Does Russia need Mustafina in Glasgow? Vaitsekhovskaya adds her voice

'Should Mustafina compete in Glasgow, considering her fragile state of health? - aren't the Olympics more important?' are the key themes of this brief news piece by Elena Vaitsekhovskaya, a top sports journalist who has interviewed Alexandrov, Arkayev, Starkin, Mustafina and Rodionenko in the last five years since Aliya won the World Championships.

Elena stresses that this year nothing unusual has happened.  Aliya has worked hard with her new coach Sergei Starkin.  She did a 'great job', demonstrating her work at the European Games in Baku where she won the all around, bars and team events as well as silver in the floor exercise.

But, says Vaitsekhovskaya, more important than the medals was the fact that Aliya showed a new technical level, began work on upgrades for the Rio Olympics.  Just competing in one event - the Baku games - could be enough for a veteran athlete of Mustafina's experience.  The body ages in both time - and injuries.  Athletes always respond in the same way - exhaustion sets in, old injuries worsen, and the psychological effect of all of this makes things worse.  So it's natural that doubts arise in athletes' minds at these times.  

Vaitsekhovskaya continues to the effect that these are difficult times when it is important not to give up, but also not to continue at all costs to try to overcome the 'inner apathy'.  Accept the fact that the body's reaction - if unpleasant - is natural and, most importantly, temporary.  

This is the reason, says Vaitsekhovskaya, that most athletes are only able to peak once a year.  The European Games may have been a minor event, but for Aliya, they were a big thing in that she set herself a goal to show that she had returned to her former level - and she did this brilliantly.  

This leads to the question - does the Russian team have to include Aliya in its team for Glasgow?  Well of course the absence of the leader will affect the overall result, but the Russian team only needs to qualify for the Olympics and with Afanasyeva and Komova coming back to their best form, they should at least manage that.  We all know that Aliya has strong fighting capabilities and Olympic goals are worthy of some sacrifices.  The main thing is - not to change the goals for Rio.

Aliya said - 

'I'm going to continue to practice and prepare for competitions.  I will attend camp at Round Lake, and try to restore my form and overcome my back problems.  Unfortunately, this injury has not responded very well to treatment. Improvements occur only after a period of complete rest from training.  But this does not mean that I'm going to despair. As a reserve I may be able to help the team in Glasgow.'

RRG is of the opinion that Aliya should only compete in Glasgow if she really wants to, and if her health is good.  It is exhausting just travelling to overseas destinations, adjusting to time differences and so on, and the pressure of big competition makes it difficult to take cool decisions.  What if another gymnast were to be injured during the competition, for example?  Aliya would feel it her duty to step in and give her all - and it is clear that her all now has its limitations.  The Queen is only human.

I'll reiterate Elena's point that the Rio Olympics are far more important than short term goals in Glasgow.  What do the Rodionenkos think of this?  Well Valentina Rodionenko has gone public, offering Aliya whatever treatments she wants - if the clinic in Germany hasn't worked, could another therapist do better?  But it is clear that rest is the only thing that Aliya feels works properly, and also that Valentina's words in this respect are rather unhelpful.   Only Aliya knows how her back feels.  

A coach shouldn't use media announcements to pressurise an athlete to train when she isn't ready.   You can spray anaesthetic on an aching foot to get through a floor routine, but that doesn't make the injury better - doesn't Valentina know that?  Besides, Aliya has to get through weeks of heavy training before Glasgow.  She shouldn't have to go through physical and mental pain at this stage of her career, just to make sure that the Russian head coaches achieve silver rather than bronze or fourth position in a competition that really matters very little.

We fans must support Aliya as best we can.

Vaitsekhovskaya's original article - http://www.sport-express.ru/artistic-gymnastics/reviews/919813/

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Mustafina riposte - I will decide if I compete on the basis of my health, says the Champion

As quickly as my posts have been published, new stories have emerged.  In my last post - you will need to read it in order to get the full picture - I said we would need to read Aliya's words, and here they are, thanks to RSport and some very vigilant readers of this blog who tipped me off!  The decision to include Aliya on the team is not as definitive as might have been taken from Valentina and Andrei's words, but then we always have the subtleties of translation to deal with.

