Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Picture credit : Aliya Mustafina group on VK.com Russian Championships begin tomorrow and the gymnasts' Instagram accounts have so far given visual evidence that Viktoria Komova and Aliya Mustafina have at least travelled to Penza.  You can click on the following link to find a summary of who else is planning to appear.  http://www.rewritingrussiangymnastics.blogspot.co.uk/#!http://rewritingrussiangymnastics.blogspot.com/2014/03/russian-national-wag-championships.html Lake Krugloye on Tumblr has kindly translated the full schedule for the women's competition.  I haven't heard anything about live streaming, but will publish any information I do find as soon as I can. Tuesday 1 April 10:00 - 14:05 Junior podium training 15:30 - 19:35 Senior podium training Wednesday 2 April 
 Junior AA Qualification and Team Final 12:00 - 13:50 Subdivision 1 (Northwestern, Siberian, Southern, Moscow I, Volga) 14:00 - 15:50 Subdivision 2 (Ural, Central, Far Eastern, Saint Petersburg, Moscow II

Elena Produnova - one of the most beautiful and powerful gymnasts ever There is a lot of discussion about this at the moment and I felt moved to add this blog's voice to the rising tide of opinion. The vault you can see below (a) should not be banned as it is exciting, innovative and beautiful. Vault (a) http://youtu.be/nQuIQ9s3ddM But the vault below (b) should receive a zero, leaving the coach and gymnast effectively disqualified from the running for team, all around and apparatus finals.  While you might argue that the gymnast nominally lands with her feet on the ground, she can't sustain the landing and her weight is taken by back, head, neck and several other body parts.  Surely common sense dictates a zero score.  You can argue, if you like, that common sense shouldn't come into judging, but surely it is not too much to expect judges to make judgements.  Or perhaps a minor change to the wording of the Code if Points is required to make this more comfortable for them.

There is a very special article on the RGF website at present, all about the making of the 20 minute documentary 'Olympic Target'.  The film is about 1976 and 1980 Olympian Maria Filatova, who of course featured on the pages of this blog earlier this week.  It's a fascinating piece that tells many different stories about film making in the Soviet Union, about training conditions for the national team at that time, and about the personalities involved in producing one of those iconic black and white films.  I will summarise the best bits below. The film 'Olympic Target' was made in 1978 by film maker Vladimir Lapin, out of the Western Siberia newsreel studios in Novosibirsk.  In 1987, this black and white film won a special award, given by the International Olympic Committee, at the Tunisia International Sports Film Festival.  It had also won awards in 1979 in Film Festivals in Italy, Budapest and Kiev.  The 1987 award went almost unnoticed by the Soviet public. 

No words can express.  We now have a video of Maria's 1976 beam routine in all its spontaneous splendour and virtuosity.  Thanks to Chocdave in YouTube.   http://youtu.be/m4y7oGyYDw0 Maria Filatova, 1976 and 1980 Olympian, 1978 World Cup Champion. Maria's official website :  http://filatova.atava.by/about.html Maria Filatova - Russian Sparrow made in the USSR (RRG)  http://rewritingrussiangymnastics.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/maria-filatova-russian-sparrow-made-in.html

Flashback to London 2012: Viktoria Komova The Russian Championships for women gymnasts - junior and senior - begin on the first of April (yes) in Penza, finishing on the 6th.  You can see the schedule here : http://www.sportgymrus.ru/Admin/GetFile.ashx?get=1&id=43065 It is a full competition where the regional teams participate and individuals get a chance to test themselves and their early preparation for the coming competitive season.  This year the top women will be competing for places on the European Championships teams (junior and senior) for Sofia, Bulgaria, later in the spring.  It is expected that we will see Viktoria Komova for the first time in many months - which must be the most anticipated comeback for years.  Aliya Mustafina is also hoped to make a show, as well as Anastasia Grishina and Maria Paseka.  There has been an announcement that Ksenia Afanasyeva will compete vault, and I would also be surprised if we didn't see Maria Kharenkova again, and get a chance t

Does Ukraine have a future in men's gymnastics, or will its athletes move overseas to pursue their talents?  Oleg Stepko's personal photograph as he prepared to travel to Baku Many of the stories to be found on this blog are about a relatively unspoken fact of life of the sport - the migration of gymnasts, coaches and officials from their home countries overseas.  While we discuss the personalities, we do not consider the phenomenon of migration and its influence on the sport particularly deeply.  This is a little surprising, as migration has shaped the sport significantly since 1991.  In particular, coaches from Russia and the states of the former Soviet Union - and their families - have figured as the main protagonists in the worldwide development of the sport.  In America, the phenomenon began earlier - during the 1980s - as Romanian head coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi defected to the States, and went on to build the nascent characteristics of American women's

