Couch Gymnast is all about personality.
Here’s another must read post by Brigid reminding us of great Soviet gymnasts past:
Irina Baraksanova, for example:
While many remember Olga Mostepanova being pulled from the all-around competition in 1985, they often forget talented Irina Baraksanova was also unceremoniously yanked from the AA finals.
Despite placing third behind Yurchenko and Mostepanova, Irina was pulled alongside Mostepanova in order for both Shushunova and Omeliantchik to be included in the three-per-country AA competition. ….
Click PLAY or watch her Floor on YouTube.
Discussion point: Had the coaches not interfered, could Mostepanova and Baraksanova achieved the same as their team mates and gone 1-2 in the AA?
I was there at World Championships in Montreal. We were outraged that the USSR declared Mostepanova and Baraksanova “injured”, replacing them with the next 2 girls in their lineup.
… When the two replacements tied for the AA title, Shushanova and Omeliantchik, the Soviet coaches seemed vindicated.
But I suspect Mostepanova and Baraksanova would have finished Gold and Silver, as well.
At the time I felt Omeliantchik was easily the weakest on the powerhouse team. But she was the darling of the meet for her Floor routine (VIDEO).
Click over to Couch Gymnast for photos and videos of these other greats:
Aleftina Priakhina
Olga Strazheva
Armine Barutian
Svetlana Baitova
Irina Baraksanova
Elena Gurova
Elena Naimushina
Svetlana Zasyspkina
Natalia Frolova
Svetlana Grosdova
related Couch Gymnast post – From the archive… the tale of the two broken dolls.
Svetlana Zasypkina and Maria Zasypkina
Gymnastics Coaching.com 