Andrei Rodionenko has confirmed to TeamRussia that Aleksandra Shchekoldina will be the third WAG gymnast on the Russian team for the upcoming European Games. Russia got two non-nominative spots for WAG and MAG each at the last year’s Euros while earning an additional nominative spot for each this year. As usual, the comments of the Russian coaches treat facts as more of a suggestion with Rodionenko claiming that Dmitri Lankin got a nominative spot for MAG and that Russia had to send Angelina Melnikova to European Games because of the rules. To remind, Russia could qualify one nominative spot per discipline through event finals. In case of more than one medalist in the event finals, the country could choose which spots to decline. For MAG, they could have sent any of the following gymnasts in that nominative spot – Artur Dalaloyan, Nikita Nagornyy, Dmitri Lankin, Denis Abliazin, or Vladislav Poliashov. Russia chose Poliashov as their nominative spot winner. The selection on the WAG side was a bit smaller, with Anastasiia Iliankova, Maria Paseka, and Angelina Melnikova, with Russia choosing Melnikova as the nominative spot winner. Thus, while Russia indeed had to send one of the medalists from Euros in order to get the nominative spot, it did not have to be specifically Melnikova.
Rodionenko said that the ultimate goal of the coaching staff is to give competition experience to as many gymnasts as possible.
A: We are aiming at the Olympic Games first of all and we want to give competition experience at a high level to as many gymnasts as possible. We’re looking and will keep looking [for the ultimate team]. Ideally, for the Olympics, we need to have about two full teams which will include people with experience. And not people who are already decorated but those who will become decorated.
Q: At the same time, for women, the quite decorated Mustafina and Melnikova are going to Minsk. And Belyavskiy for men.
A: Here’s a thing. The country that is hosting European Games, in a desire, apparently, to raise the level of the competition, made a condition: one of the participants on the six strongest teams – both for men and for women – has to be a medalist of the latest European Championships. So, we included Melnikova on the team even though, honestly, there’s nothing for her to do in Minsk. And for men, we fulfilled this requirement by including Dmitri Lankin who won bronze on floor in Szczecin in April.
Q: Mustafina and Belyavskiy aren’t newcomers either. What’s the point of their participating in the competition in Minsk?
A: Both missed the European Championships in Szczecin in April and the athletes need adrenaline from competitions.
Q: How do you treat European Games where, unlike in other sports, in artistic gymnastics, there is no Olympic qualification?
A: As an auxiliary competition in Belarus, a country that knows how to conduct sports events and where everything should be organized well. For experienced athletes, this will be an opportunity to try something new in their routines, for newcomers – to prove themselves on a serious level.
Q: We are sending an experimental team, especially for me. And what about our rivals?
A: It’s the same for them. At some degree, even at the World Championships, we will be testing things for the Olympics.
Q: Do I understand it correctly that all three people on the team will compete in the all-around in Minsk?
A: Not for sure. The rules are not requiring it. For example, Israel has good gymnasts on floor, that’s medals and prestige, potentially. By why does this country need to put up an all-arounder? Perhaps, on our team, someone will only compete on individual events. We’re still thinking about it. A lot depends on health. You need to go out to compete completely healthy.
Support Gymnovosti on Patreon from only $1 a month and help us bring to you even more awesome gymnastics coverage!
Buy cool gymnastics-themed t-shirts, hoodies, pillows, phone cases, and more at our store on Teepublic!
