Another interview with Ksenia - thanks to Alan who does her website

Ksenia, you have added this prestigious title to the ones you already have - World UB champion, and European UB and BB champion last year. After those successes, many hoped you could win gold in Beijing...

"Then I have disappointed our gymnastics fans, not having been able to pass Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson of America, and China's Yang Yilin."

Unless you weren't disappointed with fourth place?

"No. I performed all my routines in Beijing without falls or serious mistakes. It was my difficulty that was not up to scratch with the main competitors."

Was it possible to upgrade before Beijing?

"For that moment - it was not possible."

Your trainer Marina Nazarov was very much disturbed that in the six months leading up to Beijing you grew six centimetres. Was that the reason?

[I think she says she has had problems since 15yrs old]


To you they assign the phrase - The greater I work, the cleaner will be my lines and it will come easier [?] - you have said this?

"Yes, to the trainers of the national team also, and on seeing the magnificent performance at the Olympic Games of the new champion Nastia Liukin. [....]

You are familiar with her?

"Certainly, our Russian American. I sincerely supported her in Beijing, and wanted her to win. We have been familiar with her for over two years."

[something about Nastia]

"And for me, bars, it is the same! For some reason, I loved the bar exercises since childhood. I have always loved to turn and fly on my hands."

You have been called the "gymnastics child". Perhaps because you grew up in a gym?

"Yes - my mother was a former athlete, and then a coach. I would crawl around on the floor mats from when I was two. I began to take gymnastics seriously at the age of five."

Tell us, Ksenia, when were you last as school?

"In the fifth class, on September 1st. After performing well in the All-Russia Youth tournament, I lived and trained in the Moscow suburbs at our centre, Round Lake. I finished eleventh grade in absentia, so to speak. Teachers come to us, we do lessons, we hand in homework. Actually it can be quite difficult, and sometimes you don't even have time to read a book, or look at the TV. But I have lived many years like this; I'm used to it. By the way, we do get out to the cinema sometimes, with the younger girls. And to take a walk."

When is it possible?

"Ususally when our parents come on a visit. And sometimes we will meet with friends to go to a shopping centre. Because we are normal people, not strange in any way. On the contrary, we know we have a business to which we must give all our energy. For example, I know that I should still be studying. But when you have three intense trainings in one day, you have concentrate on that."

The silver medal in Milan was won by your friend and namesake, Ksenia Afanasyeva. Friendship with your contender in big-time sports is a rarity. And you room together with Afanasyeva at Round Lake.

"And we train together under Marina Nazarov. We have grown up together, training and competing together. I know that without Ksenia, in training and in the national team, it would be very hard."

When you first made a stir at the European Championships last year, in that same competition, Oksana Chusovitina from Germany became the champion on vault. And you were not even born at all when her team won the 1992 Olympic Games. Would you desire the same longevity?

"It is possible only to dream of it! At least, now, when gymnastics is interesting and a novelty. I would like to hope that ahead is a long career, with health and strength...I have five years to think about it! But perhaps I would get bored?...


Sorry about the terrible translation!! Hope you can get something out of it!

The two Ksenias - separate phenomen on the national team

Marina Nazarov:

Two Ksenias - Semenova and Afanasyeva - the separate phenomenon in our national team. They are together nearly all the time - they met each other at the Tula school and are great friends. Their characters are completely different, but they supplement each other. Afanasyeva - quieter, judicious. Semenova - bright and witty. She will joke caustically, but always mildly.

If someone on the team is having a problem, or did not perform well in a competition, Ksenia Semenova will always help. Any problem solved in a minute!

One of Semenova's hobbies is computers. She will take offence if you consider it frivolous.

"For some reason, everyone thinks that all I do on computers in my free time is play games. But I'm not a child, and I don't go for any childish nonsense. Most of the time I spend looking at records of performances of competitors.

"I try not to miss any competition. And I like to communicate on the Internet. Often with friends, or discussing topics in chatrooms or forums," she told "Soviet Sports".

Alexander Alexandrov - I hope that our team will have confidence to compete with China and America as equals

Yesterday at the third World Cup competition in Maribor, the Russian WAG team won four gold medals. Alexander Alexandrov spoke to All Sports about the performance of the team, and the prospects of individual gymnasts.

At the competition, our gymnasts won four gold medals - you are probably in a good mood?

