Unsurprisingly, there has been a whole gamut of press interviews today. In one of the best ones, with Aliya, the champion explained how she is still only really at 55% at this competition - it's only necessary, she says, to be at 100% for the Olympics - you don't want to peak too soon. Andrei Rodionenko confirmed that this was be a more difficult competition to win than European Championships, because the 3-2 format in team, and one-per-country rule in finals evens out the field and provides a boost to the weaker countries. Viktoria Komova said she was a little disappointed not to qualify for a final, but couldn't really complain as it was her first competition in three years. David Belyavski explained that he decided not to compete on the high bar thanks to a wrist injury; the Russian MAG had already won the gold, anyway. Seda Tutkhalyan says that she wants to compete for gold on beam, or to finish in the top three in both of her finals.
So it's a bright and sunny day in Russian gymnastics, in particular for the women where two comebacks were sealed and a newcomer showed her future intentions. All three gymnasts performed vibrantly and there was a real chemistry that seemed to provide support and confidence for all the team.
The youngest gymnast turned in some exercises of extraordinary precision and courage, especially on beam. Here is an interview she gave with Sports Express.
'Who really shone with happiness was 15-year-old Seda Tutkhalyan. The rosebud of the senior team didn't just qualify to two individual finals, she also managed to take second place in the AA, beating Viktoria Komova by .4. Her performance surprised even her rivals - the whole team from Denmark waited a good 20 minutes for the winner of the Youth Olympic Games in 2014 to finish her interviews with journalists just to have their picture taken with her.
Seda Tutkhalyan - "winning in the all around is easier than the individual events"
- It's a shame not to qualify to the all-around after finishing in second place in qualifying?
- But what can you do, this is the rule. Finishing ahead of Aliya would be very difficult. She is very experienced. It's okay, I have other causes for joy to come - the task set was to qualify for the finals on the balance beam and vault, and I have managed to do it.
- For your first adult start you were very composed.
- I was nervous! I just shook for the whole of the first day. But the second was much better. Though I had to go first each time for the team. It's a big responsibility!
- You had to beat Komova?
- After the first day I was losing to her. But on the beam I had a slightly higher D value and so managed to get a slightly higher mark.
- Where do you have your best start values?
- On those apparatus, for which I have qualified to the final. On floor my routine is rather weak, and my bars generally need much more work. But it's a matter of time. Maybe I will be able to surprise people at the world championships.
- And win medals in the vault and balance beam?
- I would also like to compete in the all-around ...
- Wow.
- And in the AA I will win more easily.
- Seriously?
- You go from one apparatus to the next and do not have time to think. But when one gets to the finals - your head can be full of unnecessary thoughts.
- So how then will you adjust to finals in Baku?
- No problem. I've done my job, at least. Now I have no pressure.
- Do you know that the most titled gymnast in history, Larisa Latynina, very much wanted to see you at these events?
- No (laughs). Great!
- For gymnasts, Latynina must be like Alexander Karelin is for fighters?
- Probably. Although for me the biggest idol - Lenka Zamolodchikova.
- Lenka ?!
- We know each other. But I like her, of course, for other reasons. I very much love to watch her performance.
- Is it true that your father is a coach of Sambo?
- Not really. He is a three-time world champion in sambo. And now he heads the women's team of Belarus in judo. He is now with my brother Vaik in Minsk.
- How is your brother doing?
- He won the European championships and medalled at Worlds..
- Do you live with your mum in Moscow?
- And another brother. But he is not an athlete. He likes to study.
- With your father, probably, it was hard to stay out of sport.
- That's right (laughs). At one point my brothers also went to the gym. Only then they switched to wrestling. I luckily remained. I remember, going to the first training session, I saw a trampoline and learned how to jump.
- How old were you?
- Seven. For gymnastics that is very late. Usually at this age a club will not even take you.
- Come on, I started at six - smiled Aliya Mustafina as she passed by.
- But still it is late - insisted Tutkhalyan. After one and a half or two years, I was, frankly, tired. But Dad persuaded me to stay. Soon we began to learn more complex elements, and I was curious.
- And you were not scared?
- Yes, but that is part of the excitement.
- What else can you do at the Olympic Village?
- Chat with close friends and even classmates.
- Like who?
- I go to school with diver Nikita Nikolayev, and there are girls here from the Youth Olympics. I am good friends with Sonia Skomoroch.
Source : http://www.sport-express.ru/others/reviews/886680/
Thank you Queen Elizabeth for sharing this. I am very happy with all three! If Aliya is only at 55%, then I can't wait to see how she will look at 100%. She looks as good as she did at last year's worlds. Komova looked great for being out of competition for three years. I never thought she would be able to do a double layout on floor. She looks solid on bars and has adequate difficulty on beam. I was so happy to see Seda nail her beam. Lets hope she does the same for the finals.
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I was so impressed with Seda! I hope to see a lot more of her.
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