Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Aliya competed this weekend in Ukraine - probably our last chance to see her before Euros in just over two weeks' time.  I haven't seen full results yet but even with a fall on floor, Aliya won the all around, with Russia taking gold in the team competition ahead of Ukraine and Japan.  Competing with her on the Russian team were Anna Dementyeva and Polina Fedyorova.  Ukraine's Oleg Vernaev won the men's competition, leading the winning team ahead of Russia and the Netherlands. Thanks to Alexandra Kuznetsova for videos, and for the pictures in this press report .  Aliya Mustafina floor Aliya Mustafina uneven bars Aliya Mustafina beam Aliya looks to be concentrating on developing new combinations for her beam routine and I guess that her competition goals this year are somewhat longer term than Moscow Europeans which are coming earlier in the year than usual. I'm feeling a replay of 1987 Europeans may be on the cards, with the feisty veteran lookin...

Maria Bondareva, Maria Nazarova, Kristina Levshina 12 year old Maria Bondareva proved herself once again in competition on Friday, taking the All Around gold in the Candidate Master of Sport category with a score of 56.867 including a 15.2 on beam.  Bondareva's nearest rivals were (second placed) Polina Spirina  (52.933), who turns 13 in April and comes from Novosibirsk; and bronze medallist Kristina Levshina (52.9), 13 years old, who trains alongside Ksenia Afanasyeva with coach Maria Nazarova in the town of Tula.  Full results are available here . National team member Polina Spirina, who first shone in the 2010 Olympic Hopefuls competition The Master of Sport category competition was won by Polina Fyodorova but with a score almost four points short of Bondareva's total (53.133).  Following on her heels were Yuna Nefedova (52.4) and Irina Yashina (51.533) The junior competitions this year are marked by the absence of key team members who have until very re...