"Certainly! I am very glad that out gymnasts won separate exercises. After an unsuccesful last season, we have done well here and at the European Championships. I hope that now our team will have confidence that we can compete on the same level as America and China."

You were pleased with the quality of performance of the girls?

"Well, the scores were not the highest. The girls made some errors. And in connection with the FIG's new rules, almost all competitors have new programs with new complexities. We will develop further skills. But at the same time, I do not wish to belittle the achievements of the girls; all the competitors were on equal footing. And the strongest won."

So you're writing off the errors, because of changes to rules and competition?

"[....gargh] Secondly, we brought to this World Cup competition gymnasts for whom this was their first competition where they must compete for their country. The leaders of the national team are still recovering from injuries, but we cannot wait for them. Therefore we give these younger gymnasts experience."

Is this generation of gymnasts different from those ten years ago?

"Naturally! First of all, those ten years ago were brought up in the Soviet Union. The present gymnasts - they are wholly Russian. In the 1990s much was lost - training centres were closed, trainers left for overseas. Then we just reaped the fruit of those years - no time for a powerful system, we had to make do with what is left. Today, of course, the situation is diffferent again. The state is paying more attention to sports. But we cannot see a return for a few years. I think that already next year, we will have gymnasts with more potential than we do now. The present girls are at a transition period - neither due to the fault of their trainers, or of them. The main thing is a desire to fight. The doors of our national training centre are open to all. For the World Championships, the very strongest will get to London."

How is the World team selected?

"We are continually watching the girls. At the same time, each new competition gives us a chance for reflection. The first of these was the Russian Championships. From it, we selected the team for the European Championships. It is very good that Ksenia Semenova and Afanasyeva took first and second place in the all-around. Such success we did not have for about the last seven years. Now the gymnasts will compete in several international competitions and the Russian Cup. Following the results of these competitions, we will select the strongest gymnasts to go to London in the autumn. The Americans and Chinese will be there. But I do not think we will be merely "extras". I think the Russian team will be strong competition for any other team."

Interview with Ksenia Semenova

"I'm having a rest after the European championships," laughs Ksenia Semenova. "Of course I must go to training, but only short sessions. Maybe I will go to the cinema."

At Europeans, you won three medals. How would you rate your performance?

"About a four. I know I did well, but I'm not completely happy. I could have done a lot better in beam finals. Despite the bronze in floor, I'm not absolutely happy with that either. But the bar final turned out well in the end!"

Nevertheless, you had to concede the UB title to Beth Tweddle...

"Yes, and we competed against each other last year also, at Europeans. Then she made errors, and I won the final. But here, Tweddle's difficulty score was two-tenths above mine. That's a lot. Both of us executed our routines well, but it was the difficulty score that made the difference."

Tweddle is seven years you senior, and more powerful. Does this give her an advantage?

"I don't know. It could work either way. Results come to those of all ages, no matter how many times you have competed. I didn't feel any disadvantage because of my age."

This year you began to train all-around. Has this weakened your favourite event, uneven bars?

"I wouldn't say so; they are at the same level as before. Basically, I trained all-around now, and earlier, but now I am improving the apparatuses that are not as good - vault and floor. I'm still training as much as I did before the Olympics, but it is organised differently.

Was it your decision to train all-around?

"My coaches decided, but I'm happy to do it."

You know that the last European all-around champion we had was Svetlana Khorkina, seven years ago?

"Yes. I know Sveta, and we sometimes communicate. No, she doesn't give me any special advice, just chatting."

Do you like Khorkina's style?

"Yes, but also Tweddle, and Romanians Steliana Nistor and Sandra Izbasa."

Was it hard to begin training again after the Olympics?

"[can't understand] but then I began to train as before. It seems to me that I am now taking gymnastics more seriously."

What relationship do you have with the new senior trainer, Alexander Alexandrov?

"His appointment hasn't changed anything for me. I work with my trainer, Marina Nazarovoj, as before. Alexander Sergeevich, of course, watches our training, and sometimes advises or helps."

How is it possible to combine gymnastics with study?

"Somehow it is possible *laughs*. Teachers work with us at Round Lake, in between training, and I also do homework. I don't know what I want to do after school. I haven't thought about it yet."

