Russia will win with beauty

Great article translated by RussianGymnasts.net:

17.07.2012

All the work at the gyms at Round Lake is focussed on the Olympics these days. No-one who is not directly involved in working with the national team that is going to London is here. Everyone but the main team and the alternates has gone home. The team is training under the laws of the Games, (men) starting workouts at 9 in the evening and finishing them at 11.

… The alternates are training alongside the main team. It’s hard to envy them. After 21 July, when the team flies to London, they will stay at Round Lake. And only on the day the team takes the podium at the Olympics will they go home — at that point no more replacements are allowed. …

… “A harsh requirement was made for anyone looking to make the team”, women’s head coach Aleksandr Aleksandrov said, “to do a high-difficulty vault. Maria Paseka did it and without any second thoughts she was put in the team. …

Captain Kseniya Afanasyeva:

“I’m worried about everything. I’m worried about our girls’ health and hoping everything is fine and no-one is going around crying or stressing to much, so that there is no depression. Because the Games are tough. When I came back from Beijing it was hard, I remember that. Because of coming home with nothing, after training for four years. I went through that and I don’t want the other girls to be left with thoughts like that. But we have a strong team. We’ll win with beauty!” …

We’ll win with beauty! – The Russian team training at Round Lake

explaining Olympic Gymnastics

sigh …

Here we go again. Every 4yrs we have to explain Women’s Artistic Gymnastic to a … football fan.

…
Q: Why do they have to dance?

A: Because gymnastics is the perfect combination of sport and art, where athletic skill is melded with artistic interpretation to create cohesive performance that is at the same time exciting, dramatic, competitive, difficult, and beautiful. It’s better than any stupid sport with helmets that you think you like.

Q: Then why is the dance so bad?

A: Preach!

Q: Are the Chinese all eleven?

A: No, they all appear to be the proper age and have been training for years and years. That’s why they’re not as great this time. They’re as haggard on the outside as you feel on this inside.

Q: Why does that one look like she’s going to kill me?

A: Her name is Catalina Ponor, and she has killed men twice your size. Don’t mess.

…

read more on Balance Beam Situation – Olympic Gymnastics for Beginners

Olympics haters in London

As in Vancouver 2010, there are those in every Olympic host city committed to opposing Faster, Higher, Stronger.

Bread, not circuses.

This one is funny, at least.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It’s a goof on a British McDonalds ad that plays off the famous Apple ad.

Anna Li – Kovacs

Examiner interviewing Anna:

… “When this is over, I plan on learning a Kovacs. I’m really excited about that,” Li told me matter-of-factly at the 2012 U.S. Championships. …

After this summer, will Li stick around as an elite? “I’m not sure,” she said. “I’m just taking it day by day right now. I’m old and training at this level is very difficult and demanding with all the hours. I’m not really sure. I love gymnastics. That’s why I did it again after college, and I have so much passion for it; it’s fun. My dad joked around and said I should train in 2014, because that would be Worlds in China.” …

The incredible gymnastics skill Anna Li wants to learn next

Elfimov on Komova

RRG:

Viktoria Komova’s personal coach, Gennady Elfimov, has given a personal interview to Sovietski Sport.

His main messages? Don’t hype Vika! Keep calm! We have to keep our focus and perform four apparatus confidently – don’t get carried away with that vault! And forget about Tokyo! …

Coach Elfimov with Viktoria Komova at a team visit to the Novodevichy Convent

read more on Rewriting Russian Gymnastics – Interview with Gennady Elfimov

Sounds like the plan is for Komova, Paseka and … Mustafina to all compete Amanar in Team. If so, the odds of all 3 landing are not high.

Russia cannot afford any injury.