Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

The Rotterdam World Championships website is attempting some quite extensive coverage of the coming competition, including pictures and reports of podium training. Webcam coverage is available, but only if you have a Netherlands IP. Here is a link to their promised coverage : http://www.gymnastics2010.com/en/a101007001.asp Hope they can deliver as they expect - this sounds great!

Russian team coach Alexander Alexandrov has expressed some optimism about the Russian women's prospects at the upcoming world championships. http://www.sportgymrus.ru/press/news/4066/default.aspx He feels that Mustafina is a good prospect for the all around; and makes special mention of Nabieva's straight Tkachev-Pak combination as 'unique and historic'. And I have to say, Tanya Nabieva is quite probably the fastest improving gymnast I have ever seen - hope she will do well in Rotterdam. If, like me, you struggle to read Russian and find Google translations somewhat bizarre, try International Gymnast online for a better translation.

This morning, I wanted to reflect on the present, and the near future. Only 9 days to go till the World Championships in Rotterdam (well, podium training begins in 9 days). Can the Russian women win? What is the significance of this competition to them? Is it possible to predict the outcome of a competition? Does it matter who takes the medals? What is ‘winning’, anyway? We all know that medals will be distributed in team, all-around, and event finals, and that huge emotional significance is attached to world titles. And not just for the competitors - I personally will cry buckets if Russia win any kind of gold. But let’s be pragmatic. Rotterdam is only a step on the way to the London 2012 Olympics, and all the athletes there must tread a precarious psychological pathway between living in the now, and preparing for the future, en route to probably the biggest experience of their lives (which some of them may not make). Rotterdam is merely a battle, not the who...