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| The peerless Viktoria Komova will have a chance to compete bars and beam if fully recovered from her recent illness |
WAG : All Around : Aliya Mustafina, Tatiana Nabiyeva Event specialists: Maria Paseka, Aliya Mustafina, Tatiana Nabiyeva, Viktoria Komova or Anna Rodionova
MAG : All Around : David Belyavski and Nikolai Kuksenkov. Event specialists : David Belyavski, Nikolai Kuksenkov, Emin Garibov, Denis Ablyazin, Mattvei Petrov
If Komova is ready, she will compete either bars or beam or both but, it seems, not all around.
Sadly, Ksenia Afanasyeva, who would have been a front runner for a floor medal, is confirmed as having had an ankle operation last week, and so is out of this competition. Valentina Rodionenko says she should be back in shape in December.
In as far as Grishina is concerned, Valentina says that the gymnasts selected all participated in all of the necessary qualifying events, and that the selection was made on purely sports basis. I suppose we have to take her word for it, although ... if Grishina were healthy, preferring Rodionova as reserve seems a questionable decision especially given the former's ability to substitute on all four apparatus if required.
However, there is no team event in Antwerp, and I am glad that there is a prospect of Komova competing. Apparently she was on stellar form before falling, ill, outscoring Grishina by five points in an internal test competition. So Grishina would probably have fallen well behind other team members, and only have been trying for the reserve spot in any event.
RRG supports the Russian team in preparation for World Championships, and looks forward to seeing them compete! Cheer along everyone! Good luck all!!