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Komova injured - a discussion of the consequences for Russian gymnastics

Veteran Ekaterina Kramarenko will replace Viktoria Komova in Sofia next month

Youth Olympic Champion, World and Olympic medallist Viktoria Komova has today personally confirmed that she will miss her much anticipated return to international competition.  Speaking on the Russian gymnastics site at VK.com, Komova says that she sprained her foot in training right after Russian Championships and will travel to Munich at the end of April for an operation.  No other information is available at this time.

This is rather troubling news for the Russian team who are already digging deep into their reserves to field a team at this spring's European Championships, following injuries to their stars Ksenia Afanasyeva and Anastasia Grishina, and the retirement of Olympic reserve Tatiana Nabiyeva.  Russia, like Romania, is currently reliant on a team of veteran gymnasts from the London 2012 Olympics and before, and the consequences of the current injury rate is that it increasingly cannot select its best possible team for major competitions.

In a hard sport like gymnastics it seems, unfortunately, inevitable that injury will play a significant part in determining selections.  The USA, with its large bank of participants, can rotate and rest its top performers more easily than the smaller teams in Europe, but Russia's main stars are called upon time and again to represent their team.  In particular Aliya Mustafina, who herself suffered a major knee injury in 2011, has missed only one major international since spring 2010.  Ksenia Afanasyeva has a similar record dating back to 2007, missing Worlds in 2009 only.  It is pretty hard to find other gymnasts in the world's top ten with a similar level of consistent participation.

Longer term, there is real reason to hope that Ksenia Afanasyeva will be back in time for Worlds this autumn.  Anastasia Grishina has also said that her knee injury is less serious than initially thought (a dislocated kneecap, with little or no ligament damage) but this is still a debilitating and painful injury, and her likely path to recovery is unknown at this time.  Komova's repeated injury is very worrying; the girl seems to suffer from the gymnastics equivalent of a boxer's 'glass jaw'.  I personally wonder if she will ever make it back to international competition fitness, with such an apparently fragile body.

The selection of Ekaterina Kramarenko to replace Komova has led to some raised eyebrows, and if it comes to fruition will certainly confirm that Russia is playing a safe card in Sofia this spring.  Head coach Andrei Rodionenko is conservative by nature, and is playing a difficult political game with paymasters who seem to expect medals at every competition.  Russia's reputation for unpredictable competition performance must be troubling him as he approaches a major competition with a relatively untested and young team.  Kramarenko might be viewed as a steadying influence for the young members of the team, and moral support for Aliya Mustafina.  The great Champion is only human after all, and must be feeling the emotional and psychological strain after so many years of being Russia's reliable one, and its main medal prospect.  Even the amazing Mustafina cannot be alll things to all people.  The team needs a Champion, a rising star and a table-setter; Russia just about has all three with Aliya, young Kharenkova and veteran Kramarenko, but we have to hope that all gymnasts remain healthy.

If this mixed Russian team wins in Sofia, it will be thanks to a solid performance from all gymnasts on day one of the competition through to finals, without the qualification jitters from which they usually suffer.  Romania deservedly beat Russia at the last European team competition in 2012 when Russia had a wobbly start on beam and floor, and Romania definitely has the better record of fighting through the competition nerves.  

It remains to be seen what the emotional vigour of this new Russian team will be.  Mustafina's ambition will be matched by the competitive nature of young Maria Kharenkova, the very first time that the World Champion has had to face competition from a much younger, similarly intense compatriot.  At best they will both drive each other to peak performance.  Both Daria Spiridinova and Alla Sosnitskaya appear to have sunny dispositions and to take their team responsibilities seriously.  Perhaps Kramarenko's calm professionalism will provide the concrete base needed for a solid performance.  We will just have to wait and see.

The Russians will not be able to count on the potential high scores that Komova might deliver when on song, though, and if they do not overcome their now usual unsureness in the team event, the competition could crack open for the Romanians, the Germans or even the British team.  

You can see the execution and difficulty scores for the all around competitors at this month's Russian Championships  here : http://sportgymrus.ru/Admin/GetFile.ashx?get=1&id=44474

With special thanks to Veronika Kuzmina who pointed me in the right direction!




Comments

  1. So Komova injured again, and it is serious enough to warrant surgery? wow. She is way too fragile and her last competition was what Olympics. Hope the surgery is successful, I am not going to hold my breath for her competing at Worlds this year, so if she does make the list and is actually there, I can be surprised.

    Glad that Grishina's injury isn't as bad as first feared. Hope she has a good recovery.