"I do not know for sure, (my performance in the World Championships) is questionable. When I am ready, it can be a statement, but for now it's not possible. I will be looking at my health closer to departure," - said Mustafina by telephone.  She also noted that saying anything concrete about her health is difficult. "While it is difficult to say anything about the state of my health, one does need to start training. We will work in the camp at Round Lake."

In turn, the head coach of Russia Andrei Rodionenko confirmed that 'no one had refused' the possibility of Mustafina being included in the squad for the World Championships.

Yet more uncertainty - it is understandable if Aliya wants to take her time in deciding, and I am sure that we all support her in that.  Interesting that Aliya is now clearly an independent voice on the Russian team - she has earned this autonomy from the mature and professional way she has handled these difficult questions, and indeed her entire career, and we all send her our very best thoughts.

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Provisional Russian team for Glasgow - Mustafina will now prepare, says Valentina Rodionenko

Aliya Mustafina - competitive status has been veiled in mystery.  Photograph is by leading Russian photographer, Sergei Bermeniev

The mist surrounding Aliya Mustafina's official competitive status lifted just a little this afternoon as head coach Valentina Rodionenko first announced one set of names for the forthcoming World Championships, then added another to the roster.  'Yesterday, Mustafina decided to clench her teeth and prepare for Worlds, despite her back pain.  We know her condition and cannot force her to train ... We will take seven gymnasts to Glasgow', said Rodionenko.  Later, Andrei Rodionenko added that ten gymnasts will join a training camp tomorrow at Round Lake to prepare for Worlds - and participate in final selection.  Names are given below.

We will have to look for Mustafina's own words to provide the definitive account of her miraculous return, and of course the only team that will matter is the team that marches out into the arena in October!  But if Aliya eventually says she will be ready ... she will be ready.  We don't know the context and the perameters, let alone the background to all this, but if it turns out to be true, the big questions will be -

-  Will Aliya compete all around?

-  How will her selection sway the chances of other gymnasts on the team?

-  How will her presence impact the results of the team as a whole?  We know of her as a fantastic team captain who can be a stabilising and inspirational influence on the gymnasts.

-  How ready will she be to face the strong competition from overseas, in particular the gymnasts from the USA, Romania and China?

-  Has Mustafina's position been one of indecision, defiance, self protection - or part of a wily master plan devised by the national coaches to secure a seventh berth for the team?   It could simply be a matter of a painful back - but we all want to know more than it is probably our business to know.  It's only human nature to ask : what on earth is this all about?  

One thing is for sure - Mustafina's charismatic presence in gymnastics is strongly missed, not just in Russian gymnastics, but internationally.  We need Aliya, not just for the soft performance quality of the hyper difficult gymnastics she brings to the stage ... Not just for the fantastically creative way she and her personal coaches and choreographer find to maximise the codified value of her routines ... But also for the enigmatic charm and powerful aura she transmits.  It is a relief to hear that she intends to participate - as long as she is properly healthy.  We have to trust her to make that decision.  From Valentina's words - 'we cannot force her to train' - it seems that this point has been made.

We can only get behind this amazing personality and give her OUR best support in the only ways we can - imagery, sound, words and lots and lots of cheers on the day.  It really does make a difference - Aliya and Russia needs you as they prepare for the big fight in Rio.

Don't miss Aliya's riposte - this is still a will-she-won't-she situation - 

http://rewritingrussiangymnastics.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/mustafina-riposte-i-will-decide-if-i.html?m=1

The preliminary teams Valentina Rodionenko announced are - 

WAG - (AA) Tutkhalyan, Spiridonova, Kharenkova (specialists) Komova, Afanasyeva, Paseka.  Valentina added that there would be a seventh athlete to be announced later, perhaps Alla Sosnitskaya or 'maybe a completely different gymnast' - :-))

MAG - (AA) Nikita Ignatyev, Nikolai Kuksenkov, David Belyavski, (specialists) Ablyazin and Nagorny.  The sixth gymnast is still to be decided - Ivan Stretovich is mentioned as being in the mix, but presumably Mattvei Petrov may also have a say - and perhaps rising star Dmitri Lankin.

