The best gymnast of the world is going to London for the gold.
Upon quick observation of the workout one quickly realizes that the burdens of winning an Olympic medal in a battle with the US will fall on the small shoulders of Aliya Mustafina and Viktoria Komova. Practicing lightly (Basically just doing run throughs) on floor exercise, they jog easily from corner to corner, without doing any complicated tricks. Mustafina only does one vault in full force – full force for today that is, but not yet the same as her old one.
“Dirty” – says head coach of the women’s team, the notable Alexander Alexandrov, as he shakes his head in disappointment.
Aliya drops to the floor hugging her knees, and begins to cry:
“Now I rarely cry …though after a while I’ll confess – During the course of this entire year, which I lost because of torn ligaments (ligaments in her left knee ruptured), I cried a lot. I was very scared. The most frightening part to me, was I almost lost faith that I would be able to return”
Faith has returned to Aliya. However, her magnificent vault with 2.5 twists has not thus far. And Komova is still not vaulting it yet either. A new discovery -Grishina-is just practicing it. In training, she is not always successful.
“For now, we must still protect Komova”
- Aliya Mustafina won the Russian Championships in Penza, and Komova didn’t compete there. Thus, the battle between our two superstars is once again postponed …
- “We’re saving Komova” explained Alexandrov, ”Vika, as you know, was injured last year, and one cannot force (speed up) the training. The main goal – the Olympics. We’ll take Vika to the Europeans championships. She won’t do all the events, but she’ll make an impact on her strong events such as bars. And we’re pleased that after a long break caused by injury, Mustafina has returned. She won the Russian Championship. Not everything went smoothly, but the good thing is that she came and competed on podium. After a year break, and a severe injury, that was not easy. I also want to make note of the young gymnast Grishina. In Penza, it was Nastya’s first competition in the senior division, and she won third place in all-around and won the floor exercise. With that, we have some hope that she can successfully perform at the European Championships (May 21-27, in Brussels) And of course at the Olympic Games. Actually, we had two new names. In addition to Grishina is Anastasia Sidorova. It is quite likely you’ll see them both in London as part of our team.
-You’re protecting (nursing?) Komova. With the condition Mustafina has regained, you have less hesitation (to protect her)?
- I have to admit that this is not yet true. I can’t say Aliya is back to full training. Two years ago she showed the most difficult program in the world and we are still trying to get it all back. For example, at the European Championships in Montpellier, Aliya will not be able to show all her entire program. It’s a gradual process. We’ve been consulting with doctors and taking their recommendations – the difficulty should be added one step at a time; any hastiness is deadly. So assuming that at the European Championships Aliya could not enter on floor exercise, another gymnast will go. For now it does not matter.
“NO, I do not have fear ”
Aliya takes a brief pause from her workout while we sit down with her on the gymnastic mats. “After an injury, it is always difficult to recover” she admits, “I can’t say that it was easy. I had a really difficult time, but I really wanted it!
Did fear (of re-injury) arise for you during those months?
No, no fear for me at all. It doesn’t exist now. Though it was hard believe that this (recovery) could be accomplished. But after the examination when the doctors told me that all was well, I realized it was possible to recover.
How did you feel about the Russian Championships?
I’m satisfied with my performance. I went out and did everything that I had prepared. Although, of course I could be even better.
At the Olympics in London, is it possible to actually beat the Americans?
It’s simple: we need to train, we need to want to succeed and we need to raise the level of difficulty. There are no special secrets here.
But how are you dealing with the situation of your famous vault? It is this performance that may be the key in London.
In the national team at the moment there are girls who are vaulting two twists. Two and a half, no, no one yet.
So you do not even try to go ahead and do it?
No. It’s not that easy to just return to this same element where I was injured. I will try for the Olympics … or rather this: I must do it at the Olympics. There is no alternative.
State team trainer Valentina Rodionenko shares her views on the situation with Mustafina:
Valentina, how did Mustafina have the faith to come back?
