Nikolai observes the bars wryly after an uncharacteristic fall at the 2008 Olympics, a disappointing competition for the Russians Nikolai Kryukov, head coach of the Russian MAG juniors since 2010, was 1999 World All Around Champion and won a gold medal with his team in the 1996 Olympics. Kryukov's career spanned both Soviet and Russian eras; in his early career, pre-senior, he witnessed the training of such legends as Bilozerchev and Scherbo, and he frequently competed alongside the first Russian Olympic MAG all around champion, Alexei Nemov. His first major senior competition was the 1996 Olympics, and he continued competing for twelve years till the 2008 Olympics, gathering multiple honours and a reputation for well performed gymnastics and quiet leadership. I have only just found this translation of a 2011 interview (no original source given) on the RGF website. In the light of the upcoming generation of Russian juniors who are beginning to make an impression (eg S...
Reporting and analysing Russian gymnastics since 2010. Includes original and exclusive interviews with leading coaches and gymnasts, and historical issues dating back to the Soviet Union. The first blog to report extensively on the sport using Russian language sources. I read, I argue, and I have opinions. Be warned.