Angelina Melinikova keeps herself busy. Right after coming back from Qatar, she visited her native city of Voronezh where she gave an interview to the local newspaper. She then came back to Round Lake and will soon fly to Switzerland to compete at the Swiss Cup and Artur Gander Memorial together with Nikita Nagornyy.
Melnikova talked about competing at Worlds, working on her leotard business and battling an ear infection right before the competition.
Q: Were you dealing with injuries in Qatar?
A: I didn’t have any significant sports-related injuries. But I got an ear infection right before the competition. Thanks to the doctors who helped to deal with this stuff quickly. I even had to take antibiotics. During the competition, I didn’t experience much discomfort already.
Q: Were you afraid that some prohibited substances could be discovered in these drugs?
A: No, I trust our doctors, they’re great professionals.
Q: Which of your routines you liked the most?
A: I did well on beam. Regarding the individual all-around, I lost a lot [in execution] because of the mistake on vault.
Q: Is competing with Simone Biles realistic?
A: You’ve seen it yourself, despite three serious mistakes, her difficulty allowed her to become first with a big advantage.
Q: But you’re younger, the time is working for you. Do you feel like potentially you’ll be able to fight with her?
A: Yes. my coach and I keep working on upgrading my routines. I understand that Biles will likely compete at the Tokyo Olympics. We’ll be preparing to challenge her.
Q: Were you upset when in the results of the all-around you placed lower than Nina Derwael who showed almost a child-like level of difficulty on floor compared to yours?
A: Yes, I was a bit upset and I didn’t always understand the judging decisions. At the same time, I can’t comment on the judging or change it.
Q: Qatar, the host of the World Championships, is an exotic country. What was the most memorable besides the competition?
A: We lived in the capital of that small country, in Doha. I was impressed by the skyscrapers. Also, during a tour, I rode a camel.
Q: You were named the most elegant gymnast. Were there any other awards of that kind?
A: No, just this one. That’s why the recognition was really nice.
Q: What will you do after the World Championships?
A: I’ll return to Moscow, to the training center, for a while. And then the New year vacation. And after all the holidays, I’ll be preparing for new competitions again.
Q: How is your leotard business going?
A: It’s still in an early stage. For now, it’s more of a brand project than a real business. The seamstress is creating the leos, the managers are in charge of the promotion.
Q: When will it be possible to buy the leotards by Angelina Melnikova in Voronezh?
A: I really want to have a shop in my native city. Ideally, it would be in the city center, but not at a mall.
Q: You’re active on social media and you write in both Russian and English. Do you know English well?
A: There are only some basic expressions there. I can’t say that I know English really well. There’s still work to do.
Photo: Russian Artistic Gymnastics Federation
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