Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

This September's Russia Cup, one of the qualifying events for the World Championships, will take place at the Burtasy School of Gymnastics in Penza.  This is a late change from the planned location of Ekaterinburg. Valentina Rodionenko reports that, following a visit by inspectors, the facilities at Ekaterinburg just aren't good enough for such a major competition - there is no warm up gym, and the equipment is not state of the art. In Penza, the gym has benefitted from a gift of brand new equipment from the Ministry of Sport in recognition of the achievements of World and Olympic Champion Denis Ablyazin, who trains with coach Sergei Starkin in Penza. The School has become almost a permanent fixture for national championships recently and has developed as a power base for Russian gymnastics in general.  Head coach Valeri Starkin, father of the better known Sergei Starkin, was recently elevated to a position as national coach.  This change took place almost simultaneously ...

Sergei Starkin - image from Sports Express Sergei Starkin is part of a formidable father and son pairing for whom coaching gymnastics is a family affair.  His father, Valery Starkin, will be well known to gymnastics fans as the sharp-eyed, white-haired  Head Coach of the Burtasy School of Gymnastics in Penza, frequent home to the Russian National Championships.  The School has grown in importance over recent years: the success of homegrown World Champion, the impressive and powerful Denis Ablyazin, gave the Club its profile; Valeri Starkin's astute management of this facility has gained recognition and support from the Ministry of Sport; the recent alignment of 2012 Olympic Champion Aliya Mustafina to personal coach Sergei Starkin has reinforced the club's reputation across WAG as well as MAG.  There are even some who say that Valeri, with his strong ties within the Russian coaching hierarchy, long experience of management and influence, and links to Russia's most li...

An interview with Aliya, who is attending the competition in Penza; some brief coverage of the MAG competition; and a conversation with the Head of Burtasy School of Gymnastics, Valeri Starkin, can be found here -  http://www.penza-press.ru/lenta-novostey/73763/aliya-mustafina-priehala-v-penzu-na-chr-po-sportivnoj-gimnastike 'I really enjoy working with Sergei Valerivich' says Aliya of her new coaching arrangement, adding that it is great to have someone to help.  In an earlier interview she has said she and Sergei Starkin, who also coaches world gold medallist Denis Ablyazin, are working on upgrades to her bars and floor exercises.  She and Ablyazin train at separate times, in separate gyms; it is important to have the one to one attention of a coach, Aliya says. Valeri Starkin, Sergei's father and recently appointed to the national coaching staff, commented on the good atmosphere and competition, here in his home gym.  The Volga Federal District team (Pavlov, Kazac...