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Vika is back! Russian team in training in Sochi

Some pictures and a short video of Viktoria, Aliya and Katya Kramarenko are available here. The girls are benefitting from a last few rays of sun before returning to chilly Moscow for winter training.

The location, Sochi, will of course be the home of next year's Winter Olympics.  Russia's oligarchs and government have invested in significant changes to the infrastructure there, including the building of training facilities.  Andrei Rodionenko has suggested some of these be adapted post-Games to provide the Russian gymnasts with a mild weather winter training retreat, so no doubt this publicity is part of that lobby, as well as providing motivation to the team.

Comments

  1. Dear Queen Elizabeth

    You think Aliya and Vika will be in the Russian team for the 2016 Olympics? They have some new girls like Maria Bondareva, Maria Kahrenkova, Vitoria Kuzmina, Anna Rodionova, Eugenia Shugunova, and others....

    I really really love Alyia and Vika, and I would like to watch them competing the Olimpics again. :)

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    Replies
    1. It depends on whether they can remain healthy, their commitment to training and whether the coaching is appropriate. At present I am not particularly hopeful about

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    2. the new generation - there are too few strong gymnasts coming through and they are all event specialists. Teams need a strong reserve. There is a lot of work to do.

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    3. Dear Queen Elizabeth,

      Now that was quieter (because I am passionate about this sport, and the beautiful Russian gymnasts, and despite being quite mature, I still lose my mind with the injustices done by the judges).

      Therefore, I would like to make some remarks on the statements about the interview Nelli Kim.

      First of all, I would like to clarify that I have great admiration for some American gymnasts, and especially the Romanian gymnasts.

      Nelli Kim says the gym has become a sport for girls who have power and like to smile, just as are the American gymnasts. This is absolutely unfair because it varies according to the character of the person. Personally, I am a melancholic appearance, but quite aggressive when need be. So if this or that gymnast does not smile all the time, or gets upset at his own performance, she can not demonstrate their dissatisfaction? How Vika Komova and McKayla Maroney?

      With that statement, now was implicit but clear, the reason being the American Overscore, while Belarusian, Ukrainian and Russian are underscores. FIG gymnasts want of strength and power. And almost melancholy seriousness of Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians do not pleasants FIG.

      As to the method of Rodienkos, I think Nelli Kim is absolutely right. The Rodienkos have to do your homework. The resignation of Aleksandrov (and Oleg Stapenko in my view), was shot in their own foot.

      Nelli Kim has a good point about the fact that federations of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia should unite to fight against the low scores of its gymnasts or criticism to FIG. This way they will be heard.

      She is also terribly right in saying the reason why the Russians coaches left Russia and went to the USA. And for them to come back, everyone knows that Russia needs to offer: A decent salary and good working conditions (which also means stop interfering VR)

      In the end, I think Nelli Kim was absolutely frank in saying that prefer the American gymnasts, however absurdly unethical to openly criticize Komova and Mustafina.

      Personally, I felt Komova fight to the end (the FX in the Olympics AA) for the gold medal. Maybe because I also do not be a person smiling all the time with everyone. However, this criticism never fit the Aliya Mustafina. She has nerves of steel, heart of a lion, and always smiles when he finishes his routines....











































































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  2. Good to hear that Vika is back and training, hopefully we'll see her at next year's Worlds.
    Meanwhile, can anyone provide a translation for this interview with Aliya from before Worlds?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1qVX5yEf7A

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