to first place, taking the all around title for herself.  Youngster Maria Kharenkova added an exclamation mark to the Russians' performances with an emphatic gold in the floor exercise. The Russian team's performance was enhanced by tiny Viktoria Kuzmina's silver medal on uneven bars.  The team cumulatively took first place on every piece of apparatus but vault, where their fifth place underlines an urgent need to make improvements.  Even the revaluation of the Amanar vault will not overcome such a deficit whilst competing against a rela...

2010 World team champion Tatiana Nabieva should compete in Kazan this summer National coach Valentina Rodionenko has given two interviews recently about Russia's plans for the future. Here , she explains how next March's Russian Championships will be used as selection for the four gymnasts who will compete at the individual European Championships in April. It's a heavy year's competition with Europeans in the Spring, the Universiade in July, and the World Championships in the autumn.  Aliya Mustafina, Ksenia Afanasyeva, Tatiana Nabieva and Krystyna Goryunova have already been announced as being in contention for the Universiade, which Rodionenko says Russia are treating as a highly important competition and which will take place on home ground in Kazan. Next year, two juniors will progress to senior level - Evgenia Shelgunova [who will have full competitive eligibility for senior competition] and Maria Kharenkova [who will train alongside the seni...

Fishing the internet for black and white pictures of gymnasts, I came across the following images at the RIA Novosti Media Gallery . 1981 World Champion Olga Bicherova is very photogenic, and I love these candid shots.  Soviet champions were often highly praised for their diligence and sense of duty, not just in sports but in everyday life.  Collecting stamps, replying to fan mail and working hard in the classroom all personified the work ethic and high standards which exemplified the perfect Soviet citizen.  Olga Bicherova replying to a Japanese fan's letter, shortly after winning the 1981 World Championships.  Courtesy of RIA Novosti Olga Bicherova in practice with choreographer Galina Savarina, in 1982 Olga Bicherova and her stamp collection, 1981 Olga Bicherova, the model schoolgirl, 1981 Tiny Olga Bicherova with coach Boris Orlov in 1978 This brief Soviet television documentary emphasises the personal qualities that made her such a great ex...

I have been doing a little research this morning for a book I am planning with Vladimir Zaglada and our translator, Lupita. Long ago I found a wonderful website that I loved for its photographs and a brief essay on the nature of choreography. One day, I realised I couldn't find it any more.  I thought it had disappeared. It is a sadness to me that much of the history of Soviet gymnastics is disappearing; for example, try searching for pictures of Elena Shevchenko: there are few that really capture the majesty of her floor performances. So I was very happy this morning, when I found Natasha's website again, in a truncated version, but including some of the old pictures.  I love the atmosphere of black and white and the sense of history they capture. The site is the resume of now US-based, former Soviet team choreographer, Natasha Matveeva . Well worth a look and a read for the impressive list of gymnasts with whom she once worked. Natasha Matveeva, her daughter Any...

Elena Shevchenko with 1985 World Champion all around, Oksana Omelianchik.  Picture courtesy Tom Theobald I read somewhere recently that Moscow's Viktor Razumovsky is now coaching 2012 Olympian Anastasia Grishina ... interesting.  Razumovsky was a leading Soviet personal coach during the 1980s, bringing through such talent as 1988 Olympian Elena Shevchenko, 1987 World Championships team member Elena Gurova, and Soviet international Olga Chudina.  He also had a hand in coaching 1981 World Champion Olga Bicherova.  All renowned for the elegance and spontaneity of their floor work in particular. It reminded me of the 1988 Olympics, when the Soviet team performed in red, won by a significant margin, and were led off by the placid yet dynamic Shevchenko. I like what Larissa Petrik has to say about her in this interview from GymnForum: "Elena Shevchenko is my favorite gymnast ... We are similar in spirit, in style and ... in the colour of our hair.  When she g...