Andrei Rodionenko's announcement of the training teams - 

WAG - Aliya Mustafina, Viktoria Komova, Ksenia Afanasyeva, Seda Tutkhalyan, Daria Spiridonova, Evgeniya Shelgunova, Maria Paseka, Maria Kharenkova, Anastasia Dmitrieva, Allla Sosnitskaia.

MAG - Denis Ablyazin, David Belyavski, Nikolai Kuksenkov, Nikita Ignatyev, Nikita Nagorny, Ivan Stretovich, Dmitry Lankin, Matvey Petrov, Alex Rostov, Vladislav Polyashov.

Sources - Valentina Rodionenko Aliya Mustafina announcement - https://sport.mail.ru/news/gymnastics/23364765/

Valentina Rodionenko announcement of prelim team - http://tass.ru/sport/2276365

Andrei Rodionenko announcement - http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=97647

Andrei Rodionenko's training team list - http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=97646

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Russia Cup - Day one EF results and a little reflection

Dynamic young Seda Tutkhalyan, a leading gymnast in Penza this week, is finding her feet in senior competition

Once again this week the Russian women showed themselves to be vulnerable to errors in the first day of apparatus finals, while the men excelled.  Please see the results below, as ever courtesy of the Russian Gymnastics Federation.

On bars, Viktoria Komova performed hors de competition, recording a score of 15.3 - she didn't qualify officially to the final so can't be recorded as champion, but she is consistently now Russia's highest scorer on this apparatus.  Russia are already strong here, and she will need to up her game on other apparatus (Valentina mentioned beam and vault) to qualify to be part of the team in Glasgow.

A key fact emerging this week in Penza is the growing strength of Nikita Ignatyev, who for a long time was the unlucky one on the team who would often fall or make unexpected errors.  Gradually Nikita has been improving, until in this competition he has won the all around - and today won medals on all three apparatus.  It will be interesting to see how he does tomorrow, but I think that the friendly rivallry that this has produced will be good for the team.  The strength of Ablyazin as a specialist - he won gold here on floor and rings, and looks set to take vault tomorrow - is well known, but Russia's medal possibilities will always be vulnerable while they rest so heavily on the shoulders of one individual.  That is why it's especially good to see all arounders consolidating their position on Russia's team - it gives them more depth.

Yes, I have used a picture of Seda Tutkhalyan on beam to illustrate results on floor, pommel, rings, vault and bars.  That isn't very logical of me, but I like Seda and I like this picture; the Federation's photographer, Elena Mikhailova, has a talent for capturing impressive perspectives and backgrounds.  The use of the RGF logo lends a strong narrative here.   I would personally also add that in the absence of Mustafina, Seda is Russia's fiery, driven talent.   She is not as inconsistent as many people say, and has plenty of time to find her consistency anyway.  Falls are part of gymnastics and you won't find a good gymnast who has never fallen.  It's just good to see a Russian gymnast who, like Mustafina - and junior Melnikova - has fire in her belly.  Look at those eyes as she lines up to vault - Seda really wants her successes, and a silver medal in the bars today, not one of her best pieces, really shows her determination.  She also secured silver on vault.

Alla Sosnitskaya also today showed significant courage in taking fourth place on vault and gold on bars, not her best piece.  Alla had a difficult day in the AA final yesterday and is gradually coming back from a painful injury.  Once again, the Russian girls had many falls, especially on bars, but I think that measuring their progress by consistency only is a bit pointless.  Surely best to get your falls 'out of the way' here, rather than in Glasgow!  I can see many improvements in the girls' work all around, and perhaps at Worlds they will find their confidence and show more reliability.  This is the type of systematic, steady improvement that Russian coaching is showing these days.  We can always hope ...

Maria Paseka's vaulting is going from strength to strength - she scored 15.634 (15.467/15.8) to finish in first place.  Both she and Dasha Spiridonova had errors on bars, but there is still time to patch up any problems.  My pessimism of yesterday has been replaced with optimism today - it might be the sunshine, but I can see the positives in the girls' performances today.

