Skip to main content

Interview with David Belyavski

Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion in team all-around David Belyavsky told RG about his love for artistic gymnastics, his attitude towards the Paris Olympics and his mood for the BRICS Games in Kazan.


❓How did you like the first day at the BRICS Games?

💬David Belyavsky: I immediately remember the 2013 Universiade, in which I took part (I won gold in the team, silver on the uneven bars and two bronzes - in the individual all-around and floor exercises - RG note). Kazan, the Universiade village, where we live - everything is great, you can feel the atmosphere of a sports festival. They greeted us very well - with dancing. It's a pity there was no chak-chak, I would have eaten it with pleasure.


❓And what about the regime, diet?

David Belyavsky: I never limit myself much, I don't hold back. Moreover, I don’t plan to eat a kilogram, I just want to try.


❓By the way, how did the test go?

💬David Belyavsky: The first training session went well. We came to the gym, warmed up. With new equipment, as it happens at international competitions, we had to work a little to get it in working order.


❓Russian gymnasts in neutral status decided not to go to the Olympics in Paris. Will you watch the tournament?

💬David Belyavsky: Yes, of course.


❓With what feeling? Regret?

💬David Belyavsky: You know, maybe at first there really was regret. But two years have passed. We live in these realities. Although I have had three Olympics, I stood on the podium everywhere. I am sure it is easier for me to judge than for young athletes.


❓And what is their attitude?

💬David Belyavskiy: The guys are training, trying to complicate their combinations, but still strive for international starts. For some, the BRICS Games are their first such tournament. For example, Daniil Marinov, who has already become the absolute champion of the country twice, beat absolute world champions Nagorny and Dalaloyan in the all-around.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dmitri Zanin on Melnikova and the Russian team in Zagreb

Melnikova’s gesture on the podium, the "Slavic face," the coldness of rivals—Zanin captures the details of gymnastics at the Euros. Natalia Maryanchik, sports.ru  Жест Мельниковой на подиуме, slavic face, холод соперниц – детали гимнастики на Евро от Занина - Дальний лес - Блоги Sports.ru The European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Zagreb concluded with a triumph for the Russian women, even though Melnikova and Kalmykova only made it to the tournament following intervention by the Foreign Ministry and competed practically straight off the plane. Melnikova and Kalmykova took first and second place in the all-around event. Competing under a neutral status, the Russian women won the team competition. Melnikova also claimed gold in the vault, as well as bronze on the balance beam and in the floor exercise. Match TV commentator Dmitry Zanin, who covered the tournament, recounted that Melnikova was moved to tears during the vault medal ceremony. He described her standing in h...

Alexander Alexandrov in his own words 5: The London Olympics, and beyond

Part 1 Part 4 Russia's gymnasts and coaches celebrate at the London Olympics, 2012.  Courtesy RGF/Elena Mikhailova RRG: In your opinion, did the Russian WAG team fulfill its potential at the London 2012 Olympics?  Were there ways in which the team could have done better?  How was the team spirit - amongst the gymnasts and amongst the coaches? AA:  I have a somewhat double feeling/opinion about this.  In my mind, I believe that we were capable of taking first place.  At qualifications we were losing to the US by 1.5 points.  When finals started, we were a bit behind, but gained some positions compared to the qualifications round.  Unfortuantely, we were not able to hold on and lost by a large margin. Anastasia Grishina: 'scared' and poorly coached in 2012, but great potential for 2013 I don't want to point any fingers, but again our unstoppable Rodionenkos had worked for four years with the coach of Grishina and allowed him to train ...

No Paseka for Russia in Berne

Barely two weeks will elapse before the WAG European Championships begin in Berne, Switzerland, and the news we had been fearing has been confirmed : world vault gold medallist Maria Paseka is  off the Russian team while she nurses a back injury.  This leaves Russia significantly weakened for the coming competition, with co-star Viktoria Komova also missing from the line-up.  It is a little disappointing, but it seems the right decision to rest the gymnasts so that they can be at their best when and where it really matters. Who will replace Paseka?  Valentina Rodionenko says that the youngster Natalia Kapitonova, who trains in Penza, has been chosen on the basis of her solid performances at national championships.  Well, we will have to wait and see - these announcements often turn out to be unreliable.   I personally would prefer to see the dynamic Seda Tutkhalyan be given a chance at this level, but Kapitonova has certainly shown herself to be more reliab...

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more