Head WAG coach Evgeny Grebyonkin has confirmed further details of the Russian team for April's European Championships, reports Allsport.
On the basis of their performance at the Russian Championships, Ksenia Afanasyeva, Maria Kharenkova and Daria Spiridinova have been confirmed for the team. Fighting for the final place will be Alla Sosnitskaya, Viktoria Komova, Maria Paseka and first year senior Seda Tutkhalyan.
The Russian coaches face some tough selection decisions as they attempt to balance a relative paucity of all around talent this year with the diverse specialisms of such gymnasts as Spiridinova, Afanasyeva and Komova. Both Sosnitskaya and Tutkhalyan (whose D score AA of 23.7 ranks third in the international ranks so far this year, behind Simone Biles and Evgeniya Shelgunova) offer potential at both specialist (respectively vault (Sosnitskaya) and beam (Tutkhakyan)) and AA level. Much will depend on the nerve of the coaches and the way these gymnasts respond in preparation at Lake Krugloye.
Given the exigences of training and the time frame now involved before Montpellier, we should expect there to be changes to the line up. Grebyonkin did mention that others are in the mix. My guess would be that Shelgunova, with her 23.8 D value, will be on the fringes, but another fast-improving gymnast is Anastasia Dmitrieva. Grebyonkin emphasised that the selection would take into account the results of control competitions held during the training camp at Lake Krugloye, and said that the girls were constantly working to improve. He was pleased with the performance of the first year seniors, who had overcome significant psychological challenges in making the step up to challenge those they might consider gymnastically to be their 'big sisters' (my words). Some of the team might even add new combinations to their routines for Montpelier.
In another interview, Daria Spiridinova explained how she was returning straight to Krugloye to continue her preparations right after the Championships, without even returning for a short break at home. Not all of the gymnasts are doing the same, but this demonstrates the serious attitude Spiridinova has towards this competition.
I hope Russia will consider blooding some new talent at the EC. It would be fine experience and preparation for the forthcoming World Championships, which are a qualifying event for the Olympics.
Good luck to all the team! Work hard, and be happy!
Source: http://allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=90880
Interview with Daria Spiridinova - http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=90805
2015 WAG best scores - http://www.the-all-around.com/2015/02/09/2015-wag-best-scores/
I hope they pick Seda, she needs the experience at the senior level
ReplyDeleteRussiafan
I agree! She has so much potential!
DeleteVika!! O Brasil te espera!! I vote VIKA!
ReplyDeleteIs Komova still being coached by the same coach? Is she finally 100% healthy? Thanks for all your awesome updates Queen Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteI don't know about this x
DeleteMaybe a silly question, but what is the format for this year's European Championships? How many gymnasts per team, and how many are allowed to compete on each apparatus in qualification? Thanks.
ReplyDelete:-) Individual - AA and EF. 4 WAG, 6 MAG. For the women, 4 are listed on each event in quals, but only two can qualify to each of the AA and EF. Like in 2011 when Dementyeva won.
DeleteI would really like Sosnitskaya to receive that last spot however anyone other than Komova will be find. The only reason I would see the justification of taking Alla/Paseka out of this team is to give a newbie some international experience. Komova is not ready for Euro's and she doesn't need experience as she has plenty. I would be very upset if she made the team after the disasters in event finals. Alla would be a good choice because she can challenge for vault gold if Guilia is the same as at worlds.
ReplyDeleteAgree, let Alla do the all around as well , she ended in the top 10, all around at worlds last year. She made errors on bars and beam give her the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteKomova and Seda
ReplyDeleteI would like they prefer to pick Seda Tutkhalyan. She is a good AA gymnast. If she had not fallen from the BB, perhaps her score would be higher than Kharenkova (although I just love the little girl from Rostov). Seda has SV good enough in all apparatus except the vault, where she does a good DTY, and she continues improving them. Komova seems defeated before starting any routine, whether in BB or UB, and her SV is disappointed. Her body language is dreadful, she has slumped shoulders, body shrunk. With great sadness, I would say she is worse than last year, when she beat Mustafina on UB. Where is the of 2010-2012 phenomenon? Between Alla and Paseka, I prefer to pick Alla. She has performanced her routines in a decent level, and her vaults are good enough to fight for a medal. In this case, Paseka and Komova are very similar. They do not feel challenged to prove anything, they already have their medals. Paseka has a amanar that everyone hates, and she had taken zero twice in the same event( I think it happened in 2013?). This proves that she is not consistent when compared to the penalties of Sosnitskaya. The two silver medals which, in my opinion were unfair, seems devastated Komova forever. (BTW, experts judges have said that Douglas was Overscore in three apparatus). I would choose Alla. These three new girls (Kharenkova, Spiridinova and Sosnistkaya) are hungry to proving themselves that they are good enough for them to gain a seat on the Olympic team
ReplyDeleteSeda or Alla.... would be a greaat choice. Even tho' , i would luv vika..if shes not ready!! give someone else the opportunity, like lil dimitrieva (:
ReplyDeleteQueen Elizabeth, Allsport has published an article in which Grebyonkin apparently claims that Komova AND Mustafina have been selected for the Baku European Games. Could you explain this?
ReplyDeletehttp://allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=90915
I have posted about this on Facebook and Twitter. At this stage all information is provisional and I would not presume to speak for Grebyonkin.
DeleteJust take it at face value - more accurate and reasoned information will no doubt come to light later this spring. The Games do not take place till June.
If anything, this gives Komova more time to prepare, but I think she must surely be running out of chances as the coaches have already shown sufficient patience with her, IMO. I would imagine she will need to show at least a reasonable level here if she is to go on to be considered for Worlds and Olympics. I don't know if this has implications for her selection for EC, but she wasn't in good shape in Penza where several other gymnasts looked better than her, physically and psychologically, and a better strategy for her might be to wait till June to show herself internationally. Just my thinking and nothing that the Russians have said!
Mustafina had already declared her interest in this competition.
Grebyonkin says the team are going to Baku with the goal of winning. There will be three girls on the team.
I would prefer if Komova goes to the Euro games instead of the European championships. It will give her more time to prepare if she was planned for the World's team. She won't go directly like back in 2011 I believe.
DeleteShelgunova, she is the one to count on in real situations!
ReplyDeleteAlfi