It has been an especially good day for coach Maria Ulyankina, who coaches both gold medallists in the women's competition today, as well as the silver medallist on both pieces - for the avoidance of doubt, that is Maria Paseka, Alla Sosnitskaya and Seda Tutkhalyan!

Congratulations to all of the gymnasts and their coaches!

MAG

Floor

1  Denis Ablyazin                          15.767
2  David Belyavski                        15.1
3  Nikita Ignatyev                          15.0
4  Nikita Lezhankin                       14.7
5  Dmitri Lankin                            14.633
6  Mikhail Kudashov                     14.533
7  Daniil Kazachkov                      14.3
8  Viktor Britan                              13.3

Pommel Horse

1  Nikolai Kuksenkov                   14.733
2  Ivan Stretovich                          14.7
3  Nikita Ignatyev                          14.5
4  Sergei Eltsov                              13.867
5  Matvei Petrov                            13.7
6  Andrei Perevonikov                   13.2
7  Nikolai Kovinov                        12.5
8  Grigori Zyrianov                        11.033

Rings

1  Denis Ablyazin                          15.267
2  Nikita Ignatyev                          15.133
3  Daniil Kazachkov                      15.1
4  David Belyavski                        14.867
5  Nikolai Kuksenkov                    14.8
6  Mikhail Kudashov                     14.733
7  Ilya Kubartas                             14.167
8  Matvei Petrov                            13.867

WAG

Vault

1  Maria Paseka                          15.634
2  Seda Tutkhalyan                     14.4
3  Ksenia Afanasyeva                 14.334
4  Alla Sosnitskaya                     13.634
5  Anastasia Dmitrieva               13.5
6  Evgeniya Menovschikova       13.434
7  Anastasia Sidorova                  12.817
8  Lilia Akhaimova                      12.783

Uneven Bars

1  Alla Sosnitksaya                        14.733
2  Seda Tutkhalyan                        14.5
3  Daria Spiridonova                      14.433
4  Evgeniya Shelgunova                 13.8
5  Maria Paseka                               13.767
6  Maria Kharenkova                      12.7
7  Viktoria Kuzmina                       11.667
8  Yulia Biryulya                              11.5

You can find the results in full, with both vault scores, here.

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Russian gymnastics teams for World Champs 2015, Glasgow - provisional lists

In Glasgow, MAG could well provide the highlights for the Russian team this time as Nikita Ignatyev's surge towards AA victory has strengthened the team in depth.  The addition of ambitious young blood such as Nikita Nagorny also shows that there is no lack of inspiration in the Russian MAG team, led by Head Coach Valery Alfosov.  Both Russian teams (MAG and WAG) are leading their assault in Rio with strong AA gymnasts.  It seems that the specialists (like Maria Paseka) are being required to develop on at least two (WAG) or three (MAG) apparatus.  Given the various competition formats, it might be difficult for those who are strong on one piece only (eg Mattvei Petrov) to find a place on the final team.

In the picture - (clockwise, from top left) - Kuksenkov, Ignatyev, Belyavski, Kudashov, Rostov, Nagorny, Dalolyan.  

Valentina Rodionenko has been drawn on the 'virtually decided' membership of the Russian teams for Glasgow (23 October to 1 November) though the information should be considered provisional as the selection process is not yet complete.

WAG - 

Ksenia Afanasyeva will be team captain.

The team will be a mix of younger and more experienced girls, said Valentina.  For the AA there are the Russia Cup winner Spiridonova; Tutkhalyan ('looked very good'), and Kharenkova ('fared well on the senior platform').  Afanasyeva will compete on two apparatus, maybe three - floor, vault and perhaps beam if the team needs her.  Viktoria Komova is in contention, but she still has some problems.  She is preparing beam and bars, and in all probability will also do vault.  Maria Paseka may fight for a medal on bars.