Beth wins UB! - event finals

Yay Beth won bars with her crazy new routine! - Ksenia came in second (her form seems to have gotten worse, she keeps wobbling in her handstands). She also won bronze on floor:D and Beth took the gold! Sandra didn't medal at all because the judges devalued her triple twist dismount to a 2 1/2; as she'd already performed that, she ended up with no dismount>:( & Ferrari took the silver with watered-down tumbling but actually some effort at dance!! I'm shocked.

Beam was won by Yana Demyanchuk!! with the two Romanians medalling also. I love her routine! Her knee is still wrapped up (it was at WOGA earlier this year).
And another medal for Russia: Yulia was second on vault!! Ariella Kaeslin won; I think she must have fallen in qualifications.

I'll post full results later, when I have time. Haha I have a 2000 world essay due in on Thursday which I started yesterday

Andrei Fedorovich on the Europeans

Andrei Fedorovich, in comparison with the women's team, two-thirds of the men did not do so well?

"Pluzhnikov has shown the best routine here; 15.325 was his best score. Our problem is that his best is not up to the best of the world on rings. Except for one Chinese, all the leaders on rings were here. So his sixth place is basically his place in the world elite. And this placing does not satisfy us. We will revise his exercise so that his difficulty is raised."

What about the disappointment caused by Anton Golotsutskov!

"He was aiming for medals on floor and vault, but did not make it. He used an old floor routine (or combination, I'm not sure which) and others went ahead of him [he was 5th on fx.] With a difficulty of 6.2, it was impossible to medal. And he did not. However, he executed the routine very well, with his E score 9.0."

And he did not even make the vault final.

"That was entirely his own fault. I do not wish to discuss that."

It seems to me, at you claims cannot be only to Ryazanov and Perevoznikov.

I am convinced that if Ryazanov had executed better, he would have won the silver. And if he had more difficulty, he would have won...We are already working on this - in training he works on harder elements than he showed at the European Championships. He will be able to perform them soon. With Perevoznikov it is different. It was the first time he has appeared at a large competition. The judging was therefore stricter for him. So I consider his fourth plaving a good result. And it will be better at Worlds. But we must have a harder dismount."

The girls have pleased you?

"First of all, thanks to the girls and trainers, and to the senior trainer of the women's team, Alexander Alexandrov, and to all personal coaches of the gymnasts. Especial thanks to Ksenia Semenova and all who worked with her. For five years, our gymnasts never won the European all-around title. And now Ksyusha has returned this title to Russia. We brought to Milan three gymnasts (four??) The all-around success was with two of them. Then the medal Yulia Berger won is very important; nobody had thought of her as a contender for a vault medal."

How do you estimate the contenders?

"Gymnastics has grown much in Europe, especially with the men. The girls, to a lesser degree. [something incomprehensible...] I speak of Beth Tweddle in particular. Concerning men's gymnastics, it is impossible to look only to Asia. Europeans are also very competitive! Take Hambuchen, for example. He showed great difficulty."

How much of this competition was useful to you, as head coach of a national team?

"Very useful. In the individual competition, it is possible to gauge development tendencies. If in the winter we were uncertain of the new rules, we are familiar with them now. [something about Worlds.]"

Tell us, will the lineup for the World Championships be changed a lot?

"Those who can bring their routines into accord with the new requirements will make the national team. And they will be the gymnasts who will try for medals. But of course I cannot name them now."

Coverage of AA

GYMANGELS has it here.

Russian coaches on Semenova and Afanasyeva's victory

OK this is really hard to make sense of, but here's what I can understand:

Ksenia Semenova, from near Moscow, became the all-around European champion. In second place was her friend - Ksenia Afanasyeva. They both train with Marina Nazarovoj.

It seems that even Marina Nazarovoj has not taken in what has happened. She is completely exhausted, hardly speaking.

The girls have not simply won. They have done much more than is possible. They have not only won the European championships, they shown the absolute result under the regulations - only two gymnasts per country. One took the gold, the other - silver!

Valentina Rodionenko's state trainer cries: "How many humiliations were there after the Olympic games! And there will be no magic wands - there will be times of victory, but not before times of defeat. [something about Alexandrov] He (Alexandrov) has created a miracle - which the Russian gymnasts have never managed - not to be confused with the Soviets.

Semenova began with bars. She fell in qualifications, so we simplified a combination. It was not a case of reproaches, but of tactics. In the all-around it is not necessary to have full difficulty to win. She got a good score - 14.925. Then she came to the beam. I'm not sure, but it seemed that the hall was dead silent while Semenova performed. She made a few errors, but very small ones. 14.8, and she was comfortably in the lead. After her bar routine, Afanasyeva was in second.

