Marina Nekrasova of Azerbaijan made headlines of the local press when she competed in a unitard at the Baku World Cup. Unitards are allowed by WAG Code of Points but I have never seen one until Nekrasova, even though they are popular in rhythmic and acrobatic gymnastics. While some gymnasts prefer high-cut leos that show their leg lines to the judges and spectators, some might find it too revealing for their taste or requiring a too high level of bikini hair maintenance (and the wedgies certainly do not help). In more conservative cultures, competing in a classic leo might be a barrier for the girls to participate in gymnastics. We all have our own views on whether limiting how much of a girl’s or a woman’s body should be exposed is acceptable, However, the main issue is that the girls often don’t even get to make this choice about whether they would be ok competing in a leotard because they simply do not get to do gymnastics due to the cultural limitations. Azerbaijan is a relatively liberal Muslim country but this issue still affects the participation of girls in the sport and Marina Nekrasova decided to try and change that:
“I wanted to try something new. Many gymnasts in acrobatics and rhythmic gymnastics compete [in unitards]. It is allowed [in artistic gymnastics], but no one does it. Since I’m training in a Muslim country, I wanted to attract the girls to gymnastics classes. Because it’s not prohibited [to do gymnastics by the religion]. Perhaps, someone is stopped by the leotards and I wanted to show that it’s possible [to wear a unitard], there are no limits. I often hear that parents take the girls out of the gymnastics classes because of the leotards and it’s a pity that they leave. You can change the uniform, you can adapt it for yourself, it’s allowed, so you can train and try. I hope that I managed to show that.”
Nekrasova was not one of those amazing juniors everyone is talking about and started turning into a strong competitor only after becoming a senior and moving to Azerbaijan. She continues to improve and make upgrades to her routines. She grew up with the expectation that female gymnasts peak young and should retire in their early twenties but has reconsidered the notion since then:
“I think it’s the new generation of gymnasts in the 21st century. I’ve been thinking about it, that I’m old already and it’s time to retire, but nope, I am still strong, I still have the energy to learn new things. I think I’m approaching the training in a smarter way now. When you’re young, there’s more work, more training hours.”
At the 2018 European Championships, Nekrasova was a part of the team but, unfortunately, got injured in the qualifications and could not continue the competition. Shortly after, all of her teammates retired and she is currently the only senior representing Azerbaijan. She says it’s a bit hard in training but she likes working with the juniors that are coming up the ranks:
“It’s not so hard to compete without a team because all the girls support me and we stay in touch, it’s really nice. It’s a bit hard to train without a team, it can get difficult sometimes to motivate yourself, we used to support each other. It’s ok, I’m managing. We have a new young generation now, they’re pushing me forward. They’re younger, I feel their energy, so I’m not giving up.”
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