As we all know, Mustafina won't compete in Glasgow.  Russia does have better depth now than it did a few years ago, but I am sure that they will take forward with them to final training a number of reserves - I (QE) would suggest that these might be Shelgunova and Elizarova.  It is a little worrying that Valentina does not mention Sosnitskaya in her summation here; this hard working young gymnast did suffer some very heavy falls on floor in the AA final and was visibly in pain at the end of her routine.

MAG - 

Nikita Ignatyev won the AA with a spirited and highly competent performance.  He, Kuksenkov and Belyavski will be the three all arounders in Glasgow.  Ablyazin will compete three apparatus - floor, rings and vault, and Nagorny will also be seen on three pieces.  A month still remains to determine the final line-up; gymnasts like Alexei Rostov and Mikhail Kudashov will be in contention.  Valentina didn't mention Mattvei Petrov, the pommels specialist.

The national coaches were pleased with the team's performance in the AA, said Valentina.  All three top gymnasts competed without errors and Ignatyev's performance might well prove him medal-worthy at Worlds if repeated (says QE).   Valentina added that Nagorny's gymnastics still needs to mature a little before he can compete AA at this level.  Ablyazin still has a few problems on floor, and is finalising 'the ultimate combination' for his routine to be performed at Worlds.

Source - (WAG) - http://rsport.ru/artist_gym/20150918/864278153.html

(MAG) - http://www.championat.com/other/news-2249291-v-rodionenko-v-mnogobore-na-chm-vystupjat-kuksenkov-ignatev-i-beljavskij.html

See the results of the MAG AA here - http://sportgymrus.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/S-2-mal-chiki.pdf

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Aliya Mustafina to miss Worlds

Mustafina will not compete at Worlds, says Valentina Rodionenko.  The gymnast will concentrate on her preparations for Rio, says the Head Coach in RSport. http://m.rsport.ru/artist_gym/20150918/864271660.html

The readers and editors of RRG wish Aliya the best of health as she approaches the next stage of her career.  Good luck, Aliya!!

Updated 17.40 - Mustafina confirms she will miss Worlds to heal her back.  She says she can't predict the future.  http://dolly-z.tumblr.com/post/129352701188/mustafina-to-miss-worlds

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Melnikova and the rest - a team of worried Russians

Can the Russians replace frowns with smiles next year in Rio?

'The results we realised yesterday will not be enough to fight for medals in Glasgow', said Head Coach Andrei Rodionenko in an interview with Allsport today.  Unfortunately he was probably right.   With the exception of Daria Spiridonova, whose calm, professional approach led her to hit all four routines and achieve her best ever all around result, the main contenders - Maria Kharenkova, Seda Tutkhalyan, Evgeniya Shelgunova and Alla Sosnitskaya - all performed below expectations.  If the same happens on the podium in Glasgow, the team may still manage a silver - but don't expect to see an individual medal in the all around.

Alla Sosnitskaya limped off the floor yesterday

I suppose that if you were looking for an obvious reason for this failure, you would point a finger at the many errors gymnasts made - and floor was a particular bogey.  Poor Alla Sosnitskaya suffered painful falls to her shins and knees on three of her tumbles, Seda Tutkhalyan shot out of the floor area after her middle pass, and Maria Kharenkova had some good tumbling but still suffers problems of direction in her middle pass.  Compared to their nearest rivals, the power and difficulty of Russia's tumbling looks relatively meagre.  Grace and expression - particularly evident in Spiridonova's work - can't substitute for acrobatics under this particular Code of Points.

Russia's floor problems are well known, but they do not entirely account for the country's current weakness in the all around.  The team does have potential to do better, but not all gymnasts are available to compete for the team this year.  Mustafina and Komova are both outstanding all arounders, capable of leading the Russian field, but 'not ready' to compete all around at the World Championships, says Rodionenko.  In other words, perhaps, none of the new generation of gymnasts has been coached to live up to the standards of the veterans.  Or, could it simply be that the well of Russian talent has run dry?

