 |
| Photo by sportgymrus.ru |
The Russian Cup is the first trial heading to World Championships for the Russian gymnasts.
We can say that day 1 was the equivalent of US Nationals day 1: great potential but falls and mistakes here and there.
Russia can do really well at Worlds this year, they still need to work on consistency though.
I'm sure we will see many gymnasts do better at today's all around final, which will start at 07.00 pm Moscow time. You can watch it live here.
Photo album here.
Brief report
The star today was definitely Maria Paseka. Not only she highly improved her execution on both her vaults, a Cheng (6.4) and an Amanar, but she also looked way better on the other two events she competed. She looked stronger than ever on bars, posting a huge 15.3, and had a solid set on floor for 14.067. I'm sure she will be a very important member on the Worlds team.
Angelina Melnikova, despite being a junior (but she is Rio eligible), showed amazing lines and competitive routines. She is beautiful to watch on bars, her top event, but she is also an extremely solid all arounder. Unfortunately she fell off beam, but fall aside it was a great and polished routine. She already has a good DTY and she's very elegant on floor. Side note: she did a beautiful 3/1 wolf turn + double turn connection on floor!
Daria Spiridonova had the competition of her life: she shined on her top event, bars, was extremely polished on beam and delivered two solid routine on vault and floor, placing second in the AA qualification. A great achievement for someone who is considered a specialist!
Alla Sosnitskaya looks like she completely recovered from her injury. She is in the top 4 on her two weakest events, bars and beam, and qualified third in the all around!
Scores and videos: VT 14.367 - UB 14.700 (6.4) - BB 14.333 - FX 12.967 (5.8)
Both Kharenkova and Tukhalyan could have done way better. Seda Tukhalyan fell on her top event, beam, while executing a difficult full twisting layout and on floor. She fell on her last pass, so maybe it was an endurance problem. It's a pity because she didn't qualify for finals but she's very talented on these two events. I especially enjoy watching her floor routine, even though beam is her really top event. By the way, she did a good DTY on vault and has shown consistency on bars during the whole year.
Maria Kharenkova did well on every apparatus, but unfortunately she fell on beam, her top event. I think she can do better than this and I hope she does well at today's AA final.
I want to highlight her improvements on floor. When she was a junior it was one of her top events, then she had some problems there, but now it seems she fixed everything out and has a pleasant routine.
Despite a definitely not perfect competition, I think that Viktoria Komova is slowly becoming who she was before the break and the injuries. She looks like she is finally getting used to her considerable height and even though today she fell twice off bars (fact that broke my heart) I am pretty sure she will get that routine ready by Worlds. By the way, I saw her a little less fighting than what we saw at Euro Games. I hope that she will do nice on beam in the event final, it could boost her confidence!
Ksenia Afanasyeva looks a bit out of shape. I heard she had some problems with her ankle and could fully train just for three weeks before the competition. Considering these problems, she did really good, surprising everyone with a nice beam routine. Personally, I don't like her brand new floor routine but I'll give her time to fully recover and then I'll see what she does. In my opinion she's one of the best floor specialists out there so I'd love to see her at her top on this event.
Scores and videos: VT 14.533 (5.8) - BB 14.367 - FX 14.967
Gymternet's favourite Anastasia Grishina came back to the competition floor! She competed watered down routines but I'm happy she is competing again. I wish her the best!
Scores and videos: UB 12.867 (5.5) - BB 13.100 (5.4)
 |
| Angelina Melnikova - Photo by sportgymrus.ru |
Results
Team final
1. Moscow 173.100
2. Central Federal Okrug 168.433
3. Saint-Petersburg 159.867
All Around finalists
1. Angelina Melnikova (junior, born in 2000) 57.5 and something more
2. Daria Spiridonova 57.3
3. Alla Sosnitskaya 56.367
4. Daria Skrypnik (junior, born in 2000)
5. Maria Kharenkova 55.967
6. Seda Tutkhalyan 55.766
7. Evgeniya Shelgunova 54.999
8. Lilia Ahaimova 54.300
9. Anastasia Dmitrieva 54.100
Event Finals qualifications
VAULT
1. Maria Paseka 15.467
[VT1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC0DPSv1gC4,
VT2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVndyRxcPg4]
2. Seda Tukhalyan
[VT1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W88KU6aLms, VT2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FaMtTQqyjY]
3. Tatiana Nabieva
4. Ksenia Afanasyeva 14.350
[VT1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VdahBbU96I
VT2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCzwrlOIJaw]
BARS
1. Daria Spiridonova 15.467
2. Maria Paseka 15.300
3. Angelina Melnikova 15.200 (6.5)
4. Alla Sosnitskaya 14.700
5. Daria Skrypnik 14.667 (6.6)
6. Seda Tukhalyan 14.333
7. Maria Kharenkova 14.167
8. Yulia Biryulya 14.000
BEAM
1. Evgeniya Shelgunova 14.533
2. Ksenia Afanasyeva 14.3673. Alla Sosnitskaya 14.333
4. Daria Spiridonova 14.300
5. Viktoria Komova 14.167
6. Anastasia Dmitrieva 13.967
7. Maria Kharenkova 13.800
8. Angelina Melnikova 13.667 (5.9)
FLOOR
1. Ksenia Afanasyeva 14.967
2. Lilia Akhaimova 14.400
3. Maria Kharenkova 14.133
4. Maria Paseka 14.067
2. Lilia Akhaimova 14.400
3. Maria Kharenkova 14.133
4. Maria Paseka 14.067
5. Angelina Melnikova 14 and something
6. Daria Skrypnik 13.933
7. Daria Spiridonova 13.833
8. Anastasia Sidorova 13.367
9. Seda Tutkhalyan 13.333
- Disclaimer: I do not own any of the photos. All the photos belong to their legitimate owners.
- Costanza Spagnolo -
7. Daria Spiridonova 13.833
8. Anastasia Sidorova 13.367
9. Seda Tutkhalyan 13.333
- Disclaimer: I do not own any of the photos. All the photos belong to their legitimate owners.
- Costanza Spagnolo -