Russian will fight for Gold - London 2012

Valentina Rodionenko, Russian national coach ( coach with the Russian and Soviet teams for over 30 years, celebrates her 76th birthday in September this year, picture courtesy of Russian Gym.Fed.), tells us that the composition of the team that will fight for gold against the US is already known as far as three members are concerned: Aliya Mustafina, who missed one year of gymnastics due to a severe injury (although in Penza, Aliya competed and won), Viktoria Komova, who placed second at the world championships, whose tears in Tokyo for a lost medal were considered a personal tragedy in Russia, and a new name: Anastasia Grishina.

They will be leaving for London on July the 21st. They  can fly to London in three hours during the summer. and  don’t need to train with the Americans.  They don’t want to…  The more time you spend at the Olympics, the more this affects your nerves. 

Frankly  coach Valentina Rodionenko  said  “ We are scared of them Judges. We have to fight against the American team. There is only one team that can beat us today: the USA. I repeat: today! And unfortunately we are weaker at vault. But we are scared of the judges. What can we do? Scared or not, we have to continue to work. to be better.  So that the judges cannot savage us.”

 The judges exaggerate  small mistakes.  Аnd they do the opposite with our rivals.  The same error can be penalized in different ways.  And when the judges’ alliances begin, the game is on, said Valentina.

 The Gymnasts  know everything, they know the pressure that is awaiting them– They will not be performing for the first time;.  Though they are not happy, of course, but they know that they have to fight anyway and not give any ground.  If you perform every routine at your level, you win. 

At the Pacific Alliance in Seattle, Rodionenko laments – Canada, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand…they all worked together.  This transatlantic alliance doesn’t support anyone except the US.  China’s scores dropped in Seattle.  We did not compete with our first team.  We knew that they would savage us.  With what we saw there, with all the judges game-playing, I personally was stunned.  We will see what happens at the Olympics. Seattle proved that we have to be prepared for anything.  It’s no reason to surrender beforehand and without a fight!