WOGA’s Irina Alexeeva had a quite successful first national championships in Russia placing 7th in the all-around and then winning silver on bars. In an interview to R-Sport, she said that she is going back to the States for now as she’s attending school there but she’d be glad to receive an invitation to Round Lake. In addition, she also plans on coming to Chelyabinsk in June to compete at the Russian Cup which will be the selection competition for the European Championships team.
“After the end of Russian Championships, I will have to go back to the USA, I need to finish school, to pass all sorts of tests. And if I will be invited to the national team camp in Russia, I, of course, will go. And in the summer, I plan on competing at the Russian Cup”.
“I’m very glad that I managed to win a medal on bars. Very strong girls competed alongside me who have very good routines. Compared to previous days, I did my bars the best today even though I know I can do it even better. Tomorrow I will compete in the floor final and there I also intend to show a good result”.
While the Russian national team gymnasts normally all go pro very early since the team salary and prize money are an important income source for them, it seems that Alexeeva is intent on maintaining her NCAA eligibility for now. At the ceremony today when the other medalists received envelopes with prize money, she stood without an envelope – she likely warned the organizers in advance that she wouldn’t be able to accept the money.
Photo: Russian Artistic Gymnastics Federation
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