11 year old Anastasia Sidorova and her coach Olga Sagina give an interview as one of a series of Podcasts to be found on the website of the Bellahouston Gymnastics Academy in Glasgow, recording the visit of gymnasts and coaches from the Olympic Reserve School in Rostov on Don in 2008. Anastasia provides an outline of the daily working life of an elite Russian gymnast, pretty predictable in its content. There doesn't seem to be a lot of time for school in her busy schedule! The interviewer points out to Anastasia that her understandably rather stock answers might be influenced by the fact that her coach was standing behind her! (Never mind the fact that she was only 11 ...) Coach Olga Sagina, who previously has worked with 2000 Olympian Elena Produnova, added that Anastasia's simple responses were typical of a champion gymnast. Good attitude and work ethic define success in gymnastics, as much if not more than physical talent. And while Anastasia is ...
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.