Skip to main content

Russian national teams to compete in Batumi on 24th August.

Daria Spiridinova - impossible to forget.  Picture courtesy of RGF
As Russia's young gymnasts prove their mettle at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Tbilisi this week - see RRG's Facebook page and Twitter account for results and updates - Valentina Rodionenko reports on an upcoming international competition that will be a testing ground for the Russian team in preparation for the World Championships.

I would suggest we might expect more news over the coming days - the usual pattern of Valentina's press activity is for news to be released piecemeal to several different sources, often providing conflicting information - so don't expect anything conclusive here.

So now, read on as Valentina has her say :


All the leaders of the Russian national team in gymnastics will perform at a tournament in Georgia

MOSCOW, July 31 - R-Sport, Maria Vorobyov. 

All the leaders of the Russian national team in gymnastics will take part in the Rusudan Sikharulidze tournament in Batumi, late August, in preparation for the World Championships, says senior coach Valentin Rodionenko.

World Championship will take place October 23 - November 1 in Glasgow.

"In Batumi, where the competition will start on August 24, teams of seven male and seven female gymnasts will compete - all leaders of the Russian team. Aliya Mustafina, Viktoria Komova, Ksenia Afanasyeva, Denis Ablyazin, David Belyavski and others. This is one of the most important tournaments in preparation for the World Championships,"- said Rodionenko by phone.

"The big question is whether Alla Sosnitskaia will recover and make this competition, she still has problems with her ankle.  Let's see.  It is also impossible to forget Daria Spiridonova, Seda Tutkhalyan and Maria Kharenkova - however, Masha is now being treated for back problems.  We are dealing with this issue," added the coach.

Also, the coach stressed that "it is unclear whether Emin Garibov is fully recovered." "Alexei Rostov  showed a good routine on the high bar at the Universiade, and possibly he will be included here as Emin is still recovering.  Emin had a serious injury and it is still unclear whether he will reach the previous level," - said Rodionenko.

"But in general, the two teams have returned from their breaks in Italy and Spain and are in good shape, rested, so to speak. They are now at camp and in full training.  Maria Paseka has a little trouble with her ankle, having inadvertently sprained her foot, but that's all right. Aliya Mustafina, Vika Komova and Ksenia Afanasyeva are all doing good work. So all in all everything is going according to plan ", - concluded the coach.

To add a little more recent information here, via Gymfever I have heard that Anna Rodionova has now officially retired from the sport (her own announcement).  A few weeks ago the Russian press carried an interview with Anastasia Grishina, who is currently recovering from a knee injury.  She isn't part of the national team for Rio at present, but hopes to compete at the Russia Cup in the autumn, and if possible, given her health, to prepare for the Olympics.  Finally, you will have read on this blog that depending on her performance at Russia Cup, Tatiana Nabiyeva will take a decision about her competitive status later in the year.

In as far as preparations for the Olympics are concerned, I have also heard that leading junior competitor Angelina Melnikova will be competing at the Russia Cup.  This would not be the first time that the Russians have used their domestic competitions as a way of blooding young talent who become eligible for senior competition in the Olympic year. 

Batumi Competition : 24th August 2015
Russia Cup : 14-20th September 2015, Penza, Russia
World Championships : 23rd October - 1st November, Glasgow, Scotland

Comments

  1. Batumi Competition is too close to Russian Cup. Will they have enough rest before Russian cup? I am not so sure about the decision for the top gymnasts to compete in both of the competition seeing that they do not lack competition experience (except Vika since she is out for 2 whole years)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wondered about that too ... Perhaps certain gymnasts will not compete at a Russia Cup if they do well here.

      Delete
  2. Grishina, please come back! And bring along your choreographers. Your team mates need them desperately!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Where we can see the Bantumi Competition? At less the program. Thanks in advance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No idea as yet! There may not be live streaming and I do not know of anyone who is going to the competition - so it's just a case of keeping our eyes and ears peeled.

      Delete
  4. What gymnasts are going to the meet in Batumi?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Via Gymfever/Angelina Melnikova I hear -

      Girls going to Batumi according to Melka: Melnikova, Tutkhalyan, Dmitrieva, Komova, Spiridonova, Paseka, Kharenkova, Afansayeva, Shelgunova. Aliya isn't going.

      Delete
  5. not live streaming yet?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No one is expecting live streaming or broadcast ... Last year it was difficult to get any news at all :-(

      The team flies to Batumi on Wednesday so the competition date in this post is not accurate.

      Delete
    2. Does the competition go from August 26-31. I also heard Afanasyeva is not going due to tooth problems. Will anyone take her spot for the competition. Also will you report the results?

      Delete
    3. Yes, those are the dates. Both Afanasyeva and Mustafina appear to be at home at the moment and are not at camp. No announcement has been made about Ksenia's participation in Batumi, but it seems unlikely as it is said that she has toothache hmph. I will publish any information I can obtain.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We are satisfied - Aliya Mustafina

Photo credit: RGF An Allsport interview today with Aliya Mustafina : http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=83075 'I think that we are to be congratulated on this bronze medal, we are more satisfied than frustrated', said Aliya Mustafina. 'We were a new team, all the girls are young, and it's their first time in such a serious competition.  I think today we performed to the best of our ability.  Yes, we have had two falls today - on the uneven bars and balance beam.' 'The young girls failed  psychologically, but  the first time you compete on the senior podium - it's not very easy.  No  one is sad.  I  am very pleased with such a performance.  Everything  was fair enough, maybe not everywhere and in all things, but overall it was quite as expected, both our rivals, and the judging.' 'I began to experience more pain in the ankle - continued Aliya Mustafina. - To do the dismounts I had to muster all my strength and clench my teeth.  The coaches have d

Simone and the others - results and reflections

In the end, it was as predicted : Simone and the others, with Simone's teammate, Alexandra Raisman, providing the back up.  I do not need to point out that, by definition, the Americans are scoring significantly higher marks than the rest of the field.  Congratulations to them! Aliya Mustafina finished in third place.  The 2012 bronze medalist led the competition after vault and uneven bars, but had a very nervous outing on beam that might have taken a less experienced gymnast out of the medals.  A bravura performance on floor brought Aliya back though to confirm her third place all around.  From her senior debut in 2010 to today, Mustafina has continuously set high standards of grace.    It is the first time since 2000 that a gymnast (Amanar) has medalled in the all around at two consecutive Olympics, and  if Aliya can medal on Saturday's uneven bars final, she will once again be Russia's biggest medal winner of the women's gymnastics.  Russia's second gymnast, Sed

Russia defend team silver medal in Rio

It was an emotional performance and an emotional reaction at the end - but Russia is now second in the world in both MAG and WAG! The team did well, exploiting its strengths on bars and vault, and holding its own on beam.  Seda Tutkhalyan really showed her maturity and mettle with an almost perfect showing on beam and a solid, if not faultless, display on floor.  Maria Paseka did her best ever Amanar vault.  Aliya Mustafina ... was Mustafina.  Taking her fifth Olympic medal here, she scored over 60 in the AA.   The best work did come from the 2012 veterans, although Seda on beam and Daria on bars do have that special mark of Russian innovation and skill.  Angelina Melnikova looked perhaps a little overwhelmed at times - though I personally love her emotion - but this was only her first Olympics and I am certain she will be back for more.  Should she have had her personal coach on the floor with her?  It might have given her more assurance.  Is that hamstring still troubling her?  Why d

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more