Many, last year, have considered that Semenova has acted on her best pieces. But they have not seen the new routines? of the new champion. Ksenia loves her floor routine (I think) and in Bryansk had a leotard to show the routine more brightly, but also in a feminine way. (Argh, translation muddly. sorry.) However, that leotard did not come under the regulations (I wonder what it was!!) so she could not wear it at the European championships. After floor Semenova had 43.95. And it was almost quiet. Her vault - all she had to do was land it accurately. No more than that.

Afanasyeva had fallen on beam to take the score of 13.575. But the lead she had gained in the first half of the competition allowed her to stay in second.

And then there was the last rotation. Semenova vaulted near the start. 14.225 - and she was unbeatable! In some minutes the winner of the silver medal was known. With Afanasyeva's finishing performance, "unique, the most complicated and extraordinarily expressive," as one of our colleagues from a gymmedia site put it, her floor exercise put her up to 57.6.

And we have burst into tears and have burst out laughing...

Valentina Rodionenko on Euro qualifications

Who will compete in the All-Around? According to regulations, only two gymnasts per country may compete.
"Kristina has a badly injured ankle. So we will put Afanasyeva in instead of her."

In your opinion, how likely is it that Ksenia Semenova will win?
"More than likely. The most important thing is not to waver. Tomorrow it begins again at zero. And it will be necesary to win again."

Will Semenova perform to standard on bars? Will today's fall affect her?
"I very much hope that Ksenia will recover from the fall, though it will be difficult. It is a new, complicated routine (?), and it causes problems. And there is strong competition: Beth Tweddle from England, in excellent form!"

(BTW: if Ksenia had not fallen, she would have a higher UB score than Beth by about a couple of tenths.)

SEMENOVA EUROPEAN AA CHAMPION!!!!!!!!

And Afanasyeva got put in because Goryunova was injured and came in second behind her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Third was Ariella Kaeslin.

On the men's side, Yuri Ryazanov (Russia) was 3rd:D; Fabian Hambüchen first and Daniel Keatings from GBR second.

European qualifications!!

Ksenia Semenova is in first place after qualifying round with 57.625!!!!!!!!!!!
Also Yulia Berger qualified first to vault final!!!!

VAULT
Yulia Berger RUS 14.287
Jana Komrskova CZE 14.225
Anna Kalashnyk UKR 14.112
Kim Bui GER 14.087
Aagje Van Walleghem BEL 14.075
Ariella Käslin SUI 14.062
Becky Downie GBR 14.025
Wyomi Masela NED 14.025

BARS
Beth Tweddle GBR 15.275
Anja Brinker GER 15.025
Ksenia Afanasyeva RUS 14.825
Youna Dufournet FRA 14.750
Anastasia Koval UKR 14.625
Valentyna Holenkova UKR 14.500
Becky Downie GBR 14.475
Ksenia Semyonova RUS 14.425 (with a fall on her pak)

BEAM
Vasiliki Millousi GRE 14.725
Anamaria Tamarjan ROM 14.525
Ksenia Semyonova RUS 14.475
Yana Demyanchuk UKR 14.450
Valeria Maksyuta ISR 14.375
Gabriela Dragoi ROM 14.350
Marine Petit FRA 14.050
Yasmin Zimmermann SUI 14.025

FLOOR
Beth Tweddle GBR 14.975
Sandra Izbasa ROM 14.475
Vanessa Ferrari ITA 14.425
Ksenia Semyonova RUS 14.400
Anamaria Tamarjan ROM 14.200
Ana Maria Izurieta ESP 14.050
Lia Parolari ITA 14.025
Valentyna Holenkova UKR 13.950


Anamaria Tamarjan was second in the all-around standings and Diana Chelaru in 15th; Yana Demyanchuk is in 4th!! good for her. The other Russian to qualify was Kristina Goryunova in 16th.
Afanasyeva had a rough day, falling on pretty much everything...in bars she only mucked her dismount so managed to qualify. Aarghhhh

& Beth's new routine is incredible!! I saw her performance from Jesolo...Iit should be a great showdown between her and Ksenia. I'm not sure which one I want to win!

Europeans coming closer!!

