Following the conclusion of the Russian Championships in Penza, team manager Valentina Rodionenko confirmed via sportgymrus.ru that Aliya Mustafina, Angelina Melnikova, Ksenia Afanasyeva, and Maria Paseka earned their spots on the team bound for the European Championships in late May. She said the last spot would go to Viktoria Komova if she is ready. Alternatively, Daria Spiridonova, Seda Tutkhalyan, or Maria Kharenkova could get the call.
When it comes to selecting the Olympic team, she confirmed in another interview that Daria Skrypnik, Natalia Kapitonova, and Evgenia Shelgunova are also part of the discussion, and that the results of the Russian Championships, European Championships, and Russian Cup (to begin in late June) would be considered collectively.
Perhaps the most obviously confusing (or frustrating?) aspect of the named Euro-bound team is that it still relies heavily on veterans, and this despite the fact that because of fresh and clean performances from the youngsters, these Russian Championships were the best we’d seen this Olympic cycle. The veterans performed, but their routines were fewer and the ones given were a bit labored.
However, while I share the excitement this new generation is infusing in the critical pre-Olympic season, I do see why the team was named as it was. It basically boils down to when these athletes are expected to peak, and what sort of improvements will be made before large international assignments. At these championships, I believe we saw the first, second, even third-year seniors performing to their maximum, or almost to their maximum. They understand that with Russia’s proclivity towards experience and athletes who have been thoroughly vetted, they will need to be rather exceptional to earn a place in Switzerland or Brazil. Their youth is not on their side.
By contrast, the veterans didn’t need to perform amazingly at these championships. The competitive scores they’ve posted in the past, coupled with “the plan” to get them in tip-top shape by summer suffices. It is expected that they will improve both their start values and their execution in time. And when you compare what is expected of the veterans with what the younger athletes gave in Penza, the veterans still have the edge. They are still the ones able to post 15 + on vault, still the ones who are reliable across multiple events, still the ones who can give a solid collective performance at a major competition, without having to sacrifice either the Team Final or Event Finals to be strong for one.
Maria Paseka is the reigning World Champion on vault, and a sickness-induced, poor performance in Penza isn’t going to change that. Ksenia Afanasyeva tied for first on Floor Exercise, and although it wasn’t her best performance, she still showed herself capable of climbing back into a consistent 15 + range, a score she achieved just last fall in international competition.
As for Mustafina, the immaculate execution on uneven bars is still there and added difficulty will undoubtedly come; inbar elements will be added again, the Maloney could be upgraded to a Chow or Chow 1/2, and she could perform her own dismount again (the added half turn to a full twisting double). Balance beam was less confident, with missed connections and a long pause before dismounting, but it’s a relatively new routine, with a front aerial to side aerial as the newest experiment. All in all, pacing will be key for her over the next few months, but fans that want to see her in a second Olympics can a rest a little easier after these championships. She looked strong, and strong despite doctors advising her not to compete.
Moving on, let’s talk about those first and second year seniors:
Going into these championships, the competition-within-the-competition was the one between Angelina Melnikova and Seda Tutkhalyan, the youngsters thought to have a chance after the Olympic team was prematurely announced following the World Championships last fall. By the end of these championships, however, Melnikova had delivered a hugely impressive all-around performance while Tutkhalyan struggled once again to deliver consistently under pressure. Hence, Melnikova has been named to the European Championships and Tutkhalyan hasn’t (though she’s still in the running).
For a lot of fans, I imagine this is one of the harder toss-up’s. Melnikova and Tutkhalyan are two very different gymnasts. They have their own styles, which they own completely. This is part of what makes them delightful to watch. Melnikova is more classical, her work evident in the details. She continues what is best in the Russian tradition—clean lines and difficult elements only as far as they can be executed beautifully. To me, the only ugly part of her beam routine is the side somi, and that’s being picky. Her BHS X 2 to a layout is one of the best in the business. And on floor exercise, she almost single-handedly gives hope for team-wide resurgence on the event. Opening with a solid double layout, followed by a piked full-in and the rising-in-popularity whip, whip, to double tuck, and dismounting with a double pike, she demonstrates a great amount of endurance to go with the well-executed, well timed choreography. If she continues on the track she has begun, I think she’ll not only go to Rio, but she’ll perform on three events in the team final, challenge for a medal in the balance beam final, and maybe even challenge for a medal in the all-around final (the last very much contingent on Komova’s readiness, of course).
In contrast, Tutkhalyan is less clean but more dynamic. Her ambition is commendable—a Church to Pak and a Bhardwaj on bars, a layout full and a piked full-in dismount on beam, competitive and emotive if not event-final worthy performances on floor exercise. I daresay there’s even something exciting about her lack of consistency, though I doubt team management will share my feelings when selecting their team for Rio. In short, Seda has contributed something special to her federation’s gymnastics program the last couple of years. She hasn’t towed the line; she’s been unique and taken risks and not plateaued. And despite some mistakes at these championships, she still performed some impressive routines and should remain part of the conversation.
Speaking of remaining in the conversation, three talented bar-workers (one of them a European and World Champion!) may find themselves slipping farther and farther from it as the summer moves closer. Natalya Kapitonova, Daria Skrypnik, and Daria Spiridonova are state of the art on this event, and with the exception of Spiridonova’s atypical fall on her dismount the first day, they all performed beautifully and consistently. But without great differentiation between them, and without a second (much less third) reliable, competitive event, it seems they’re already being overlooked as team management named the Euro’s line-up. If Komova and Mustafina are healthy, the logic seems to go, the team will be covered on bars. Of course, this could be wishful thinking on team management’s part. If either of the aforementioned aren’t healthy come Rio, I imagine they’ll want to prioritize bars even more than they have in the past–posting three high scores where they can to buffer the weaker events.
Finally, Evgenia Shelgunova and Maria Kharenkova are, mercifully, still part of the conversation as well. I say mercifully because despite not covering an event the way no one else can, they are reliable across most and, from what I’ve seen and heard, are consummate workers and athletes. Shelgunova wrinkles some noses with form issues, but like Tutkhalyan, she isn’t afraid of innovation. She doesn’t fit the mold, and that’s OK. Why not try a free cartwheel to LOSO on beam?
As for Kharenkova, the rise of younger teammates has threatened her specialist status on beam, but she certainly didn’t give up the fight in Penza. She was consistent, her connections were faster, and her acrobatics were solid. She also took out the turn with leg held horizontal, the skill she fell on during the team final in Glasgow—probably a good move when it comes to her mental game.
All in all, the competition in Penza was surprisingly exciting. It should be a confidence-booster for the federation and motivator for those athletes seriously contending for a spot on the Olympic team. It seems that the powers-that-be already have their team in mind, but a lot can happen between now and July, and the depth that was revealed at the Russian Championships shows we need not fret should the plan fall apart. There is more than one right answer to the team puzzle.
**Article: Sara Dorrien-Christians **
Photos: With thanks to E. Mikhailov and the Russian Gymnastics Federation