Letter from a Mom : Why I Choose Rhythmic Gymnastics for My Daughters

By Lidia Rozdilsky



I am Sophia's mama, the one that introduced her to the world of exquisite human motion.





Growing up in Eastern Europe "on the other side of the iron curtain," it was a token of nationalism to be proud of our athletes, particularly our gymnasts whom we believed to be unsurpassable. Back then, from an early age on, there was hardly any child of any gender who was not introduced to dancing or music.Years passed and both the country's and the people's priorities and likes changed but the love for the amalgamation of dance and sport in the form of rhythmic gymnastics stayed with me, probably because I left Bulgaria as a teenager and "it" remained part of me in the same token as the "old" Bulgaria still inhabits my memories.

Work, life, and a passion for interacting with different cultures took our family to many countries where on numerous occasions ballet and gymnastics miraculously crossed our path. For instance, in 2008, our family was in the middle of visiting Tokyo when I found out that the Aeon Cup was taking place. Sophia in a sling, I cancelled all plans for the day so baby and I could enjoy seeing Kanaeva, Bessonova, and company in person. I will never forget seeing Vera Efremovna Shtelbaums and throwing myself on her neck virtually screaming how much I loved her, upon which she jumped from joy like a little girl, saying: oй, я такое никак не ожидала... meaning: oh my goodness, I never expected anything like that. Yes, the woman who trained Olympic and World champions never expected that a complete stranger and a nobody like me would put her in a pedestal, why: because Shtelbaums knows that in the final analysis it is not the medals that make a champion but her character and she knows it because she lives it!

Being close to gymnastics and dance has seen me through some of the most horrid times of my life. When Sophia was born, I went through excruciating pain to nurse her so the only thing I could do is stare at the beautiful performances on the computer in order to feed my child what my body makes for her sustenance. Before Sophia turned two, I gave birth to our second daughter Alexandra who is following in the "pointe shoes" of her sister and loves ballet and gymnastics as well. Our family experienced a colossal tragedy as we lost our third daughter Asmara nine days after she was born for unknown reason. One day before she left this world, my friend Iva stopped by to give the baby a gift she was inspired to buy: dancing shoes. We buried her ten days later with them next to her so she can dance in heaven, being taught by "the greatest" like dear Oksana Kostina and Julietta Shishmanova who too left this world very young.

One of the common characteristics that all loss moms across cultures, religions, and other artificial divides exhibit is that whatever "ambitions" for our children we may have had prior to our tragedies, we no longer have them. In the world of gymnastic-crazed hyper-moms many of you may have been left with the impression that Sophia's passion may be the result of yet another woman who sees her daughter as the next Kanaeva. So, please understand, I wrote this entry not because my daughter could not speak for herself during her own video interview but because I truly "get" what the Bulgarian gymnast Silviya Miteva means when she says: my goal is to do the best I am capable of on the carpet. I don't care which place I end up occupying in the ranking afterwards.

Sophia is almost six, but she has never attended a formal gymnastics or ballet class. She has never been to daycare or kindergarten either. Our philosophy as parents about teaching the arts to our children in general is "expose them to the best." We have a high quality projector at home which allows our daughters to see huge images of the world's best dancers and athletes doing what they love to do. When Sophia and Allie want to dance, I turn on the video and simply say to them: do what they do... and stand back amazed at the results.




When they want to paint, they are welcome to just about all professional art materials in our studio. Too often, children give up on art not because of lack of creativity or too much technology but because of being exposed to mediocrity.


I believe that disciplines that embody physical activity and grace teach children so much in terms of character development. Through their interaction with coaches, teammates, and the audience, they learn to show respect, express gratitude, and cultivate their individuality whilst meeting high standards which become their own. They learn perseverance through hardships and joy in self-improvement. Engaged in dance and motion, they become instruments of beauty. And this is why whether my daughters do anything with their passion for dance, beauty, and flexibility is immaterial; because in my eyes (and hopefully in their own) they are already champions because in the "real" world it is all about character development, and there, no one gives trophies.

A Magical Sport & Art from India

I rarely write about sports other than rhythmic gymnastics but, if you are looking for something different,exceptionally difficult and just spectacular to watch, here it is:



Mallakhamb competitions at the national level take place in 29 states in India with the first tournaments starting more than 25 years ago. Hopefully, we will see some of these talented athletes at the Olympics one day.

Tango, the Bulgarian Way

Neviana Vladinova rarely goes to big international events because of the crazy politics of the Bulgarian Federation.

But there are other crazy things about Bulgarians, and some of these things are amazingly positive and powerful. Like this routine. Here is gymnast who steps on the carpet perfectly ready to perform under the new Code of Points. Watch the intricate rolls of the ball, the on-the-spot dance steps, the risks, and arm movements:



I wish all new routines combined dance and athletics in this seamless, sophisticated way.

