WAG Senior start lists are out - Afan does one, Mustafina three

Start lists are now available for tomorrow's senior team and event quals.  At present, the Russian roster  looks like this -

Beam - Melnikova, Tutkhalyan, Mustafina

Floor - Melnikova, Tutkhalyan, Mustafina 

Vault - Melnikova, Tutkhalyan, Afanasyeva 

Bars - Melnikova, Spiridonova, Mustafina 

Things can still change, dear reader, but this is the most reliable official news we have.   

It will be good to see all five members of the team compete - I am relieved that Mustafina isn't doing all four but worried for her legs on floor; delighted to see Melnikova and Tutkhalyan making such a strong contribution; and pleased that Afanasyeva is having a chance to try out her training, despite what might be a small injury.  Spiridonova is also looking good for bars, in fact to me she is underused here.  

Good luck!  Udachi!  To all the team.  We are very excited to see you compete and do well!

The start lists can be found here - http://gym.longinestiming.com/File/00000F0201000000FFFFFFFFFFFFFF00

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Mustafina 'wants to test herself in the AA'

    Courtesy of vk.com

Aliya Mustafina plans to try out her skills on all four apparatus in this week's European Championships, says Valentina Rodionenko.  Also going on all four apparatus will be newly crowned Russian Champion, Angelina Melnikova.   Daria Spiridonova will compete bars, where Mustafina is also currently very strong.  

In podium training today, Mustafina walked through a floor routine and was closely spotted by head coach Evgeny Grebyonkin.  2011 World floor champion, Ksenia Afanasyeva, did not warm up floor, looking on forlornly while her team mates, including Daria Spiridonova, practiced on her favourite piece.  There is no news yet as to Afanasyeva's competitive status here in Bern.

Official start lists for the competition will be published late tomorrow.  As with all competitions, believe what you see.  This year's Europeans is a team competition with event finals and no official all around competition, although there will be significant interest in whoever can perform well on all four pieces, with Angelina Melnikova presumably competing alongside Britain's Ellie Downie and defending Euro champ, Giulia Steingrueber, for the highest total.  

In my opinion, if Mustafina does go on floor, it will be because Afanasyeva can't compete.  With all due respect to the former world champion, this could be bad news for Russia's prospects in the team final.  Fewer than four weeks ago Andrei Rodionenko completely ruled out Mustafina's participation on floor, saying she would not be able to build enough stamina in the training time available to her.  There are no miracles in gymnastics, although I will be willing all the girls to perform their best and maintain their good health.

Valentina Rodionenko interview - http://m.rsport.ru/artist_gym/20160531/927762276.html

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European Championships - junior and senior WAG nominative registrations now available

Find junior and senior nominative registrations for European Gymnastics Championships 2016 here.  Russian teams in the pictures attached.  Remember these can change right up to the day of competition.

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