Elizaveta Nazarenkova (UZB)
Neviana Vladinova (BUL)
Kseniya Mousafaeva (FRA)
Laura Halford (GBR)
Marina Durunda (AZE)
Melitina Staniouta (BLR)
Yana Kudryavtseva (RUS)
Rhythmic Gymnastics: Grace in Motion II
Category Archives: Facts
Interview to Natalia García
Photo by Alberto López
Natalia García Timofeeva is an individual senior gymnast from Spain. Right now she is the second gymnast of the team, just behind Carolina Rodríguez. Natalia is training in Sant Cugat (where Almudena Cid did) with her coaches Toni and Iratxe since she was 9 years old.
“Almudena Cid is an icon for me. When they invited me to train with her I didn’t realize how great she was”
Natalia García was a star during last World Cup that was held in Guadalajara, Spain:
“When I compete in Spain I feel that I really need to do it well. It is difficult to deal with the tension. My execution is mechanic. I don’t need to think. If I think in a different thing, then it is when the error comes.”
“How can I describe myself? I think that I am a different gymnast. I can say that my elements are quite rare and this is because of my charisma. I want to attract attention from the judges and of course, the audience.”
Source: Rtve.es
Gymnasts’ Signatures/ Autographs (I)
How is the signature of your favorite gymnast? Have you ever imagined? During press conferences or after competitions gymnasts sign pictures and they even receive gifts for their dearest fans!
Margarita Mamun (RUS) – Euskalgym 2015
Margarita Mamun’s autograph
Margarita Mamun (RUS)- Euskalgym 2015
Aleksandra Soldatova (RUS) – Euskalgym 2015
Dina & Arina Averina
Neviana Vladinova (BUL)
Anna Rizatdinova & Viktoriya Mazur (UKR)
Interview to Carolina Rodríguez in Belgrade
During last weekend, Carolina Rodríguez and her teammates from Spanish National Team and Club Ritmo, from León (Spain) were invited to Palilula Cup in Belgrade. Carolina performed over there her gala. Carolina is 11 times National Champion and Mediterranean Games Gold medal. Olympic Games in Rio will be their 3rd Olympic Games. She also will be the oldest gymnast ever in Olympic Rhythmic Gymnastics discipline.
– How did your gymnastics career start?
– For my parents it was actually very difficult. Both are deaf. I must communicate with them using my hands. That´s why my coach realized I could even perform a story using only my hands. And this is how my career started. After two years I became Spanish National Champion . We had a lot of difficulties: our club had not very good facilities (cold, low ceiling…) so that we had to train in a church. I even was called ” The Miracle Champion”.
I joined National Team as a junior gymnast and after a year, in 2001 I competed in World Championships in Madrid
– After so many years, you still have the strenght for training
– I have to say I do everything with passion. Of course I had bad moments. But just one good moment worths the bad moments.
“In 2007, Spanish National Federation asked me to leave the team. I was really sad and I stopped doing gymnastics for 6 months. Then I was back and after a year, the Federation said I was selected for representing Spain. But I decided not to leave my hometown, León. ” – said Carolina
– How was your stay in Belgrade?
– Carolina will only perform a Gala over here – said Ruth, her coach – but Sara Llana from National team is also here and two other junior gymnasts: Paula and Olatz. We think we have a really different style.
The very best of year 2015
The year that is previous to the Olympian one is always one of the most important moments during the preparation for Olympic Games. In adition, this year the European Games took place in Baku for the very first time in history. These are some of the most remarkable moments during the year.
Yana Kudryavtseva becomes European Games All-Around Champion
Russian grace won gold at the first European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.
New Olympic Qualification System
- Only 15 countries (max. 2 per NOC) qualified directly from World Championships in Stuttgart. These were:
Russia
Belarus
Georgia
Ukraine
Azerbaijan
Israel
United States
Spain
Bulgaria
South Korea
France
Belarus
Greece
Japan - Olympic Test Event, with 26 participants including NOCs (ranked between 16-24 and the best 13 gymnasts not qualified in AA final in World Championships) have the possibility to qualify to OG. These will be the top 6 gymnasts, max. 1 per NOC.
- Brazil, as the host nation has an invitation.
- 3 invitations go to continents not qualified
- An invitation is also given by the tripartite commission
Yana’s incredible ball routine during World Championships Stuttgart 2015
Kudryavsteva was injured during WC.