Melitina Staniouta Makes My Head Spin

I am enjoying the training videos from Grand Prix- Thiais and I feel very inspired. In the absence of Kanaeva, we have much more contested competitions now, and though girls like Mamun, Merkulova and Maksymenko are the favorites, some wonderful, even younger stars have begun to shine, like Durunda and Yusifova from Azerbaijan, and Rakhmatova from Uzbekistan.

But Melitina Staniouta, who is not a new star, has absolutely won me.

Dear fans, just watch the pivot she does starting at 1:03 of this video and tell me: isn't this beautiful girl the best gymnast in the world right now?



Seriously, I don't want to jinx her but I really hope she wins many gold medals this year. I thought she simply got "robbed" at the last competition in Holon, where she should have been first with clubs and with ribbon, but instead only won the hoop and got two silvers. Silver is not bad, but for someone of this class and talent, I just don't feel it is enough.

I am not going to discuss judging issues right now but will say that I do hope Melitina stays healthy. Sometimes, bad luck with injuries gets in the way of very deserved success. This kind of misfortune, involving a broken ankle, already hurt another star from Belarus, the fabuluous Larissa Lukyanenko, who should have competed for the top spot at the Worlds in 1993.

Much like Lukyanenko in the 90s, right now Melitina performs undoubtedly the best jumps in the sport, and some of the very best pivots. In addition, she puts a lot of risk with the apparatus in her routines and she has improved her confidence and expressivness. Nothing should get in the way of her path to the gold.

Thank You, Lala Yusifova!

Today I watched a routine that made me live a story, experience new emotions and become part of a spiritually enriching experience. This masterfully choreographed and superbly performed routine comes to us from the young Lala Yusifova and her coach Mariana Vassileva. Credit goes to both for being very daring, and for creating a piece of art while also putting a lot of very risky and difficult gymnastics elements.

The new Code of Points demands that gymnasts include dance steps and supposedly encourages creativity and musicality. Not all the new routines reflect this kind a character to life through your dance steps. Actually, very few of the routines have managed to approach this level of sophistication.

I am not surprised, though. Lala looked extremely promising as a junior, when I wrote about her here in Bulgarian and I called her "the exquisite flower from Baku." Her first steps on the carpet as a senior made our hearts flutter, too, as I wrote, this time in English, here.

So, thank you, Lala. I was crying watching the routine. Somewhere else Charlie Chaplin must have smiled.

My Top 4 Routines in 2013

Now that the first two strong tournaments of the year, one in Estonia and one in Moscow, have finished, I can say I watched the new routines of most of the world's best gymnasts. I have made my picks as follows

1. Top Ball Routine: Margarita Mamun. This is a lyrical, brilliant, light-as-a-feather routine, in which I think Rita Mamun displays some of the best arm movements in the business of dance and gymnastics. We see risk and we also see expression:



2. Top Clubs Routine: Alexandra Merkulova. This is one of the few routines with a vocal and with words that I actually enjoy. Sasha Merkulova takes the credit for looking like she is having tons, tons of fun performing and not like she is pretending to dance. I really feel sad when so many gymnast just move their hips around because now you have to include "dance elements" and they are not feeling the music, or the mood, or anything at all. Joyful dancing aside, this is a routine full of small movements and tricks with the clubs, which is what every routine should be. None of the elements look static and a few are pretty original. The routine covers the entire carpet and matches the music:



3. Top Ribbon Routine: Melitina Staniouta. A classy and classical routine beyond any doubt. As we know, all of Melitina's leaps and pivots are some of the strongest in the world and she has put a lot of effort into interpreting the music and making this routine very "alive" and fluid. Melitina Staniouta is, physically, the best gymnast in the world right now. If her expression matches her physical fitness, she should be winning gold after gold. But mostly with this wonderfully sophisticated ribbon:



4. Top Hoop Routine: Ganna Rizatdinova. Ukranian gymnasts completely "own" the hoop as an apparatus. Maksymenko has presented a strong hoop routine as well but Ganna's pirouettes and her dramatic, yet, not drama queen-ish interpertation has put it over the top of me. She is truly flying high like her hoop here, taking over all the emotional space she can:

Baby Nadia As a Gymnastics Fan

By popular request, I am posting here the pictures I took of my daugher Nadia in various gymnastics scenarios. Nadia was born on 07/11/2012, at which point she was 19 inches long (48 cm) and weighed 7 lbs and 4 ounces ( about 3 kg 300 grams). She has grown a lot ever since, reaching 74.4 cm (29.75 incheS) and 21 lbs 2 ounces (about 9 kg 600 kg).  She looks like she will grow tall so I think I'd encourage her to pick up basketball and beach volleyball, maybe not gymnastics. But she is Maria Petrova's and Evgenia' Kanaeva's smallest fan! :-) And I would add: Olga Gontar's smallest and cutest fan. :-)

On these pictures, she is 5 days old with the rope and ball, 4 months with the makeshift "clubs" and about 6 months old with the ribbon. No hoop just yet. :-)

Bending and Spinning Like Champions, in America

Hi there, fans. I have some pictures of U.S. gymnast in ring shapes and pivots. I wish Jay Leno tried to do this instead of making fun of gymnastics on his show. I mean, come on, he could have just poked fun at Lance Armstrong, or basketball, or something else that he more or less understands. 

