Just Because...

Anastasia Sidorova's 2012 Russian Cup floor routine. I quite like this routine. She was originally one of the most likely gymnast to make the Russian London 2012 team. She was rumoured to have an Amanar. Unfortunately she got injured.

 

Yulia Inshina, The Dark Horse? (My Final Russian Team Prediction)

Can Inshina make the team and be the dark horse? I’m predicting yes. If Inshina does make the team, Russia would be a bit weak but there is still hope for Russia.

The team will be announced around the 8th of July. My ideal team would be Mustafina, Komova, Grishina, Afanasyeva and Dementyeva. Realistically I can’t see them winning team gold but they can challenge USA if they have Amanars. Russia is full of secrets and surprises.

Sidorova is out of contention. Dementyeva has not been confirmed to be back on the team so my real objective team is Mustafina, Komova, Grishina, Afanasyeva and Paseka. I think Mustafina, Komova and Grishina are all official locks. The fourth member should be Afanasyeva but her injury is questionable. The only reason she’ll be off the team is because of not recovering in time. I would be disappointed if she’s left off the team but I must remain positive, I’m bracing myself for whatever happens. I hope she makes the team and will peak well enough for the games. Paseka could make the team because she did land an Amanar at the Russian Cup but she wasn’t consistent enough. She could be able to do it in London, who knows. Nabieva could also make the team. Basically what I’m saying is that there are three locks and two spots left. The last two spots are up for grabs between Afanasyeva, Paseka, Nabieva and Inshina. Any of them can make up the final two spots.

My biggest prediction is that YULIA INSHINA will make the team (even though I didn't include her in my objective team prediction).  I know it sounds crazy but I have a feeling she’s going to be in London as an actual member, not an alternate (she could be an alternate though). I realize I’m talking crazy (contradicting myself) but anything is possible. Awhile ago I did a post on Inshina CLICK HERE and for some reason she must be a popular gymnast because that post is my 4th most viewed post.

I wish all the Russian gymnasts the best of luck and I hope the Russian coaches makes the best choices. The suspense is killing me.

Rumours Rumours/USA Trials Podium Training

-Rumours has it that Anastasia Sidorova is out of contention to make the Russian Olympic team, she is injured. Anna Dementyeva has apparently been invited back. Oh the drama.  You can read all the rumours at TheCouchGymnast.com

-Nastia Liukin IMO is not looking too hot at the USA's Olympic trials. She looks very labour on bars and is still heavily spotted by her dad. Her Pak Salto still looks scary. Her beam routine is ok, wonky leaps and she sets up too long for her dismount. Call me a hater, she's not going to make the USA team. If I'm wrong I'll be very shock and embarrass. She is still or was a wonderful gymnast. She was the rightful AA winner in Beijing. Whether you agree with this or not, she makes gymnastics look beautiful.
Kyla Ross's Amanar - I think this was the best I've seen from her but the landing looked scary. I also embedded her BB. She's lovely on beam but I wish there was something more, she is boring just like the majority of the American gymnasts.

Russian Preliminary Olympic Team Announced

The top 8 male and female members that are in running for the Russian Olympic team are:

Men: Dennis Ablyazin, Alexander Balandin, David Belyavsky, Emin Garibov, Konstantin Pluzhnikov, Nikita Ignatyev, Sergey Khorokhordina, Igor Pakhomenko.

Women: Ksenia Afanasyeva, Viktoria Komova, Aliya Mustafina, Anastasia Grishina, Tatiana Nabieva, Maria Paseka, Anastasia Sidorova and Yulia Inshina.

The official 5 men team and 5 women team will be named no later then July 7th. Source: CLICK HERE

My Thoughts on The Women's Team

No Anna Dementyeva? Are they crazy? Anna Dementyeva is more capable of competing better than Yulia Inshina, in my humble opinion. I'm thinking Anna Dementyeva is not fully healthy and that they have no faith in her. I'm also getting scared that Afanasyeva's injury might be worse than expected but I try to remain optimistic. If the team really is going to be named around the 7th of July Afanasyeva has a lot of healing and work to do. Russia hasn't been healthy lately. The status of Sidorova's injuries aren't really well known also. I think the clear locks are Komova, Mustafina and Grishina. The last two spots will be a battle between the remaining girls. I don't see Yulia Inshina making the team so I would cut her off first for my team prediction. Inshina could prove useful as alternate though. The next two girls I would cut off is Paseka or Nabieva. Paseka's chances of making the team is getting the Amanar, if she can't get it consistently I wouldn't risk having her on the team. Nabieva could fill in but she can only do VT & UB, sadly for her bars is covered and vault is also covered to a lesser extent. I will make a team prediction later on.