Carolina Rodríguez will be the first rhythmic gymnast that will compete at Olympic Games with 30 years old
Jasmine Kerber announces her retirement
The American gymnast Jasmine Kerber decided to stop doing gymnastics after World Championships.
Aleksandra Soldatova Euskalgym 2015: Photos
Alexandra “Sasha” Soldatova is a Russian Rhythmic Gymnast coached by Anna Shumilova, former coach of Olympic Gymnast Alina Makarenko and World Champion Daria Kondakova.
Alexandra was junior European Champion in 2012. This year she became World Champion in All-Around Team competition together with teammates Yana Kudryatseva and Margarita Mamun.
These pictures were taking Euskalgym Gala 2015 in Vitoria, Spain. Soldatova was shocked about how crazy about her are her fans in Spain.
Euskalgym 2015 Photos
Viktoriya Mazur and Anna Rizatdinova UKR
New element approved by FIG
Marina Durunda (AZE)
Photo Copyright Dirk Zimmermann
The following element was originaly performed by Marina Durunda from Azerbaijan with a value of 0,40 points.
The gymnasts starts with her feet together, hoop is in the right hand, rolling the hoop without visual control. Then she puts her hands on the floor and at the same time she pushes forward with her feet from the floor, rebounds the hoop from the body without using hands and without visual control. Gymnast moves to the handstand position and after travels into walkover forward, putting the hoop on the right foot standing in a bridge pose, leg up and without using hands and visual control. The gymnasts catches the hoop with the hands with her feet together, hands up and returns to the start position.
Rhythmic Gymnastics and Fashion: Sofia Tesmenitskaya
Sofia Tesmenitskaya for Dolce & Gabbana Fall- Winter ’15/’16
Russian former gymnast, Sofia Tesmenitskaya is now working as a supermodel all around the world. Sofia has a look that calls to mind fellow Russian model Eugenia Volodina, but with own her particular style. She has already strong features, like being opener of Jil Sander’s Fall/Winter 15/16 in Milan. Other works were: Dolce and Gabbana F/W 15-16, Christian Dior F/W 15-16, Chanel F/W 15, Celine F/W 15-16, Saint Laurent F/W 15 among others like Calvin Klein or Valentino.
Before she made her runway debut and becoming a new face in fashion world, Sofia was a member of the National Team of Russia in Rhyhmic Gymnastics, attending to several international tournaments. The most important one, was World Cup Kalamata in 2011 as a member of Senior Group with Karolina Sevastyanova, Daria Kadenkova, Ellina Tregubova, Anastasiya Bliznyuk and Nadezhda Akulova.
Sofia ended up her gymnast career in 2012 and is focused now in her success as a supermodel. Her favorite shows this year were Saint Laurent romantic punk style show and Dolce and Gabbana old spanish- mums inspired fashion show. Sofia was called about two hours before the show and she even didn’t do the fitting or casting “it must be a mistake”- she said. But it wasn’t and actually she wore one of the most beautiful outfits in the show.
Dolce and Gabbana F/W 15-16
Dior Resort 15
Christian Dior F/W 15-16
Saint Laurent F/W 15-16
Other examples of former gymnasts that now work as a model are:
Nataliya Bulycheva (Russian National team and junior champion) now works for Elite Paris, Milan and Avant Models.
Mar González, Spanish new face, Givenchy Fall/Winter fashion show opener. Mar competed in Spanish Nationals and trained at the same club as Eugenia Onopko.
Elena Sudakova, worked for the best designers in the world and was a member of Russian team since 1999 to 2002.
Amina Zaripova answers fans questions
Former gymnast, Amina Zaripova works nowadays as a coach in Russia, with notable trainees as Anna Trubnikova, Yana Lukonina and currently, Margarita Mamun. “Sportvisor.ru” purpose fans to send questions to Amina. Here are some facts about Zaripova that you maybe didn’t know:
– “If there was a meal I could choose not to live without I would say meat. I can’t live without it! ”
– “Rita and I have a ritual before going onto the carpet, like every gymnast. But this is private”
– “Margarita is a good girl, well educated and delicate. She has a lot of fans, people who follows and cheers for her”
At this moment, Amina Vasilevna is the head coach of World Champion Margarita Mamun (2013, 2014) and European Champion (2013, 2015).
Rhythmic Gymnastics Info 