On a more serious note, now that wrestling got kicked out of the Olympics, I really hope gymnastics stays because these American girls work very hard and they look absolutely out-of-this-world...even while bending and spinning in a school gym right under a basketball hoop. What they practice is a real sport,  as challenging as many other sports, and worthy of Olympic participation for sure.

Efrossina Anguelova Will Coach the Bulgarian National Team

Iliana Reaeva, who took over the presidency of the Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation recently, after decades of Maria Gigova's leadership, announced big news last week. Efrossina Anguelova has accepted an offer as the new national coach of the Bulgarian team.

Previously, Mrs. Anguelova coached the Spanish national team and worked as a coach in the USA as well. She is the mother of another Bulgarian world champion, choreographer, stunt performer and model, Stela Anguelova (http://www.stellaangelova.com).

I would like to share a video of Mrs. Anguelova working and discuss what challenges she will face back in Bulgaria:




So, judging from the video, we have gotten ourselves a strict, serious, very motivated and intelligent national coach, who also does intense work with choreography. What does that mean:

Challenge 1: Many people on the national team, especially the girls in the group, will have to work harder. Much harder. I expect more original and more complex routines. Work ethic is not the same in Bulgaria as it is in the USA or in Spain.

Challenge 2: Many international judges and coaches may or may not like the Anguelova family, especially after Efrossina Anguelova left Spain after lots of scandal and speculation. Let's hope that they will judge without bias.

Challenge 3: People from different generations will work together now. In the past, Raeva mostly engaged coaches who were her age (born in the 1960s, or later). Although an youthful spirit can last a lifetime, differences in coaching styles remain, too. I am not saying Efrossina Anguelova is too old for this but that the Bulgarian team has worked in a different manner before.

Awesome American Level 10 Gymnasts

We went to a rhythmic gymnastics invitational at Shady Hill School in MA and watched some very talented young ladies:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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First World Cup for 2013: Amazing!

I watched Marc's livestream of the Tartu, Estonia, World Cup event and I am wowed, just wowed. First of all, the elegant Ukranian Ganna Rizatdinova deserved to win. I really enjoyed her hoop routine:




Ganna's clubs are also wonderful but I think she can work on her apparatus technique. Melitina Staniouta from Belarus, who is one of my favorite gymnasts of this century, made a big error with ball and still finished second.

But to me this tournament had three new stars with just amazing potential: Marina Durunda, Lala Yusifova (both from Azerbaijan) and the new Israeli gymnast, Nataly Mendelson. Mendelson has a lot of control in her pivots and she did a joyful, confident, and dynamic ribbon routine. Marina Durunda is very elegant and clean and shows some nice risks. Lala Yusifova is an old favorite of mine, an abolute treasure. I wrote about her here and here. I am awaiting videos from this event and will share them.

In the meantime, you can watch the apparatus finals on this livestream: http://www.gymnasticsdvd.de/live/ tomorrow at 15:00 Estionan time, which is 8 a.m. for me on the U.S. East Coast :-)

Ronit and Rebecca Shine in Boston

While everyone else was watching the Superbowl, I attended, as any rhythmic gymnastics fan should, an invitational at Shady Hill High School in Cambridge. Rebecca Sereda and Ronit Shamuilov, America's top rhythmic gymnasts, looked more mature, bedazzled in sparkly leos and very confident.

The two of them really will compete with each other and I am hopeful that, unlike many other teams, the US will have, TWO top gymnasts, who motivate each other instead of designating one "prima."The new routines need lots of work because we are still in the beginning of the season but they did show beautiful moves already:

New Bulgarian Beauty: Kristina Tasheva

Finally, I found some time to share with you how thrilled I am that Kristina Tasheva from "Akademik" (the same club as Simona Peycheva) became part of the national team. Kristina placed 2nd after Silvia Miteva at the first test competition in Sofia:



Kristina strikes me as a very gifted athlete, but also as someone who looks ready and happy to work very, very hard. She just puts a lot of attention and effort in every movement, so I do believe that she can "polish" her routines to perfection. This is a strong, yet, flowing and expressive, routine, although I'd like to see more originality with the hoop (the hoop used to be, dear fans, the most "Bulgarian" apparatus).

The big question is: will the Bulgarian Federation allow another girl from "Akademik" to compete at international events, especially if Simona Peycheva does return, as she says she will? How will Silvia Miteva and Maria Mateva respond to actual competition within the national team? Time will tell.

Bulgaria's National Team in 2013

Hello RG fans! The Bulgarian national team now includes the following members:

1. Katrin Taseva (Levski) 
2. Simona Ivanova (Gratsia)
3. Anastasia Kisse (Levski Iliana)
4. Biliana Prodanova (CSKA)
5. Simona Nedialkova (Levski Iliana)
6. Zhenina Trashlieva (Chernomoretz)
7. Silvia Miteva (Levski Iliana)
8. Simona Diankova (Char)
9. Neviana Vladinova (Levski)
10. Sara Staykova (Levski Triaditsa)
11. Maria Mateva (Olimpia 74)
12. Rumiana Georgieva (Slavia)
13. Kristina Tasheva (Akademik) 
14. Radina Filipova (Char)

This is the order in which the gymnasts will appear in the first test competition this week. 

