Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Nico Jackson writes: Two-time Olympic bronze-medalist, Anna  Pavlova , won Azerbaijan’s first World Cup medal in artistic gymnastics by taking gold on uneven bars at the World Challenge Cup in Ljubljana, Slovenia this past weekend. In a fairly weak women’s field,  Pavlova  easily won gold with low difficulty but superb execution scoring 12.825 (4.5/8.325). To the surprise of many,  Pavlova   even  upgraded her dismount to  a  double pike  after competing  a simple layout flyaway the past few years. It was certainly interesting to see her win on what has been her weakest apparatus throughout her career.   Unfortunately the balance beam final did not go quite as well for Pavlova  where she showed obvious signs of nerves, wobbling after a number of e lements and sitting down her 5/2  twist dismount. Nevertheless,  Pavlova’s  lines and presence were as strong as ever despite the mistakes. Her  Omelianchik  (back handspring with 3/4 turn to handstand) was a highlight skill with lovely preci

Summary of a Sports Express interview with Andrei Rodionenko, by Aleksandra Vladimirova Russia's head gymnastics coach Andrei Rodionenko tells "Sports Express" who will represent Russia at the European Championships in Bulgaria and why  most of the leaders of the women's team will  not be able to perform  at this tournament (which will be held in Sofia from 12 to 18 May). - Andrei Fedorovich, is it true that silver medallist  of the London Games, Viktoria Komova, is still listed among the injured gymnasts? - This is true, but I would add that this relates to the ankle joint, which has been an issue for some time.  Vika has been treated, recovered, operated, but maybe the last treatment was not entirely successful.  Perhaps the fact is that Viktoria is still going through puberty, and therefore everything that is connected with joints is extremely problematic. Now we will have a deeper examination, a final diagnosis. - Where will the investigations t

http://vnnews.ru/sport/37309-v-sportkompleks-manej-postupilo-novoe-gimnasticheskoe-oborudovanie.html

20:11, 12 ноября 2010 Андрей Родионенко, главный тренер сборной России по спортивной гимнастике Андрей Родионенко. Фото пресс-службы Федерации спортивной гимнастики России Каковы шансы российских гимнастов на Олимпиаде-2012? 24 октября завершился чемпионат мира по спортивной гимнастике. Женская сборная России впервые с 1991 года завоевала золото в командном турнире, а Алия Мустафина стала первой с 2003 года россиянкой, победившей в многоборье. Можно ли говорить о том, что сборная России стала лидером женской гимнастики? Реально ли повторить результат ЧМ-2010 на Олимпиаде в Лондоне? Когда можно ждать успехов от мужской сборной? На эти и другие вопросы читателей "Ленты.Ру" ответил главный тренер сборной России по спортивной гимнастике Андрей Федорович Родионенко. Орфография и пунктуация авторов вопросов сохранены. Jay   [29.10 14:58] Андрей Федорович, скажите пожалуйста, как вы относитесь к тому, что сейчас появилось много гимнастов, которые специализируются на каком-нибудь одн

Photograph of Stella Zakharova, courtesy of the Kiev Times Amid rising political and military tensions in Ukraine, former Soviet gymnastics champion Stella Zakharova, now a resident of Kiev, is struggling to find government support for her gymnastics competition, the Stella Zakharova Cup, last year supported by a strong field of competitors including teams from Russia, Japan and Brazil as well as the home team.   The competition is reliant on government support for part of its funding and also for confirmation of the competition dates.  Originally scheduled for March 29th and 30th, the competition was first rescheduled for April but its postponement currently appears indefinite.  Zakharova is complaining that  Minister of Sport and Youth, Dmitri Bulatov, is ignoring her requests for support and information.  She is conducting a fairly vocal campaign, having appeared recently on Ukrainian radio and in a number of local press reports.  The latest story about this is here -  http://thekie

Komova - a prodigious talent for performance I have been pondering the nature of gymnastics talent recently, while viewing some videos of 1992 competitions on YouTube - you can find links to them if you like, by visiting RRG's Facebook page. What was it that made the Soviets so outstanding?  In the videos, you will see three champions, side by side, each competing close to perfect routines almost every time they hit the podium.  No sprung floor, no vaulting table, a Code that (1) required compulsory as well as optional routines to be prepared, (2) encouraged innovation in single moves of extreme difficulty, (3) required balanced performances of artistic as well as technical merit, and (4) recognised and rewarded virtuosity.   The three champions I am speaking of each satisfied the Code in different ways: Boguinskaia had unique and incredible grace and amplitude; Lyssenko expressed emotional intensity through an amazing combination of power, difficulty and artistry; Gutsu simply sho

Veteran Ekaterina Kramarenko will replace Viktoria Komova in Sofia next month Youth Olympic Champion, World and Olympic medallist Viktoria Komova has today personally confirmed that she will miss her much anticipated return to international competition.  Speaking on the Russian gymnastics site at VK.com, Komova says that she sprained her foot in training right after Russian Championships and will travel to Munich at the end of April for an operation.  No other information is available at this time. This is rather troubling news for the Russian team who are already digging deep into their reserves to field a team at this spring's European Championships, following injuries to their stars Ksenia Afanasyeva and Anastasia Grishina, and the retirement of Olympic reserve Tatiana Nabiyeva.  Russia, like Romania, is currently reliant on a team of veteran gymnasts from the London 2012 Olympics and before, and the consequences of the current injury rate is that it increasingly cannot select i

Sadly, Komova is out of the competition, replaced by Kramarenko.  We have to wait for official notification from the Federation, or from Viktoria herself, of the reason. http://www.ueg.org/images/event/114/Nominative%20entry%20ECh%20WAG%20Sofia%202014.pdf Mustafina Kharenkova Spiridinova Sosnitskaya Kramarenko Juniors Maria Bondareva Anastasia Dmitrueva Seda Tutkhalyan Angelina Melnikova Daria Skrypnik

Potapov, Starikov, Nagorny.  Courtesy of the RGF Nico Jackson writes Happy Friday, dear readers! Today was an exciting competition of twists and turns in the junior men’s all-around final in the Master of Sport category. The competition was particularly eventful where the rankings changed quite a bit from qualification. The only thing that didn’t change was  Valentin   Starikov’s  dominance where he was the top qualifier and managed to maintain his lead for the win today. He showed great steadiness and consistency across all six pieces  for an easy victory. A standout from last year’s European Youth Olympic Festival in Utrecht,  Starikov  will be the top new senior to watch for  on next year’s squad. After a rough qualification day in sixth place, Tomsk’s  Kirill   Potapov  rallied  through  to second place in today’s final where he also showed great consistency. He also received one of the highest pommel horse scores of the all-around final (14.500) that propelled him near the podium.

I gnatyev, Belyavski, Lezhankin - three Siberians at the top of the tree.  Courtesy RGF I caught a very quick glimpse of today's men's team qualification and all around finals and my, do I hope there will be some video available.  Coincidentally, I tuned in at the precise moment Denis Ablyazin began his floor exercise - and it was so impressive, a blur of non stop tumbling including forward twisting tumbles from a run, forward twisting tumble into a double front and other impressive stunts that passed far too quickly for my surprised eye and somewhat addled brain to capture, especially without a pen and paper to write it all down.  As ever, there were a few steps on landing, and one very definite out of bounds, but Ablyazin is a real good old fashioned tumbler.  I don't like the fact that men's floor has reduced to a tumbling competition much, but it is exciting, a privilege to spy someone so close to the top of what is possible. Men's gymnastics is so much better t