2012 Russian Cup EF Beam & Floor

Results: Click Here

Balance Beam Top 3

1) Viktoria Komova (6.3) 15.345
2) Aliya Mustafina (6.1) 15.00
3) Anna Dementyeva (6.4) 14.950

Floor Exercise Top 3

1) Aliya Mustafina (5.9) 14.750
2) Viktoria Komova (5.8) 14.300
3) Anastasia Sidorova (5.8) 14.150

The Russians Are Coming

This week the Russian Cup (Nationals) will be taking place from June 12-17. It's not clear if we will see some upgrades but some things are known.

Tatiana Nabieva is back in the house. She was seen training in a new video and Alexandrov had said that she has almost resolved her weight issues.

Ksenia Afanasyeva is worried about her minor ankle injury. In a news clip she is considered one of the locks for the Olympic team. Alexandrov said that she will not show her full program at the Russian Cup. She is now doing acrobatics again. Afanasyeva will unveil her new choreographed floor routine. I'm excited for this. I'm glad the Russians are taking it easy on her. She is an older gymnast so she needs to rest more so that she can be in optimum form in London.

Viktoria Komova & Aliya Mustafina are training normal now and are doing all four apparatuses. Mustafina and Komova are training the Amanar into the pit. I hope this will be the first time we get to see Komova and Mustafina compete against each other for the AA title. They both need to have a friendly competitive rivalry.

Anastasia Grishina is also starting to feel sore in the legs according to Alexandrov. Hopefully it does not develop into something serious.

The google translated article can be read here: CLICK HERE

Anastasia Sidorova has been battling some injuries. I hope she will have a good showing. Her chances of making the team is not secure anymore.

Maria Paseka has to show us why she is useful to team Russia. She is unusable on beam and floor. Her only hope of making the team is to have the Amanar. Now would be the time to show it. Paseka is no Maroney. 

New Training Video - Dementyeva is looking fit. I wish her the best. She has been an important gymnast for Russia this quad. Tatiana Nabieva training on bars. Don't forget to read the descriptions for the video:

Team Russia Gymnastics Interview

There is a new Russian interview that features the potential gymnasts that will represent Russia at the Olympics. It features Aliya Mustafina, Viktoria Komova, Anastasia Grishina, Ksenia Afanasyeva and Anastasia Sidorova. I am loving this team choice. Here are the articles/pics: article 1 article 2 

Grishina, Mustafina, Komova, Afanasyeva, Sidorova

Quick Thoughts on Russia at the SUI-GBR-RUS Tri-Meet

Thanks to maddie1976ch's youtube channel that I got to see the Russian gymnastic team performed this weekend at a Switzerland - Britain - Russia tri-meet. The members at this meet were Mustafina, Komova, Grishina, Dementyeva, Sidorova and Paseka. They took gold as the top team.

The Russians were obviously not in top shape and form. They were not peaked and some were recovering from injuries but I still wasn't impress with some of the gymnasts. The scores should not be taken seriously (click here for results) because it was not a FIG competition. Beam scores were in the 15.000 range when really should have scored between 14.500-14.900 range. Russia had visible execution problems and I hope they can get it all sorted out by the Olympic games. Now, you're probably thinking why I'm being so negative to one of my favourite team, well they did not deserve some of the scores especially on BB.

My Russian Olympic team prediction of Mustafina, Komova, Grishina, Afanasyeva and Sidorova are still the same from after seeing the videos of this tri-meet. Now, I know Afanasyeva did not compete and has a minor injury but she will have time to recover. She is a strong competitor. Based on the tri-meet the Russian gymnasts were having a lot of problems on floor and the world gold medalist on floor Afanasyeva is clearly still their leader on this event. Dementyeva scored well on beam but with missed connections, shaky and other execution faults, she will have to look more improved to make the team. Paseka didn't prove anything well worth it and she will not make the cut on my prediction list. I still think Sidorova can make the team she wasn't completely 100%  free from her knee injury. I don't have much to say about Komova because she didn't compete on all events and just had a minor surgery. Komova did do decent routines but was a bit overscored on bars and a bit on beam. Komova had new floor music but did not compete floor. I don't like her new floor music. Click here to hear new floor music.The team leader Mustafina did well but will have to be even better in London. She is doing well considering coming back from a serious injury. And then there is Grishina who did a water down UB, hit VT, fell on beam and two out of bounds on floor. She will still most likely make the Olympic team.

