Showing posts with label Alina Maksymenko. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alina Maksymenko. Show all posts

9/02/2013

What a Wonderful World (Championship)

The world championship in Kiev brought fair results that pleased many, if not most fans. As a fan, I am pleased because two of the gymnasts, who I wrote about back in 2011, Mamun from Russia (ball and clubs champion), and Narkevich from Belarus (as part of the Russian group) became world champions. I liked them a lot back then and I am very happy for them now.

Yana Kudryavtseva, on the other hand, was the absolutely uncontested and incomparable world champion. Before her last routine, she actually gestured to the Russian national coach, as if to say, "Don't worry, I'll win it."




My other favorite, Melitina Staniouta, came back with three bronze medals and I hope to see her win gold, too, she deserves it. How about the host country and everyone's favorite Ukrainians? I was not surprised to see Ganna Rizatdinova win with hoop. Hoop is by far her best routine this season:





And Alina Maksymenko got  a bronze with clubs, too, after numerous errors, small and large, that she made in her other routines.

























Still, she was smiling the moment she stepped out in front of the audience loves her so much. I don't know if she is planning to retire. I think she is still young and she can work on focusing better and performing cleaner routines. But it seems she thoroughly enjoyed herself anyway.
























New stars have risen, too, on the world gymnastics horizon. One of them is the Greek Varvara Filiou, who I have really liked lately. She impressed me A LOT during the European Championships,  the Mediterranean games and the Kazan Universiade. She placed 4th with ribbon at this World Championship so I hope many medals await her, and overall, a great career full of health and fan love. Congratulations!




8/28/2013

I've Got Maksymenko Under My Skin

...but will she medal in Kiev this year?

Admit it, even if you are not a fan of the Ukrainian rhythmic school, Alina Maksymenko is sweet, charming, and so expressive. I mean, she just shot a video, where she said, more or less: "I would like to leave no one indifferent."

Yet, she didn't get medals in hoop and ball. Frankly, I did not expect much from her ball routine but I thought she had some chances with hoop. The one routine I do enjoy the most is her clubs. I think this is her best medal bet. Her ribbon has too many dance moves and not enough "substance," compared to other world class gymnasts.

Either way, my fingers are crossed!

8/27/2013

Kiev Welcomes the World's Best, Today

The World Championship in Kiev started today with a beautiful gala in red, white and black, typical dramatic Ukrainian style. It seemed that during this performance, nobody was breathing.


Here is the schedule of the championship and link for live viewing,as provided on rsg.net:


Here can watch live stream
http://tvlux.net/ch89.html

Schedule of broadcasts on Xsport (Kyiv time):
27.08
19:00 - Opening Ceremony. Live Broadcast
28.08
7:20 - Opening ceremony of an open
09:00 - Individual championship. Qualification (hoop, ball). Live Broadcast
17:10 - Individual championship. Qualification (hoop, ball). Live Broadcast
21:50 - Individual championship. Finals (hoop, ball). Premiere
29.08
09:00 - Individual championship. Qualification (clubs, ribbon). Live Broadcast
13:20 - Individual championship. Qualification (clubs, ribbon). Live Broadcast
17:10 - Individual championship. Qualification (clubs, ribbon). Live Broadcast
23:00 - Individual championship. Finals (clubs, ribbon). Premiere
30.08
11:20 - Individual championship. Finals (hoop, ball)
13:00 - Individual championship. Finals (clubs, ribbon)
14:00 - Individual championship. All-around. Live Broadcast
31.08
15:00 - Group championship. All-around. Live Broadcast
19:30 - Group championship. All-around. Premiere
1.09
11:30 - Group championship. All-around. Premiere
15:00 - Group championship. Separate species. Live Broadcast

The channel is available to Launch TV called "Hockey-Ukraine".
To view the channels you want to install ACE Stream Media. In the "Help" section

Good luck to all the gymnasts!

8/05/2013

A Fair Podium, Maybe

Once in a while, we, fans, see the gymnasts we actually enjoy watching. I think the top 3 spots at the World Games in Cali ended up in harmony with fan preferences. Now that judges are taking and re-taking their qualification exams,  I can't help but wonder if the next competition will bring more results looking like this, Staniouta from Belarus, next to Rizatdinova from the Ukraine:


I happen to prefer Staniouta, as a gymnast, but both Maksymenko and Rizatdinova are showing significant improvement, and they always had a lot of charm and expression. The World Championship in Kiev will likely bring many medals to the Ukrainian team and I hope these medals come without depriving other deserving competitors.

7/26/2013

World Games in Cali: Captured Moments

Ganna Rizatdinova held on to the hoop and won gold in the final but errors from other gymnasts gave her this chance.

Charopa from Belarus did a very strong ball routine and is probably the skinniest girl at the World Games

My absolute favorite, Melitina, looked magically inspired. GOLD with ball!

Tori Filanovsky from Israel is so energetic and fun to watch, even with her errors.

What is missing from this picture? Maksymenko finished without her hoop. Oh, pity!

Yeah, she regrets it and so do we.

Melitina could have won this final if she had been more confident. Her face says it.

The only non-Russian speaking girl in the Top 8 is Carolina Rodriguez from Spain. But, boy, did she wear the most sparkle. 

I really liked Nazarenkova from Russia. She is very elegant and she deserved the hoop bronze. Lovely leos, too!  Purple isn't great on everyone but she is just too pretty not to make it work.

Trubnikova, the other Russian, disappointed. Someone burn that leotard, and get rid of her circus music, pleaaaase!

Maksymenko looked fiery red with ball. 

She knows that the audience LOVES her. How can you not love someone so charming!

How do I even caption this shot?

Go Ganna! Go Ukraine!