Anna Pavlova, 2004.  Courtesy of Sing Lo Anna Pavlova, 2004 and 2008 Olympian, is still competing after all these years and put in a grand showing at this weekend's (2nd November) Schiltigheim Tournament in France, placing first ahead of home favourites Amelie Pauffert, Manon Cormoreche and Johanna Cano and established internationals Krystyna Palesova and Marina Kostiuchenko. Still competing with heavy strapping on her once gravely injured right knee, Pavlova's work has retained its languid and musical presentation but does not have the pace or difficulty of many of today's top performers.  She still manages a whip to triple twist as her first tumble on floor, and her beam shows all of that magical sense of magnetism and balance that has always been characteristic of her work.   I do not know if Pavlova would be mentally or physically capable of the intensive training and competition undertaken by the Russian team today.  But the nature of her exile fro...

The Russian Gymnastics Federation has a gallery of pictures of the recent celebrations of 50 years of the officially named Nikolai Tolkachev School of Gymnastics, Vladimir and what would have been the 60th birthday of Nikolai Andrianov.  You can read more details of the event, and some of the history of the School, here . Tribute banner to Nikolai Tolkachev (left) who, with his most famous gymnast, 1976 Olympic Champion Nikolai Andrianov (right), looks over as presentations take place.  On stage are (l to r, rear) Russian men's coach Valery Alfosov, 1981 and 1985 World Champion Yuri Korolev, 2008 Olympian Ksenia Semenova (partially concealed); 2011 World Floor Champion, 2008, 2012 Olympian Ksenia Afanasyeva, 2010 World Champion, 2012 Olympic gold medallist Aliya Mustafina, coach Alexander Alexandrov.  Does anybody know who the man at the front is? Headstone tribute to 1976 Olympic Champion, a pioneer of Soviet gymnastics success, Nikolai Andrianov Laying flowe...

Russia is hosting the forthcoming men's and women's European Gymnastics Championships, scheduled to appear in Moscow (not Kazan, as originally announced) between 17th and 21st April 2013.  You can find more information at the UEG website.  It is a bumper year for Russian international gymnastics competitions, with the Universiade taking place in the ancient city of Kazan (part of which is a UNESCO World Heritage site) in July.  St Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, by night

Vladimir Zaglada drew my attention to a 26th October notice on the RGF website advertising coaching jobs in both the women's and men's divisions of the leading Siberian club in Leninsk-Kuznetsk (named after coach to Maria Filatova, Innokenty Mametiev).  The advertisement doesn't mention a salary, but the benefits package includes an apartment.  Any takers?  

A brief news story on RSport tells us that standout Russian Olympian Denis Ablyazin is back in the gym, practicing new elements and routines ready for the new Code. Denis says he doesn't know when his first competition will be. Picture of Denis Ablyazin, courtesy of RGF

Click on the link 'Читать далее' to listen to the interview. Aliya Mustafina and Viktoria Komova unveil their plans for the new season Tags: Russia , Radio , Sports Malakhova Elena, Roman Kosarev 30.10.2012, 17:14 The President of the International gymnastics federation Bruno Grandi retained his post that he has been running since 1996. Grandi was re-elected to his fifth term as president of the International Gymnastics Federation during the FIG Congress held in Mexico. The President of the International gymnastics federation Bruno Grandi retained his post that he has been running since 1996. Grandi was re-elected to his fifth term as president of the International Gymnastics Federation during the FIG Congress held in Mexico.Grandi easily outvoted two other challengers Adrian Stoica of Romania and Vasiliy Titov of Russia by picking up 68 out of 106 votes. Vasiliy Titov received 24 votes while Adrian Stoica colleceted just 14. Читать далее Source: Voice of Russia ....

Tunegym has a great short story about the National Training Centre at Round Lake (Ozero Krugloye), close to Moscow, which draws on some of the materials posted on the VTB site and a video shot as part of the press day there earlier this year.   A really interesting read that I picked up on via the Gymnastics Coaching blog. It is a really interesting blog in development there - I recommend you take time to read it.