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DTB Cup - in which I have a moan about the desultory state of WAG
I just watched the most discouraging competition of my life in WAG, the AA. Maybe the team competition yesterday was better - I didn't watch - but the AA left me dead cold. The highlight was an...
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The first time ever I saw the USSR gymnasts
I saw the poster on the wall of the gym and it surprised my teacher when I asked if I could go. She had noticed that I didn't exactly love PE ...But I loved gymnastics and I wanted to see my...
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Club Pushkin, home of World Champion gymnast Elena Eremina, faces collapse
No good news to report at present from beautiful, brave St Petersburg, as the gymnastics club where national team members Elena Eremina, Valeria Saifulina and Lilia Akhaimova all train faces ruin....
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Korbut/Knysh rape allegations resurface
Knysh and Korbut in training, 1973Olga Korbut has repeated her allegations of mistreatment and rape by her coach, Reynald Knysh, in a Russian Jerry Springer style panel show. She first made these...
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Heroes are only human
At the next Olympics, the teams will include four all arounders. This rule change is one of the more positive things that the FIG has done for the sport recently. Specialists like Denis Ablyazin will...
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Russia WAG head to Mallorca for their annual active retreat - Eremina with them!
Russia WAG are travelling to Mallorca today for their annual two week active holiday - mainly two weeks of rest, relaxation and bonding, but with some daily training to keep in shape. I'm glad to say...
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Gymnastics in post-Soviet Russia : ISSA Conference 2018
I am on my way home after attending the annual World Congress of the International Society of Sport, which this year was held over three days in Switzerland. More than 300 participants gathered at the...
View ArticleBoris Orlov, coach to World Champion Olga Bicherova, has died
Dutch news site nu.nl has reported the sudden death of coach Boris Orlov. Boris coached 1981 World Champion Olga Bicherova. In 1986 he moved from Moscow to Holland and made his home there, holding a...
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Elena Shushunova, the greatest of all time, has died at the age of 49
Elena Shushunova, European, World and Olympic Champion 1984-1988, has died of pneumonia, reports TASS. 'Shusha', perhaps the greatest artistic gymnast, was only 49. She will be greatly missed and we...
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Bloggers beware!
Hello everyoneIt has recently come to my attention that someone has been copying my blog - yes, in its entirety. In fact there are a number of blogs out there purporting to be me. This is not only very...
View ArticleGymnastics, doping and abuse
There is so much talk of sport in the media recently, in a negative way, that I wanted to express my thoughts.The three themes that regularly emerge are corruption, cheating and cruelty, or a...
View ArticleCatch up with Russian gymnastics
It has been a long time since I reflected on Russia and its gymnasts, but there have been some significant events recently so here is an update.1 The continuing depletion of the national team...
View ArticleKomova v Douglas 2012
I’m reading a post on Twitter that relates Komova’s second place in the AA to her botched Amanar landing. History often rewrites such stories, forgetting the whole picture - an AA comp is the best of...
View ArticleWeren't we mesmerised by the promise of gold? Abuse in gymnastics I
I’ve questioned myself time and again about gymnastics, ever since the ‘Me Too’ messages began appearing on my Twitter feed. Are we, fans, culpable of supporting a sport which is inherently brutal?...
View ArticleMy Olympic Hero - how will I name my hero in a sport full of heroes, in a...
My Olympic Hero How will I name my hero in a sport full of heroes, in a Games full of heroes – in a world full of heroes? The whole pretext of the 2020 Olympic Games is unique. Globally, the Covid...
View ArticleIs Nabieva a revolutionary? Towards a classification of Soviet and Russian...
This weekend my friend Tracey said to me that she felt that Nabieva’s stoop Tkachev-Pak combination, performed on Saturday at the World Championships for the first time, was quite possibly the most...
View Article2011 National Team Announced
Alan at Aliya Mustafina Online has alerted us to a link at the Federation's website including a full list of the women's national team. Amongst those eligible for competition at senior international...
View ArticlePutin voices his commitment to sport
With upcoming parliamentary (December 2011) and presidential (March 2012) elections looming, Vladimir Putin is voicing his commitment to supporting sporting excellence.
View ArticleVladimir Zaglada : One Coach's Journey from East to West
Rick at Gymnastics Coaching has alerted me to the publication of the above book, for which a preview is available at the author's website.I have just ordered a copy from Amazon UK for £12.61 including...
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