The Gymnastics Centre, Kazan. It can seat 3,200 spectators. Russia's gymnasts have arrived in Kazan and are ready to begin their competition on Sunday, with the WAG team final. The teams travelled there by train, a journey of around eleven hours from Moscow, and the big news is that there is a question mark over the participation of Aliya Mustafina, who has been hospitalised for a short while because of a severe bout of flu. There are mixed reports as to the likelihood of her participation here: head coach Grebyonkin says she has missed some of her training, but has a high chance of appearing on the podium subject to a medical assessment that will take place soon; state coach Valentina Rodionenko seems less optimistic, but says she will be in Kazan to support her team mates. Let's just wait and see. The WAG team includes captain Ksenia Afanasyeva, Anna Dementyeva, Tatiana Nabiyeva, Maria Paseka and Ekaterina Kramarenko. Afanasyeva (two vaults...
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.