Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Lifje suggested that I post this video of Russian spins which she and Gymnasticsfan collaborated to produce. I love comparing the spins - see how quick and athletic Mustafina is ... how powerful and flexible Komova is, how languid and fluid Grishina is ...  Lifje comments that she likes how Mustafina's Memmel spin became so much tighter after her injury. So something good came out of that injury ... Aliya had time to improve on otherwise wonderful spins. Elsewhere, Andrei Rodionenko confirms that the Russian team are in Penza where they will train and compete for a place on the team. A little worrying that he mentions some team members have succumbed to a virus infection which is spreading through Lake Krugloye's air conditioning system. The article mentions eight members of each team competing, including Sidorova. I suspect this to be a journalistic error, but let's just wait and see now. Rodionenko says he will announce the five travelling members of the...

Andrei Rodionenko at a recent press conference in Moscow. Russian head coach Andrei Rodionenko talks with Mila Volkova of Championat , translated here by Lupita. It’s now less than a month before the beginning of the London Olympics. The mystery surrounding the composition of the national team remains unveiled.  The Russian Cup was held in Penza on June 17.  Seven gymnasts are now competing for five spots.  Championat.com’s correspondent asked national coach Andrei Rodionenko the reasons for this selection and the level of our gymnasts in the international arena. Andrei Fiodorovich, could you assess our teams’ performance at the Russian Cup? Now all gymnasts are at the form foreseen for this period of preparation for the Olympics. Within a week another mock competition will take place. It will allow us to name the Olympic team. Currently seven gymnasts are training. We’ll have to select five out of those seven. ...