The Russian Gymnastics Federation has a few new updates online about the russian gymnasts.
Viktoria Komova
Is said to be returning to full training in 2 weeks time since surgery on her ankle some months ago. Apparently Komova has had 2 surgeries on her ankle and described how her injuries occurred:
Komova said that the recovery process after the first injury lasted about six weeks, but after the second injury, she could not train for two months. “I was performing a skill and took a step back and twisted my leg — that’s how I got this injury. I got the first injury jumping off bars and the second one on floor exercise. It knocked my ankle out of place. I was taped, but it didn’t save me…And I started all over. But I don’t regret competing then. I wanted to test things…I wanted it and my coach wanted it and it looks like we we just went too fast”, she said.
Apparently Komova has also grown a little bit since being injured, she has grown an extra 11 centimeters in the last 18 months but doesn’t feel that it has affected her training.
Aliya Mustafina
World Champion Mustafina discusses her injury and we learn a little about her.In April Mustafina underwent surgery on her ACL tear that she suffered at the European Championships, she is now in the recovery phase, she ha snow stopped limping and is carefully following the Doctor’s orders. Despite being out injured, she would still really like to compete in the World Championships in October, even if it was just to be 2 pieces, presumably bars and beam;
“Of course I’d like to return; I want to compete at world championships. There is a chance I can go and compete on two events, but we still don’t know how my leg will be and how quickly I can bring back my routines. But the most important thing for me is the Olympic Games. Even if I don’t go to Japan, that won’t be all that terrible. The main competition will be in London next summer. But if I can go [to worlds], then why not”, she told R-Sport.
However, coach Valentina Rodonenko said that her next competition will be the Voronin Cup in December.
Tatiana Nabieva, Anna Dementyeva and Anastasiya Grishina
Tatiana Nabieva was set to compete in the Moscow World cup but withdrew to injury. Rumors of a back problem circulated online and were eventually confirmed, however it was not said to be as serious an injury compared to Mustafina and Komova;
“Tanya Nabiyeva is not have an injury that would require an operation. Her back has been bothering her for a long time and she has some problems with her upper leg. We are giving her less of a load now, but loading will grow as the competition approaches”
BORIS HORVAT/AFP/Getty Images
Coach Aleksandr Aleksandrov seems to have been plesantly surprised by Dementyeva’s win at Europeans in April, however no comment was made on how she would hold up on the world stage. The Russians have worked on upgrading her routines since Europeans;
“Let’s wait and see. I did not know she could win Europeans. And she got on beam and got the highest score right off and was a point ahead of everyone on one event. She needs to improve her vault and if she does then she can be competitive. She has a good beam routine, even though you can always fall on beam, but for the all-around she has a very high difficulty score. And we are still trying to add difficulty to her programme”, Aleksandrov said.
Grishina will be too young to compete at Worlds in October but will be eligible for London 2012. Aleksandrov compared her to other gymnasts on the world stage, stating that she is very talented.
Konstantin Pluzhnikov
The Russian men’s national gymnastics team member feels that he is not ready to compete all around. Whilst he has increased his difficulty on the rings since winning gold at the European Championships in April, Pluzhnikov feels he should be ok to make the Russian team for Worlds.
“Everyone is trying to do all-around now; without that, you won’t get chosen for worlds or the Olympic Games. There is just no other way to get on the team. But don’t I think I am actually ready to compete in the all-around. Anything is possible, of course, but I have a hard time imagining that I will compete all-around at worlds”, Pluzhnikov said.He stressed that his main events are rings and parallel bars. “I have a new skill on bars and I’m not quite used to it yet. The other events are average, but with my rings, I think doing all-around would be okay. What I do should be enough (to make the team). If all goes smoothly and on schedule, then everything will be fine”, he said.
On London 2012 and Worlds Championships 2011
Russian National Team Coach Aleksandr Aleksandrov told R-Sport that the number of medals won at Worlds will not play as significant a role as the fight for the right to compete at the Olympic Games in 2012. All teams know that they must place within the top 8 at Worlds in order to qualify for the London 2012 Games.
“If we miss out on a couple of medals or don’t finish in the sports we would like to take but everyone is healthy, then that won’t be so bad. Since we are in the situation we are in, the main objective will be to compete as well as possible and earn our ticket to the Olympics”
MAG gymnast Sergey Khorokhordin told R Sport that Russia are likely to do well at World this year but doesn’t comment on his own chances of going to Worlds;
“I missed Europeans with an injury and did not compete at Russian nationals. For the first six months of the year, I was essentially lost. The guys who went to Berlin (at the European Championships) were more worthy of it than I was at the time and I went home to nurse injuries. As far as my own chances are concerned, I’m not the kind of guy who talks ahead of time. The main thing is to be healthy. At any celebration the first toast is almost always for health. For athletes health is even more important. If I am healthy, the team will need me; that’s what I think about it”, Khorokhordin said.The gymnast admitted that long workouts in the hot summer were hard. “This year means going to the Olympics, so they let us know there would be no rest. In a few days we are going to Spain for training camp. These kind of camps used to be for recovery, but now they are for preparation. Sure, the sun and the beach are there, but we will be working 90 percent of the time in the gym. A lot of people are saying a lot about our chances at the Olympics, but you have to earn the trip there first”, Khorokhordin stressed
