×6th Jan 2013
Interviews of the Russian team from Gymnastics Magazine. Number 2- Viktoria Komova

As always, disclaimers - Russian is not my first (or even second) language, and I make no claims of fluency. As such, I can’t guarantee the translation is 100% accurate. It’s for fun and for interest only. There are also parts where I paraphrased because Russian doesn’t always translate well to English in a literal sense. If you speak Russian better than I do, and want to offer any corrections, please feel free. And a big thank you to cpt13hook for the correction on the Nastya Grishina interview.

Anyway, I think this is a really interesting interview.

Before the competition, which foreign gymnasts did you see as your main rivals?

The Americans - Wieber and Raisman.

Douglas was not on your radar?

I really didn’t expect her to make so much progress. She was also at the World Championships in 2011 - nothing special. It was hard to imagine that she’d win the gold in London.

Did the Olympic Games stir up many emotions and bring forward anything new?

You know, competing anywhere is equally hard and winning is always nice. There was just more hype around the London Olympics.

I remember even before your big victories, your personal coach Gennady Elfimov spoke to my colleague about your training process. (He said: ) ” We do not work, we play. We play to make things happen. After all, this is interesting - to achieve an element in such a way that it comes out difficult and beautiful”.

Probably, it was like that some time ago. But training now - it’s more work. As such, I relate to it differently- I’ve become more conscious. But the conditioning, I never liked and I still don’t like. To love climbing the rope just doesn’t happen. However, everything has to be overcome. The difficult elements don’t just have to be learned, but also made cleanly. There are many rivals, and they won’t be any less. So there’s a reason for us to work and we’ll climb when it’s necessary.

- In London, you and the girls team won a medal. Not in vain then, that you guys even ate dinners together?

We truly get along and support each other in everything. And we went to breakfast and dinner together. During the period leading up to the games, we pushed two tables together so that we were all sitting at the same table. We had wanted a big table for a long time but we always had to be separated. Apparently right before the games it was finally time. We always sat together talking and laughing for a long time. And guess what? We covered so little. You know, we merely discussed one critical remark from a coach or how something happened in training and an hour went by. Or who managed what combinations… this is also not a short conversation. My best friend is Maria Paseka. She is always very cheerful and positive. In London, I spent all my free time with her.

That was not enough for gold?

I said before the games that all we had to do was work and go out and compete with confidence. That we were ready, and were worthy of being in first.

We hear more and more about you have changed, matured….

I think something really happened to me after the World Championships - the struggle with the judging. I grew up internally in some way. I even began to see gymnastics differently.

We will not ask about the Olympic games where you so bitterly repented for your mistakes in front of the entire world. Tell me, the week after the World Championships in Tokyo, did you consider and succumb to the public opinion, including all those who thought the judges gave you scores that were too low and selected the American as All Around Champion, or did you continue to reproach yourself?

I reproached myself. Why place the blame on somebody else? I made an error, and the judges seized on it.

You coach Elfimov had the same philosophy during and after Tokyo: You just have to work cleanly, and everything will be fine. Yet he doesn’t conceal the fact that you were judged as you should have been while the American was overscored. This reality was a small consolation?

No. After all I allowed myself to bounce out of landings. I vaulted my double, because I wasn’t used to the podium and hadn’t performed some elements. First things first, you have to look at yourself.

I keep coming back to London. The competition seemed to go on for so long - you really came into the individual All Around to become first?

Yes, everything was real and somewhere, something happened. I suppose I understood this but the moments before the the scores were announced seemed so long. I kept waiting (thinking)- what if the score which I need suddenly appears on the scoreboard? Of course, it turned out I got the silver. I didn’t go to the Olympic games for silver. Of course, I always have to fight. Fight until the end. Don’t ever give up - no matter how bad things seem, you might succeed. Hang on until the end, and don’t unnecessarily make up your mind that it’s over. I gave up the victory right at the start - on the vault. At that moment I was not upset - quite the opposite, I felt angry. I feel most nervous about the exercises on the beam. Here, I’m not sure of the reasons for the mistakes…… I had very sore feet and when training the dismount, I was not allowed to land heavily on the knees, which I was mindful of. In general, I’m forbidden from landing in a low squat. So what can I say now? On the next event, I tried. I really, really hard but it was not quite enough.