I doubt it.  I do however think that the sport has changed significantly - the era of the 'flair' gymnast, for example Khorkina, is over.  Assiduous discipline and rigour are now more important than balanced, all around virtuosity and originality.   Precision over rules expression.  A sport that once favoured painterly technique and imagination is now ruled by the sporting equivalent of a slide rule, tick box menu and digital calculator.  The Russians are still second or third in the world, but to an extent they have lost their way as they attempt to follow a sporting coda that is not their own, and to which they are culturally unsuited.  Fire and passion, a certain charismatic unpredictability, has always been part of Russian coaching and gymnastic performance, but these are difficult qualities to manage when funders expect medal guarantees and when scores are calculated systematically rather than judged intuitively.  Cooling the fire only damps down the Russian genius for performance and drama that fuels so much of their sporting success.  Russia needs to lead, not follow.

To show creative leadership, and hence to win, the team must find its confidence once again, creating a new way of using the Code of Points to best artistic and acrobatic advantage.  Rodionenko as Head Coach is the person to make this happen.  He is a great manager, but as a leader he has so far fallen short of finding the central motivator for these gymnasts and coaches that will transform the Russian interpretation of this Code of Points into something they can manipulate, exploit and conquer.  Russia believes in mystical powers of leadership and creativity, in bravura performances grasped from the edge of oblivion, and will only rule gymnastics once again if it does so absolutely and on its own terms.   Silver is objectively outstanding at any level, but Russia only understands gold.  In coolly predicting that the team will achieve silver at best at Worlds, as Rodionenko did recently, he is revealing the steady conservatism and outstanding management that made him such a successful Head Coach in Canada.  Under Rodionenko's kind, moderate administration Russia will always do quite well, if that is good enough.

I do not think that this Russian team has performed as poorly as many other observers have said. 
The looks on the faces of the gymnasts and coaches (see picture above) says much about the gymnasts' own evaluation of their performances, but in many ways they did show improvements that will help them to accumulate more points in the World Championships.  There are some good specialists - Afanasyeva, Paseka, Komova, Spiridonova amongst them.  Tutkhalyan shows immense courage and ambition, especially on beam, and looks to me like a real little fighter.  Angelina Melnikova could be the next big thing for Russia in the all around, but she still can't match the all around totals of a fully on-song Mustafina - or Komova if she decides to try all four again.  Those gymnasts who trained on the totalitarian team led by Alexandrov are still outstripping their junior partners.

Perhaps the floor was hard; perhaps this competition came at the wrong time of the training micro-cycle.  There could be all sorts of reasons for under performance, and there are many reasons for optimism.  The minimum performance for the Russians in Glasgow will be to finish in the top eight, and therefore qualify automatically as a team to the Rio Olympics - nothing else really matters.  In Brazil, I think, we will see the full potential of this team.  But Russian gymnastics won't be Russian again until the team grasps the nettle of its own creativity - and shows another way.

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Spiridonova Russia Cup Champion!

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.

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Angelina Melnikova - top scorer in Russia Cup AA

Angelina Melnikova ... Top scorer in the Russia Cup AA competition today.  Daria Spiridonova in second place was the leading senior in the field, followed by Maria Kharenkova. Seda Tutkhakyan in 4th had a fall on floor but would otherwise have finished top.  As Melnikova is junior, this probably means that Spiridonova is Russia Cup AA champion!  An unexpected but well deserved title for this distinctive and well prepared gymnast.  Well done Dasha! congratulations to all the girls - will publish results as soon as they are available.

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Russia Cup WAG team results, individual qualifications

WAG results - team event - Russia Cup.  Moscow, Central, St Petersburg.

Individual qualis -

AA - Spiridonova 57.3,  Sosnitskaya 56.367 Kharenkova 55.967, Tutkhalyan 55.766

Shelgunova 54.999

V - Paseka,, Tutkhalyan, Nabiyeva, Afanasyeva

UB - Spiridinova, Paseka, Sosnitskaya

B - Shelgunova, Afanasyeva,  Sosnitskaya,  Spiridonova

F - Afanasyeva,  Akhaimova, Kharenkova, Paseka

Both Tutkhalyan and Kharenkova had many errors and would have done much better on a better day.  Melnikova and Skrypnik competed hors de competition - their scores are not shown here but their performances and scores were generally very competitive with this field.

