Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Three golds for Aliya Mustafina! What were the most noteable outcomes of the Pacific Rim and Russian National Championships? Mustafina likes the taste of gold She is back with that familiar mystical demeanour that makes her look every inch the champion.  Mustafina has a distance to travel with her difficulty (apart from bars, where she showed an SV of 7) but seemed confident and strong elsewhere at the Russian Championships.  Coach Alexander Alexandrov has emphasised that Mustafina and he have not even begun work on vault and floor.  Grishina is improving all the time Besides Mustafina's brilliant bar work, the routine of the Championships for me was Grishina's floor - elegant, musical and complex.  Grishina ended the competition with medals in every competition, including two golds, so with Mustafina and Afanasyeva she was a leading gymnast here. Afanasyeva has set the bar high With gold on beam and silver in the all around and floor competitions, 20...

The USA Gymnastics federation has done a great job of posting videos from the Pacific Rim competition .  Here are a few of the key Russians. Maria Kharenkova , floor (bronze medal)  SV 5.4, E 8.55 She makes nice eye contact and is expressive for such a young girl.  The music requires more of her than mere poses.  Very energetic and fast in her tumbling.  I could watch this floor routine over and again. Grigory Zyrianov, pommel horse (silver medal) SV 5.2 E 8.8 It's just so good to see a Russian perform pommels without an error.  Zyrianov has good line and looks composed and determined. Ekaterina Baturina , uneven bars (7th place) SV 5.1 E 8.075 Baturina comes off on her Pak here, and has a tic in its performance, splaying her feet outwards like little cats' ears.  Yes, they are flexed, but they are flexed with style .  And just watch how she swings!! Sergei Stepanov , rings (silver) SV 5.4, E 8.75 I love the facial expressi...