    So pressure back on Aliya who had an bad injury in 2011 and hasn't been able to just relax as she is the only top gymnast doing anything. I am sure she will strive to do her best, and I am interested in these youngsters, who knows, they can be a nice surprise.

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  2. IIRC, she hasn't had anything done surgically to her feet since before London. I hope this operation settles the issue once and for all, though I still have my doubts. It's really the only area she consistently injures. I guess you could say that it is quite literally her Achilles heel?

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  3. So Vika is injured again. Bummed out for her and Nastia but the injuries in the Russian camp are getting ridiculous. So yet again another year where Aliya will have to perform to her max.

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  4. Thanks for updating us on Grishina too

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  5. So sad to hear of all these injuries. Where are the strong teams from Russia and Romania that we're used to seeing? I'm from the U.S. and love the strength of the Americans, but having strong teams to challenge is part of the enjoyment of watching the sport. Not just having one team or style represented and dominating. I hope the Russians and Romanians figure their programs out and we see new gymnasts to help carry the team in the future, NOT just the veterans...

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    1. all the coaches( Russian and Romanian) left for America. So that's why there is no one to train the little girls. The Romanians have just signed a 2 million Euros contract this spring with Petrom ( Petrom will sponsor them), so hopefully something will come out of that. In my opinion Romania it's doing great, seeing that there are 7 SENIOR GYMNASTS. I hope they'll do great at this year Europeans.

      I'm sorry to hear this about Komova, I'm worried for Aliya. The girl needed some rest.

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    2. I think Kristin and Felicia have a point a view. I really like Russian and Romenian gymnastics, but where are the strong teams froms these contries that we are used to see? I know about the coaches who left Russia and Romenia for America, and that´s why there are no one to train the girls. In another hand, having strong teams to challenge America is part of the enjoyment of watching the sport. Not just having one team or style represented and dominating. I am very sorry about Komova and Grishna´s injuries too, I am worried for Aliya. I also think she needs a lot of rest. I think Kristin was very fair and felicitous in her coments. :)

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  6. Sorry you kidding...How German team can be stronger than the Italian one?

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    1. The Italian team don't really have any stars apart from Vanessa and Elisa, the others don't really stand out. The Germans have Seitz, the consistent Kim Bui, the improved Sophie and vaulter Berger, they are quite the threat.
      I am looking forward to Sosnitskaya, the Russians need an all arounder of her caliber. And of course I'm hoping GB medal cuz i'm buyist but I think they really have some medal potential.
      It's going to be a close team final!

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    2. I think Russia, Romania, and Great Britain will be challenging for the medals - they have the strongest teams. Based on the teams they are sending, they have similar scoring potential - it will come down to who is the most consistent and I like Romania in that case.

      The Italian team (Fasana, Ferrari, Rizzeli, Campagna and Meninghini) is just about sufficient on UB and they lack a competitive third score on VT, BB and FX. Germany is sending a stronger VT and UB team, but none of the girls (Bui, Berger, Schaeffer, Seitz or Scheder) are very good on BB or FX. It's hard to know which team will be beat the other - but I would pick Italy over Germany too.

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    3. Germany is not a threat at all. Even with significant errors from all the teams, Russia, Romania, and GB are way above the rest. The only event Germany will come even close to matching is uneven bars but Bui and Seitz both have horrid technique and won't score anywhere near Russia or GB. As of now I see a repeat of 2010. Romania has Munteanu who will be good, Iordache who has been rocky, Bulimar who is injured, and two girl Wil low difficulty and low experience. GB may struggle on floor, but are so solid on their other pieces, it shouldn't matter. Russia, no matter how scrappy they may seem compared to Worlds level, still has the best team going in due to their difficulty and experience. Except they should bring Rodionova not Kramarenko in my personal opinion, cause she will bring much higher scores and has the experience as well.

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  7. This is a blog about a Russian gymnastics. My observations about other countries reflect my immediate impression at the time of writing the article but shouldn't be regarded as any kind of prediction ... Predictions aren't possible in this sport.

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  8. I can't believe Komova is injured again. She looked in such amazing shape for the Russian Championships; given that it's still early in the season. Honestly, I hope Aliya Improves her Gymnastics. Sure she's amazing but her difficulty score is made up of pure combinations and complex dancing skills that she won't always hit. That decreases her D-score and will once again fail to threat the Americans for the world AA title.

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  9. Picture of Viktoria in the gym, with foot brace ... http://instagram.com/p/nCwh66CKr3/

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