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Aliya Mustafina - 'each medal is very special'
'I'm very happy that everything turned out well today ... Each medal is very special. The UK team made mistakes, so there was a wide margin [of victory]... But naturally, [what I did] is not enough...
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'They call me crazy for thinking of 2020' - Ksenia Afanasyeva
Ksenia Afanasyeva was a supportive team captain at the European Championships. Picture courtesy of RSport on InstagramKsenia Afanasyeva, once the baby of the 2008 Olympics team, is preparing for her...
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'Nothing is impossible' - Nikita Nagorny and the Russian men
The atmosphere surrounding the Russian male gymnasts at this year's European Championships was noticeably relaxed and happy as they made their way to their various medals. This reflects not only a...
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Viktoria Komova - back pain has forced me to step down
I awoke this morning to a very simple statement from Viktoria Komova, on her vk.com site, which Papa Liukin has translated (via the IG forum):'Dear friends, fans, and gymnastics lovers. Unfortunately...
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Paseka back in time for Rio; Komova confirmed out
A few sources in the Russian press have reported Russia's team news. There is a little bit more information about Viktoria Komova's retirement, or rest break, and some good news about Maria Paseka.The...
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FIG clears Vera Kiryashova of judging impropriety
Coach and judge Vera Kiryashova with one of her world champion gymnasts, Tatiana NabiyevaTASS (Albert Starodubtsev) reports that Russian WAG judge Vera Kiryashova has been cleared of biased judging...
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Elena Eremina - straight Tkachev
Eremina in 2016St Petersburg has a tradition of great gymnastics - from 1980 and 1988 Olympic Champions Alexander Detiatin and Elena Shushunova, to this year's Junior European Champion, Elena...
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Afanasyeva to miss Russia Cup, but hopes for Rio
Twice World Champion Ksenia Afanasyeva will miss Russia Cup later this month to recover from surgery to her ankle, reports TASS this morning. The vault and floor specialist flew home from Munich on...
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Aliya Mustafina 'Big Interview', Mir TV
There is a great interview with Aliya at http://mir24.tv/news/sport/14596761In Russian! Some edited highlights from the written commentary beneath - 'We always sleep between workouts [in the...
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Melnikova, Tutkhalyan, Mustafina
Angelina Melnikova confirmed her position as Russia's leading AA gymnast today at the Russia Cup in Penza, taking gold over the two days of competition, ahead of her close colleague Seda Tutkhalyan,...
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FIG/WADA confirms that Kuksenkov is cleared of doping
Following clarification from WADA about the inclusion of the drug meldonium on its list of prohibited substances, and the rates of ingestion/excretion of the drug, the FIG has now cleared Russia Cup...
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Afanasyeva's availability for Rio will be decided later in July
The final Russian team selections will not be absolutely clear for another few weeks. Men's national coach Valery Alfosov needs another week to make some difficult decisions after some rather...
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Provisional teams for Rio announced
WAG - Paseka, Mustafina, Melnikova, Tutkhalyan, Spiridonova. Still some decisions to be made on the basis of the health of Afanasyeva and Mustafina. Andrei Rodionenko repeats the idea that Lilia...
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Mustafina will fight for medals in Rio, says coach Starkin
Aliya returned to Moscow on the final day on Russia Cup to work with one of the best physiotherapists in the world, said coach Sergei Starkin to Pravda today. We will fight for medals in Rio.
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Happy Birthday, Dasha!
Happy 18th birthday to World Bars Champion, Daria Spiridonova! Have a lovely day, and good luck with your Olympic preparations.
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Aliya Mustafina - new interview
Aliya in her new Olympic Games outfit. The teams were kitted out at the Bosco Olympic centre in Moscow last week'Europeans went quite well, for me personally and for the team. There were no big...
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Viktoria Komova news
Viktoria is in the news in Russia at the moment. There is this TV interview in which she discusses her injury, the future, and her team mates. Can anyone translate? https://youtu.be/kgKnkP-HY0gOur...
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'I never thought about another sport. I only like gymnastics' - interview...
Photographs of Gelya Melnikova courtesy of the Russian Gymnastics FederationAn interview with the soon-to-be 16 year old Angelina ('Gelya') Melnikova, by Daria Boychenko for Russian website Argumentyi...
View ArticleNo Russia for Rio? - WADA/McLaren report set to recommend blanket ban
On Monday WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) will publish lawyer Richard McLaren's report into allegations of widespread and systematic doping in Russian sport, and it seems very likely that they will...
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'Our gymnasts will stand proud, even if they have to miss Rio' -Natalia Kalugina
It has been a busy day in the press, and, I expect, a busy day at Lake Krugloye, where both teams are putting the finishing touches to their routines for Rio. Can we spend some time thinking about how...
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