For me, the gymnasts to watch closely are Staykova, Prodanova, Vladinova and the new addition that I just LOVE, Kristina Tasheva. Kisse and Trashlieva have a lot of potential though I felt disappointed by Kisse's performances last year. I like the two Simona's: Ivanova and Diankova, but I think they need to work a LOT to reach the level that Staykova or Kisse are demonstrating.

I like Radina Filpova, too, but I think she may thrive better as part of the group. Rumiana Georgieva, who already received multiple chances to compete internationally as an individual, should move into the group as well. I hear Rumiana has the option to the decide whether to join the group and I hope she thinks about it wisely.

Maria Mateva is currently the real candidate for number 2 on the team after Silvia, but I think other girls have more potential.  

I have not watched a lot of routines from Simona Nedialkova and Katrin Taseva. I look forward to learning more about them.

Full-Time Fan

As a start-of-the-year present, I got myself a perfect piece of clothing: a hoodie with two pockets, and a zipper, with a gymnast print, in blue. I love it.

Pre-Christmas Treat

Lately, I have been engaging in some heated, to say the least, political discussions about gun control in the United States. I have to admit that I even considered writing about a political topic on my purely gymnastics-devoted blog. But I will refrain from writing about non-gymnastics topics here, simply for the sake of my favorite sport.

I have to say, though, that I believe people have both hidden talents and hidden weakenesses. Sometimes, a talent may "act out" as a weakness, an angry temper, or even a "disorder,"  but a seeming weakness may reveal a path to the bright light of a true talent. I just wish that young people could find consolation and inspiration in sports and art, instead of looking to channel their spiritual energy through violent video game or other forms of mental and physical aggression. Those of you who met a mentor or felt inspired by a talented individual should truly appreciate how this person's example filled their lives. Many never encounter this opportunity.  Many never find outlets for their energy through a healthy activity thar brings fulfillment. As a treat for the fans, here is a very peaceful, yet strikingly emotionally charged routine, one that really radiates its own light:

Nine Questions for Angélica Kvieczynski, Brazil's Best Gymnast

Born on September 1, 1991 in Toledo, the state of Paraná, Angélica Kvieczynski is by far the most medal-decorated Brazilian rhythmic gymnast.  In 2006,  Angélica became the first junior Brazilian Pan-American champion and, as a senior, she was the 2010 South American Chamption. But she really made history by winning the first senior all around medal for her country at the Pan-American Games in 2011, where she won a total of 4 medals, one silver and three bronze, a record for Brazil in this sport. It is worth noting that, at these Pan-American Games, Angélica faced very strong competition from some wonderful American, Canadian and Mexican gymnasts. I am thrilled that Angélica has kindly agreed to do a short interview for my blog. 

1. Why did you choose to practice rhythmic gymnastics?
It was random. I saw other gymnasts training and started practising...

2. In your opinion, what is the biggest sacrifice that an athlete has to make in order to dedicate herself to sports?
There are many sacrifices, especially the one of not being able to do everything that normal young people do.

3. Which style do you prefer: Kanaeva's or Bessonova's? Why?
Bessonova's, because she is a gymnast who attracts more attention, especially for the audience, and excites the spectators.

4. What could we do to make rhythmic gymnastics more popular in Brazil and around the world?
In Brazil there is a lot missing, especially incentives to practise.

5. Your greatest achievement as an athlete was....?
I think the 4 medals that I won at the 2011 Pan American Games. Because this was a precedent for Brazil, this is a sign that we are improving.

Photo: http://jornaldodiase.com/

6. What advice would you give to junior gymnasts?
To work very hard because it is at this stage that we learn a lot....Maybe the majority of things.

7. Do you like dancing? What types of music/dance do you prefer?
Yes, I like it a lot. I like all kinds of music, but what I'd like to learn the most is street dance.

8. Many think that a rhytmic gymnast is a also a dancer and even an actress? Would you agree?
I believe so, yes, because we have to dance and interpret the music and for me this is what makes the best gymnasts stand out.

9. One last question: do you think the Brazilian National Soccer Team will win the World Cup in 2014?
This is a very difficult question to answer. I am very patriotic and hope that Brazil wins, but I think that to do this, the team needs to improve a lot and to focus more on their goals...Because we already were the best in soccer, but now we are equals with other teams, so we need to improve, not just maintain the same level.

As a a treat for the fans, here is Angélica's brilliant, samba-accompanied clubs routine, which I love because it just sizzles with risk, speed and expression:



Among the pages that she liked on Facebook, Angélica has listed those of the Ukranian Alina Maksimenko, and the Bulgarians Maria Petrova and Silvia Miteva.