Two silver medals, which was like you said, not the colour medal you set your heart on….

Later, I cooled down a little bit. It was just so very disappointing….

(The two medals) can be compared?

I am happier with the team medal . Because, as an individual, I made mistakes and I could have done better, where to come in second as a team was the best we could have achieved. It was simply not realistic for us to beat the Americans in London. But in the All-Around, I could have done it. On the qualification day I was in first place. However, everything happened as it did.

I want to ask you an unusual question, and it will be up to you to respond for your generation. According to the senior coach, your generation is different because you allow yourselves to be rude to your coaches.

Sure, it happens sometimes. Because your nerves are stressed to their limits. The coach makes a comment, and you fire back. You start bickering, however, you calm down quickly and get back to work.

I hope with this emotions you remain civilized. Be straight - do you allow yourself to snap?

Well yes. But now I don’t, and I will not anymore. Even in the period immediately before the Olympic games it almost disappeared. Because everyone understood that it was necessary to just shut up and get to work.

And now, time for conclusions. What are they Vika?

The same as always - go out and fight, never give up, and above all, I don’t need to worry so much. In the beginning of competition I came out without worrying and just competed, calmly. In beam finals, I was trembling so much that I fell twice. Maybe because it all happened so quickly, and I so wanted to be on the podium. I definitely get more nervous for individual event finals than for All Around competition. But you just have to remember to go out and do everything you have trained. After the Olympics I met with Svetlana Khorkina and she told me “Don’t cry, it will all come for you”.

Will these lessons be useful for the next Olympics in 2016.

Yes, I must go there clearly for gold medals.

×5th Jan 2013
Interviews of the Russian team from Gymnastics Magazine. Number 1- Nastya Grishina

I had some requests to do these interviews (I gather there is some problem with google translate?) and I decided to do Grishina first because we haven’t seen much of her since the Olympics. If you have any requests about who you’d like to see next, let me know

First the usual disclaimers - Russian is not my first (or even second) language, and I make no claims of fluency. As such, I can’t guarantee the translation is 100% accurate. It’s for fun and for interest only. There are also parts where I paraphrased because Russian doesn’t always translate well to English in a literal sense. If you speak Russian better than I do, and want to offer any corrections, please feel free.

- Nastya, in the lead up to London you said that you were not afraid to come out and compete on the most formidable platform. But for many, the Olympic Games have proven that they are not simply your average competition …

After (the competition) I analyzed my mistakes, and I will probably continue to do so over and over again.

I was burned out and very nervous. Why did it happen? Perhaps from lack of experience at major competitions. What I can say, is that I felt a huge responsibility. The whole time, thoughts of “I have to cope with this challenge” were sitting in my head. But I failed- made mistakes on two events. For a long time, I worked hard to prepare and here it was….

Experienced athletes know that sometimes the most important thing is to free yourself from unnecessary thoughts and just show everything that you have worked for years to prepare.

When I was preparing to leave home, I already started to get nervous. My parents told me “Calm down, the main this is to just be calm” but evidently, I couldn’t. In London, I couldn’t free myself from these feelings of insecurity form unknowns. Of course, this is no excuse, but how can you not worry if your (first main) competition is the Olympics?

- Before the games you debuted as a senior- at the European Championships. You might have felt in Brussels that it just wouldn’t work..

The European Championships were the first time I competed as a senior. Indeed I went to two International competitions before the Olympics (Ed: I suppose she is referring to Jesolo and the Swiss friendly). Of course, it’s important to use these competitions to get used to the pressure. Compete often and educate yourself. Actually, every gymnast is most afraid of himself; personal insecurity is our worst enemy.

And what were you most afraid of? Letting yourself down and not justifying the trust that was placed in you?