It's been a while since my last entry...European Championships are only a few days away!!! I hope coverage goes up quickly...we get NOTHING here in NZ.

Adrian Stan (Great Britain): “This line up of four gymnasts (Tweddle, Downie, Hannah Whelan, Rebecca Wing) offers us the most balance and possibilities to achieve the targets we set out for. Beth Tweddle has got real chances to medal on both Asymmetric Bars and Floor whilst we should also not minimize the chances of Becky Downie in the All-around, Vault and Bars; depending on the opposition's performance obviously. With the changes to the code of points in the first year of the new Olympic cycle, normally the European standard won’t be quite as high as at the end of the cycle, nevertheless we except that Russia will be very strong and having seen Romania recently we know they will be very competitive, as will France.”

Romania seems hopeful of success even though all their gymnasts are injured, including Sandra. Nooo Sandra, you can't be injured!!! I guess that's why her fx at Jesolo was pretty bad. Gabriela Dragoi and Anamaria Tamarjan are also injured. Grrrr. On the men's side, Razvan Selariu has had to withdraw due to a recurring back problem.

Aljaz Pegan from Slovakia withdrew because of a wrist injury.

And Vanessa Ferrari is competing after all!!! With her will be Emily Army, Lia Parolari and new senior Paola Galante with her new move on UB ( inward stalder? to tkatchev). She missed it last year at JunEuros but caught it at Jesolo.
At the Italian Clubs earlier on this year, Vanessa competed only a yurchenko full and didn't do her Comaneci on bars. I hope she's improved since then...

Russian team are sounding strong! Article from their website:
Yesterday the team left for Milan where the first competition of the new quadrennium will begin on the 2nd of April. The last training sessions were held on Friday at Round Lake; the girls in the afternoon, the men in the evening.

First, the personal impressions of the training. Three were doing very well - Afansayeva, Semenova and Yuri Ryazanov. There were very motivated, very stable, and completely concentrated on their routines. Ksenia Afanasyeva did her routines as though she was already competing. Yuri Ryaznov was the same. Ksenia Semenova was malicious and coquettish (?! must mean something different in Russian!) They were in the best condition for competition. There were errors, but only small ones, which there should be before a competition.

Andrei Perevoznikov was a little nervous. It is not enough to merely compete the routines, but to win with them. But he is very new to the team - he was unknown in a school near Moscow, and he has literally flown into a national team. And from there to the European Championships!! But he will do well.

Even in comparison with the Russian Championships progress is unusual. It was pleasant to observe everything, except, perhaps, Kristina Goryunova. She was not doing so well.

"Andrey Fedorovich, are you worried about Kristina Goryunova?"

No. She is always tense in training, to prove that she is capable of competing. She proved at the national championships that she has the right to represent her country.

"Will Perevoznikov handle the pressure, do you think?"

I think he will. He showed reliability at the national championships. He is also stable in training. In training, we talk, we work on things so they are able (the gymnasts). No more than that. Also understand - this guy should start! Even if he does not turn out very well right now. He will understand that, at the international competitions, he will learn to compete. Basically, these championships will be an experiment for all participants, not just ours. We will compete for the first time under new rules, with new routines; we will see new faces, such as Andrei - it is not just us who have new competitors! And we are proud especially of Andrei - we have had problems (can't understand next bit), and we have solved them. For the World Championships, we are also preparing Volodju Olennikova and Dmitry Gogotov (he will also be at Euros.)

"What is known about the contenders?"

We have looked at the results of the World Cup competitions while we held our championships. We have looked at our competitiveness. I can tell you that in most cases, we march in step (haha.) Our gymnasts show a normal level of preparation. Though we do not exclude unexpectedness - it is a new season, which means that we have new contenders; new routines are being prepared. We will watch. And we will prepare for the World Championships.

Roster for Europeans

Turns out Italy is not sending Vanessa after all. And Russia is not sending Maxim Devyatovsky. I'm not surprised, actually, especially after he did very poorly at the Russian championships.

The list is far too long to post here (and I can't recognise all the flags) so here is the link.

I'm looking forward to seeing Ksenia defend her two titles from last year, and also new French senior Youna Dufournet. Hopefully she'll do better than in the American Cup.

Russian Championships - Event finals - Semenova wins bars and floor

Ksenia Semenova won the gold on uneven bars and floor exercise yesterday at the Russian Championships, posting the highest score of the competition on the bars. Yulia Berger won the vault, and all-around champion Aliya Mustafina tied with Afanasyeva for the balance beam.

