Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

The decision by World Gymnastics, and European Gymnastics, to lift restrictions on Russian athletes has triggered a wave of emotion and optimism across Russia’s gymnastics community. After years of competing under neutral status, the return of the flag and anthem has been hailed as a symbolic victory—one that restores national pride and renews motivation among athletes and coaches alike.   Pride and Determination Alexei Nemov, one of Russia’s most decorated gymnasts, expressed his joy at the restoration of national symbols: ‘I am very glad that we got back the flag ànd the anthem.  But we need to go there and reinforce this with good results on the podium.  Performing under the flag of one’s country gives confidence, but the flag ànd anthem alone will not give you medals.  The most important thing is quality preparation for international competitions by each individual gymnast.’ Nemov’s statement captures the balance between patriotism and professionalism—recognizing...

People often say that sport and politics don’t mix, and the situation with Russia shows why. First, its athletes were banned from competing in the Olympics. Now, they have been allowed back in. We have to try to think - which is right? The real problem in the world right now is war, not sport. Some leaders think fighting is the only way to solve things. And the people who run the Olympics think that banning countries will somehow stop wars. It hasn’t worked. When Russia was not allowed to compete, gymnastics felt different. Some people thought it was less exciting. Now the Russian gymnasts are coming back, and everyone is wondering how they will manage. Can they get ready in time for the Olympics? The IOC — the organisation that runs the Olympics — first banned Russia and is now letting them return. Other sports groups are following their lead. Their rules are very strict and written in legal language. They are not talking about feelings or fairness, only about laws. There is also a...

I don’t understand why Russia would bother to try to register for Worlds,  as they had said they didn’t want individual athletes to take up neutral status.  Russia is effectively banned from competing as a team internationally in all Olympic sports. Via Sports Express, Google translate. ❗Russia has applied to participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships The preliminary application for the World Championships, which will be held in late October in Jakarta (Indonesia), includes 14 neutral athletes, eight men and six girls. A maximum of six men and four girls can be registered from a country for this World Championships. Thus, at least two men and two girls have been registered from Russia, provided that Belarus has used its full quota. However, it is possible that each country has registered four men and three girls. On April 5, representatives of all Russian gymnastics disciplines announced that they were refraining from international competitions due to unjustifi...

David Belyavski was just 19 at his first World Championships in 2011.  Over the past 13 years he has become the leading gymnast of the Russian team, its captain.  He has led Russia to a series of amazing team victories at World, European and Olympic level, always there with his own brand of aesthetic, technically well performed gymnastics.  He moves like a dancer.  His gymnastics is about finesse, lightness and line, yet he still has the power to win medals even in his 32nd year, against a generation of gymnasts who have rewritten the sport’s code of points for themselves, to favour strength and spectacular acrobatics.   His leadership skills motivated fiery, independent-minded athletes like Nagorny and Dalaloyan to come together for the team.  At the last Olympics the sometimes volatile gymnasts grabbed the gold with some remarkable last minute quick thinking, made possible by Belyavski’s calm and encouraging team talks.  His mental strength transform...

Olympic Champion and long-serving Captain of the Russian gymnastics team, David Belyavski won’t be competing at the Russian Championships later this month.  His daughter, Alyssa, begins school in September and he wants some family time - for example to give his daughter a long-promised trip to Disneyland in China.   Andrei Rodionenko, head coach of Russian Gymnastics, has agreed to this - ‘family is the most important thing’, he reportedly said.  In the meantime his wife, Valentina Rodionenko, has had her say, promising David a retirement party before his departure on holiday.  ‘I’ll have to sort that out [I’m not retiring]’, said David to TASS.

 

 Artur Dalaloyan on the competition in the national team, performing at the BRICS Games and the desire to rest ❓After performing in the all-around, Nikita Nagorny admitted that he did not devote much time to training before the BRICS Games. Accordingly, his physical fitness left much to be desired. What can you say about yourself in this regard? - I can say with absolute certainty that performing in the all-around requires 100% preparation and, accordingly, a large training volume. I did this volume, so I calmly went out on the platform, realizing that I was capable of completing the all-around. ❓Didn't you lose heart when it became known that the Friendship Games might be postponed until next year? - Of course, we expected that the Friendship Games would take place on time. They, like the BRICS Games, were quite a big additional incentive: after all, they are international competitions. Therefore, I tried to work in such a way as not to lower the level of the all-around. ❓Do you s...

 Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics David Belyavskiy said that he will perform for his own pleasure if the Friendship Games do not take place this year. 🤸"If the Friendship Games do not take place this year, then I do not see the point in straining myself too much in training, as I did before," said Belyavskiy. "I am not saying that I will end my career, but I will perform for my own pleasure. I will not set goals to win this or that. If I manage to win, then good, if not - no big deal, I perform for myself." "Every year it is becoming more and more difficult for me to prepare for competitions, so I think that there is probably no point in torturing myself," the gymnast added. ✋At the BRICS Games, Belyavskiy fought for medals only in the pommel horse exercise, where he fell, leaving him without a medal. "There was no technical error, my arm just went off the horse. It was a little out of control. It happened towards the end of the routine, when ...

