Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Spiridonova, Tutkhalyan, Kharenkova - a great finish but with too many errors.  Floor is a real weakness for this team, although bars are good and beam has significant potential ... Poor Sosnitskaya ...  View the bottom section for junior scores, including Melnikova who outscored the entire field!  Skrypnik fell heavily on floor warm up and scratched this final event.

It was almost a symbol of the contemporary struggle for the identity of gymnastics.  First, we saw Britain's Claudia Fragapane, completing with verve and energy the powerful tricks and tumbling that gained the diminutive gymnast the title 'Pocket Rocket'.  Next, we saw the elegant line and gravity defying artistry of the regal Ksenia Afanasyeva, graceful in both her gymnastics and her manner.   They were both compelling, but only one gymnast showed the purity and harmony that was once de rigeur in the sport, and that has frequently elevated artistic gymnastics above a form of energetic, cheerleading contortionism.  Thankfully, at least, the judges recognised the differences in what they were seeing.  Just.  Finally, as the last performer of the day, the 23 year old Afanasyeva was crowned Europe's Floor Queen once more, repeating the award she won two years ago in Moscow.  She was delighted, danced a little jig, and threw herself into the fatherly embra...

Lauren Cammenga has translated this interview with Russian bars specialist and AA candidate, Daria Spiridinovs. Source:  http://m.rsport.ru/artist_gym/20150415/823419148.html "I was actually on standby for the all-around. We trained the all-around before the European Championships; I was ready. But, on the other hand, my all-around difficulty isn't very high at the moment, and it's hard to compete. Although I am trying very hard to add difficulty bit by bit on every event. But today I did everything I was capable of. Of course, I had a little bit of nerves today, but not a lot. I don't know what happened. This isn't the first time I've had that mistake on beam – I also had it at last year's European Championships. I don't understand the reason. After beam I was really disappointed, and understood that I would already be way behind the leaders. Now I just have to let it go – what happened, happened. I should qualify to the bars final, and what's more...

Picture of Ksenia Afanasyeva courtesy of Daria Skrypnik on Tumblr WAG qualifications, European #Gymnastics, begin in just over an hour at 10.30 Montpellier time.  Follow live scoring at http://www.longinestiming.com/Sport?sport=GG Alla Sosnitskaya has an ankle injury and has returned to Moscow for a check up.  Maria Paseka will replace her on vault and uneven bars while Daria Spiridinova has been scheduled to do all around. Paseka and Afanasyeva will go in the first subdivision.  Spiridinova, and Maria Kharenkova, appear in sub 3, which starts at 4.30 local (Montpelier) time (1 hr ahead of BST).  Link to the start lists is here - http://www.longinestiming.com/File/Download?id=00000E0000000100FFFFFFFFFFFFFF00 Good luck to all the gymnasts!  We will be supporting you! Alla, get well soon!

Head WAG coach Evgeny Grebyonkin has confirmed further details of the Russian team for April's European Championships, reports Allsport. On the basis of their performance at the Russian Championships, Ksenia Afanasyeva, Maria Kharenkova and Daria Spiridinova have been confirmed for the team.  Fighting for the final place will be Alla Sosnitskaya, Viktoria Komova, Maria Paseka and first year senior Seda Tutkhalyan. The Russian coaches face some tough selection decisions as they attempt to balance a relative paucity of all around talent this year with the diverse specialisms of such gymnasts as Spiridinova, Afanasyeva and Komova.  Both Sosnitskaya and Tutkhalyan (whose D score AA of 23.7 ranks third in the international ranks so far this year, behind Simone Biles and Evgeniya Shelgunova) offer potential at both specialist (respectively vault (Sosnitskaya) and beam (Tutkhakyan)) and AA level.  Much will depend on the nerve of the coaches and the way these gymnasts respond in...

Summary of a Sports Express interview with Andrei Rodionenko, by Aleksandra Vladimirova Russia's head gymnastics coach Andrei Rodionenko tells "Sports Express" who will represent Russia at the European Championships in Bulgaria and why  most of the leaders of the women's team will  not be able to perform  at this tournament (which will be held in Sofia from 12 to 18 May). - Andrei Fedorovich, is it true that silver medallist  of the London Games, Viktoria Komova, is still listed among the injured gymnasts? - This is true, but I would add that this relates to the ankle joint, which has been an issue for some time.  Vika has been treated, recovered, operated, but maybe the last treatment was not entirely successful.  Perhaps the fact is that Viktoria is still going through puberty, and therefore everything that is connected with joints is extremely problematic. Now we will have a deeper examination, a final diagnosis. - Where will the inves...

Beam medalists today in Penza ... Daria Spiridinova, Maria Kharenkova, Aliya Mustafina Not everything went to plan today for the 'big' stars of Russian gymnastics.  There were signs of some strain and tiredness as the weakened ranks of former Olympians stepped aside and made room for three newcomers to the medal rostrum ... the interesting Daria Spiridinova (coached by Tatiana Fomkina, who formerly coached 1996 Olympian, Elena Dolgopolova), the feisty Maria Kharenkova (who  needs no introduction) and Polina Fyodorova from Cheboksary (highly touted by Sergei Zelikson back in 2013).  Winning on vault was Alla Sosnitskaya, who last year won gold in floor at the Russia Cup. Today's stand out performance was by Maria Kharenkova on beam.  She didn't quite match her strongest performance of the team final, but her beam was on another planet to the others as she zipped through her skills with speed and confidence, minimising a very off balance landing in a layout as if she w...

Photo of Anna Rodionova and Maria Kharenkova, from Anna's official group on VK.com Valentina Rodionenko has given further details of the MAG and WAG participants at Cottbus:  Denis Ablyazin - rings, vault and floor Alexander Balandin - rings and parallel bars Dmitry Stolyarov - floor and vault Matvey Petrov - pommels Nikolai Kuksenkov - pommels and high bar Nikita Ignatyev - high bar and parallel bars Anna Rodionova - bars and beam, though she may miss beam as she has ankle pain Maria Kharenkova - beam and floor Polina Fyodorova - floor and vault Daria Spridinova - beam http://itar-tass.com/sport/1032766