The return was very heavy. But above all, the girl understood what she was working for, and is paid for, and we encouraged her. But with both Mustafina and Komova, this is the conversation: It’s your job. If you don’t want to do it? Fine, as you wish. But either you do it, or goodbye.
They all work – some have to be pushed** along, and some work out of desire.
**actual wording of the article was “stick” a bit like the “carrot and stick” method. V Rodionenko uses that phrase a lot in this interview, and it kind of means out of fear, pressure, discipline, being pushed etc**
Who works under pressure (stick), and who with desire?
The young girls work out of desire. Those who have not yet made the major National teams? Yes, desire. Aliya and Vika, out of pressure/ (lashings note: figuratively!!!) . They thought they had already won everything and deserved it, but they must be always be pushing forward. It’s okay, this is all totally normal.
Last fall, it was announced that Mustafina lost the presidential scholarship. There was a lot of discussion surrounding this…
Yes, Mustafina did not compete last year. And we don’t have presidential scholarships to just hand out for pleasure. The girl didn’t show any valuable results last year, hence the President can not pay her a scholarship.
But wait – she was also injured?
Yes, so we did try and fight for it but we couldn’t prove anything. Well we did manage to persuade the “Foundation for Olympians” so there’s no less money. We we able to persuade some people, and they’ll provide grants. So we added a paycheck (from the Olympic Foundation) and it does not hurt Aliya. It’s us (officials in the Russian Federsation, media), who are running around complaining that Mustafina is injured. Aliya’s just a girl; this scholarship business you’re talking about does not offend her at all.
Has her character changed?
Aliya has grown during the year, but her character has not changed. (There is) endless sobbing: if something does not work, she sits down and cries. All while under pressure (stick). But the Russian Championships went well. Though, some judges indulged her there, especially as that competition was really meant to be an incentive for her. But we’ve warned her: In Europe, this won’t happen. At the European Championships, you must understand that you’ll be judged normally. She understands everything. At Penza, we asked/ensured that the judges didn’t crush her desire to go out and compete on the podium.
A wish that at one point had been killed?
And now after this competition, it’s been revived.
But she’s always seemed like a girl made of steel? (Iron-girl). And then suddenly tears? Loss of Faith?
No, she’s made of steel. Every fiber -Once she’s well prepared! And her breakdowns/ failures – those you just don’t see. She falls off the beam, sits down and sobs, gets up, tries again, falls again, and then once again dissolves into tears. She’s repeated this cycle countless times at each workout for many months in a row. She’s difficult! With all these girls it’s very difficult. But they are all atypical. Leaders are never easy.
Is Komova easier in this sense?
No, she is also very difficult. But this is just naturally how it works! Can an easygoing, complacent, docile kid who says, “oh well, it’s alright, I suppose…..” win the Olympic games? Never in my life!
Alexandrov bluntly stated “They have to be a bitch”…
Exactly, exclusively a bitch! It’s the law of sport!
So young Anastasia Grishina then – she’s no gift from fate?
Anastasia Sidorova is even worse! She’s now declaring ” I will break onto the national team. I will compete! ” We never expected for her to recover so quickly. Her injury was serious – it was the elbow she injured when she fell off a bike. And then her knee was in a cast….
Do you mean an exercise bike at the gym?
No, an ordinary bicycle. In the summertime, we sometimes allow them to bikeride. Rather, we USED to allow this, until this injury happened. Apparently Anastasia Sidorova was not very experienced. After this incident, we have prohibited bicycles. And driving cars has been taboo since Bilozerchev. (Note they are talking about Dmitry Bilozerchev, a former Soviet World Champion who broke his leg very badly when he crashed his car).
None of the gymnasts have the right to drive?
Since Bilozerchev crashed in an accident before the Olympics, it is strictly prohibited to get behind the wheel until they finish their career in gymnastics.