 

I’ll post links here as they become available; starting with some unofficial results somebody kindly posted on VK - the gymnastics group.  With thanks to you!   Scores (unofficial) There was a two per country rule. MAG Daniel Marinov 84.700 Artur Dalaloyan 79.950 Savelii (RUS, 18 years old) 79.850 Yahor Sharamkou (BLR) 77.950 WAG Leila Vasileeva 56.45.    14.05. 14.65. 13.75. 14.00 Anna Kalmykova. 56.1. 14.2. 13.45. 14.2. 14.25 Angelina Melnikova 55.55. 14.2. 14.35. 14.000. 13.00 Elena Gerasimova 54.6. 13.75. 14.05. 13.6. 13.2 Liudmilla Roschina. 54.25. 14.00. 13.45. 12.9. 13.9 Alena Glotova 53.8. 13.1. 14.45. 13.8. 12.45 FOLLOW THE LINK - scroll down - find the links to quals for EF and AA finals, MAG and WAG.  Link -  https://sportgymrus.ru/competitions/1079-mezhdunarodnye-sorevnovaniya-igry-briks-2024.html

 From Match TV:  Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics Nikita Nagorny has withdrawn from the individual all-around at the BRICS Games in Kazan. Earlier, Nagorny announced on his Telegram channel that he had decided not to continue competing in the individual all-around due to an injury and would compete in the qualification only in individual events. 💬 Life is already hinting to me that it’s time to hang up the pads (laughs). In fact, I was well prepared. I tore a blister on the first element, I wanted to jump off while performing the elements, but this is an international competition, you can’t do that, Nagorny said on Match TV. 💪 Today I lost, I admit, you need to be able to lose. I know how to do it. Perhaps a gold medal in the BRICS Games in the all-around would have given me a reason to end my career, but now I will stay until the Friendship Games. I hope I will have two more opportunities to please the fans. Now I will try to prove myself in the vault and floor exerc...

Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion in team all-around David Belyavsky told RG about his love for artistic gymnastics, his attitude towards the Paris Olympics and his mood for the BRICS Games in Kazan. ❓How did you like the first day at the BRICS Games? 💬David Belyavsky: I immediately remember the 2013 Universiade, in which I took part (I won gold in the team, silver on the uneven bars and two bronzes - in the individual all-around and floor exercises - RG note). Kazan, the Universiade village, where we live - everything is great, you can feel the atmosphere of a sports festival. They greeted us very well - with dancing. It's a pity there was no chak-chak, I would have eaten it with pleasure. ❓And what about the regime, diet? David Belyavsky: I never limit myself much, I don't hold back. Moreover, I don’t plan to eat a kilogram, I just want to try. ❓By the way, how did the test go? 💬David Belyavsky: The first training session went well. We came to the gym, warmed up. With new equipme...

Live stream of BRICS gymnastics is available here - https://bricskazan2024.games/13-5-2 Schedule (MAG and WAG competing at the same time) 13 June session 1 AA and EF quals - 11.25 Moscow Time 13 June session 2 AA and EF quals - 15.25 Moscow 14 June EF Day One - 14.55 MT 15 June EF Day Two - 14.55 MT

The Russian team for BRICS - a young team for the women, in particular.  There are full teams of six, then four gymnasts who will compete ‘out of competition’, as display gymnasts.   Men's team: Belyavskiy David Dalaloyan Artur Marinov Daniel Nagorny Nikita Naydin Sergey Polyashov Vladislav 📌 Out of competition: Zaika Ilya Prokopyev Kirill Sedin Saveliy Usachev Alexey 🤸🏻‍♀️ Women's team: Agafonova Maria Melnikova Angelina Vasilieva Leila Gerasimova Elena Kalmykova Anna Roshchina Lyudmila 📌 Out of competition: Andreeva Ekaterina Glotova Alena Listunova Victoria Shapovalova Kristina Gymnasts from Malaysia, Belarus, Mongolia, Serbia, Syria, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Türkiye, Tunisia, South Ossetia, Armenia, Ethiopia, India and Kazakhstan will also be on the roster. If you read Russian, this is a list of the coaches travelling to Kazan.  The competition will begin on the 13th (Thursday next week) with AA and EF.  I wonder who will win the medals?  

Google translate, unedited but full of interest! Daniel Marinov: "Not to participate in the Olympics under a neutral flag is the federation's decision" Two-time Russian champion in artistic gymnastics Daniil Marinov is one of the most talented gymnasts in the country. The 19-year-old athlete will take part in the BRICS Games in Kazan. In an interview with TI-Sport, Daniel shared his opinion on international competitions, talked about plans to participate in the Olympics, his attitude to doping and much more.  "The BRICS Games are a landmark event not only for Tatarstan, but for all of Russia" Daniel, you are participating in the BRICS Games, and this will be your first experience of competing at the international level. Tell us about your feelings... I am looking forward to these competitions. This is a very landmark event not only for Tatarstan, but for all of Russia. However, the composition and the final number of participants are still unknown. I really hope...