Eremina in 2016
And we shouldn't forget St Petersburg as a home of great innovation. Elena Shushunova's half blind change to Markelov was astonishing in its time. And then, we come to possibly my favourite single gymnastics element - the straight Tkachev, which Nabiyeva performed at the 2010 World Championships.
The legacy and heritage continues, and now 14 year old Elena Eremina is practicing the same skill in training. You can see a video of this at her coach, Vera Kiryashova's Instagram account (https://instagram.com/p/BGsMgtNnqSk/). Vera and her husband Alexander also coached Tatiana Nabiyeva.
Coach Vladimir Zaglada, who has held senior coaching roles in the USA, Russia and the Soviet Union, has commented -
'I am very proud of the fact that Russian Gymnastics still developing this counter swing's technique born in Russia more than 40 years ago!
It is quite obvious that particularly this kind of Reverse Hecht which was performed on such high technical level could decorate the routine of the future Olympic Medalist!
My personal congratulations to the coaches from St. Petersburg, Vera and Alexander Kiryashov, their brilliant gymnast. I wish Good Luck to them and Russia at Rio-2016'.
The Tkachev flight was first performed in international competition by Alexander Tkachev, in the Riga Cup, 1977. Alexander now coaches in the USA, and his unique element is pervasive in both men's and women's gymnastics today.
Alexander performs the Tkachev somersault in 1977 - https://youtu.be/cxchk6yGgsY.
Nabiyeva in 2010