Prosport is carrying the following article about Simone Biles, who they tip as a favourite for Olympic gold. I thought I would share it here (Google translate in italics) as it gives an interesting perspective on where the Russians feel the sport is heading. Elena Zamolidchikova and Alexander Alexandrov are both extensively quoted.
Atypical American. Simon Biles on the way to Olympic gold
Simone Biles, American gymnast, turned 18 on March 14, 2015. Shortly before this, the first in US history absolute Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton called Biles perhaps the most gifted athlete in the history of the sport. In 2014, Simon became the first gymnast for 40 years to win four gold at a World Championships. But Biles is not only talent. This is the first gymnast in recent years from the United States, who is not going to earn on its potential Olympic success.
Text: Alexander Vladimirov March 15, 2015 9:35
The article on Prosport/Photo: Lintao Zhang / Getty Images / Fotobank.ru
The first world championship in her career Simone Biles ended in scandal. Competitions were on a beam overlooking the penultimate women's final. Biles acted not entirely successful, but still won the bronze. The Italian, Carlotta Ferlito, whispered to her friend Vanessa Ferrari : "The next time we need to make our skin black, and then we will also win." Whisper was too loud, and the Italian's words came to the ears of the USA Gymnastics Federation . Officials considered it a racist remark and demanded an official apology. And Simone arrived at the next World Championship and proved - it is not a colour, but the fact that she now simply has no equal in the world.
After the Russian Svetlana Khorkina left the sport, in the women's gymnastics was no hint of the hegemony of a single athlete. From 2004 to 2013 all major events (Olympic Games and World Championships) in the individual all-around, the most prestigious gymnastic discipline, won various gymnasts. During this time, the absolute champion had become eight girls from the United States, one Italian and one Russian - Aliya Mustafina. Repeat its success could only Simone Biles, the first African-American woman who became the absolute world champion. At two world championships - 2013 and 2014 - she won nine medals, six of which - gold. At these tournaments Simone did not get on the podium in only one discipline - Uneven Bars.
Photo: Jared Wickerham / Getty Images / Fotobank.ru
"There is a category of athletes who love to perform - explains the two-time Olympic gymnastics champion Elena Zamolodchikova. - They might have something go wrong in training, but on the competition platform changes everything. It's a very small category of athletes, and Simone Biles - one of them. Love to fight and act - it is really unique. Plus, Simone is very gifted by nature. Her main strength - jump in the shells, they need very strong, "tolkuchie" legs - as Simone. Even beam is at a very decent for all around level, however, I did not think she could pull it up to fight for the medals in a single discipline. This apparatus is likely to remain the other gymnasts, although, of course, anything can happen in sport. "
Speaking of the American Olympic prospects, Zamolodchikova agrees - Simone Biles really needs to become a favourite for the Games in Rio de Janeiro. The complexity of her programmes every year only grow, and added experience. But what will happen after the Olympics, a former gymnast and now a judge of the international category, is not ready to predict.
"The American school gymnastics is notorious for girls after big wins at the Olympic Games to finish their career - says Zamolodchikova. - 'They start a project, do advertising endorsements, and so on. I can not even give one example of an American gymnast who continued to practice after having won the gold, and then returned to her previous level. "
American gymnasts do not return, primarily because it is not needed. Gymnastics in the United States is now at a level that instead of a champion can come several athletes who are ready to repeat the result. Time when the Soviet /Russian gymnasts shared all the gold with Romania is in the past. With each Olympic cycle superiority of the American school is becoming more noticeable.
Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images / Fotobank.ru
It all started in 1981 when Romanian expert Bela Karolyi and his wife, Martha, coaches five times Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci, moved to America. They began to do business at the gym, which already in the nineties began to bring very good money.
"A related tide of coaches from [former] socialist countries, the Soviet Union - says the former coach of women's national team of Russia and Aliya Mustafina Alexander Alexandrov, who has worked for more than ten years in the United States. - It was Bella Karoly called me to work in the United States. When we came to the local competition, it was not clear - whether we are in the United States, whether in the championship of Russia. Around it was a Russian. Now, of course, there are fewer Russian-speaking professionals. Many simply left for other countries. "
In the US, so far there is no centralized training of the national team (as in Russia). Neither gymnast does not sit permanently on the basis of the team. Everyone involved in the club, and just before the start all the important members of the team come together.
"In the US gymnastics now - a very popular sport, - says Alexander. - Children and parents see victory on television and are willing to pay for something, to learn to speak the same way. Many people want to train in those rooms, where he grew up champion. If the result of, then there is a good coach. On the one hand, children will not be hanging out on the street - there is also plenty of options for how to lose a child. On the other hand, if there are successes, then, at least, will have the opportunity to go to university and get free higher education and it is in the United States very expensive. There is still a chance to get into the national team, and go to the Olympics. But that's another return. They say that the Olympic champion Douglas earned $90 million - on advertising and so on. It is clear that the figure, it is perhaps exaggerated, but advertising contracts champions really earn very well. "
However, not everyone is ready to accept the conditions of the game, for which there is an American gymnastic world. In November 2014 Simon Biles signed an agreement with the University of California, Los Angeles (12th place in the ranking of the best universities in the world) that after the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, she will become a student member of the local student team. Education Simone will be free, as it will pay a stipend, but to participate in the filming of advertising and other commercial activities according to the rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association gymnast can not.
"I think student gymnastics - is more or less the goal of everyone who begins to engage in sports, of course, if you do not talk about a trip to the Olympics. - Explained his choice in an interview with ESPN Biles. - I think it's great - to finish your career in the status of student-athlete. I think student exercises a lot more fun than the adult professional. There's all too seriously. And I want little kids looked at me and said, "Wow, she really gets pleasure from it all!"