Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

It is worth paying a visit to the Russian Gymnastics Federation's website, where the English language news page includes translations of recent coverage about Universiade gold medallist Alena Polyan, recent USSR Cup success David Belyavski and St Petersburg gymnast, Universiade bars finalist Irina Sazanova. All three of them have hopes to compete in forthcoming competitions, Polyan and Belyavski in Tokyo this autumn, while Sazonova mentions the 2013 Universiade.  I find Polyan's determination and enthusiasm particularly moving, and hope she can somehow make it to worlds for the first time at the age of 22.  Her solid gymnastics and feisty attitude may prove to be a healthy grounding influence on the young team that is travelling to Japan if others' progress proves less than reliable.

The Universiade event finals took place yesterday, with Japan's Yu Minobe taking two golds (bars and beam).  The Japanese women put on a strong showing here, taking a total of nine medals throughout all stages of the competition (seven in the event finals, team gold and silver in the all around (Yamagishi)). Russia showed their class on vault and floor, taking three medals in total.  Alena Polyan, who shone at this spring's Russian Championships, dominated floor, taking the top score on this event each day of the competition.  Along with her bronze all around and on beam, she has a good collection of medals from this event.  2010 European team champion Anna Myzdrikova took silver on vault. St Petersburg's Irina Sazonova performed pretty much as she did in qualifying on bars, finishing in sixth place, Ekaterina Skorodumova took a .6 penalty on floor to finish 6th there also.  Yulia Lozhecko was the only Russian woman not to qualify to any final. In the men's ...

China's K Xiao won today's all around final in Shenzhen with a consistent performance topped off by a 15 on bars, today's highest score in the women's competition.  In second place was Japan's M Yamagishi, and taking the bronze was Russia's Alena Polyan.  Alena performed consistently throughout and took today's highest scores on floor and vault.  Her compatriot Irina Sazonova finished in 7th.   Ukraine's Yana Demianchuk, a great hope after Saturday's team final, couldn't maintain her standards, and ended up in 8th.  These gymnasts will all have a chance to win further medals or improve their standings in tomorrow's event finals.  Full results can be found here .  Sadly, two gymnasts were unable to complete their Games - the leading qualifier in the all around, Korea's Jo H, was stretchered off after a nasty accident on bars and Ukraine's Angelina Kysla also withdrew before completing bars - her first piece.