Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

A young Russian team led by Seda Tutkhalyan and Evgeniya Shelgunova did themselves proud today by performing their way to a team gold medal and a clean sweep of the individual AA medals at the 4 Nations Trophy in Turin against rivals Italy, Romania and Colombia. Without too many major errors the team looked well prepared and confident.  Their overall score of 224.85 would have placed them fourth in qualifying at the 2014 World Championships, ahead of Britain but just behind their own senior team.  Sokova's superb beam routine, which earned a 14.8 thanks to strong execution, would have been Russia's highest beam score at that stage of the competition.  Tutkhalyan's 57.4 AA score would have placed her 7th in qualifying, or more significantly Russia's second all arounder.   Melnikova and Tutkhalyan both performed steadily to make a case for themselves as up and coming all arounders, with Tutkhalyan surely sealing her place on the team for the upcoming European Games. ...

Live streaming of the Turin Tournament begins at 4.30 Turin time - not long to wait.  Here's the link -  http://www.ginnasticando.it/2015/05/29/torino-diretta-streaming-fgi/ Good luck to all the competitors!  Davai, Rossiya!!!

Anna Pavlova remains a fan favourite amongst Russia's artistic gymnasts.  The European, World and Olympic medallist now competes for Azerbaijan and still impresses with her fluid artistry.  Currently recovering from an injury, Anna will not be competing at the forthcoming European Games.  However, she is still a strong presence in international gymnastics and says she will not set a time limit on her involvement in the sport.  Alan Owen has delivered this interview with Anna in which the 27 year old star responds to readers' questions.  With many thanks to  Dina, who did all the translation. Now read on : 1. Will you compete all around, or focus on your best events as a specialist? I would like to concentrate on a few events and try to specialize, but I have to work all events and be an all-arounder.  2. What do you think of Aliya Mustafina, and the senior Russian team today? Aliya is a very talented and strong ...

There are always compromises to be made when staging mega-events, but The Guardian is reporting today on some unacceptable practices adopted by the Azerbaijan government in an attempt to 'clean up' the city.  Citizens have lost their lives. Read the full story here -  http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/28/european-games-baku-azerbaijan-fire-clean-up

Does she appreciate classical dance in gymnastics?

Leonid Arkayev at a recent congress of the RGF Leonid Arkayev, rock of the Russian and former Soviet gymnastics systems, turns 72 today. Now directing his own gymnastics empire at the Leonid Arkayev School of Gymnastics in Saransk - where he works alongside choreographer Natalia Karamushka - Leonid's zest for the sport remains undiminished; in addition to performing as Head of this developing centre, he also still coaches his young gymnasts and remains involved at grass roots as well as national level.  He regularly attends the major international competitions.   The Russian sports establishment needs his unique insight, incisive opinions and inspirational presence, expressed most recently in a characteristically candid and direct interview with leading sports commentator Elena Vaitsekhovskaya.  Of the new generation of Russian up and coming coaches, only Sergei Starkin seems to embrace Arkayev's philosophy of total dedication and limitless energy.  St...

Aliya Mustafina, courtesy of Bolshoi Sport On June 15th Bolshoi Sport, a full colour magazine produced under the direction of Olympic champion Alexei Nemov, will publish an interview with Aliya Mustafina, complete with new photographs of Russia's returning gymnastics champion. Mustafina will turn 21 in September 2015, just in time for the Glasgow World Championships which will be the qualifying event for her most important competitive target to date, the 2016 Rio Olympics.  And on the 14th June, all being well, she plans to begin her competition in Baku, Azerbaijan, in the very first European Games .  This will be the third multi-sports event of her career, following the London Olympics of 2012 and the 2013 Universiade, held in Kazan, Russia.  Mustafina won gold at both of them.  A mere 417 days will then elapse between the beginning of Aliya's attempt at the European Games title, and the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics.  Every single day will count. ...