Results - Women

VAULT
Yulia Berger 14.562
Kristina Goryunova 13.65
Anna Dementyeva 13.475
Ramilja Musin 13.375
Yekaterina Korodumova 13.325
Maria Chibiskova 13.312
Tatiana Nabieva 7.287
Alexandra Telitsina 6.9

UNEVEN BARS
Ksenia Semenova 15.8
Aliya Mustafina 15.3
Ksenia Afanasyeva 14.7
Tatiana Nabieva 14.5
Yulia Berger 14.25
Kristina Goryunova 14.125
Anna Dementyeva 14.0
Yekaterina Kurbatov 13.65

BEAM
Aliya Mustafina and Ksenia Afanasyeva 14.95
Ksenia Semenova 14.725
Kristina Goryunova 14.675
Diana Sapronova 13.85
Svetlana Klyukina 13.475
Tatiana Solovyeva 13.425
Maria Chibiskova 11.4

FLOOR
Ksenia Semenova 14.925
Kristina Goryunova 14.825
Aliya Mustafina 14.7
Anna Dementyeva 14.275
Anna Myzdrikova 14.2
Ksenia Afanasyeva 13.85
Yulia Berger 13.825
Tatiana Solovyeva 12.675

MEN

POMMEL HORSE
Andrei Perevoznikov 15.0
Andrei Lihovitsky 14.375
Dmitry Stoljarov 13.7

RINGS
Konstantin Pluzhnikov 15.475
Yuri Ryazanov 15.225
Ruslan Nigmadzjanov 14.425

VAULT
Denis Abljazin 15.825
Anton Golotsutskov 15.737
Anton Lobachyov 15.625

PARALLEL BARS
Nikolai Kryukov 15.475
Maxim Devyatovsky 14.8 (finally!)
Nikita Ignatyev 14.55

HIGH BAR
Sergei Horohordin 15.25
Yuri Ryazanov 15.075
Maxim Devyatovsky 14.6

FLOOR
Yuri Ryazanov (Vladimir) 14.85
Anton Golotsutskov 14.725
Anton Neudakina 14.625
Vladimir Olennikov 14.5
Dmitry Gogotov 13.35
Anton Lobachyov 13.15
Nikita Ignatyev 13.075
Michael Bodnar 12.55

Moscow team wins Russian Championships and 2009 Euro team named

In first place was the team from Moscow with 17.05 points (Aliya Mustafina, Yulia Berger, Anna Myzdrikova, Maria Chibiskova, Elena Syrnikova and ZAMO!!! yay!!!) Second was from the Central Federal district, 169.1 points (Ksenia Afanasyeva, Ksenia Semenova, Dariya Goncharov, Tamara Kohadze, Anastas Cherepina, Evgenia Klimov) and third from Petersburg with 161.4 points (Tatiana Nabieva, Diana Sapronova, Irina Sazonov, Olga Alekseeva, Ekaterina Krylova and Alina Rybalova).
The Moscow and Central teams fought it out well for first place, the Ksenias leading their team, and it wasn't until the last rotation that Moscow came out on top. Afanasyeva made errors on the balance beam, costing her team one and a half points (ouch! but she was sick so we forgive her). Even after this, they were still in the lead! And then came the floor exercise. For the Moscow team to win, they would need to score an average of 14.5 points. Double world all-around champion Yuri Korolev was watching (the representative of the Central team) and he remarked, "It is not possible. They won't win."

First up was Yulia Berger from the CSKA school, trained by Elena and Vladimir Kuznetsov. He has said about her in the past, "She is talented, but very timid. The main thing to overcome is her fear, and then she will begin to grow as a gymnast." And, it seems as though this has been accomplished. Yulia got to the national team last year. Most of the time she remained in the shadows, training, but wasn't involved in any major competitions. She started her team off with a 14.4. She did not have quite enough difficulty, but got her team off to a great start.

Next was fifteen-year-old Aliya Mustafina. She scored a 14.8! And finally was Anna Myzdrikova. Frankly speaking, it was difficult to believe that Anna would hold up under such pressure. This would be a test not only of her ability, but also of stability. She also scored a 14.8! She did not only perform under the pressure, but performed with honour! In one rotation, the Moscow team won back over two points.
Competing for the Central team on floor were the two Ksenias and Dariya Goncharov, but they could not retake the lead.

