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| First year senior Maria Kharenkova is being considered for this year's European Championships |
The provisional roster for March's Cottbus Turnier der Meister has now been published, including significant teams for both MAG and WAG from the Russian Federation.
For the women, it is an opportunity to give the developing gymnasts some competition practice before the big events of the year - Europeans, and World Championships. Of particular interest is the inclusion of first year senior Maria Kharenkova, who is expected to fight for a place on the European Championships team. Kharenkova has particular talents on beam and on floor and is considered by many to be an exciting prospect. This year will prove whether she has the potential to become an 'A' lister for the Russian national team.
The Russians have slated teams 'in force' for this competition, including some of the top tried and tested gymnasts on the men's side. As ever, it remains to be seen who will finally compete. The names of the contingents from Romania, Germany and the USA have yet to be confirmed, but of further interest is the selection of former Russian national Yulia Inshina, now competing for Azerbaijan.
This competition takes place just prior to the Russian national championships, which are scheduled from the 31st March.. These early small competitions will provide part of the pathway for qualification for the first major competition of this year, the European Championships, which begin in early May.
The provisional listings of the Russian team are as follows:
WAG
Anna Rodionova
Daria Spiridinova
Maria Kharenkova
Polina Fyodorova
MAG
Alexander Balandin
Denis Ablyazin
Dmitri Stolyarov
Matvei Petrov
Nikita Ignatyev
Nikolai Kuksenkov
Are all those girls seniors now? Is Bondareva still a Junior? Looking forward to see how they perform on floor with all the new rules. Is Shelgunova a contender for euros?
ReplyDeleteBondareva will turn senior in 2015 (b. 1999). Shelgunova's chances for Euros, as ever, depend on the health and preparedness of pretty much everyone else. I can't see her making the team over any of the following: Mustafina, Komova, Afanasyeva, Grishina, Kharenkova, Paseka, Kuzmina, Kramarenko, Rodionova. I would probably even send Spiridonova before Shelgunova. But if the team is having serious health problems like last year, who knows?
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