'My little ones' says Tanya Nabiyeva in this personal photo of a training session she is leading. Tanya has been posting many videos of herself recently, in training for the Russian Championships where she will compete for her home team, St Petersburg - and perhaps hope for some individual reward. She looks very happy! Alina and Anfesa, two young gymnasts from St Petersburg trained by World Champion Tatiana Nabiyeva in her hometown. 'Anfesa reminds me of myself as a child', says Tanya, 'blue eyes, big tummy, pigeon-toed. Doesn't understand the whole bargain at all!  Just looks up and smiles'. Alina and Anfesa, who (I am guessing) are about 7 or 8 years old, will be 21 or 22 by the time the 2028 Olympics take place. One of the candidate cities for those Games? St Petersburg. With thanks to Tanya for these lovely pictures, and her thoughts.  Oh ... GOOD LUCK for the forthcoming competition. PS I am getting the same question from a lot of people - will Tanya &#

Russian gymnasts in Cottbus last weekend - from left to right - back row - Polina Fedorova, Maria Kharenkova, Daria Spiridinova; front row - Yulia Inshina (Azerbaijan), Anna Rodionova, Marina Nekrasova (Azerbaijan) In her first senior international, Maria Kharenkova secured two medals last Sunday, taking a silver on beam, and a bronze on floor.  Not a bad result considering the jitters she suffered in the early part of the competition, and one that underlines the worth of a strategy that favours the selection of young gymnasts for these smaller competitions.  Russia now enters the pre-Europeans preparation with two more tried and tested medalists on its roster (Rodionova, remember, gained a silver on bars on Saturday), and this can only add to an impression of strength in depth, greatly needed in the run up to the major competitions this year and beyond.   Kharenkova's performance was not as confident as she had presented during her medal winning routines at the 2012 Junior Europea

It was a glorious moment.  Ksenia Afanasyeva, assumed to be out of the picture for medals, was brought into the final at the last minute as a reserve. She delivered one of the best floor routines of the last five years (alongside her own masterpiece at the 2012 Olympic Games, that went on to win her the 2013 European title). Afanasyeva ('Afonya' to her friends) didn't expect to win.  The modest young woman, for so long the unpredictable but gifted one, was accustomed to disappointment.  Adopting the role of team captain and 'mother' to the younger gymnasts on her team, she doubted her own motivation to continue and train for her second Olympics, to be held in London the following year.   Then came the score, and the shock of realisation.  Gold, well deserved, brought an emotional response from both Afanasyeva and her coach since childhood, Marina Nazarova.  I'd like to give credit to whoever took this wonderful picture, but sadly the source isn't acknowledge

Denis Ablyazin on rings at the 2012 Olympics Ablyazin today staked his claim as Russia's leading event specialist with a strong showing on both floor and rings.  His explosive abilities on floor saw him tumble almost non-stop from start to finish, including some top level difficulty (7.1 D score) that with better execution must make him a contender for a medal at World Championships.   He has now also overtaken his compatriot Alexander Balandin on rings (3rd here today behind Ablyazin and Greece's Eleftherios Petrounias) who despite his high D score (6.9 to Ablyazin's 6.8) had small errors.   On pommel horse, won by favourite Kristian Berki, Nikolai Kuksenkov finished in 7th place after difficulties with the dismount marred his performance. A video of Ablyazin's floor is available here  http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cTOn2WdyHQs&feature=youtu.be Denis on rings  http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MHCG8kZO8e8&feature=youtu.be No doubt you will find further videos at this

It is difficult to say what is the significance of the following communication by the great Ukrainian champion, which is accompanied by the above image of a rather dirty Ukrainian flag.  Posted a few minutes ago on VK.com, it hints at changes to come, especially in the context of his compatriot, Oleg Stepko's, recent migration to Azerbaijan.  I am posting Igor's words here both in Russian and English, in order to give Russian speakers the opportunity to comment, and iron out any possible inaccuracies or loss of nuance in the translation. I would like to say - good luck, Oleg!   'Кого интересует мой переход под другие цвета флага . Да этот вопрос сейчас решается но пока что я защищаю цвета своей страны. Я думаю в скором времени все будет решено ! If you are interested in my transition to other colours of the flag. Yes, this issue is now solved but so far I am defending the colors of his country. I think soon everything will be decided!' Updated 23.50 14th March Nico Jack

