Skip to main content

Balakovo boys look to the future

Pictures courtesy of Balokovomedia


All over Russia youngsters are learning gymnastics, and Balakovomedia reports the results of a competition between boys from the local Sports School, born 2004-2006. Remember the names of the winners : (2004 born) Andrei Romanov, Vladislav Bardasov, Ivan Filippov; (2005 born) Alexander Ganshin, Artem Davidyuk, Dmitri Emin (2006 born) Kirill Penkov, Alexander Klimov, Linar Shpyapnikov. 

Balokovo is a small town with a population of slightly less than 200,000.  It is located in Saratov Oblast, roughly 500 miles south east of Moscow. 

All of the competitors - a total of just 33 young boys - have many twists and turns ahead in their lives.  Whether they continue with gymnastics at all is up to them, but they are already doing a lot of work and learning valuable lessons.

Their efforts ultimately contribute to Russia's attempts to build a mass base from which they can draw their senior teams of the future.  Good luck to them all!


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

'Mustafina is no longer in pain' - Valentina Rodionenko

Picture of Aliya Mustafina, courtesy of RGF Valentina Rodionenko has provided some updates on the Russian teams and how their preparation for Worlds (Nanning, China, 3 to 12 October) is progressing, via Allsports (http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=84328) - The teams are now at camp in Italy, in two small towns close to Milan, by the sea, where the girls travelled on 29th June and the men on 1 July.  The athletes aren't only training, they can also relax. - Komova is working out at Round Lake, she didn't go to Italy.  We will see how she does at the Russia Cup, which will be held late August in Penza. Tatiana Nabiyeva is looking good in training and the other girls are also working.  Ksenia Afanasyeva won't have time to prepare for Worlds, and Anastasia Grishina's participation is also in doubt, we just don't know if she will qualify for the team.   We have hopes for Aliya Mustafina.  As always, she is our number one.  It would be great if there were t...

Nelli Kim - 'Russian gymnastics has closed in on itself' - Lupita translates

Lupita has translated this ITAR-TASS interview with Nelli Kim.  It's controversial, to say the least. Ed's note : much of the initial response to this interview - both here and in the wider gymternet -  has focussed on the detail of Kim's words and especially her comments about Viktoria Komova, and smiling.  But I think these have to be taken in context, and not too literally. Don't forget that just a day ago Andrei Rodionenko complained bitterly about the judging in Antwerp, calling Kim's behaviour 'aggressive'. Kim is responding to this here, and to the wider current context of Russian gymnastics.  What she is essentially saying to the Russian coach is 'get your own house in order, produce confident, disciplined, well trained gymnasts - stop complaining, do your job, and I will do mine.'   She goes about saying this in a somewhat long winded way and says some things along the way that seem contradictory, unfair, inappropriate even for th...

Ksenia Afanasyeva takes retirement

Leading Russian gymnast since 2007, Ksenia Afanasyeva has retired from gymnastics for medical reasons, reports Alexei Fililov from R Sport.   Valentina Rodionenko explained that Ksenia has a serious kidney illness. She is in hospital and will take not just days but weeks to recover. Afanasyeva is not just a brilliant gymnast but also a kind, humourous and intelligent team captain.  Her presence will be missed by both spectators and fellow competitors in Rio. Ksenia's place on the Russian team travelling to Rio on Sunday will be taken by the experienced and well prepared Evgenia Shelgunova. RRG would like to wish Ksenia a full recovery.  Get well soon, Ksenia and we will look forward to hearing about your next steps in your new life. http://m.rsport.ru/artist_gym/20160721/993115276.html

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more