Skip to main content

Melnikova speaks about healthy eating

On her Instagram account :  


‘I have always reacted sharply to certain kinds of prohibitions, for example, food prohibitions.


Many coaches keep track of the girls, who ate what and how much, although, it seems to me, these are already relics of the past, but still there is a lot of this left now.


I was always OK. The coach even often fed me. He would bring bananas, then he would give me berries, then he would give me chocolate, knowing that I had a sweet tooth. I am always asked to this day, “Have you eaten?”


Therefore, there have never had eating disorders or other psychological problems related to weight.


I never liked prohibitions because I thought


“Damn, I’m here because I chose this, because I want to, because I’m conscientious about my work.  I want to achieve something, so I work here and try.”


Why force me into strict rules that really prevent me from reaching the top, growing as a person and as an athlete, demanding the almost impossible from me, instead of asking “what do you need in order to do this?”


In short, a paradox


And there were always just two questions in my head: “WHAT IS THIS AND WHY IS THIS?” ‘


Queen Elizabeth : This is clearly a kickback to Valentina Rodienenko’s statement yesterday.  Melnikova has been outspoken in her opinions on coach-gymnast relationships, expressing the importance of the athlete’s agency and self determination.  She is the first actively competing gymnast in Russia to challenge some of the ‘traditional’ approaches to sports coaching that gradually being overturned globally.  


It’s great to hear her speak out in such a positive way.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Russia Cup - the road to Nanning!

The Russian MAG and WAG teams take their preparation for World Championships in Nanning one step further this week, as key players compete in the annual Russia Cup in Penza.  There will be team, all around and event finals. The WAG team Last year the gymnasts were rather depleted and suffering the effects of injury; this year the national squad is still short of some of its top members, but has greater diversity and experience up and coming into the ranks, so it will be an interesting time.  Last year saw St Petersburg gymnast and fan favourite Tatiana Nabiyeva lead the all around, ahead of Alla Sosnitskaya, Anna Pavlova, Anna Rodionova, Ekaterina Kramarenko and Polina Fyodorova.  With the individual-only World Championships up coming in Antwerp, I remember writing that Russia might well decide to send a team of only three gymnasts, such was the paucity of available talent.  The final reckoning saw Russia fare a little better than this, although performance lacked depth and re

2013 European Championships move to Moscow!

Russia is hosting the forthcoming men's and women's European Gymnastics Championships, scheduled to appear in Moscow (not Kazan, as originally announced) between 17th and 21st April 2013.  You can find more information at the UEG website.  It is a bumper year for Russian international gymnastics competitions, with the Universiade taking place in the ancient city of Kazan (part of which is a UNESCO World Heritage site) in July.  St Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, by night

Komova, Grishina, Afanasyeva, Kuksenkov on roster for Voronin Cup, 15-17 December

2012 Olympians Viktoria Komova, Anastasia Grishina, Ksenia Afanasyeva, and Nikolai Kuksenkov will compete in the Voronin Cup, Moscow, 15-17 December.   Aliya Mustafina, Emin Garibov, Denis Ablyazin and Alexander Balandin are out with injury or in recovery - expect them back next spring. http://itar-tass.com/sport/1629215