I wish Angélica the best of luck with every endeavor and hope she inspires many Brazilian girls to choose our favorite sport. As for her savvy opinion about the Brazilian soccer team, I secretly hope the soccer stars read what she said and take it to heart!

Happy Birthday to Diana Popova!

December 10 is the birthday of an absolutely unique gymnastics performer, the Bulgarian Diana Popova. More than 20 years ago, at the European Junior Championship, she won gold with hoop and ribbon. Since then she also won a number of medals at European and world championship, including the team gold at the EC in Stuttgart' 92  and a bronze with rope at the WC in Budapest'96.

Here is a rather old hoop routine that I just love:
 

The Queen Retires

As fans may have heard, the two-time Olympic champion Evgenia Kanaeva has announced her retirement.  I will miss her dearly for many reasons, but mostly I will miss the supreme confidence that she radiated. She completely owned her routines and executed them with finesse and with a subtle, controlled, and perfectly natural passion. I never saw Kanaeva attempt to look like someone she is not or to interpret music that did not suit her own temper. At the same time, off the capret, she continuously appeared down-to-earth, modest, and very, very strong-willed.

I am not an aspiring gymnast, just a fan. But I have still learned a lot from Zhenya Kanaeva. Watching her perform has reinforced my belief that when you know yourself well, you can make your strenghts shine, and your weaknesses disappear. Watching her win every international competition has also made me believe that, natural born leaders, like her,  need a lot more than talent in order to succeed, and even more than hard work. What you need is a desire to accept responsibility for what you can't and cannot do. I think she always treated her work with a complete awareness of just how much was at stake. She never complained of injuries, judges, or any other factors outside her own efforts. And it only makes sense that she feels ready to retire after achieving everything an athlete could possibly attempt.

Thank you, Zhenya Kanaeva, for gracing our sport with your victorious spirit.

Oh, Those Gymnastics Moments...

I was looking at older gymnastics photos and videos that I keep storing when I ran into some "different" pictures that show more than just the elegance in gymnastics but also some of the unintentional comedy weirdness.

More scary than funny. Can Lukonina walk with her ankles backwards now:

Gymnastics warm-up traffic jam:

All that traffic must have caused a small hole in someone's leggings ;-):

Caroline Weber is either trying to hypnotize the ball, or the ball has already hypnotized her:

And, of course, another "headless" gymnast moment by Anna Alyabieva:

Bulgaria's Hopefuls

Welcome to my first post with Blogsy, coming straight from my iPad.

I would like to discuss the future of the Bulgarian team now that Silvia Miteva is most likely retiring. Tsvetelina Stoyanova may be joining the group exercise, which leaves the following gymnasts in competition for the spot of Number 1 in Bulgaria:

1. Maria Mateva: she has already represented Bulgaria at many important international competitions. Unfortunately, injuries have tormented her for a long time. Ball is by far her best event:



2. Sara Staykova: younger than Mateva, not as known, but very, very promising. I think Sara has strong apparatus technique and very interesting routines. Unfortunately, she has not performed very cleanly. Here are her clubs:


3. Neviana Vladinova: though she is not officially part of the national team, she has shown consistent improvement in all aspects of her routines. Neviana's ribbon is especially masterful:



4. Zhenina Trashlieva: currently the leader of the junior team, she is very confident and expressive but has not been tested in the senior category:

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Iliana Raeva Heads the Bulgarian Federation

As expected, Iliana Raeva is the new president of the Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation. Ina Ananieva will remain as coach of Bulgaria's group. The first thing the newly elected president said was that "young gymnasts need to get a chance." I really hope she means it. Her statement makes me remember a gymnast who was a great hope for Bulgaria, Filipa Siderova, who never got her chance and actually ended up competing for another country briefly. I will never forget this truly sophisticated and wonderful clubs routine:

I really hope that the new federation leadership will seek help from someone who can create such powerful choreography and will rely on girls who can rise to the same level.

Neviana Vladinova, Bulgaria's (Not So) New Hope

At the Italian Serie 2012, Neviana Vladinova from Bulgaria performed another strong ball routine. I have written many times, for a couple of years now, and I am writing again that Neviana deserves a spot on the Bulgarian national team. The Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation will be electing a new president next week, with Iliana Raeva being the only candidate so far. Unfortunately, fans already know that Raeva has her own plans about which girls from her own club deserve to be on the national team. Since Neviana is from the wrong club, we may not see her represent Bulgarian in big international competitions. However,  we still have the honor and pleasure to watch this:

Will Mariam Chamilova Continue Competing?

Talented individual gymnasts frequently transition to the group exercise. Mariam Chamilova from Canada was supposed to me one of them, but initially she rejected an offer to join the group.After not qualifying for the Olympics as an individual, though, Mariam wanted to become part her national team's group. It was then that the Canadian authorities decided not to hold a second qualifying event after the team earned an Olympic spot, and said they did not wish to potentially break up the team who had won the Olympic place. 

Mariam probably felt disappointed not to get a chance to go to the Olympics as a group member. I wonder if she will continue in the sport. Regardless of her decision, I am pleased to post some beautiful pictures of her.