MAG results - see http://www.the-all-around.com/2015/09/16/ignatiev-leads-qualifying-at-russian-cup/

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List of competitors - Russia Cup

The national team in training for Worlds, with their coaches

WAG - http://sportgymrus.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/spisok-uchastnikov-zhen.pdf

Pleased to see all the usual suspects are registered, plus Daria Mikhailova, Anastasia Grishina, Anastasia Sidorova, Viktoria Kuzmina and Tatiana Nabiyeva.

As we have read before, Aliya Mustafina isn't competing here.

The oldest gymnast competing is Daria Elizarova (1991) and the youngest Daria Skrypnik (2000).  There is a field of 34 women.

MAG - sportgymrus.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/spiski-uchastnikov-muzh.pdf

In MAG we have a total of 55 gymnasts competing.  29 year old Andrei Perevoznikov is the oldest man present, and the youngest is 1997 born Sergei Kryvunets.  Rings specialist Alexander Balandin is the main omission from the list of competitors - he is having more shoulder surgery this week, so we wish him all the best of luck in his recovery.

The competition begins on Wednesday with the MAG and WAG team events.  We very much hope that as usual the RGF will provide live streaming; I will provide links as they arise (check my Facebook and Twitter feeds which are updated more rapidly than this, the main blog).

Good luck to all the competitors!  Do your best!

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Happy Birthday, Ksenia Afanasyeva!

Ksenia, who turns 24 today, will most likely be team captain in Glasgow, assuming she does well in the forthcoming series of qualifying events for Worlds and makes the team!

Ksenia has an impressive list of honours to her name, going back as far as her international senior debut in 2007.  She has won gold medals at World, European and Universiade and has competed at two Olympics so far, winning silver with her team in London 2012.

Quiet determination and a strong need to fulfill her team responsibilities seem to fuel Ksenia's continuing improvement.  This stylish and powerful gymnast has an ability to maintain discipline and fitness even during injury down times - a talent that has been essential to her impressive competitive longevity.

She is a kind, supportive and inspirational team captain who has substantial moral and physical courage.  Her expressive brand of gymnastics pays respect both to the classical tradition of fine technique, and to the current trend for high level difficulty and acrobatics.

Have a happy birthday today, Ksenia - and good luck as your career develops! 

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Russia Cup preparations and TV shoot ... picture gallery

The Russian team is hard at work, seriously preparing for the forthcoming selection for World Championships, and considering the path ahead to Rio.  It is essential that both the men�s and women�s teams finish in the top eight in order to qualify to fight for medals in the next Olympics.

The Russia Cup, an important stage in qualification for the senior national team in Glasgow, begins in Penza, next Wednesday, the 16^thSeptember.  Hopefully, there will be live streaming and I will do my level best to keep you informed of all relevant information.  Check my Twitter feed and Facebook page for instant links; it will take me longer to update the main blog.

It has already been established that Aliya Mustafina will not be competing here, and rings specialist Alexander Balandin will also be missing.  After more than a year out of action with a serious shoulder injury, we heard today that poor Alexander has to go for more surgery.  It is hoped that he will be able to participate in nationals next spring.  We wish him a full recovery.  Emin Garibov too has had more than his fair share of injury, but we will see him on three apparatus in Penza.  His participation in worlds is in the balance.

I wonder if Russia can produce any champions in Glasgow.  Competition in the women�s field is fiercer than ever, and the Russians seem more likely to contend for silver and bronze medals than gold at this stage of the game, as Andrei Rodionenko said a couple of weeks ago.  The men�s competition is a different animal, with the specialists playing the main role in title fights.  With more medals to contend on the men�s side, Russia might stand a better chance of gold there than in women�s, this time round.  But it will be difficult.

All Championships are won thanks to the discipline and hard work of the athlete.   What he or she does every day is all that really matters when it comes to those few seconds on the podium.  That�s why it is so good to see a photo gallery today on the RGF website, recording the team�s serious work, alongside a visit from the production team of children�s TV show, SpokinoiNochi, Malishy! (Good Night, Little Ones!).  This popular TV show is transmitted by Russia 1 every weekday night at bedtime, and has run since 1968.  This week, little dog Philya met with some of the gymnasts and observed them in training.  I have picked out a few select images below for you to enjoy and reflect upon.

