Olympic Champion and long-serving Captain of the Russian gymnastics team, David Belyavski won’t be competing at the Russian Championships later this month. His daughter, Alyssa, begins school in September and he wants some family time - for example to give his daughter a long-promised trip to Disneyland in China.
Andrei Rodionenko, head coach of Russian Gymnastics, has agreed to this - ‘family is the most important thing’, he reportedly said. In the meantime his wife, Valentina Rodionenko, has had her say, promising David a retirement party before his departure on holiday. ‘I’ll have to sort that out [I’m not retiring]’, said David to TASS.