'You can compete after 25 and still win medals' - Valentina Rodionenko

Tatiana Nabieva is one of a group of mature gymnasts whom the Russian coaches hope to restore to the team

Journalist Natalia Kalugina met with Valentina Rodionenko and Viktoria Komova.  This live interview was transmitted on the internet for Moscow Echo.  Lupita has provided translations of the key points  which are summarised below:

Natalia Kalugina : is the situation with Komova comparable to Ksenia Semenova? [ed - Semenova was unable to recover from an injury and eventually retired]

Valentina Rodionenko : Vika is still growing, she has gained 5 kilograms, she is very strong.  She and her coach are deciding where she will compete.  She has recovered 50-60% of her programme.  At Europeans, she won�t help her teammates on bars - she will not be allowed to be on the podium.

 

This year is difficult for those girls who competed at the Olympics.  There are many important competitions: Europeans, the Universiade, and the World Championships.

 

There can always be surprises from the judges.  It is difficult to know how things will go with the new rules. There will be lower start values for the Russians on bars and beam.

 

The Universiade will take place in Russia. Our Sports Ministry wants us to compete with the best teams.

Vika Komova wants to compete there if she finishes school and recovers in time.  Her recovery is going better than we thought.  All the Olympians will compete there.

 

NK : I saw Kramarenko, Goryunova training.

VR:   It was a mistake not to keep them.  We have to keep our gymnasts, regardless of their age.  Practice shows that you can compete after 25 and still win medals.  Nabieva is recovering, and is working on her Amanar and her bars - we are working with all of them.  Too many of our gymnasts retire early.  It is difficult to keep them training.

Dementyeva in 2011 competed very well when Aliya got injured.  She was at her peak.  Then she was injured,  Now, she is recovering, but it is hard, because there are mistakes.  Not everyone can reach the top level.  Second place is not good for us.

 

Artistry is of increasing importance.  We have Ksenia Afanasyeva, a world champion on floor, who is capable of great acrobatics and spins.  Execution is highly important.  The judges are better in Europe.  Outside of Europe there is only really China who are like the Russians, classical in their style.

On the individual apparatus, Mustafina is working towards a good score on beam, with upgrades.  On bars Vika is looking to increase her start value to 7.1, Mustafina is currently at around 6.7-6.8.  The Americans have less on bars, and the Chinese have lost a lot under the new rules.

At Europeans, we are expecting Romania's Larissa Iordache  to be a main rival - she is well prepared; her execution could be better, but her acrobatics are very good and she is constantly making upgrades to her programme.

Of the other team members VR mentioned Maria Paseka and Alla Sosnitskaya, who are both preparing two events.  Anastasia Sidorova is recovering from surgery (last week) to a knee injury.  Anna Rodionova is very good, but currently going through puberty, and needs a special training programme - has not yet grown as much as Viktoria. 

Afanasyeva and Shelgunova are both working on Amanar vaults.

Nastia Grishina is working on her Olympic programme and currently still in recovery. 'Let's see how she goes.'  She has a new coach who worked with the Soviet champion Elena Shevchenko, but not everything depends on the coaches; sometimes a gymnast simply makes no progress.  'Not everyone can become Olympic champion.'

 

Viktoria Komova commented on the new coaching arrangements :  'Grebyonkin wants us to smile.' He is very supportive.  'After the Olympics we gymnasts started to help each other.'

OTHER NEWS (updated 15th April) : There is a brief interview with Ksenia Afanasyeva here : she says that she is practicing the Amanar into a pit, but isn't sure it is ready to compete just yet. After the Olympics, she thought of retiring, but decided that at 21 she was too young to give up something that was still working for her. The youngsters who are up and coming do not yet pose much of a threat. 

Also, sadly, Alexander Alexandrov's name has vanished from the list of coaches nominated to be with the Russian team in Moscow.  He has been replaced by Raisa Ganina who has coached Mustafina since childhood.  It is hard to say what this quiet change signifies if anything.  I hope it is not a bitter ending to the charismatic pairing that delivered, and promised, so much for Russia.