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| Anna Pavlova, 2004. Courtesy of Sing Lo |
Anna Pavlova, 2004 and 2008 Olympian, is still competing after all these years and put in a grand showing at this weekend's (2nd November) Schiltigheim Tournament in France, placing first ahead of home favourites Amelie Pauffert, Manon Cormoreche and Johanna Cano and established internationals Krystyna Palesova and Marina Kostiuchenko.
Still competing with heavy strapping on her once gravely injured right knee, Pavlova's work has retained its languid and musical presentation but does not have the pace or difficulty of many of today's top performers. She still manages a whip to triple twist as her first tumble on floor, and her beam shows all of that magical sense of magnetism and balance that has always been characteristic of her work.
I do not know if Pavlova would be mentally or physically capable of the intensive training and competition undertaken by the Russian team today. But the nature of her exile from that elite group will always be questioned while so much remains unsaid as to the state of management of the Russian team, and while she can still turn out performances like these: with thanks to Ninalfee.
Full results are available here.
