Tatiana Nabiyeva: 'I will fight for a ticket to Rio if I do well in Penza'

Contemplating her future - Tatiana Nabiyeva

Extracts from an interview with Natalia Plekhanov of All Sport - http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=94780

'If the Russia Cup does not work out I will finish my career and move on to coaching'

- I have not been training, until July 25, I have a little break.  Then I'll start to train in St. Petersburg. I haven't been invited to centralized training with the Russian national team at the training base,  "Round Lake".  My health is all right. Sometimes, I have back pain, but I'm used to it (laughs). I have had back problems for ten years, I put up with it.

- I did terribly at the Russian Championships in March!  After last year's World Championships in China, where we won the bronze medal in the team competition, I, unfortunately, relaxed a great deal, put on some weight. I was supposed to compete at a tournament in France, but couldn't. I stopped training, and until mid-February hardly went to the gym at all. I wanted to finish with the sport completely. But I had to represent the St Petersburg team at the Russian Championships in Penza.   ... I was not ready. Nobody could prepare properly for a competition in two weeks ... During the competition, I decided to compete only on vault and uneven bars.

- In mid-May, you were on the "Dityatin Cup." What are the goals set for this tournament?

- In mid-May, at the Dityatin Cup, I did what I could -vault - where I came first and uneven bars, where I did better than in the Russian Championships.  However, I came second to Elisabeth Seitz, whose D score was 6.6, while mine was 5.9.   ...   I really wanted to go to the Universiade, but unfortunately, after the Russian championship I was removed from the list for training. Of course, I was very upset. But I am to blame for all that has happened.

- I will participate in the Russia Cup!   I will finally decide on my routines - and whether to do the all around - a week before the competition.   I can't say what my goals will be, that will depend on my form. If I do well, I will join the team to prepare for the Olympic Games.  I will continue to train, I will fight for a ticket to Rio 2016. And if it does not work out - I will finish my career and move on to coaching.