Skip to main content

Rostov claims Kharenkova as its own

By
Maria enjoys a quiet moment at the Banquet following last week's European Championships.  Courtesy RGF

European Beam Champion Maria Kharenkova has been congratulated on her gold medal by officials from the Rostov region of the Russian Ministry of Sport.

'I must say that the victory of our athletes confirmed the validity of the creation of the Rostov regional gymnastic training centre', said Yuri Balakhnin, head of the regional Ministry of Sports.  'We've got a strong tradition and a wonderful coaching school. I remember that at the Olympic Games of 2012 in London our rhythmic gymnast Ulyana Donskova won gold.  Now Maria Kharenkova has made a serious step to get onto the Olympic team.' (Source: http://championat-rostov.ru/news/view/1657/).

Rostov's pedigree is indeed rich : Maria is the latest in a long tradition of fine gymnasts and coaches from the region.  Her coach, Olga Sagina, also counts 2012 European team silver medallist Anastasia Sidorova and 2000 Olympian Elena Produnova amongst her charges, and the Rostov school is also famous for 2011 national team member Yulia Belokobylskaya, 1983 World Champion Natalia Yurchenko, 1980 Olympic Champion Natalia Shaposhnikova, 1972 Olympic Champion Ludmilla Tourisheva and 1976 Olympic Champion Svetlana Grozdova.

I remember that not too long ago - before Rodionenko returned to take over management of the Russian team (2006) and at a time when the national training centre kept a goat to maintain the grass forecourt, and when wallpaper was hanging from the walls - then Head Coach Leonid Arkayev visited the new facilities and praised them, with a fair degree of jealousy.  With characteristic dryness he suggested that the national team was considering moving there, such was the perfection of these facilities compared to the run down state of their main centre.  

It is good to see that the investment in Rostov is paying off.

And while we are discussing Rostov genius, may I suggest you take the time to explore Natalia Yurchenko's personal website?  It is full of gems, including an essay on how she and her coach created the now universal, but once revolutionary, Yurchenko vault.  http://www.nataliayurchenko.com

I am personally very proud that Natalia chose a quote from my blog, as the opening page of her website :-)
Labels:

Comments

  1. Unknown24 May 2014 at 14:36

    Natalia coaches at the gym where I take adult gymnastics classes, I love watching her coaching, she has so much passion!!! I wish I could be coached by her haha.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous24 May 2014 at 16:35

    where is Anastasia Sidorova now?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gláucia Sousa24 May 2014 at 17:28

    Natalia was very lovely chosing a quote from this blog, as the opening page of her website´s. I do like her website and Queen Elizabeth´s quote. Cute. <3

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

'Mustafina is no longer in pain' - Valentina Rodionenko

By
Picture of Aliya Mustafina, courtesy of RGF Valentina Rodionenko has provided some updates on the Russian teams and how their preparation for Worlds (Nanning, China, 3 to 12 October) is progressing, via Allsports (http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=84328) - The teams are now at camp in Italy, in two small towns close to Milan, by the sea, where the girls travelled on 29th June and the men on 1 July.  The athletes aren't only training, they can also relax. - Komova is working out at Round Lake, she didn't go to Italy.  We will see how she does at the Russia Cup, which will be held late August in Penza. Tatiana Nabiyeva is looking good in training and the other girls are also working.  Ksenia Afanasyeva won't have time to prepare for Worlds, and Anastasia Grishina's participation is also in doubt, we just don't know if she will qualify for the team.   We have hopes for Aliya Mustafina.  As always, she is our number one.  It would be great if there were t...
30 comments
Read more

Nelli Kim - 'Russian gymnastics has closed in on itself' - Lupita translates

By
Lupita has translated this ITAR-TASS interview with Nelli Kim.  It's controversial, to say the least. Ed's note : much of the initial response to this interview - both here and in the wider gymternet -  has focussed on the detail of Kim's words and especially her comments about Viktoria Komova, and smiling.  But I think these have to be taken in context, and not too literally. Don't forget that just a day ago Andrei Rodionenko complained bitterly about the judging in Antwerp, calling Kim's behaviour 'aggressive'. Kim is responding to this here, and to the wider current context of Russian gymnastics.  What she is essentially saying to the Russian coach is 'get your own house in order, produce confident, disciplined, well trained gymnasts - stop complaining, do your job, and I will do mine.'   She goes about saying this in a somewhat long winded way and says some things along the way that seem contradictory, unfair, inappropriate even for th...
30 comments
Read more

The Produnova vault - should it be banned?

By
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...
14 comments
Read more

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more