Nikita Ignatyev - the 'All Arounder' - crowned Russian Champion 2012

L to R : Emin Garibov, Nikita Ignatyev, Igor Pakhomenko took the honours at today's Russian Championships

Siberia showed their strength at today's Russian Championships as two of their gymnasts finished in the top three in the all around competition.  Nikita Ignatyev, born 21st June 1992, trains at the Dynamo team in Leninsk Kuznetsk alongside training mate and bronze medallist Igor Pakhomenko (10th June 1992).  Both share the same personal coach: Dmitriy Chunosov.  Silver medalist Emin Garibov (8th September 1990) trains at the Dynamo Moscow club.

Ignatyev is rarely to be seen without a smile on his face and seems to be the life and soul of the party whenever the cameras are turned on him.  In a recent interview (Antonova, 2011) he commented :

I'm a happy person, loving life.  I just have that feeling inside me.  Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, of course, when it's grey outside for example, but overall I have a positive outlook on life. 

I can be the life of the party, but not just any party.   There are some groups I avoid.  But, I do kind of draw people in, that's true.  I try to be pleasant in talking to everyone and I can always find something in common to talk about.  

As far as friends go? That would probably be Igor Pakhomenko; we've known each other a long time.  I can call him a friend.  And my coach is a very close person - that's no exaggeration.  Dmitriy Dmitriyevich Chunosov raised me and fed me when my parents were not close.  He helped me with school and helped me get paid.  He is demanding, but all in good measure.  I think that that is exactly how a coach should be — a person.  To know how far to push and when to stop.

- Sergei Khorokhordin says he is stubborn. Aleksandr Balandin says he is patient…?

 

Me? I'm an all-arounder.

Congratulations to Nikita on his fantastic win!  Full results are available here.  The competition continues tomorrow with the final in the senior team event from 4 to 9 pm local time.

1    Ignatiev, Nikita           14.733 13.067 15.467 15.800 14.833 15.167 89.067
2    Garibov, Emin            14.267 13.600 14.767 14.900 15.567 15.633 88.734
3    Pakhomenko, Igor      15.167 15.033 14.700 15.100 14.133 14.000 88.133
4    Belyavsky, David        15.267 15.367 14.400 14.667 15.333 12.600 87.634
5    Khorokhordin, Sergei 14.767 14.067 14.833 13.867 15.167 14.800 87.501
6    Russinyak, Pavel         14.300 12.333 14.700 15.800 14.900 14.667 86.700
7    Stolyarov, Dmitri         13.800 14.667 14.600 14.533 14.700 14.167 86.467
8    Kazachkov, Danill       15.133 13.367 14.967 14.967 13.500 14.200 86.134
9    Cherkasov, Andrei      15.267 12.667 14.833 14.367 14.433 14.133 85.700
10  Devyatovskiy, Maksim 14.200 12.667 15.200 14.367 14.900 13.467 84.801

Results of the team and junior events can be found here, and there is a picture gallery of the awards ceremony for the men's all around here.


Antonov, Ksenia (2011) Nikita Ignatyev: Soldier's Son (publication details unknown) available at http://www.sportgymrus.ru/press/5451/6603/default.aspx accessed 4th April 2012


Picture by kind permission of the RGF