Source: http://www.sovsport.ru/gazeta/article-item/521787
Upon quick observation of the workout one quickly realizes that the burdens of winning an Olympic medal in a battle with the US will fall on the small shoulders of Aliya Mustafina and Viktoria Komova. Practicing lightly (Basically just doing run throughs) on floor exercise, they jog easily from corner to corner, without doing any complicated tricks. Mustafina only does one vault in full force – full force for today that is, but not yet the same as her old one.
“Dirty” – says head coach of the women’s team, the notable Alexander Alexandrov, as he shakes his head in disappointment.
Aliya drops to the floor hugging her knees, and begins to cry:
“Now I rarely cry …though after a while I’ll confess – During the course of this entire year, which I lost because of torn ligaments (ligaments in her left knee ruptured), I cried a lot. I was very scared. The most frightening part to me, was I almost lost faith that I would be able to return”
Faith has returned to Aliya. However, her magnificent vault with 2.5 twists has not thus far. And Komova is still not vaulting it yet either. A new discovery -Grishina-is just practicing it. In training, she is not always successful.
“For now, we must still protect Komova”
- Aliya Mustafina won the Russian Championships in Penza, and Komova didn’t compete there. Thus, the battle between our two superstars is once again postponed …
- “We’re saving Komova” explained Alexandrov, ”Vika, as you know, was injured last year, and one cannot force (speed up) the training. The main goal – the Olympics. We’ll take Vika to the Europeans championships. She won’t do all the events, but she’ll make an impact on her strong events such as bars. And we’re pleased that after a long break caused by injury, Mustafina has returned. She won the Russian Championship. Not everything went smoothly, but the good thing is that she came and competed on podium. After a year break, and a severe injury, that was not easy. I also want to make note of the young gymnast Grishina. In Penza, it was Nastya’s first competition in the senior division, and she won third place in all-around and won the floor exercise. With that, we have some hope that she can successfully perform at the European Championships (May 21-27, in Brussels) And of course at the Olympic Games. Actually, we had two new names. In addition to Grishina is Anastasia Sidorova. It is quite likely you’ll see them both in London as part of our team.
-You’re protecting (nursing?) Komova. With the condition Mustafina has regained, you have less hesitation (to protect her)?
- I have to admit that this is not yet true. I can’t say Aliya is back to full training. Two years ago she showed the most difficult program in the world and we are still trying to get it all back. For example, at the European Championships in Montpellier, Aliya will not be able to show all her entire program. It’s a gradual process. We’ve been consulting with doctors and taking their recommendations – the difficulty should be added one step at a time; any hastiness is deadly. So assuming that at the European Championships Aliya could not enter on floor exercise, another gymnast will go. For now it does not matter.
“NO, I do not have fear ”
Aliya takes a brief pause from her workout while we sit down with her on the gymnastic mats. “After an injury, it is always difficult to recover” she admits, “I can’t say that it was easy. I had a really difficult time, but I really wanted it!
Did fear (of re-injury) arise for you during those months?
No, no fear for me at all. It doesn’t exist now. Though it was hard believe that this (recovery) could be accomplished. But after the examination when the doctors told me that all was well, I realized it was possible to recover.
How did you feel about the Russian Championships?
I’m satisfied with my performance. I went out and did everything that I had prepared. Although, of course I could be even better.
At the Olympics in London, is it possible to actually beat the Americans?
It’s simple: we need to train, we need to want to succeed and we need to raise the level of difficulty. There are no special secrets here.
But how are you dealing with the situation of your famous vault? It is this performance that may be the key in London.
In the national team at the moment there are girls who are vaulting two twists. Two and a half, no, no one yet.
So you do not even try to go ahead and do it?
No. It’s not that easy to just return to this same element where I was injured. I will try for the Olympics … or rather this: I must do it at the Olympics. There is no alternative.
State team trainer Valentina Rodionenko shares her views on the situation with Mustafina:
Valentina, how did Mustafina have the faith to come back?