Komova on UB D-6.7 E-9.15 = 15.850

Early Russian Olympic Team Prediction 2012

Doing early predictions can be very hard to do but my predictions will be based on current and past videos of the gymnasts. I will also consider what the coaches have said to the media. Recently the Russian gymnastics training center "Round Lake" held a media day for journalists to visit the center. Coach Valentina Rodionenko basically said there will be four all-rounders and a vault specialist who can do the Amanar vault. The four all-arounders are; Viktoria Komova, Aliya Mustafina, Anastasia Grishina and Ksenia Afanasyeva. The last gymnast would most likely be Anastasia Sidorova because she has two vaults competitive enough for a event finals (click for source). I personally think this is not the official team yet and obviously the coach was probably just throwing names to get ideas out. Regardless, I think this team is very good and is actually my early prediction.

Some of the Russian Team Members

Only 5 girls on the Russian team will make it to the Olympics. In parentheses will be the girl used in prelims. Prelims will be 4 gymnasts used on a apparatus and the 3 highest scores count, the 4th score will be dropped. The outer names will be used for prelims and the team finals. In team finals there will be 3 gymnasts used on a apparatus and all three scores will count. My team is basically Mustafina, Komova, Grishina, Afanasyeva and Sidorova. Mustafina, Komova & Grishina will basically be doing all-around in prelims to vie for the top 2 all-around spots.

Vault: (Grishina) Sidorova, Komova, Mustafina
Bars: (Afanasyeva), Grishina, Komova, Mustafina
Beam: (Grishina) Sidorova, Komova, Mustafina
Floor: (Grishina) Komova, Afanasyeva, Mustafina

Thoughts On Anastasia Sidorova

Her current injury status is unknown. Supposedly she is still not 100% with her wrists. But really, no gymnasts are really 100% injury free. There will always be something nagging on a gymnast’s body. Sidorova did compete at Voronin Cup in December ’11 and at the most recent Moscow Championships. She was supposed to compete at the London test event in January but was not prepared enough or was resting her wrists. She is known for her consistency on VT, BB & FX. She supposedly had an Amanar vault but there are no videos to back this up. Her DTY is good so the thought of her being capable of doing an Amanar is possible.

There are a lot of fans who wants to see Sidorova on the Russian’s Olympic team. I can see her on it but I am not completely sold on her yet. If she can remain consistent throughout the next big competitions or have an Amanar she will no doubt be on the team. Another possibility could be that she would be relegated to the dreaded alternate spot if her consistency does not improve. We have in the past seen very good up and coming gymnasts touted to make an Olympic team only to be relegated as an alternate.

Sidorova’s most recent competitions (Voronin Cup & Moscow Championships) were rough for her. I know that she is not 100% or it’s early in the season but we have seen her better before. Her consistency has dropped a bit and she seems to be unsure about herself lately. Her DTY is still good, her bar difficulty is too low, her BB and FX is still her strongest events. Sidorova seems to be maxed out with upgrades but anything is possible as Dementyeva and Grishina proved this by - upgrading quickly.

Here are some of her performances

 

Anastasia Sidorova's D-Scores

Here are Anastasia's D-Scores. Her BB & FX are from her most recent competition at the Moscow Championships. Her VT & UB are from earlier competitions.
_____________________________________________________________________________

VT: DTY 5.8 & capable/rumoured Amanar 6.5

 

UB

Sole Circle + Inbar + Sole 1/1 + Tkatchev + Pak (C+D+D+D+D) 0.2CV
Stalder + Sole Shoot to HB (C)
Sole 1/2 (C)
Dbl Front (D)

2.9 + 0.2 = 3.1 + 2.5CR = 5.6 D-Score
-- This was the best video I could find for her UB. Sometimes she even performs her UB in lower difficulty of 5.2-5.3 etc. She doesn't have a consistent UB routine. UB is her weakest event.

BB:

FF + BHS + Layout (B+B+E) 0.2CV
Switch Leap + Back Tuck + Sheep Jump (C+C+D) 0.2 (debatable connections)
Aerial Cartwheel (D)
Johnson Leap (C)
Attitude Spin + Sissone (C/A)
Front Aerial + FF + LOSO (D+B+C) 0.2
Switch Ring (E)
RO + BHS + Dbl Pike (B+B+E) 0.2

3.3 + 0.8 = 4.1 + 2.5CR = 6.6 D-Score

FX:

Bwd 3/2 Twists indirect to 3/1 Twists (C+E) 0.2
Full In Pike (E)
Dbl Spin (B)
Gogean (D) *attempted, so downgrade to (C) but I’m going to count the D value.
Bwd 5/2 Twists + Stag leap (D+A) 0.1
Front Aerial (CR for fwd elements)
Switch Ring + Johnson 1/2 (C/C)
Dbl Pike (D)

3.1 + 0.3 = 3.4 + 2.5CR = 5.9 D-Score
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AA Total = 23.9 / 24.6 if with Amanar