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Komova will compete two pieces in Sofia

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2012 Olympian Viktoria Komova will compete on bars and beam at May's Europeans, says Russian Head Coach Valentina Rodionenko.  'Viktoria still isn't ready to vault', said Valentina, adding that they were protecting the 18 year old, but expected her to be fully ready for the World Championships in October.  She added that Anna Rodionova and Ksenia Afanasyeva were in reserve, but that Afanasyeva still hadn't recovered fully from her operation of last autumn. After participating in this competition she had decided not to try for Europeans, and was targeting the World Championships.

'Mustafina is almost fully recovered, but it wasn't quite enough in the fourth day', Rodionenko said, adding that the 2010 World Champion had performed well in the all around.

In other news, an unofficial but trustworthy source has said that Anastasia Grishina, who suffered a partial ACL tear, broken knee bone and cartilage damage in Saturday's team final, will be travelling to Germany in the 14th April for surgery with the same doctor who has treated Mustafina and other leading Russian stars.  We wish Nastia a good recovery.

Interview with Valentina Rodionenko - http://rsport.ru/artist_gym/20140407/741509466.html




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Comments

  1. Alyssia9 April 2014 at 20:03

    So they'll take two DTYs and an FTY then? Hmmmm. :\ Unless Kharenkova or Spiridonova suddenly do a DTY (I doubt it.)

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  2. Anonymous9 April 2014 at 21:13

    It's not like Russia needs three DTY's to win Euros.

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    Replies
    1. Unknown9 April 2014 at 23:20

      I don't know - Great Britain WAG looks very strong and Romania can field three good routines on their typical pieces. A mistake here or there and it's anyone's competition.

      Delete
    2. R.10 April 2014 at 15:26

      Yeah I actually think GB is the stronger threat than Romania. They should be able to field 3 DTYs and have literally 3 EF podium worthy bars routines (Downie, Harrold and Tunney).. their weak spot is floor but it's not like Russia's is great now either!

      Delete
  3. Anonymous9 April 2014 at 21:40

    Their floor rotation will be a little sad in my opinion.

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  4. Unknown9 April 2014 at 23:21

    Queen E, thanks for the update on Grishina. I'm going to miss her this season, I hope she intends to come back.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Christian10 April 2014 at 00:28

    That picture is hilarious. I mean I knew she'd grown but there was a second there where I thought she'd never be able to do giants again ...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unknown10 April 2014 at 01:59

    hmmm, they should take someone over spiridonova then with a DTY. They have Vika, Musty and Kharenkova for beam, and Musty and Vika are both so great on bars that they could make do with one average bar set. I think that would improve their score more. However, Spiridonova would gain experience it could be good in the long run. I see the title as theirs though as long as they don't have a classic Russian meltdown. Then again it always seems that we underestimate Romania.....

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    Replies
    1. R.10 April 2014 at 15:23

      I agree with you only if (1) Vika really doesn't do vault - I don't trust Valentina and this sounds like her usual 'spreading false information to the media before a big comp' trick, and (2) only if the DTY is Afan's. Paseka's DTY is so dreadful now and will have so many deductions that Russia might be better off score-wise with a very clean FTY and a 6+ D clean bars set from Spiridonova than Paseka's DTY. And I'm not really that sure they will sub Afan in.

      Delete
  7. The Writer!10 April 2014 at 03:31

    If that's correct then VT Mustafina/Sosnitskaya/Spiridonova or Kharenkova UB Mustafina/Komova/Spriridonova BB Komova/Kharenkova/Mustafina FX Mustafina/Sosnitskaya/Kharenkova or Spiridonova.

    Spiridonova was given a 15.1 on uneven bars during the all around and would only be on UB. They could go with Paseka instead and use either Kharenkova/Sosnitskaya/Paseka on UB.

    I feel like Valentina likes to drop small lies before the big competitions to throw off the competition. I see changes being made to the Euro line up - maybe.

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  8. Anonymous10 April 2014 at 09:41

    Euros are only 4 weeks from now!
    Some of the girls have little international experience.
    Will Mustafina be able to recover her Antwerp level?

    ReplyDelete
  9. R.10 April 2014 at 15:19

    I don't trust Valentina. I'll see it when I believe it, but I absolutely do not believe Russia will field a FTY at Euros. My guess is that there's still the chance Vika might have her DTY in time for Euros, but if not then I wouldn't count on the team staying as it is currently announced.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 April 2014 at 04:50

      I doubt it too, Russia must have something up their sleeves. At the last Olympics the USA and Russia were the vaulting powerhouses of the world. It be sad for them to debut a FTY at such a major competiton like the Euro's.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous11 April 2014 at 00:03

    I don't get Spiridonova. Her bars will should not hit 15's at Europeans or at any international competition. I can see way too many execution deductions. Rodionova's Cottbus bars was better than Spiridonova's 15+ hit Russian national routine. Just saying.

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    1. Anonymous11 April 2014 at 01:12

      I agree with you that Rodionova's routine was so clean and that she has improved a lot on UB ...
      On the other hand I disagree with you about Spiridinova, I do think she was so clean too and her 6.4 D-score is higher than Rodionova's by 0.1 and she can easily obtain 8.6 E-score in any international stage, for instance Raisman got 8.433 E-score for her bars routine in the AA final in London!!) I mean if the judges granted Rasiman 8.433 then Spiridinova and Rodionova must earn not less than 8.8 ...

      Delete
  11. Anonymous11 April 2014 at 10:30

    Russia hasn't good vaulters right now.
    The new girls look rather frail to throw DTY.

    ReplyDelete

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