Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Veteran artistic gymnast Ksenia Afanasyeva leads the first day of Russia Cup competition in Ekaterinburg, ahead of European champion Anna Dementieva and newcomer to the senior team, Viktoria Komova.  This annual competition will form an important element of the selection process for the national team for autumn's World Championships.  Full individual results can be viewed on the Federation's website . Afanasyeva is said to be the gymnast on top form at this competition, having fully recovered from an injury she had been carrying for some time.  Viktoria Komova performed extremely well considering she was not initially expected to compete on all four pieces, and achieved the highest score on bars. Only three of last year's World Championships team - Afanasyeva, Dementieva and Semenova - featured in the top ten here (Semenova, recently returned to Lake Krugloye to begin full training, finished in 7th place).  Tatiana Nabieva competed only vault and bars but seems t...

The Russian girls have been busy - and very successful - this weekend! All seven gymnasts from the national team (including reserve Anna Myzdrikova) are scheduled to compete by the end of this month. Massilia Cup The wonderful TATIANA NABIEVA competed alongside her team mates KSENIA SEMENOVA and KSENIA AFANASYEVA in Marseille this weekend at the Massilia Cup, and achieved gold medals in the team, all around, bars and vault events. Tanya also took the bronze on balance beam. KSENIA AFANASYEVA took gold medal on floor and silver on beam behind France's Aurelie Malaussena. A fuller report can be found at The Gymnastics Examiner . The Italian Grand Prix World Champion ALIYA MUSTAFINA competed here alongside Youth Olympic Champion VIKTORIA KOMOVA. Aliya won beam and came fourth on bars, while Viktoria took the gold on bars and silver on beam. Full results, and a video of Aliya's performance on beam can be found at Aliya's official website . DTB Cup Promising young ANNA DEME...

And finally, the anthem of gymnastics has been played in honour of the Russian team at a World Championships. Aliya Mustafina, Ksenia Afanasyeva, Anna Dementieva, Tatiana Nabieva, Ksenia Semenova and Ekaterina Kurbatova fought like titans to win Russia's first ever world team gold medals, at the 2010 World Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam today. Detailed results are available at http://www.longinestiming.com/sports/gym/ag_wc2k10w/C73D_ResultsTeam_GA%20Women%20Senior_Concours%20IV.pdf And there is the most gorgeous short video highlights on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7ZfaGLIcJQ Have the soundtrack turned up, and handkerchief at the ready. I wanted this significant victory to be recorded on my blog as quickly as possible. The least I can say is that I am very, very pleased. And Happy 18th Birthday to Ksenia Semenova!!! More to follow.