Rewriting Russian Gymnastics has been posting translations of Press conferences. As usual, Alexandrov, Andre Rodionenko and Aliya Mustafina are worth following. All well spoken, surprisingly honest, surprisingly blunt. Komova has really grown up. She handles herself quite well now in front of reporters hoping for an interesting misstatement.
Valentina Rodionenko, … not so much.
An excellent example:
Valentina Rodionenko, Aliya Mustafina and Viktoria Komova – Sovietski Sport/Komsomolskaya Pravda press conference:
Valentina Rodionenko: Functionally the Americans were far better prepared than our girls. We couldn’t do it because our girls were all injured. Professor Arkhipov was with them. He’s the best orthopaedic specialist in Russia. He was all the time with our team. He knew what injuries they had. Now they have to heal their injuries. Now they’ll go to Spain to a recovery training camp, we cannot overload them as they do in the US. They wouldn’t stand it. This is why they are so strong, so healthy, except for Douglas.
Journalist: like robots…
Rodionenko: I may not be objective. But their gymnastics are not beautiful. We are for classical, beautiful gymnastics, they are for athletic gymnastics. It’s called artistic gymnastics. It has to be artistic. This is our position. …
Here’s the latest.
Sports Express interview by Elena Zaitsakhovskaya with Aliya and her parents:
-I heard many times that they wanted to transfer you to another coach, because Alexandrov was the national team’s head coach. Did you know about it?
-Yes. I was asked many times if I understood that the head coach cannot have personal gymnasts.
-What did you think about it?
– Whom could they transfer me to? Every coach had her gymnast; they didn’t need me, except Alexandrov…
-Did you fear that the trainer would leave you?
– Aleksandr Sergueievich always helped me, in all situations, whatever happened. …
– Do you quarrel during training?
– Of course. About anything. For instance, if I can’t achieve something or the coach has told me something that I haven’t liked. We may not talk to each other for three days.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 