We were all competing for our country. And what is a country? There were people who were sick with worry for me. I didn’t feel like some kind of chosen (elected) one, but I felt this huge sense of responsibility to the country. No matter how weird it sounds to say aloud, the responsibility of the athlete is to defend the honour of her country. And it’s important that your dreams come true - you’ve put in long efforts to bear fruit. Especially at the Olympic games. At the Olympics, you enter into the elite for gymnastics - you can make a name for yourself, and either win the love of the audience or indifference - this (depends on) what’s delivered.

And during the ceremony, were you at least pleased with the silver medals? Or chewed away at yourself, and continued to suffer?


To be honest, I was in a daze at that point. It all kind of passed by me.

And you didn’t call home?

Not immediately. It was impossible to phone ( I believe she means long distance to Russia). But I know they were all rooting for me - both my parents, and my brothers. I am the youngest in the family and I’ve always been surrounded by adults. My mother, father and three brothers.

Yes, I think many people were worried for me. Family, and friends from my old club. At one point I wasn’t taken in to gymnastics or figure skating - it was assumed I was too old to try tackle it. Only my first coach Olga Eduardovna Sikora agreed to try and start with me. So I found myself in CSKA (Central Sports Army Club). Probably because as soon as I got into the gym, I immediately enjoyed it. I think I could have found myself in another sport - I really like rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming. But to love them as much as I love gymnastics? I doubt it. And now, I’ve devoted so much time to this sport, I can’t help but to reach for the goals I’ve set myself.

I won’t ask you about the goals. Members of the Russian Team have one: to win. Another question, when did you, in general, realize that you could compete seriously?

Four years ago, when I won the all around at Russian Championships. Then, I joined the National Team. I began to train and received a stipend. Together with my brothers, I helped my parents. Mom and Dad do not work. Recently, my dad suffered a big heart attack. If we have the opportunity to earn money, we can help. It’s not only me, all the other girls on the team do the same thing (for their families). I really wanted everything to turn out as it should have at the Olympic Games. I was so anxious to achieve. I’m sorry the mistakes; it’s a shame that not everything worked out as we’d hoped.

×Cette année dernière a plus que récompensé Aliya pour tout ce qu'elle a enduré jusqu'aux Jeux Olympiques à Londres - une sérieuse blessure, une opération et une longue convalescence. Sans surprise, Aliya a été nommée sportive de l'année 2012 lors d'une soirée post-olympique au Kremlin. Novaya Gazeta a interviewé la championne :


NG : Aliya, à Londres, au sujet de la signification de votre victoire, vous avez répondu que votre plus grande victoire est encore à venir.

AM : Je suis simplement une sportive, une personne normale. Dans le monde réel, je ne suis personne. En gymnastique, oui je suis championne olympique, mais dans la vie de tous les jours je suis une autre personne, par exemple à l'école.

NG : Vous étudiez le sport ?

AM : Non, je suis à l'institut Gubkin du pétrole et du gaz, dans la section économie et gestion. J'ai toujours aimé les sciences exactes. A l'école, la physique et les maths ont toujours été mes matières préférées. Elles me semblent faciles, probablement parce qu'elles m'intéressent. Certains disent que la physique ce n'est pas intéressant. Mais est-ce qu'il n'est pas intéressant par exemple de comprendre comment fonctionnent les lois de la nature ?

NG : Votre mère est professeur de physique. Peut-être que c'est dans vos gènes ?

AM : Peut-être. On n'a pas encore commencé à étudier la physique à mon niveau d'étude, mais ma mère me lit déjà des livres spécialisés sur le sujet.

NG : Les filles de l'équipe disent que vous pouvez calculer tous les résultats des compétitions de tête. Est-ce vrai ?

AM : Et bien pas exactement. Katya Kurbatova était également dans l'équipe qui a gagné les Championnats du Monde, et elle est également excellente en maths.

NG : Aliya, admettez-le, vous avez plus pleuré cette année que durant toute votre vie avant cela !

AM : Plus maintenant.

NG : La convalescence après la blessure a pris presque une année entière ?