A Rising Star from Azerbaijan

The 2012 Berlin Masters competition featured Russian Daria Dmitrieva as a winner and although many of the established top gymnast did not participate, we saw some strong and expressive routines. My pick is Lala from Azerbaijan. She had beautiful clean lines a s a junior but she looks more confident and dynamic now. Enjoy her work with clubs:

Interview with Sasha Narkevich, Group Silver Medalist from London

For the other crazy fans, who may not speak Russian, I transleted an interview with the Olympic silver medalist from Belarus, Sasha Narkevich. ;-) It always amazes me how modest she is!

—The nervous and hard times of the Olympic games are in the past now. What is the mood of the team?

—   The atmosphere, as always, is friendly. We've already started to get in shape slowly. We work as before, no changes.

—   Are you cleaning up the old routines as before?

—   Yes. For gala demonstrations we will use the old routines, so we will keep working on them until the end of December. After that, we will switch to new ones. Right now Tatyana Evgenievna is looking for music for them.

—   What emotions will you remember from London?

—   The moment when we performed the last routine. Exciting and unforgettable minutes. It was a great shock for us that before the last performance on the carpet we were 4^th. Nobody told us this so when the journalists asked us how we managed to focus and get to second place, we looked at each other and were amazed. Perhaps not knowing this helped us step out in a more focused manner.

—   Tatyana Nenasheva knew of this but decided to spare you?

—   Obviously, yes.

—   How will you remember the Olympic village?

—   I lived in a room with Nataliya Leshchik. Every day, we trained, like back home. At night we had celebrations with the medal winners. We all gathered on the street and congratulated those, who won medals. Usually, we came back from training tired, so we would shower, eat, and fall asleep, as we had to get up at 7 am.

—   How did jet lag treat you?

—   I didn’t feel any changes. These two weeks were very tense in terms of preparation. In other terms, all was as usual.

—   You came to the group a year ago and quickly became part of the group. How complicated was it to turn from an “individual” to a “group member”?

—   Tatyana Evgenievna helped a lot. Also, the girls on the team always supported me. If I didn’t understand something, they explained all nuances and always encouraged me. We never had arguments. We are like a big family. In the beginning, I accepted this idea without great enthusiasm; I didn’t want to transition to the group exercise. Irina Yurievna (Leparskaya) spoke with me, then Tatyna Evgenievna. The girls helped me tune into the new environment. This way, with efforts by all, I became a “group member.”

—   Then your transition appeared as a necessary measure related to the injury of Alina Tumilovich. Now you completely embraced the team and feel absolutely comfortable?

—   You could say so.

—   What was the hardest?

—   Preparing for the Olympic Games. All efforts were focused on the three days of competition. When we found ourselves on the London carpet, we already did not think of anything. Despite the fatigue and difficulty, we moved confidently towards our common goal, the Olympic medal. The preparation for the games, it was a complex challenge. But at the same time there were many joyful moments and events.

—   Do you regret parting with your career as an “individual”?

—   No

—   Marina Goncharova said in a recent interview that the character of the “group member” is different in many ways from those of the “individual.” How apparent was this?

—   I could find common ground with anyone. For that reason, I had no problems of this nature.

—   Did friends and family meet you with flowers?

—   There was a very warm welcome for as at the airport. There were many friends and young gymnasts. All our coaches came to meet us. Lots of greetings, smiles, and positives. At the Dinamo school, the children put together a mini concert for us.

—   Your younger sister is also a gymnast. You help her perfect her skills?

—   Before, when I trained at “Spartak,” Zhenya and I saw each other a lot more often and I frequently gave her tips on all kinds of nuances, we worked together on all elements, which didn’t work. Now I train with the national team so I don’t know what she is working on. But she seems to be doing well.

—   How did you rest after the Olympics?

—   Marina Goncharova and I flew to Greece with our moms. We gathered new strength and energy. We distracted ourselves from long periods of weekdays and received new emotions. For me the main condition for good rest is to go away from Minsk and change the scenery.

—   Usually athletes prefer active rest…

—   We did not settle for lying around either. We had trips, walked around a lot. But, surely, we did no gymnastics. Overall, it wasn’t bad.

—   Your friends at the national team have dreams, goals. For example, Ksenia Sankovoch wanted to jump with a parachute, Marina Goncharova, to learn to play the piano. Do you have goals, which you sacrificed because of gymnastics?

—   I have never thought of this. Jumping with a parachute is not my thing exactly. (laughs). One of my dreams already came true. Soon, there will be new ones.

—   Outside of sports, do you and the girls have common goals?

—   Overall, yes. We help each other and often solve different problems.

—   This year you enrolled in university. Did you already have your first homework assignments?

—   I don’t have stories to tell yet. I've been to the university three times. Exam week is ahead.

—   How did your life change after the Olympics?

—   Honestly, it’s all like before.

—   You have probably had enough with interviews, celebrations, press conferences…

—   No. It’s nice when we get congratulated and our efforts are noted. Though I prefer to spend my time on the carpet.

