 |
| Aliya Mustafina projects that mystical charisma, while Europeans team mate Ksenia Afanasyeva looks on at last year's Russian Championships. Courtesy RGF |
The Couch Gymnast has put up some extensive reports on women's podium training from yesterday as a preparation for tomorrow's competition - read them. It is the age old story of Russia looking tired and off form with Romania soldiering on. No, better than that, shining at the first major competition of the year. Russia normally shake themselves down in time for the actual competition, but can they pull off another revival again this time? It must take so much energy overcoming all the emotion of a poor warm up performance ... the pre-competition publicity, spun by Valentina Rodionenko, does not make them sound a happy ship. Has Russia lost its passion for artistic gymnastics? I hope not. Let's see how qualis go first, then finals.
Here is the start list for tomorrow's competition, and a link to the judges' assignments.
Here is a TV report of podium training featuring Maria Paseka and Anastasia Grishina.
Go to RRG's Facebook page for comments on the Russian and Romanian performances, tomorrow from 10.30 am Moscow time.