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| Courtesy RGF |
Wearing her Olympics leotard yesterday afternoon, Ksenia Afanasyeva faced off all doubts about her ability to manage pressure with a breathtaking performance on the floor. Afanasyeva's artistry is now matched by her confidence and aggression in the all-important tumbling. Her start value of 6.3 was the highest of the competition, her score of 15.166 superior to that earned in Tokyo two years ago when she took the world title on this apparatus. Short term, she has sacrificed some of the choreography from her Olympic floor routine to favour work on consistency, but a new routine is promised for this autumn's World Championships.
The pressure Afanasyeva faced came from many directions, most tangibly in the audience she faced who included many of the most influential people in sport in Russia. Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko and senior representatives of sponsors VTB were there to check on and celebrate the results of their considerable investment. History faced Afanasyeva in the form of Olympic champions Alexei Nemov and Larissa Latynina. These were just four of the many dignitaries visible in the VIP tribune situated right in front of the floor area and who she faced as she took up her starting position
Afanasyeva asserted her right to a third major gold medal in her seven year long international career with a beautiful and feisty expression of her talent that has all but erased the bad memory of a flunked routine in London's team final last July. At the end of her routine, the Russian who lays the greatest claim to Russia's classical tradition took a deep intake of breath before walking slowly away from the floor area, deep in thought, then running towards the tribune where family and friends congratulated here. It was deeply moving to share her joy.
stunning!!! Great article!!! Afanasyeva is really a amazing gymnast!
ReplyDeleteIt was beautiful routine. Xenia (i like this transcription better) gave no chance to doubt who the champion is.
ReplyDeleteDear Queen Elizabeth, do you planning to write a travel notes about the trip to the championship? It would be interesting to read your impressions of Moscow, people and so on.
Hi Cpt Hook, yes that is planned ... a few weeks' time. I loved Moscow!!
DeleteShe's truly incredible on floor. She has a way of transcending so much power with her tumbling and yet it coombines well with her usual mature/classical dancing. Afansyeva for Gold FX 2016!
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful yet so powerful! I was worried that she would want to retire after the London Olympics but yet she is still here at the highest level of gymnastics. I hope she continues to train and participate in her 3rd Olympics in 2016!
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