Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Nikolai Kuksenkov, in training this week for Worlds at Lake Krugloye, has his painful hand treated.  RGF Lupita translates an interview with the Russian head coach, Valeri Alfosov: Nikolai Kuksenkov, the winner at the Universiade, has a finger injury [dislocated finger]; he might not compete on all events. 'When will the decision be taken?', asked Sovietski Sport ' In Antwerp, in the final training sessions', replied Alfosov. Kuksenkov thinks that this was a silly injury. He was training bars, and thinks it will be fine by the time that the World championships start. 'We are doing everything' he says. 'Have you seen the new 19 year old gymnast from Japan?' Alfosov replied, ' Kenzo Shirai? I saw his floor clip on the internet. He performs incredible elements in his routine: no double backs, only twists: four twists at the end, triple twisting front.'   David Belyavski has an ankle injury but will try to compete in Antwer...

Russia's strategy of sending its best MAG team to the Universiade in Kazan today paid off. All rounders Nikita Ignatyev, David Belyavski and Nikolai Kuksenkov put in a solid showing, supported by specialists Denis Ablyazin (floor, vault, rings) and Emin Garibov (pommels, parallel bars and high bar). Their performance must be one of the most consistent and solid by a Russia MAG team in a long time and shows the benefits of competing at home. Ukraine finished in second place, edging Japan by slightly more than two tenths.   Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev finished all around qualification in first place, followed by Japan's Ryohei Kato and Ukrainian Oleg Stepko.  David Belyavski finished in fourth place with Nikolai Kuksenkov following closely behind.  Less than 1 point separates the top five qualifiers in the all around. While the strength in depth of the MAG competition is reflected in a wider diversity of gymnasts qualifying in first place for finals (see below) than in ...

David Belyavski during the All Around final at last month's European Championships.  Courtesy RGF Last week, Natalia Kalugina interviewed European All Around Champion David Belyavski and his coach, Valeri Lomaev, on Radio Moscow Echo .  The gymnast is back in training after a short post-European Championships break, working hard in preparation for July's Universiade at a national training camp in the German Olympic centre. He talks about upgrades to his routines (including a triple twisting Yurchenko second vault), his team and his rivals. Lupita here provides a summary of the key points : Valeri Lomaev: Training is going well. All the gymnasts are training well. David Belyavski:  We will fight. I have gained experience. Natalia Kalugina: I am happy for your medal on parallel bars. They require schooling. DB: It was unexpected for me.  Some of the best parallel bars specialists used to come from amongst the Russians. NK: We...

David Belyavski, 22 years old, has long promised a gold medal in a major all around competition.  The 2012 and 2013 Russian national champion is set in the classical mould of Alexei Nemov and Vladimir Artemov.  Now chief coach of the Russian team, Valery Alfosov, is comparing him to the highly respected Olympic Champion, Kohei Uchimura.   Belyavski performed with consistency and elegance to take the gold medal in this Friday's all around final, and promises much more.  The emotional intensity of his performance was impressive as he went head to head with the richest competitive field men's European all around gymnastics has seen in a long time.    David trains at the Dynamo Club in Yekaterinburg with coach Viktor Lomaev, and at Russian national championships competes for the Siberian men's team that contributes so much to the national scene.  An interview with Valery Alfosov appeared in yesterday's edition of Sovietski Sport. The...