Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

You will find a link to the FIG's newly published book of results at the Olympic Games here .  This year, they have broken down the judge's execution scores so you can see exactly how each judge evaluated the gymnasts' performances.  It makes for interesting reading - if only I had more time to analyse each judge's marking.  A skim reading already highlights multiple inconsistencies in individual judges' marks and makes you wonder why they bother with the jury at all. I have taken the time to look at the reference judges' scores for the top four in the women's all around.  The FIG explains here what their role is, and how they are selected.  I even used my calculator, which is a risky thing in my hands.  My, how I wish we could have seen a similar document for the Tokyo World Championships. I wonder if anyone can explain how, if the FIG's Code of Points is so objective and fair, it is possible to come up with two different results using two differ

Russian Head Coach and his often controversial wife, Valentina.  Courtesy RGF There has been a symphony of voices in the Russian press over past weeks as the results of the Olympics are reviewed and considered; you can find translations of some of the key works on this blog including a partial transcription of a press conference featuring most of the gymnasts and coaches, and interviews with the national coaches and gymnasts.   The key focus of this coverage, rather than on gymnasts' performance, is on national coaching provision: will contracts be renewed, and were all members of the national teams provided with equal coaching support.  So far, much of this controversy seems to have focussed on the women's team.  Two warring factions have emerged: the Rodionenkos alongside Sergei Zelikson (personal coach to Anastasia Grishina) and Marina Ulyankina (Maria Paseka) appear to be at odds with WAG national coach Alexander Alexandrov.  In particular, concerns

Take time if you can to view this, Svetlana Boginskaya's 1988 floor routine set to Bizet's Carmen.  Boginskaya was not the most powerful tumbler on the Soviet team in those days, and today the value of her tumbling would be negligible, but her grace and artistry is timeless, rare.  We speak of 'difficulty', understanding it to mean tumbles, leaps and turns contrived to amount to the highest possible start value.  Boginskaya includes only two leaps in this routine, one turn and three tumbles.  All of these moves are integrated into the narrative of the routine; the choreography varied in shape, style and mood, telling a story that matches the music.  Take out the 'difficulty' and a complex performance remains that goes beyond presentation. Boginskaya was 15 years old at these Games, facing a growth spurt and handling the pressure of her first Olympic Games.  She contributed to the Soviet Union's gold medal in the team event, took two bronzes in the all

Thanks to M for providing the link to this excellent Sports Express interview by Elena Vaitsekhovskaya.  Lupita here translates - enjoy! Alexander Alexandrov and Aliya Mustafina in training shortly before the Games began.  Courtesy of the RGF In interviews that were aired before the Olympics, the Russian head coach - Valentina Rodionenko-  often mentioned that Aliya Mustafina was not the same gymnast she had been in Rotterdam. That she hadn’t  recovered completely after her injury. That she had started to fear competing and complex elements. In London she could win bronze on bars: this would be the limit of her dreams. Yet, Mustafina came back as a heroine. She rescued the whole team; she competed on all four events, although she had only expected to compete on two in the team final. After the team’s silver, she won bronze in the AA, gold in bars and another bronze in floor. No other gymnast was able to win such an amount of medals... * * *   - Lena (Must

On 16th August a press conference took place at the RBK Press Centre in Moscow.  The head coaches, some of the personal coaches (with the exception of Viktoria Komova's coach, Gennady Elfimov) and the gymnasts were present to discuss the future of Russian gymnastics.  I have no idea if a key question highlighted in the lead up to the conference, do the coaching staff need to be changed, is of any real significance.  Lupita's translation (below) addresses matters of coach training and availability, the plan for the coming four years; the Code of Points and its revision for the new quad, whether there is a judges' 'conspiracy', and a degree of contextualisation of Russia's current gymnastics legacy in relation to the history of the sport and the Soviet Union. There does seem to be concern amongst the personal coaches of the women's team, with both Sergei Zelikson (Anastasia Grishina) and Maria Ulyankina (Maria Paseka) suggesting that head coach Alexad