Reporting and analysing Russian gymnastics since 2010. Includes original and exclusive interviews with leading coaches and gymnasts, and historical issues dating back to the Soviet Union. The first blog to report extensively on the sport using Russian language sources.
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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 example for youth.
Olga Bicherova was a gymnast of great charisma, charm and competitive strength. She is remembered in particular for her tantalizing floor performances, aggressive vaulting and confident beam routines.
You can find here the floor routine with which Olga won the 1981 World all around title.
And her later, 1983, floor routine, for me a favourite for its personality, expression and the way she flirts with the judges.
There is some doubt over Olga's birthdate: born October 26th, did she turn 14, or 15 (as required to compete in an FIG competition) in 1981? Even now, some thirty-one years later, there is confusion; for example, age details on some of the Novosti pictures from 1978 and 1979 are confusing. But with such a time distance, it is easy enough to get someone's age wrong. Surely, at such a tender age Bicherova would not have been able to change her own credentials. What remains certain is that Bicherova was one of the best gymnasts in the world during a time when talent and competition were deeper than ever.
In a 2000 International Gymnast interview, Olga's former coach Boris Orlov admitted she was too young to compete that year, but didn't say exactly how old she was. Sorry I can't recall which issue - it's some time between January and May.
The Russians during a team talk in training for the World Championships. Courtesy RGF Bronze all the way for Russia then. Beyond the euphoria and surprise of this morning's competition there doesn't really seem to be much to write home about. I am delighted for Aliya personally that the efforts she has made to help the team have provided her with some tangible result, but the principal feeling at the end of the competition is that of relief. As Vaitsekhovskaya said in her article last week, there were no moments of shock and awe from the Russians, and that's what will be needed if they are to compete for gold medals in Rio (translation available here ). Let's consider a timeline of the competition : before, during and after. BEFORE The promise of a return to the Worlds stage by Viktoria Komova gave Russia a feeling of optimism pre-Russia Cup. However, Viktoria's performance at this important competition gave little reason for celebra...
Picture credit RGF Aliya speaks in Sports Express http://news.sport-express.ru/2014-05-18/699607 I am very pleased with my performance today, I don't know what the judges didn't like about my bars, but I didn't ask them ... I did my routine fairly well without serious error. On beam I didn't have the start value but I received the highest execution score. We will try to fix that before the World Championships. Considering the problems I had with my ankle, I think I performed to the optimum at the moment. I did everything I could. I'm not the least bit sorry that I performed here - Very glad that I could help the team. I think my presence made things easier for the girls. It is very difficult to compete at such serious senior competitions for the first time. Of course they were very worried. But I'm sure that with time they will learn to cope easily with their nerves (smiles).
BREAKING - President Putin on the McLaren report - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/52537 What is happening today, is perhaps the end of an era. The end of an era when sport was truly playful, and international. Will we ever see our athletes in the same way again? The findings of the McLaren report are devastating to me. They made me think about the value and meaning of the Olympics. People have written whole books and volumes of books about the history of the Olympics. I am not going to try to unravel all the different strands of the history of the Olympic movement from the Ancient Greeks to the present day. I'll just reflect here on the current values of Olympism; you can see below an extract from the new Olympic Charter , which was published in 2015. I certainly am inspired by the values of Olympism; I have followed the Olympics all my life. But unfortunately it seems that they have been under attack, not just in Russia b...
In a 2000 International Gymnast interview, Olga's former coach Boris Orlov admitted she was too young to compete that year, but didn't say exactly how old she was. Sorry I can't recall which issue - it's some time between January and May.
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