Daria Spiridonova will compete at her first World Championships this autumn. Picture : RGF Natalia Kalugina has confirmed the Russian team for Nanning : Aliya Mustafina, Maria Kharenkova, Tatiana Nabieva,Ekaterina Kramarenko, Alla Sosnitskaya, Daria Spiridonova. Reserve : Polina Fyodorova Here is a paraphrased translation of a comment by Natalia Kalugina on her Facebook page : 'Aliya has confidence in competition and she is, kind of, a coach to this team. In Europe she succeeded in this role and she has told the coaches that she even liked it. The main fighting force will be Kharenkova, Sosnitskaya and Spiridonova. Accordingly, the strongest apparatus will be beam (Marina Bulashenko With God!). The Chinese women, of course, have been known to win that apparatus, but if one falls, they all fall. Alla Sosnitskaya could compete in the vault final, and - in theory - on the floor. On bars, of course, Russia will probably lose to the Chinese women, but the...
Reporting and analysing Russian gymnastics since 2010. Includes original and exclusive interviews with leading coaches and gymnasts, and historical issues dating back to the Soviet Union. The first blog to report extensively on the sport using Russian language sources. I read, I argue, and I have opinions. Be warned.

Leonid Arkayev for Aliya's coach!
ReplyDeleteThe whole Russian team to run up hill!
Better dance training that includes other types of dancing besides ballet!
More tumbling drills instead of walking while drinking coffee!
Get a better vault coach!
Fix the helicopters legs!
Get rid of Valentina!
All of the above, plus better conditioning!!! They need to be in shape.
ReplyDeleteRussiafan
to stop taking one week breaks every 3 weeks
ReplyDeleteYes! I agree the best approach towards the russian teams success is better conditioning, better vault training and a coach for aliya!
ReplyDeleteI have always supported the return Arkayev after Alexandrov resign
DeleteI have been calling for him since Alexandrov left. The guy made the Soviet tradition and headed the federation for ages. He is knonw the politics, strategies and the technicalities. He managed the Russian team to during the worst historical gymnastics time. He is the one who recruited Alexandrov. He advised the Koreans on building their vault capacity.
ReplyDeleteWhat else could be better?
Alfi
If they want to bet on artistry, they definitively need a better choreographer, Soviet if possible +a better choice of music.
ReplyDeleteFor those who want Arkayev or Rastorotski back, they are 74 and 81 so there might be someone younger.
They need better conditioning for sure. They need to hire a trainer specifically for that and get their butts in gear. No more walking around the lake, more like running three miles around the lake.
ReplyDelete