Tag Archives: viktoria komova

Maria Paseka…Russia’s 5th Olympic Team Member?

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Andy Thornton
Maria Paseka

Russian head coach Alexander Alexandrov recently stated that Aliya Mustafina, Viktoria Komova, and Anastasia Grishina were essentially locks for the Olympic team.  Based on the way things have played out this year, that’s certainly the way it was looking to all of us too.   The other two spots have appeared to be up for grabs amongst ...

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Best Bars Final Of the Quadrennium? A Look At The Eight European Finalists

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Andy Thornton
Komova pak salto

Who would have thought that the best bars final of the quadrennium thus far would NOT include Beth Tweddle, Aliya Mustafina, a single Chinese gymnast, or a single American?   Probably no one.   This was definitely the best bars final we’ve seen in a long time – and I would say the best since the historic Olympic bars ...

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Romania Wins It…Random Thoughts on the Womens European Team Final

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Andy Thornton
Romanians hug

What a thrilling finish to the competition.  Romania continues to look incredible.  After beating Russia two days in a row, they’ll now have to be considered a threat for at least a silver medal in London.  Could gold even be possible?  Not yet, but we can certainly envision how it might become possible…if Iordache adds ...

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Mustafina Back In The Game…And A Brand New Skill?

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Andy Thornton
mustafina pose

Aliya Mustafina Floor 2012 RUS-GBR-SUI Tri-Meet     This was the first time I’ve actually seen a triple “Y-turn” done before.  Aliya Mustafina has sometimes had a tendency to turn beyond a double on this element before, but this was the first time I’ve seen her do an obviously intended and completed triple.  The double “Y-turn,” which is ...

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Van Zam’s Handstands

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Andy Thornton
Zamarripa bars

Can handstands get any better than this?   Vanessa Zamarripa Bars 2012 NCAA Team Finals   This is absolutely exquisite.  She has ALWAYS shown incredible lines and handstands on bars, but that last handstand has to be one of the very best I have ever seen.  It’s a shame she isn’t showing her great release skills right now, as ...

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Russians Unveil New Skills At Moscow Championships

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Andy Thornton
Grishina pose

  A while back I posted a blog entitled “Russia’s Ten Little Indians,” highlighting the ten female gymnasts I consider to be in contention for this summer’s Olympic team:     Aliya Mustafina: 2010 world all-around champion   Viktoria Komova: 2011 world all-around silver medalist   Ksenia Afanasyeva: 2010 world floor champion and 2008 Olympian   Anna Dementieva: 2011 European all-around champion   Anastasia Grishina: 2011 Russian ...

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Russia’s “Ten Little Indians”

Posted on January 8, 2012 by Andy Thornton
Ten Little Indians

With the Games in London set to begin in less than seven months, the Olympic selection season is essentially here for all participating countries in London - the final four of which will be determined at the Olympic Test Event in just a couple of days.   Russia has already solidified Olympic team berths on both the ...

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Who Marta Should Have Sent To The Olympic Test Event…

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Andy Thornton
kyla ross fx

Kyla Ross Sarah Finnegan   With the Olympic Test Event now serving as an additional Olympic qualifying competition for the first time ever, this year’s competition carries a whole new level of significance.  In fact, one could easily consider this year’s Olympic Test Event to be like a “mini world championships.”  There will be numerous teams vying for ...

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Five Highlights From Event Finals Day 2!

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Andy Thornton
leyva

Danell Leyva’s Golden Moment.  U.S. National Champion Danell Leyva hasn’t quite had the world championships he had dreamed of.  Although he did stand with his teammates on the world team medal podium for the first time, mistakes on high bar in qualifications and on vault and high bar in the all-around had already dashed a ...

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Olympic Tickets and Redemption Highlight Event Finals Day 1

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Andy Thornton
maroney vault

Men’s Floor Highlights Kohei Uchimura’s unveiling of the extremely rare triple twisting double back – a skill competed by only a very small handful of gymnasts EVER - appeared so effortless that the judges somehow completely missed it!  Flavius Kozci’s 3 ½ twist to punch front full is an unprecedented pass that he’s been nailing throughout ...

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