Key points summary of an interview between Maria Vorobyeva of R Sport, and Russia's Head Coach Andrei Rodionenko, dated 11 September 2014. Link to Russian language - http://m.rsport.ru/interview/20140911/771553414.html
Upon completion of the Russia Cup in late August, the Russian national team coaching staff announced a list of eight athletes - four men and four women - guaranteed participation in the World Championships. Aliya Mustafina, Maria Kharenkova, Daria Spiridinova and Ekaterina Kramarenko; Nikita Ignatyev, David Belyavski, Nikolai Kuksenkov and Denis Ablyazin.
At the World Championships 2013 Alexander Balandin won a silver on rings, and Mustafina won the balance beam and took two bronzes - in the all-around and on bars.
- Andrei Fyodorovich, Denis Ablyazin went for an examination last Monday, in Germany. How did it go?
- It's okay. Denis's condition is stabilized. I think that for the World Championships everything will be normal and these difficulties will not prevent his performance.
- At the recent Russia Cup Ablyazin tried to include highly complex combinations on his best apparatus, but not everything went smoothly. What will he do in the world championships?
- Let's look at his condition. There is the flight to China, the difference in time, in the weather ... To begin with, in qualifying, everything will be done according to his state of health, as well as based on the capabilities of competitors for finals places. This is a tactical battle.
- The winner of the Russia Cup all-around, Nikita Ignatyev, beat absolute European champion David Belyavski in the all-around for the first time in his career, gaining over 90 points. Is it too early for him to have been in such good shape?
- Our main task is to maximize results at the World Championships, taking into account the gymnasts' individual characteristics. We keep in mind that the upcoming World Championships will be in an Olympic format - there are qualifications, team finals, an all-around and individual event finals. So we need to create a team that can meet all the requirements of the format of the competition. Preferably, you will have gymnasts who can be competitive in every part of the competition.
- The task is not simple, but it is what is usual.
- That's right. It is really an ordinary, working situation. Now we are right at the mid point of the Olympic cycle. We look at the gymnasts' programmes and see what is well tested and can improve the team. Upon completion of the national championships, we saw that there were quite a lot of new gymnasts.
Alongside all the priority tasks, this World Championships also determines who the 24 strongest teams are, who will continue preparations for 2015 [and participate in Olympic qualifying at the Glasgow World Championships]. So there are several parallel tasks - whether or not medals are won, the quality of performances is important, and the team also should be prepared not only for this World Championships, but also with an eye to future competitions. We can't just stick with what we did at the last Olympics - that would mean almost losing deliberately to those countries who have upgraded.
- Last year at the world championships the only medal for the Russian men's team was won by Alexander Balandin. But now he is no longer in contention for Nanning. Is he injured?
- Sasha has had surgery. It is a typical injury - a problem with the shoulder joints - one that many rings specialists suffer. [Andrei calls ring specialists "koltsevikov".]. We had to correct the situation, and did everything. Sasha has spent the last training "Round Lake" in recovery, and now he has completed the whole rehabilitation programme, is at home. He needs to come back into form and good health, and from next year he will begin to train with the team.
By the way, here I would like to acknowledge the support of our general sponsor, VTB, who constantly cooperates with us. First of all, they pay for all of the medical examination and treatment our athletes need. Secondly, our equipment in the training halls has been updated. Generally, there are two pillars on which everything is based - the Ministry of Sport is one, and the federation, led by (President - Chairman of VTB) Andrei Kostin, the other. What the Ministry of Sports doesn't do, VTB look after, and vice versa. That is why mutual assistance and alliance are essential. Without this help, the results would simply not be there.
- How realistic are hopes that Viktoria Komova and Ksenia Afanasyeva might compete in Nanning? They are both recovering from injury.
- We will only know after the control training. Their inclusion on the squad will depend in how they perform. To cope with the format of this competition well, we need gymnasts to be competitive on at least two events. The girls know their goals and are working quietly on them.
- What can you say about the young gymnasts? What do you think of Spiridonova and Kharenkova? Will they have improved since Europeans?
- They will answer this question themselves, I am not going to answer for them. If they are stronger, they will compete with dignity in China. If things don't work out, we need to wait until they are older. But it is important that they have already reached senior level, and they are trying to do a programme that can be globally competitive.
- Before the European Championships Mustafina repeatedly complained of problems with her ankle. Has this situation changed?
- Unfortunately, no gymnast can be guaranteed to avoid long term [he says 'permanent'] injury. This is the normal life situation.
- If you remember last year, the team suffered many injuries and broke down right before Worlds, and the results weren't the most brilliant. How is the team spirit at the start if this year's major competition?
- We are absolutely in working condition, but it is important to keep this state of health not only during training, but also after moving to China. Our stay in China will be quite lengthy. Unusually, qualifications will cover two days for each of the programmes. We need to maintain a state of fitness for this time period, so that we can be in the desired form for each day of the competition.
In 2015, things will be different - there will only be 24 teams competing. This year, in each programme, there will be about 45-47 teams. I think I am not mistaken if I say that this is a record number.
- Ignatyev said that personal medals are important, but in the team all-around you need to put in one hundred percent. Do the coaching staff set priorities in this respect?
- No, we cannot set priorities - to do as much as possible you just need better quality in every discipline.