The return was very heavy. But above all, the girl understood what she was working for, and is paid for, and we encouraged her. But with both Mustafina and Komova, this is the conversation: It’s your job. If you don’t want to do it? Fine, as you wish. But either you do it, or goodbye.
They all work – some have to be pushed** along, and some work out of desire.
**actual wording of the article was “stick” a bit like the “carrot and stick” method. V Rodionenko uses that phrase a lot in this interview, and it kind of means out of fear, pressure, discipline, being pushed etc**
Who works under pressure (stick), and who with desire?
The young girls work out of desire. Those who have not yet made the major National teams? Yes, desire. Aliya and Vika, out of pressure/ (lashings note: figuratively!!!) . They thought they had already won everything and deserved it, but they must be always be pushing forward. It’s okay, this is all totally normal.
Last fall, it was announced that Mustafina lost the presidential scholarship. There was a lot of discussion surrounding this…
Yes, Mustafina did not compete last year. And we don’t have presidential scholarships to just hand out for pleasure. The girl didn’t show any valuable results last year, hence the President can not pay her a scholarship.
But wait – she was also injured?
Yes, so we did try and fight for it but we couldn’t prove anything. Well we did manage to persuade the “Foundation for Olympians” so there’s no less money. We we able to persuade some people, and they’ll provide grants. So we added a paycheck (from the Olympic Foundation) and it does not hurt Aliya. It’s us (officials in the Russian Federsation, media), who are running around complaining that Mustafina is injured. Aliya’s just a girl; this scholarship business you’re talking about does not offend her at all.
Has her character changed?
Aliya has grown during the year, but her character has not changed. (There is) endless sobbing: if something does not work, she sits down and cries. All while under pressure (stick). But the Russian Championships went well. Though, some judges indulged her there, especially as that competition was really meant to be an incentive for her. But we’ve warned her: In Europe, this won’t happen. At the European Championships, you must understand that you’ll be judged normally. She understands everything. At Penza, we asked/ensured that the judges didn’t crush her desire to go out and compete on the podium.
A wish that at one point had been killed?
And now after this competition, it’s been revived.
But she’s always seemed like a girl made of steel? (Iron-girl). And then suddenly tears? Loss of Faith?
No, she’s made of steel. Every fiber -Once she’s well prepared! And her breakdowns/ failures – those you just don’t see. She falls off the beam, sits down and sobs, gets up, tries again, falls again, and then once again dissolves into tears. She’s repeated this cycle countless times at each workout for many months in a row. She’s difficult! With all these girls it’s very difficult. But they are all atypical. Leaders are never easy.
Is Komova easier in this sense?
No, she is also very difficult. But this is just naturally how it works! Can an easygoing, complacent, docile kid who says, “oh well, it’s alright, I suppose…..” win the Olympic games? Never in my life!
Alexandrov bluntly stated “They have to be a bitch”…
Exactly, exclusively a bitch! It’s the law of sport!
So young Anastasia Grishina then – she’s no gift from fate?
Anastasia Sidorova is even worse! She’s now declaring ” I will break onto the national team. I will compete! ” We never expected for her to recover so quickly. Her injury was serious – it was the elbow she injured when she fell off a bike. And then her knee was in a cast….
Do you mean an exercise bike at the gym?
No, an ordinary bicycle. In the summertime, we sometimes allow them to bikeride. Rather, we USED to allow this, until this injury happened. Apparently Anastasia Sidorova was not very experienced. After this incident, we have prohibited bicycles. And driving cars has been taboo since Bilozerchev. (Note they are talking about Dmitry Bilozerchev, a former Soviet World Champion who broke his leg very badly when he crashed his car).
None of the gymnasts have the right to drive?
Since Bilozerchev crashed in an accident before the Olympics, it is strictly prohibited to get behind the wheel until they finish their career in gymnastics.
Source: http://www.sovsport.ru/gazeta/article-item/521787