—   Many gymnasts are working on more modern programs, include in them contemporary music, elements….

—   We are now working on new routines. I hope everyone will like them. We are still looking for music.

Interview with Andrey Prikota

Will Margarita Mamun, the Beautiful Butterfly, Get a Chance to Fly?

With talks of Kanaeva retiring and with Kondakova suffering an injury, Dmitrieva, Merkulova and Mamun remain the top Russian seniors, although various extremely talented juniors will move to the senior category soon.  Many fans think Merkulova is overscored. I don't always agree but, as a personal preference for gymnasts with an elegant style, I would really like to see Margarita Mamun, who always looks as light as a butterfly, represent Russia, or maybe Bangladesh, at world class events. Here is a hoop routine from the WC competition in Tashkent:

Margarita was born on November 1, 1995. She is the 2011 and 2012 Russian national champion and a bronze medalist from the Montreal World Cup event in 2011. At the Russian Nationals this year, Margarita placed higher than Svatkovskaya and Trubnikova. Sadly, Dmitrieva did not participate. I really hope Margarita keeps improving and goes to more GP and WC events. Otherwise, she may get a chance to perhaps join the group, but I think she is unique and would do wonderful work as an individual competitor.

Leadership Change in Bulgaria: the New, the Old and the Same Old

Bulgaria's national team coach Iliana Raeva recently resigned from her position as head coach but would most likely become the president of Bulgaria's rhythmic gymnastics federation. She will replace Maria Gigova who headed the federation for decades. For those who are too young to know who Gigova is, she was a triple world champion in the late 60's and early 70's. Here is a beautiful reminder of what gymnastics looked like back then:


Although Iliana Raeva is much younger than Gigova, her methods and views of gymnastics are the same. Both Gigova and Raeva have repeatedly denied Neshka Robeva's contributions to Bulgarian sports and the two of them became responsible for kicking Lili Ignatova out of the national gym while Lili was head coach. Maria Gigova was among the critiques of Silvia Miteva, too, but once Miteva left "Levski" to join Raeva's club, Gigova and other federation members finally acknowledged Silvia's progress and accepted the fact that she was the best Bulgarian gymnast. For years many coaches, from Robeva, to Dukova (Simona Peycheva's coach) to Raeva herself had complained that the federation is not doing enough to support the gymnasts. Raeva even went ahead and declared in front of the media that the national team was forced to stay in a cheap hotel "with prostitutes" right before competition.

This change of leadership, thus, was much desired. Raeva may very well do a better job than Gigova as an administrator but one thing will not change and that is the main method for selecting national team members: nepotism. We will also keep seeing Robeva shunned and gymnasts from Levski like Neviana Vladinova, will likely continue to be denied a spot on the team. Not unlike Bulgarian politics, gymnastics will let us see some new faces and the same old games.

Kanaeva Won Her Second Olympic Title but Son from Korea Stole My Heart

I watched the Olympic rhythmic gymnastics final with great pleasure. I'd like to say right away that I think all the scores were fair with the exception of Joanna Mitrosz's, who alwasys receives more than she deservs. I am sad that Staniouta did not make the final and that Miteva made the mistakes she made but very happy that Rivkin and Rizatdinova made the final, too, as each faced her own challenges. To be honest, Garaeyva and Maximenko did not impress me; I thought both were sloppy. 

What made this Olympic final especially memorable for me was Son's performance. She was very close to getting on the podium and I kept wishing she made it there, although the bronze medal winner Charkashyna is one of my favorie gymnasts. Going in as an underdog, Son finished fifth, very close to Garayeva. Son, however, is a cleaner and more expressive gymnast than Garaeyva by far. She performs with a lot of style so I hope she will stay in competition after this amazing performance in London. My favorite is her hoop routine, which really moves me with the gymnast's enthusiasm, her passionate interpretation of the music:

Rhythmic Gymnastics at the Olympics

As our anticipation of the 2012 Olympic Games grows every minute, here is a brief overview of rhythmic gymnastics' history as an olympic sport.

1984 - The First Steps 

In the 1970s and early 80s the number of gymnasts from around the world who chose rhythmic gymnastics increased. Gymnasts from the United States first appeared at the championships in 1973. This is almost 40 years ago now, so let's relax and stop assuming that rhythmic gymnastics is only popular in Eastern Europe. Rhythmic gymnastics entered the Olympic programme in 1984 with an individual all around as the only event. Unfortunately, as a response to the American-led boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, 14 countries from Eastern Europe boycotted the 1984 Olympics, which were held in Los Angeles. These countries included the Soviet Union, Cuba, East Germany and Bulgaria (but not Romania). As a result, Lori Fung, a Canadian of Chinese origin became the first Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics. 