AM : Oui, et elle m'a vraiment mise à l'épreuve. Elle m'a changée, à l'extérieur et à l'intérieur. J'ai saisi l'occasion et j'ai commencé à travailler d'une manière différente à tous les agrès. L'ancienne Aliya était comme une enfant. Après la blessure je suis devenue une adulte.

NG : C'est ça la gymnastique...

AM : Et c'est ça aussi la vie. J'ai réalisé qu'à cause de mes objectifs je n'avais pas le droit d'abandonner, quelle que soit la difficulté. L'objectif était d'aller aux Jeux Olympiques. Et pas seulement d'y aller, mais également d'aider l'équipe à gagner une médaille. Ensuite seulement les larmes peuvent couler.

AG : D'une manière générale, dites-nous comment ça se passe pour vous en compétition.

AM : J'essaye toujours de ne pas trop penser, le principal est de faire son boulot. La somme de nos performances individuelles, ce sera le résultat final. Je l'ai compris quand on a gagné les Championnats du Monde. On a senti qu'on pouvait battre n'importe qui. Cet enthousiasme est resté, et je ne voulais pas m'arrêter là.
Lorsque je me remettais de l'opération, j'ai regardé toutes les compétitions. Je n'ai pas paniqué. Il n'y en avait aucune qui faisait quelque chose que je ne pouvais pas battre. Bien sûr les responsabilités des Jeux étaient plus importantes que pour les autres rencontres. Les Jeux ce n'est pas tous les jours, et tout le monde n'a pas la chance d'y participer.
Je ne peux pas dire que cette responsabilité m'ait été donnée à la légère. Dans ma tête, je me suis dit de simplement faire mon boulot, et c'est tout. J'ai travaillé pendant 12 ans pour m'aligner à ces jeux. Six mois avant les Jeux, j'étais toujours loin d'avoir une forme olympique. C'était difficile de me forcer à travailler dur, et le doute me travaillait en permanence.

AG : Est-ce que parfois c'était tellement dur que vous pensiez ne pas y arriver ?

AM : Oui. Parfois c'était comme si je ne pouvais rien faire de plus. Comme si je voulais abandonner. Mais de telles pensées arrivaient vite et s'évanouissaient tout aussi vite. J'avais compris que je devais souffrir pour aller aux Jeux. Que lorsque j'y serai, les choses seraient plus faciles.

AG : Est-ce que votre famille vous a soutenue ?

AM : Nous sommes une famille normale et nous ne vénérons pas le sport. Mais il est évident pour nous que le sport est important dans la vie -mon père a été médaillé de bronze aux JO de 1976 en lutte gréco-romaine- mais il ne m'a pas imposé ses objectifs. Simplement, parfois lorsque j'étais petite il me disait "Allez Aliya, tu dois travailler dur pour devenir championne du monde".
Mais je ne sais pas vraiment s'il le disait comme ça ou s'il le pensait vraiment. Maman et papa s'asseyaient pendant des heures dans le gymnase, comme beaucoup de parents lorsque leurs enfants commencent la gymnastique. Mes parents savaient qu'avec le sport je pouvais apprendre toutes les difficultés de la vie. Ils respectent mes décisions. Même si je voulais arrêter la gymnastique, il savent qu'il serait inutile d'essayer de m'en dissuader.

AG : C'est génial d'être capitaine d'équipe, mais cela implique également des obligations. Les filles de l'équipe sont comme une famille. Qu'est-ce qui a changé ?

AM : Je n'y pense pas. Une chef est quelqu'un qui concourt bien à chaque compétition. Mais lorsqu'on s'entraîne, on est toutes à égalité. Je n'ai pas la grosse tête. Lorsque je suis devenue championne du monde il y a 2 ans, je me demandais si cela me changerait. Ca n'a pas été le cas.
Réussir un exploit planétaire n'a rien changé. Ma fierté vient de mon âme, de l'intérieur de moi-même. Je me dis "voici l'agrès, maintenant fais ton travail".
Je suis devenue championne olympique, j'ai réalisé mon rêve, bon travail, mais pourquoi cela me changerait-il ? Je n'ai pas besoin d'avoir des amis différents avant et après les Jeux. Ceux qui m'ont soutenue avant sont toujours là, ils n'ont pas l'air malheureux.