The team which placed fourth was from the Volga region, including Anna Dementyeva, Kristina Goryunova, and Svetlana Klyukina (who has recovered from her injuries).

At the end of the competition, the national trainer Alexandrov was very happy. "I am pleased with the results, first of all because we can look at the competitive readiness of teh gymnasts. They work on competitions, work on results. Readiness for the beginning of the international season is visible.

He named Ksenia Semenova, Ksenia Afanasyeva, Kristina Goryunova and Yulia Berger for the European team - the Ksenias and Kristina as all-arounders, and Yulia to compete on vault and floor. "I want to make particular not of Semenova and Afanasyeva - they are the unconditional leaders of this national team. They are very hardworking, very focused on results. Their results here are despite the injuries which plagued them previously. Afanasyeva was not on the podium for the all-around only because she was sick. Also look at Anna Myzdrikova's performance which clinched the victory for the Moscow team - she has performed for the first time as required as a member of the national team. She still needs to prove herself.."

(Sorry about the last bit being muddly - I couldn't quite understand it.)

Results of the men's team competition:

Central Region - 262.45 (Dmitry Barkalov, Timur Kuzmin, Anton Neudakin, Alexander Kalabin, Sergei Khorokhorkin, Yuri Ryazanov)
Siberia - 256.8 (Andrei Cherkasov, Maxin Devyatovsky, Anton Golotsutskov, Nikita Ignatyev, Konstantin Pluzhnikov)
Moscow - 254.225 (Mikhail Bodnar, Emin Garbiov, Dmitry Gogotov, Vladimir Olennikov, Dmitry Stolyarov, Dmitry Takubovsky)

Aliya Mustafina wins Russian Championships!!!

Aliya Mustafina 58.55
Ksenia Semenova 58.2
Tatiana Nabieva 56.9
Anna Dementyeva 55.55
Kristina Goryunova 55.55
Ksenia Afanasyeva 55.2

Alexandrov said, "I cannot say these results were unexpected. After the Olympics both Ksenias were injured and could not train to full capacity, although they worked a lot. Therefore the errors which they made here could be predicted. Nothing dreadful - it is all reparable. In particular, Ksenia Semenova was leading the competition in three rotations of the competition - she made mistakes only in the floor exercise, where she dropped to second. The rules were adhered to rigidly, with deductions for the slightest error. The results of the younger ones also did not surprise me. The girls are very diligent and hardworking. Before this championship, there was one goal - to get to the national team. This has been achieved. But for me is the important problem - we cannot take the girls born in 1994 to the Europeans. So we have only two Olympians - Semenova and Afanasyeva. We also have Goryunova, who is improving, but that is still not enough. Berger also made mistakes. [I can't understand the last sentence.]
Men's All-Around:
Yuri Ryazanov 88.225
Vladimir Alennikova 86.775
Dmitry Barkalov 86.325
Anton Lihovitsky 85.825
Anton Neudakin 85.0
Nikita Ignatyev 84.4

Maxim Devyatovskim ended up 25th :O he is not doing well is he. But Alexandrov is not giving up on him yet, saying, "However, I think that we should not dismiss Maxim. He is still not over the tragedy which has shaken him (the death of his mother), and serious work should help. He has sufficient potential."
Alexandrov did not comment on who would prepare for the European team, but that it would be decided after the event finals tomorrow.

And meanwhile, on the Russian front...

The Russian Championships are currently being held. Olympians Ksenia Afanasyeva and Ksenia Semenova placed first and second respectively after qualifications.

Ksenia Afanasyeva 59.6
Ksenia Semenova 59.0
Kristina Goryunova 58.35
Aliya Mustafina 58.05
Tatiana Nabieva 56.65
Yulia Berger 55.4

Alexander Alexandrov (who has moved back to Russia to coach the women's team:D) said that the girls were very consistent. He mentioned Goryunova and Berger, "before it was impossible for Goryunova and Berger to hit, but they at last have proved themselves. Goryunova it turns out is quite the all-arounder, and Berger is good on two events — vault and floor exercise."

He is doubtful whether Anna will recover from her injury (shut up Alexandrov!) and Klyukina is injured as well! She only competed on 2 events. (Maybe she's still recovering from surgery she had in October?)