1988 - The Real Competition

Luckily, in 1988, there was no political nonsense to deprive talented athletes of their dream Olympic moment. Thirty-nine gymnasts competed in the preliminary round of the all around competition and twenty made the final. A gymnast's score in the preliminary round, divided by two (the "prelim" score) was added to gymnast's score in the finals (the "final" score). Each of the routines in was judged by six judges, highest and lowest marks were dropped, and an average of four remaining scores was gymnast's score for the routine. Marina Lobatch of the Soviet Union, one of my favorites from the 1980s, won the Olympic title, followed by Bulgarian Adriana Dunavska, and the rising star Alexandra Timoshenko. Curiously, Dunavska and Timoshenko had both become all around European champions that same year along with the Bulgarian Elizabeth Koleva, who did not participate in the Olympics. The scond Bulgarian competitor, Bianka Panova, who received 8 scores of the perfect 10.000 at the 1987 Worlds, dropped a club and finished 4th. Here is Lobatch, lovely commentary in French:

1992 - Timoshenko and the Spanish Conquest

In 1992 in Barcelona, Alexandra Timoshenko dropped the ball and still won the gold medal. She was followed by Spanish Carolina Pascual (quite an achievement for Spain!) and Oksana Skaldina. Maria Petrova of Bulgaria, who was the 1992 European champion with 4 perfect 10.000s was fifth after numerous errors including the zipper of her leotard opening during her hoop routine:

1996 - The First Rhythmic Groups at the Olympics

The 1996 Olympics added a new event: rhythmic gymnastics groups of 5 girls! Spain won the first group gold medal, followed by Bulgaria and Russia.

In the all around event, this was, in my opinion, one of the most unfairly judged competitions of all times. Ekaterina Serebryanskaya of the Ukraine won despite dropping the ribbon, and Yanina Batyrchina of Russia, also with a drop, was awarded the silver. Elena Vitrichenko of the Ukraine, who performed cleanly and beautifully somehow deserved a bronze only. I already wrote about this here. Sad days for gymnastics come and go. Let's hope they mostly go into oblivion.

2000 - Barsukova Surprises the Bravest Among Us

Russia won the group gold in 2000 in Athens, followed by Belarus and a very strong Greece. But Greece winning a bronze in the groups was not the biggest surprise. As everyone expected Alina Kabaeva to win the all-around individual gold, she made some errors and only achieved third place. The wonderful Yulias, Yulia Raskina of Belarus with silver, and the champion Russian Barsukova, surpassed Alina.

A cold princess, unforgettable and swan-like , the 2000 Olympic champion, Barsukova:

2004 - Kabaeva, the Queen

Kabaeva certainly redeemed herself by winning the gold at the 2004 Olympics. She was followed by another fan favorite from Russia, Irina Tchachina, and by the legendary Ukranian Anna Bessonova. I know many think Bessonova deserved better than bronze but I think both Kabaeva and Tchachina performed very strongly. Tchachina should perhaps regret the errors she made as she was fully ready to outshine the charismatic Kabaeva. But you could not outshine Kabaeva, an outstanding, diamond of a talent, without being flawless. And while, in 2000, Barsukova was capable of flawless execution, neither Tchachina, nor Bessonova came close to flawless in 2004.

Among the groups, Russia won the gold, followed by Italy and Bulgaria.

2008 - Kanaeva, the Queen

Bessonova won another Olympic bronze in 2008. The surprise silver medalist, Inna Zhukova from Belarus, stepped up as a real star in the competition of her life. If you think that Bessonova was "deprived" again, please remain quiet and watch Bessonova videos in peace at the comfort of your own home and without besmirching other talented people. Inna Zhukova is one of the cleanest, strongest and most modest athletes of our century. I only wish the rest of us shared some of her physical and mental strength. Her silver medal was more than deserved.

Evgenia Kanaeva of Russia, who has since then become the most successful rhythmic gymnast of all time, won the gold without leaving a shred of doubt about her outstanding class. The group winner was Russia, followed by the host, China, and Belarus with bronze.

Not that I think anyone has forgotten this magically light and sweet ribbon routine by Kanaeva, but here it is:

This concludes my overview. The 2012 Olympics may bring even greater surprises, especially among the groups. Italy, Russia, and Belarus all look equally strong, all with some very original routines performed by gymnasts who are really pushing the limit of mastery in group performance. Bulgaria and Spain will fight for their medal chances as well. Among the individual gymnasts, Kanaeva looks poised to win another Olympic gold but other strong competitors follow her lead.

Happy 4th with a Beautiful American Gymnast

Next time Jay Leno decides to make fun of gymnasts, he should at least watch, or perhaps perform, this routine first: I think Ronit need more control on her pirrouettes, but other than that, this is a smoothly executed routine with world-class difficulty. From a purely fan perspective, this routine showcases the gymnast's natural elegance, always a delight to watch. I really hope to see Ronit and Rebecca Sereda win many medals at international events in the future. Happy 4th of July to all American fans and especially to the young American girls who have chosen rhythmic gymnastics among the many wonderful sports and hobbies a talented person can enjoy! Cheers!

More Pictures from the U.S. Region 4 Championship

As promised, here are some more pictures of Region 4 American gymnasts and coaches. :-)