  Russia continued strongly today at the Cottbus competition, with Denis Ablyazin establishing himself as Russia's leading competitor.  Ukrainian Oleg Verniaiev also performed some outstanding gymnastics on this second day of qualifying.  In the women's competition, Romanian Andrea Munteanu easily leads both beam and floor, but in her first senior international competition the promising Maria Kharenkova qualified to both her finals, despite a crunching fall on beam.  We look forward to seeing her fight back on Sunday. Photo of Katya Kourbatova and Tamara Chachua, courtesy of Sportivnaya Gymnastika on VK.com In other news, Russia's 2010 world team champion Ekaterina Kourbatova is present in Germany this week as personal coach to Georgian competitor Tamara Chachua.   The competition continues tomorrow from 2 pm.  There is some doubt as to whether the live streaming promised by DTB can be provided internationally, for legal reasons.  Live updates will be available on Gymnastik

Some nice results from the Russia men and women :-).  You will be able to follow the second day of qualis on the DTB live ticker tomorrow, Friday, from 4 pm Germany time at http://cottbus-2014.dtb-liveticker.de.   Gymnastike has videos  http://www.gymnastike.org/coverage/251491-2014-Cottbus-World-Cup . On Saturday and Sunday only (finals), both days at 2 pm Germany time, there should be live streaming available here  http://www.schawa.tv/dtb-tv#&panel1-1&panel2-1 It is a strong field, especially the men (see my earlier post for details of the Russians competing, or you can check out the full working order here http://www.turnier-der-meister.de/news/home.php). I'm looking forward to seeing all the Russians this weekend, but especially young Maria Kharenkova, who to me has the uncluttered look of a fighter.  But we'll just have to wait and see.

Photo of Anna Rodionova and Maria Kharenkova, from Anna's official group on VK.com Valentina Rodionenko has given further details of the MAG and WAG participants at Cottbus:  Denis Ablyazin - rings, vault and floor Alexander Balandin - rings and parallel bars Dmitry Stolyarov - floor and vault Matvey Petrov - pommels Nikolai Kuksenkov - pommels and high bar Nikita Ignatyev - high bar and parallel bars Anna Rodionova - bars and beam, though she may miss beam as she has ankle pain Maria Kharenkova - beam and floor Polina Fyodorova - floor and vault Daria Spridinova - beam http://itar-tass.com/sport/1032766

The shoulder injury that is keeping team captain Emin Garibov out of Cottbus may also prevent him from competing at the World Championships this autumn, says Valentina Rodionenko. 'Initially, our doctors were inclined to operate, but then decided to prefer conservative treatment.  In late March, Emin will have a check up with German doctors, to see if his shoulder has improved.  If not, he will need an operation.  In this case, we might not even be able to rely on Emin for Worlds.  With this kind of joint injury, you can't expect a quick recovery.' http://itar-tass.com/sport/1032766

Anastasia Grishina with coach Viktor Razumovsky Partial translation of the 9th March interview with Valentina Rodionenko, by Albert Starobutsev 'All of our strongest gymnasts will compete in the Russian Championships, except Afanasyeva' Russian WAG team leaders Aliya Mustafina, Viktoria Komova and Anastasia Grishina will not compete at Cottbus next week, but will remain at Lake Krugloye to prepare for the forthcoming Russian Championships in Penza. A shoulder injury has ruled Emin Garibov out of the Cottbus competition. 'The Russian Championships will be a major step in the selection for the May European Championships in Bulgaria', said Valentina, 'in Penza all of our strongest gymnasts will compete, except Ksenia Afanasyeva.  We decided to send some young athletes to Germany so that we could evaluate them on a senior stage, and consider them for a place on the Europeans team.  Anna Rodionova, Daria Spiridonova, Polina Fyodorova and Maria Kharenkova will all compete

The winning team on Saturday night: National Junior team coaches Olga Bulgakova and Artem Voinov with Angelina Melnikova, Daria Skrypnik, Anastasia Ilyankova, and Ekaterina Sokova.  Picture courtesy of Sportivnaya Gymnastika on VK.com Event final results are now available at http://internationalgymnix.ca/fr/resultats/resultats-2014/dimanche-9-mars-2014/ and can also be seen below, with the help of a good magnifying glass. Congratulations to all the girls, who competed so well and will have learned a lot from their experiences.  It is so good to see that the team managed to medal in every single competition.