Alfosov: Youth Olympic champion Smirnov could also perform successfully at the senior-level Games
The gymnast won a gold medal in the individual all-around event in Dakar
TASS, 10 November 2026
MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. Russian gymnast Daniil Smirnov, a winner at the Youth Olympic Games, is a candidate for the senior national team; given his potential, he is capable of delivering a strong performance at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This assessment was shared with TASS by Valery Alfosov, senior coach of the Russian men’s national gymnastics team.
Smirnov took first place in the individual all-around, scoring 81.298 points. The silver medal went to Great Britain’s Uzair Chowdhury (79.132), while Japan’s Ikki Nishihara finished third (79.065).
"Despite his young age, Daniil Smirnov is already a skilled gymnast with routines of a very respectable level of difficulty," Alfosov said. "He is a candidate for the senior Russian national team. This summer, at the national championships in Kaluga, Daniil performed very well and earned a spot on the podium. It was at that tournament that he secured the right to represent Russia at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. He trained diligently for the Games and delivered an impressive performance there." "He has a solid foundation and a classical style of gymnastics, characterized by clean execution—something that always impresses the judges. He is a graceful, elegant gymnast who truly stands out on the competition floor. Having performed successfully at the Youth Olympic Games, there is nothing to stop him from repeating that success at the senior-level Olympics in Los Angeles; he simply needs to train hard and consistently, while increasing the difficulty of his routines. We have already included him as a candidate for the 2028 Games—we have high hopes for this young gymnast, and he still has plenty of time to prepare properly," the national team coach concluded.
The fourth Youth Olympic Games will continue in Dakar until November 13. For the first time in the history of the Olympic movement, the Games are being held in Africa. Approximately 2,700 athletes are participating, competing for a total of 153 sets of medals across 25 sports. The Russian delegation consists of 13 athletes, who are competing under their national colours.
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