Emin Garibov with Philya the dog. On his Instagram account, Emin says : '20 years ago, who would have dreamed of being in the studio for a chat with Khryusha, Philya, Stepashka and Karkusha?  It is a childhood dream come true ...'

Maria Paseka's lovely smile and natural demeanour makes her perfect for children's TV.  She's not bad at vault and bars, either!

Head coach Andrei Rodionenko has a lot on his mind at the moment.  Will the Russian team be able to meet its Olympic medal targets in 2016?

Alla Sosnitskaya in a dramatic pose on the beam.  Assuming she has recovered fully from injury, she is one of four gymnasts who will be contending for an all around spot on the team in the absence of Mustafina - Tutkhalyan, Kharenkova and Shelgunova are the other three.

Angelina Melnikova will become eligible for the senior team in 2016, but is training as seriously as if she were qualifying for Glasgow.  She is, quite probably, one more all arounder for Russia, who are building strength in depth.

Ksenia Afanasyeva, with a new, shorter haircut, discusses a fine point of execution with coach Marina Nazarova.  Former teammate and assistant coach Ksenia Semenova looks on.

The serioius minded Maria Kharenkov with her personal coach, Olga Sagina

One of three gymnasts on the team who are trained by Marina Ulyankina, Seda Tutkhalyan has her first big chance to prove her reliability and competitive spirit at next week's Russia Cup.

Ksenia Afanasyeva in typical dramatic motion, her downcast eyes adding to the expression of the moment.

Viktoria Komova does some conditioning with coach Anton Stolyar

The mature and competitive Daria Spiridinova is expected to be a bars specialist in Glasgow, but she still practices floor

The powerful, lyrical Anastasia Dmitrieva provides great back up for Ksenia Afanasyeva on floor and beam

Viktoria was evidently working hard on floor, showing her trademark polish

Evgeniya Shelgunova is assiduous and a good team player.  Will Glasgow finally provide her with an opportunity to prove her worth on the World stage?

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Keep Calm And Support Aliya

Andrei Rodionenko has confirmed on RSport that Aliya has eligibility to qualify for Worlds even if she doesn't compete at Russia Cup.

All that is important is that Aliya remains healthy and happy to make her own choices.  Rushing to qualify for Worlds might not be the best thing if her back is hurting.

Let us all say - we support Aliya completely in making her own decisions in her own time and space.

Keep Calm and Support Aliya!  Good luck to our team's leader!

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Aliya Mustafina rumours - editorial note

EDITORIAL NOTE ADDED 9.9.2015

From Queen Elizabeth

There has been much discussion about Aliya in past weeks.  I do not want to create any distress or add to the current storm in a teacup, so the following is all I have to say until more information is officially and reliably in the public domain.   I will not be linking to blog posts or fan sites that attempt to make their version of the story into the true story.  

Let's all remember the definition of rumour : 

'information, often a mixture of truth and untruth, passed around verbally'

Let us not pass around our speculation as an authoritative version of events, or at least let's keep fact strictly separate from fiction, or near-fiction.  

Aliya is the only one who matters, and who knows the complete truth about it all.  It is her choice, and the choice of her Federation, whether we are informed of the full circumstances.  She is a professional athlete with a normal life whose privacy we should all respect.  Most of what is being said is NONE OF OUR BUSINESS. 

I would say that the fact that Valentina is leaving the door open for Aliya to compete at Worlds speaks volumes of her respect for this gymnast.

I am probably flying in the face of fan opinion when I say, I hope Aliya DOESN'T compete in Glasgow, for reasons I will keep to myself.  All that matters is that she remains happy and healthy; I would love to see her compete in Rio, but that is almost a year away.

You can read the official information about Aliya here - http://rewritingrussiangymnastics.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/aliya-mustafina-to-miss-russia-cup-says.html?showComment=1441745122582

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