AG : Et bien, toujours la même Aliya, championne olympique, est-ce que vous êtes née comme ça ou bien avez-vous travaillé pour le devenir ?

AM : Beaucoup d'ambition et de travail m'ont amenée là. Comment peut-on devenir championne olympique en restant assis sans rien faire ?

AG : On dit souvent que les champions ont un caractère d'acier.

AM: Et bien oui. Je me transforme en un poing d'acier, et je matche de cette manière, comme je l'ai fait à Rotterdam et à Londres aux barres.

AG : Vous semblez plutôt calme, une personne réservée.

AM : Et bien c'est juste une impression (rires). Suis-je sociable ? Probablement. Plutôt oui que non. Mais j'aime sortir avec mes amis et m'amuser et être le centre d'attention. Mais je n'aime pas vraiment me trouver dans une grosse foule.

AG : Allez-vous repartir pour un nouveau cycle olympique ?

AM : J'en ai vraiment envie. Je vais essayer, sans aucun doute...

×Xenia, being Team Captain for the Olympic gymnastics team is not just a formality, it’s a serious position. At the Olympics, you have to be responsible not only for yourself, but also the emotions of the team, raising team spirits or calming the team down if necessary…

Yes, you were probably able to see how I was experiencing this before the Olympics (ed: the same person visited Round Lake to interview the girls for VTB a couple times before the Olympics). I experienced very mixed emotions. I was anxious for myself, for the team as a whole, and for every girl on the team as an individual. What else? I was truly older than the other girls - in all respects. I had lots of experience at big competitions. In London, I just wanted to help. For some reason, I wasn’t as worried about myself as I have been at other competitions. Maybe because we went in united as a team; we were all there for one another. We had support from a team of coaches, as well as a large medical team to take care of our aches and pains so it was easier.

So that embarrassing fall on the last pass of your floor exercise just required you to clear your head?

It was a shame! I just rushed instead of of taking a moment to breath. Afterwords, I was in tears right? After all, I’m a human being. But I’ve been through harsher times than the rest of the girls. In London, when all was said and done, we had a medal. Of course, it wasn’t the position we would have liked, but it was a medal!

Results at the Olympics from the Women’s National Team have been long awaited - one could even say they’ve been advertised (in advance). Was it hard?

I thought we gave up a little too early. Nastya’s mistake happened, then I had a mistake at the end of my floor exercise. Little by little it all accumulated….The lead up to the games was hard, but perhaps because it was long, not necessarily due to the expectations.

Do you mean from a sense of internal competition (within the team)?


No. Well you know what they say: putting strong personalities together can be difficult. Here, it was similar. However, I remember how I felt before the Olympics, for example, at the Test Event in Penza. I looked at the girls - everyone standing behind each other. It could be difficult to bring all the personalities together, but we were stronger when we were combined, like fingers closing to make a fist.

Now they’ve all experienced the Olympic Games and know what it’s like. Did they ask you much about how everything was in Beijing?

I talked about it often, because I was nervous. All the while I tried to explain things, to direct them. Sometimes they even reassured me: “Xenia, don’t worry, everything will be okay”.

During these last 4 years, did you often remember Beijing?

It’s hard to say. I’m often asked “Now Beijing was your first Olympics, how did you feel out there?” I can’t remember. I was only 16 years old. So I could understand that (heading into the Olympics) our 16 year olds didn’t have the same feelings I was experiencing . I understand exactly what was ahead of me. I worried about whether the girls were going to be healthy enough for everything to work, that nobody was crying or weighed down by unpleasant thoughts.

Have you changed since Beijing?

When I returned from Beijing, it was really hard, I remember that, because I’d trained really hard for 4 years and left with nothing. I went through that, and I didn’t want the girls to suffer the same thing. In fact, I had so many thoughts in my mind before the Olympics that I didn’t deal with any of them - my head was bursting.

Thoughts about London, or what was to come after?

