Olena Diachenko's Leotards Look Simply Stunning, Only on Her

Even gymnasts don't look as thin as they really are on camera. Very few can wear one-color, long leotards well unless they have,  well, essentially, the body of the super model.

In fact, I don't think anyone after Tamara Erofeeva has been able to pull of this look except maybe Daria Kushnerova, who retired way too early. Before that, Olga Gontar and Ekaterina Serebryanskaya both looked out of this world in all white in the 1990s.

Olena Diachenko is that one-in-a-million woman.  She has been wearing all black, all white and dark red with some sparkle, but, essentially, with clean lines that emphasize her amazing legs. I don't think anyone else in the world elite can show this look quite so successfully. I know Mazur is next in line to be the top gymnast in the Ukraine but I really hope this girl gets her chance because she just makes the hardest things look so graceful! She just dazzles with her gorgeous silhouette and fills the carpet with her elegance.

Anna Rizatdinova Withdraws from Grand Prix Kiev Due to Foot Injury

According to the source below, Anna has a foot injury that seems to have bothered her for a while, but got worse recently.

http://kp.ua/sport/570299-stala-yzvestna-prychyna-po-kotoroi-ryzatdynova-snialas-s-kubka-deruihynoi

Ganna only performed a hoop routine at the event and did not appear for the other three performances. Coincidentally, Ukraine's number 2, Viktoria Mazur has stated in recent interviews that she is ready to be the new leader of the Ukrainian national team. Perhaps Ganna's withdrawal was not that unexpected after all.

While it would be wonderful to see Viktoria, who is extremely beautiful and talented, blossom into Ukraine's new prima, it is highly unlikely that Viktoria will reach the level that Ganna has been demonstrating in recent years. At least not during this season. This season was a chance for Ganna to take number one in the world after Kudryavtseva (and most likely Mamun) from Russia retired. It seems, at this stage, that luck is not on Ganna's side.

Still, it is too early to jump to conclusions before we have heard from Ganna herself. Let's wish her the best of health going forward!

The First and Only Gymnast to Ever Earn 8 Perfect Scores in One Competition

Almost 30 years ago, at the World Championships in Varna, Bianka Panova from Bulgaria got 4 perfect 10.000s in the all around. She then went ahead to get another 4 perfect scores in each of the finals. This is a feat that will likely never be repeated, but it was very well deserved. 

Bianka is the perfectionist of rhythmic gymnastics, a performer who executes every movement with amazing precision.I believe a gymnast of such exquisite dedication is Yana Kudryavtseva as well. Ironically, both Yana and Bianka dropped a club at the Olympics, which resulted in a silver for Yana and only a fourth spot for Bianka in 1988.

My very first memory of a seeing gymnast  on TV as a child is  a still image of Bianka in a simple white leotard. Under the image, the score, 10.000, is displayed. She is executing a beautiful jump with a wide ribbon that looks like a natural extension of her arm. I still recall sitting in front of the TV thinking: here is a magical creature from the fairy tales, a  princess by nature, without any jewelry at all. I am rather certain that if she had to perform under the current Code of Points, she would still shine with absolute glory.