I am looking forward with inspiration - Melnikova returns to international competition

Angelina Melnikova will be the first Russian WAG to compete internationally since the IOC ban in 2022 when she appears at the World Challenge Cup in Paris on September 13 and 14 this year.

Travelling with her will be coach Konstantin Pluzhnikov and judge Elena Redyanova.  

Angelina says she will compete AA with a relatively simple programme.

I’m glad Angelina is making this start for Russia.  It’s a real tribute to this young woman that she is trusted with the first effort at coming back after such a long time, and I hope people welcome her back warmly.  Angelina will be competing as a neutral athlete, of course.  She was awarded this status after a fair and rigorous process of evaluation by the FIG.  

Here is what Angelina said today to Match TV:

Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics Angelina Melnikova told Match TV how she reacted to being admitted to the FIG World Challenge Cup tournament in France.

❓What emotions did you experience from the fact that you will be able to perform at the tournament in Paris?

💬 When I found out, the first thing I thought about was whether I had ever performed at these competitions or not. I realized that I had never participated in such a tournament. This will be my first performance in Paris. So, of course, I am looking forward to going to these competitions with great impatience and inspiration.

❓ Is it exciting to return to the international arena after a break?

💬 I have thought many times about what it will be like to return to the international arena after such a long break. I think it will be very exciting. It seems to me that there will be a certain wariness. I hope that we will be well received.

❓ Can the audience expect new programs from you?

💬 I will do the all-around, but most likely simplified programs. Two weeks after the end of the competition in Paris, the Russian Championships will start, for which I must be in very good shape. Therefore, Paris for me is probably more of a test tournament, a test of the situation and, of course, a stage of preparation for the Russian Championships.

❓What does Paris mean to you as a venue - is there any special motivation to perform there?

💬 Paris means a lot to me. As it turns out, I have many unfulfilled dreams associated with Paris. In 2020, I starred in a large advertisement for the European Championships, which was supposed to be held in Paris, and then the coronavirus started. And, naturally, it was all postponed, and this advertisement never came out. In 2024, there were the Olympic Games in Paris, which, of course, I dreamed of going to. I hope that everything will go smoothly now, and I will still perform in Paris.

❓What goals do you set for yourself at these competitions?

💬 The main goal is to return to the international arena. And I think that this start will be a very serious step for our entire team, Melnikova told Match TV.