I am still waiting for the publication of full results (for some reason the RGF files are missing names, at least when viewed on my IPad) but some of us were awake very early this morning to see Aliya Mustafina confound predictions of her future specialist status, overcome her recent recovery, and win the all around at Russia Cup. Highlights were her uneven bars routine and a beam where she presented her best combinations with vigour, recording a good mark despite a fall, but she also leads the vault, floor and bars scoring amongst the all arounders eligible for inclusion on the team for Nanning. (Elizarova scored higher on floor, but is unlikely to be selected as she does not train with the team at Lake Krugloye and has only one strong piece.)
Second placed Kharenkova was absolutely outstanding on beam.
1 Aliya Mustafina 14.833/15.4/14.6/14.3 = 59.133
2. Maria Kharenkova 14.1/13.867/16.2/13.667 = 57.834
3 Daria Spiridonova 13.833/15.033/14.233/13.7 = 56.799
4. Alla Sosnitskaya. 14.533/13.833/14.033/14.033 = 56.432
5. Ekaterina Kramarenko 13.9/14.667/13.6/13.367 = 55.534
6. Daria Elizarova. 13.7/13.633/13.637/14.467 = 55.433
Olympian Maria Paseka scored 14.633 on vault and 14.2 on floor but was unable to make much of an impression on bars. Komova scored 14.7 on uneven bars.
Maria Kharenkova with her coaching team - her mother (left) and Olga Sagina, who coached Olympic medallist Elena Produnova.
Pictures courtesy of the RGF.
Videos of the important routines are available at Anne-Sophie Henri's channel in YouTube : https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=UUBriVcGCZV7NnSkerk5eFnw&v=RWjr4BQaTZU&feature=youtu.be
Congrats to the top 3. Am I seeing that right, Kharenkova got 16.2 on beam? Also happy for Spiridonova.
ReplyDeleteNo one can deny, Aliya's willpower.
Nabieva didn't perform?
A team of Mustafina, Soskitsnaya, Spiridinova, Komova, Kharenkova and Paseka would score 176.698 based on these results. Super competitive (and a gold medal team score, based on past worlds scores), I'm actually really impressed based on how grim things looked earlier in the year.
ReplyDeleteI can see them opting to take Kramarenko for Komova, since she came within 1 tenth of her score on bars and can be used as back up on other pieces. Her execution on bars was stunning IMO. Kharenkova's beam was also a highlight. I really do love her beam, but she has 17ish skills in it which allows for a lot risk or allows for small form deductions to add up (not many errors obviously in this routine, but the risk remains).
How did Nabieva and Rodionova do?
7. Nabieva 14.267 + 14.533 + 13.367 + 12.667 = 54.834
DeleteRodionova - 14.467 + 13.367 - = 27.834
Keep in mind though that a lot of the national meets are well over scored but with cup a definite chance for a medal.
DeleteAliya is a legend :) Happy to see she's got her Arabian back on beam, and hit it to boot.
ReplyDeleteKharenkova has a 7.0 SV on beam. Is that right? Anyways, loved Aliya's beam despite the fall hope she only gets stronger, her vault looked pretty high and her bars stronger than ever although she's going to have to upgrade soon and that might not go so well like last year. Is it me or did Komova hit the low bar on her first giant leading up to dismount? It sure seemed like it. Hopefully everyone continues on the road to recover both in terms of physical health and regaining skills they lost. I really want to see a much stronger Russian team than what I saw at Euros. I feel though that they shouldn't risk Spiridinova on anything but bars if she makes the team.
ReplyDeleteJAY
After watching the videos I feel sad for what I have seen. Very few upgrades and there is no competitive spirit. Russia is the team where gymnasts don't match the expectations they create when they are juniors.
ReplyDeletePaseka and Nabieva on floor are discouraging.
I was expecting much more from Sosnitskaya after Euros.
George
I think you are being a bit harsh :-)
DeleteHow can you even judge their competitive spirit in the basis of a few photos and grainy videos?
Sosnitskaya is an average gymnast who just does her best, and may be struggling with a little injury.
Floor is a weakness for the team overall. Nabiyeva clearly isn't going to be in the main line up with that floor - she was making up the numbers for her St Petersburg team.
Mustafina, Kharenkova and Spiridinova looked professional. There is I hiding that there isn't huge depth in the team, but I think the results of this competition were actually rather encouraging. I certainly hadn't expected to see such convincing performances on vault, bars and beam.
Only seeing how Kharenkova falls in her last tumbling run, her bars, Paseka trying to dance (?), Mustafina's rythm on beam, the lack of conditioning overall. Ludicrous scores!
DeleteGeorge
@George
DeleteThat means you were inconsolable during the P&G Championships this year because believe it or not you pretty much just described the perfomances of the top US gymnasts at the moment and their even more "ludicrous" scoring.
JAY
Why is Aliya competing all around if she doesn't have to? This seems like not such a good idea for her health, especially if she's in pain on bars. Do you know what's wrong with her shoulder? Also, based on a cursory watching, it seems like Kharenkova was credited with tons of connections on beam that she will never get credited for in any normal international competition...
ReplyDeleteAliya has gone on record as saying that she uses such competitions as a way of tuning up her training. I think she is mature enough to judge whether competing here is more positive or more negative. The shoulder injury, or niggle (we don't know) has been in evidence since Euros but it didn't affect her performance today.
DeleteAlmost all national championships mark to their own standard. Kharenkova's beam routine was truly outstanding,and the score lays notice of Kharenkova's potential at world level in the same way as Simone Biles' scores did last week.
I think these Russian Cup scores are a bit inflated. However, the US National scores were WAY inflated. I take them all with a shaker of salt. I expect everyone's scores to go down at World Championships, as they probably should.
DeleteLong live Queen Aliya. It is impossible not to respect her professionalism, competitiveness, willpower, and dedication. She pushes herself even when she doesn't have to. I think she knows how much of a role model she is to the younger gymnasts. She leads by example. Aliya always shows up, competes well, and makes no excuses. I would have given her a standing ovation after her all around performance. What a champion!
How many passes did Aliya compete on floor? Do we know if the three passes she competed at the Russian championships were mostly for the sake of her ankles, or because they were a permanent development?
ReplyDeleteDon't know. Perhaps Sara's report on the Couch Gymnast will tell us more.
DeleteResults:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sportgymrus.ru/Admin/GetFile.ashx?get=1&id=60025
Alfi
I really wish Aliya would have taken a break this year. I mean with all the big and small injuries she has i think she should have taken a break, specially with the year she had last year, to get healthy where she could be even stronger next year. It might be too late to take a break now as the Olympics are approaching quickly. Russia may need her but they have to give her a break one day.
ReplyDeleteSame thing goes for Komova, I don't think she should push a beam or vault if she is still in pain. She should be going at her pace. Even though I get the two event requirement it is still quite harsh for a 6 person team.
Kharenkova is really the break out star this year of Russia and maybe out of all the new seniors. That beam score though was way over although if everyone hits I think we have our beam medalists (Kharenkova, Mustafina, and Iordache (she is looking great))I wish her the best of luck.