Everything at the same time. What else did I have to do to do except think? I was in a room by myself. Sometimes, I just reproached myself.

The alternates stayed at Round Lake, and didn’t even go to London, because once the competition started, substitutions were not aloud. If you were forced to choose between having another Olympics like Beijing (where you walked away with nothing) or just missing out on making the team, what would be the lesser evil?

How can I answer? I feel sorry for those who didn’t make it, but at the same time I understand that everything is how it’s supposed to be. That’s how it works in our sport. It couldn’t work any differently - some are always away from the main “battle”. On the other hand, I couldn’t do it- working out at Round Lake until the last minute, knowing that the chances of competing were almost zero. It’s better to see everything.

And what do you tell yourself at competitions? “Relax” Xenia, or “Wake up” Xenia?

I can’t give a definitive answer, every competition is different. At times, one needs to bring herself to her senses, other times, you need to get the nerve to attack a little bit. (Ed: **This above part is really paraphrased, because I really can’t think of the right phrasing in English). It’s my mom who gives the same parting message every time: “God be with you”. She can always find loving words to say, in the way that only a mother can.

Do you curse a lot?

Yes, strongly. Trust me, it’s nothing, it’s for good reason. In general, as I grew up, I began to understand a lot more. For example, I’ve just begun to understand why the older generation of girls used to say “Oh, it’s so hard to cope at the beginning of each new year.” I didn’t understand- Why is it hard(er now?) It seemed we were always in the same place, with the same routine; everything the same … Now, on the back of difficult season, I’m beginning to understand. This is the hardest part- forcing yourself (to work) every day. My parents and coaches help…

In a surprising way, you connect to being both a member of a team, and a solitary individual

Yes, I did…..I need time alone

Your coach said about you: “She can do everything herself and knows everything herself - even when she’s wrong”

If I were in her place, I would have kicked me out. Apparently I always want other people to learn things, but I don’t want to learn things myself. I know I’m difficult to work with. When the National team was raising the level of difficulty, maybe that was the step. How to resist feeling sorry for oneself and stay? If not for Marina, I would have probably quit before I even got going. But everyone has their faults, the important thing is to be close to someone who understands. I always get hope from the coach. We always know when to blame ourselves. When a criticism is fair, don’t get offended. If it’s not the case - try and defend your point of view. You grow up, especially with us, one doesn’t stay in her childhood for long.

×La médaillée de bronze olympique Viktoria Komova souffre de douleurs au dos, et elle pourrait manquer les premières compétitions de l'année. Sa participation aux championnats nationaux ainsi qu'aux Championnats d'Europe pourrait également être compromise.

Elle doit subir des examens médicaux dans quelques jours, mais en attendant elle n'effectue que des entraînements légers. Rien de définitif toutefois : Komova elle-même dit qu'il pourrait simplement s'agir de problèmes de croissance.


Sources :
- http://www.facebook.com/RewritingRussianGymnastics?ref=stream
- http://fcp-press.ru/news/p2_articleid/6282

×L'entraîneur russe Alexander Alexandrov sera-t-il le nouvel entraîneur national du Brésil ? La nouvelle pourrait être annoncée dans la journée. En effet, Alexandrov a passé toute la semaine au Brésil, à observer et à entraîner. Il aurait également participé à une réunion avec les responsables de la fédération brésilienne.

Alexandrov, qui a perdu son poste d'entraîneur national en Russie, avait déclaré aux médias russes qu'il n'abandonnerait pas son travail auprès d'Aliya Mustafina. Il se pourrait bien que les choses aient changé.


Source : http://www.thecouchgymnast.com/?p=8184

×Mes plus plates excuses si ce doc sur les Russes( et notamment Aliya Mustafina ) a déjà été posté ou est vieux puisque il date sur Youtube de la veille mais après je sais pas si il est récent:

PS : Si ce n'est pas le cas on voit Aliya Mustafina à 2min 42 au sol avec sa musique Ante blessure de 2011 donc elle retravaille peut être cette routine et donc par conséquent la triple vrille et demi.