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

Viktoria Komova - back pain has forced me to step down

By
I awoke this morning to a very simple statement from Viktoria Komova, on her vk.com site, which Papa Liukin has translated (via the IG forum): 'Dear friends, fans, and gymnastics lovers. Unfortunately back pain isn't allowing me to train to my full potential and get ready for competitions. I've made the very difficult decision to stop training and take care of my health. I want to thank everyone for their support! Without your love and warmth it would've been more difficult to go all the way. Thanks everyone and see you soon! Love and kisses.' Well, first of all, good wishes and best of luck to Viktoria, who has struggled since 2012 to re-establish herself fully as a competitive gymnast, whose talent was so great that she secured gold on bars at two different World Championships, four years apart, whose career was littered with controversy, who must be allowed to live her life as she wishes.   I know that the 'gymternet' will now be overflowing...
43 comments
Read more

Aliya Mustafina - 'I'm just trying to stay healthy'

By
A brief interview with the World and Olympic Champion from All Sport is summarised below. Russian national gymnastics continues to prepare for the World Championships, which will be held October 3-12 in Nanning (China). Olympic champion Aliya Mustafina told Mary Staroverova about her health and about preparations for the competition. - In June, I went to Germany to solve the problem with my ankle.  I had a small operation to clean the joints of a build-up of bone particles.  Nothing serious was evident, and the operation went well.  Now I have to tumble.  But there is still some discomfort, a slight pain at full load, and I can not tumble at full force.  For the time being, I try to go easy on my legs.  After the Russia Cup I will have to fully prepare for Worlds. That is just one month.   Even if I'm not tumbling, I will keep myself in good shape, and that should suffice (smiles). - I can't say if it is a different pain to before Europeans, because at...
48 comments
Read more

Olga Mostepanova - from beautiful daydream to World Champion

By
Young Olga in her white leotard and orange hair bows, at her first international competition in Wembley, 1980 I had only been in the Olympiski Stadium, Moscow, for a few moments when it happened: I found myself surrounded by a little army of tiny children, excitedly chattering away in Russian, a language I don't speak.   I strained my ears and heard the names : Aliya, Nastia, Ksenia; I was swept along by this blizzard of pigtails, giggles and pretty eyes; and suddenly I lost myself, and started looking for Olga Mostepanova amongst them.  She might have been there, but (now in her forties) it is more likely that she was hard at work in her own gym, helping a young gymnast learn how to do a walkover on beam. Mostepanova was always like that, even as a child: her gymnastics appeared like a beautiful daydream, but the reality was infinitely more prosaic.  The exquisite plasticity that made her a Champion, the beautiful line for which she is famous, were the product ...
5 comments
Read more

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more