Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Lupita has provided the following translation of an interview from Sovietski Sport (18th April). Valentina Rodionenko, coach with the Russian and Soviet teams for over 30 years, celebrates her 76th birthday in September this year.  Picture courtesy of RGF . Valentina Rodionenko, Russian national coach, tells us that the composition of the team that will fight for gold against the US is already known as far as three members are concerned: Aliya Mustafina, who missed one year of gymnastics due to a severe injury (although in Penza, Aliya competed and won), Viktoria Komova, who placed second at the world championships, whose tears in Tokyo for a lost medal were considered a personal tragedy in Russia, and a new name: Anastasia Grishina . -    We will be leaving for London on July the 21st. It’s no use arriving earlier.   Vitaly Smirnov, from the Russian Olympic Committee, thinks it’s better to arrive earlier .  We are better off here. If we have t...

Thanks to Alar, Kyan, Albert and all at the All Around Forum who keep us all up to date with translations and links. Vladimirova, Alexandr (2012) We have ten gymnasts trying for London - Alexander Alexandrov, rsport.ru 25th March 2012 English language translation via Russian.Gymnasts.Net.  Russian language version available at http://rsport.ru/interview/20120325/587639713.html accessed 3rd April 2012 Russian TV (unknown channel) Aliya Mustafina : the hardest thing is working day in and day out late March 2012 complete with English language translation of Aliya's interview Gallery of video of the Russian gymnasts at the Jesolo Cup , via Russian Gymnasts.net Vladimirova, Alexandr (2012) Grishina: I need more competitive experience rsport.ru 25th March 2012 English language translation via Russian.Gymnasts.Net.  Russian language version available at http://sport.mail.ru/news/qymnastics/8444717/ accessed 3rd April 2012 Russia, Ukraine win at Zakharova Cup - via The A...

A fuller version of the story appearing on IG appears now in English language on the Russian Federation's website . Much of the nuts and bolts of the translation regarding Viktoria's injury remains the same, including the fairly confident sounding hope that she will be ready to compete at the Moscow World Cup in May, so fingers crossed.  Valentina Rodienenko also confirms that Mustafina, Nabieva, Dementieva, Golutsotskov, Devyatovski, Ignatiev, Balandin, Garibov and Ablyazin will travel to Paris for this weekend's World Cup.  That's the declared European Championships team, minus Yulia Belokobylskaya who is said elsewhere to be travelling instead to Italy for the Jesolo Cup.  Which makes this weekend potentially interesting gymnastics reading. What is a little different, however, is the translation of the comment regarding Aliya Mustafina's participation in the American Cup this year.  This now reads: "Aliya is very tired after the world cup event. That...

There is a long and interesting interview with the Rodienenkos in Sovietski Sport today.  The Google translation is rather difficult to make complete sense of but the interview addresses the prospects for the Russian team at the 2012 Olympics (they are targetting six medals: two golds, two silvers, two bronzes); discusses the reasons for the Russian team's improved performance and the different rates of recovery between the men's and women's teams; and relations with Leonid Arkayev, who apparently is much more relaxed and happy now.  When discussing the performance of Aliya Mustafina, Rodienenko emphasises that her immediate future revolves around training and competing, not celebrity performances and modelling! They were keen to emphasise that they returned to Russia as they were, fundamentally, homesick.  Alexandrov's family has remained in the United States and he now has an American passport.  The coaches do not work in Russia for the money, but because they ...