Skip to main content

Russian ace Denis Ablyazin ... can he rival Kenzo Shirai?

Denis Ablyazin with coach Valeri Starkin at Lake Krugloye this week.  Courtesy RIA Novosti
More information on the Russian men's programme has been released after this week's press day at the national training centre, and much of it centres on opinions of the amazing Japanese floor specialist Kenzo Shirai.

European Champion David Belyavski and Universiade Champion Nikolai Kuksenkov have now both commented favourably on the Japan athlete's prowess on floor, and his astounding difficulty.   'Shirai can perform on the floor mat, what others cannot even do on a trampoline', says Kuksenkov.  In competition so far this has included a quadruple twisting somersault and a mountain of other superior twisting skills in combination, although we must be careful to note the absence - to date - of any double somersaults in his work.

Kuksenkov was quick to point out the relative ease with which a specialist on one piece can rise to the top of the sport, emphasising his admiration for such competitors as Alexei Nemov and Vitaly Scherbo, who worked at the very highest level on all six apparatus.  'Very few are willing to go that way, because it is so hard', he added.  So can the Russian men rival Japanese all arounder Kohei Uchimura? Belyavski replied that he believed Uchimura to be working on new routines but that as Uchimura's current competitive form was an unknown quantity, the all around final was likely to be very unpredictable.  Both Russian all arounders were quick to emphasise their readiness for the competition in Antwerp, playing down recent injuries (Belyavski - ankle, Kuksenkov - finger). 

With the focus back on floor, though, the big question for all followers of Russian men's gymnastics is, can Olympian Denis Ablyazin rival Shirai on the world stage?  MAG head coach Valery Alfosov warns against underestimating the 21 year old.  Denis is currently practicing a floor routine with a 7.3 D value, only .1 behind Shirai and has enough difficulty up his sleeve to be able to attempt a 7.4 routine, says Alfosov.


Comments

  1. Who is Koichi Uchimura? Any relation to Kohei Uchimura? Just kidding.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :-) My brain hurts ... to much blogging. Thanks!!

      Delete
    2. No problem :-). Love your blogs so keep them coming.

      Delete
  2. Videos have surface of Kenzo training a triple double and double double layout. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj49EgkZw3s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IPlZpNTdVI

    ReplyDelete
  3. now im crying because he didnt make finals :(

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We are satisfied - Aliya Mustafina

Photo credit: RGF An Allsport interview today with Aliya Mustafina : http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=83075 'I think that we are to be congratulated on this bronze medal, we are more satisfied than frustrated', said Aliya Mustafina. 'We were a new team, all the girls are young, and it's their first time in such a serious competition.  I think today we performed to the best of our ability.  Yes, we have had two falls today - on the uneven bars and balance beam.' 'The young girls failed  psychologically, but  the first time you compete on the senior podium - it's not very easy.  No  one is sad.  I  am very pleased with such a performance.  Everything  was fair enough, maybe not everywhere and in all things, but overall it was quite as expected, both our rivals, and the judging.' 'I began to experience more pain in the ankle - continued Aliya Mustafina. - To do the dismounts I had to muster all my strength and clench my teeth.  ...

Elena Gerasimova retires, invited to coach junior national team

Valentina Rodionenko speaks to TASS.  Google translate - Tokyo Olympic participant Elena Gerasimova has decided to end her career in the Russian national artistic gymnastics team. This was reported to TASS by the senior coach of the national team Valentina Rodionenko. "Lena Gerasimova has decided to end her sports career, but she wants to continue competing in student competitions," Rodionenko said. "The athlete has been plagued by injuries in recent years, which made it very difficult for her to endure the training loads that the members of the national team experience. Gerasimova is a very honest and very responsible person. That's why she came and said that she wants to end her career and compete only in student competitions." "I know how responsible and hardworking this girl is, so we suggested that she think about becoming a coach of the youth team on one of the apparatuses in the future. We will count on her. And now she works as a coach at the Anton ...

Listunova interview

 Google translate from VK.com -  Match TV talked to Victoria Listunova about the Olympic summer without participating in the Games, recovery, and memories of Tokyo three years later. We are copying several fragments, and the full interview is available on the Match TV website ❓ Victoria, how are you feeling? How was your recovery from the injury? Was it an old problem or some kind of force majeure? 💬 The injury may have been cumulative, it was not immediately revealed, I am now trying to train in the same volume as before. I am restoring my program. It took a long time for rehabilitation. From April until mid-summer, I was completely without loads, so that the injury would heal and never bother me again. But it is not like I was resting all summer. I was constantly present at the training camps, went through all the recovery procedures. At first there was complete rest, then I trained as much as possible without pain. So there were trainings, but in a minimal mode. In the sum...

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more