Aliya Mustafina got injured in the very first competition since her return – the Russian Championships in April – and had to miss the Russian Cup and the European Championships. She is now training in the hopes to make the Worlds team. Mustafina talked to Sport-Express about her training and her goals for the season.
Q: Aliya, how are you feeling now?
A: I’m training and I plan on preparing for the World Championships. My health is much better now. I’m trying to work at full strength. Of course, the problem hasn’t disappeared completely but my doctor gave his permission to tumble.
Q: Will you prepare all four events for the World Championships?
A: No, right now my goal is just bars and beam. But if there will be an opportunity, I’ll be glad to do more than these two events.
Q: You posted a video in which you train new elements on bars. So, you not only try to remember the old routines but you’re also upgrading them?
A: At my age, it’s hard to learn new elements, of course, but I’m trying. And not only on bars but on other events as well. I don’t want to give more details just yet. We’ll see what I’ll be able to show at competitions.
Q: The national team coaches are saying that now you’re taking training even more seriously than before having a baby.
A: It probably just seems this way. It’s hard for me to evaluate myself but now I just understand what exactly I’m doing at the gym and why. I see the goal and I’m moving towards it. Everything is making a lot of sense now and I’m really enjoying gymnastics.
Q: Have you watched the European Championships in Glasgow?
A: Of course, I was closely following the competition. I liked the French team, I was surprised that they gathered a good team and even took the first place in the qualification.
Q: What can you say about the performance of our girls?
A: I’m really glad they won the team competition. They managed to get themselves together and do their routines without falls. Regarding the specific routines, there weren’t really any surprises for me since I’ve seen the girls in the gym a lot.
Q: During the European Championships, you went on a beach vacation with your daughter.
A: I can’t really call it a vacation in the full sense of the word. It’s not easy with a baby and it’s not really a relaxation on the beach. I didn’t go to the gym there either, I was just too busy. But I’m happy, my main goal was to take Alisa to the seaside so that she would breathe the sea air. She learned a lot there, she adores water now and as soon as she sees it, she runs there at full steam.
Q: What will you need to do in order to prove your right to compete at the World Championships?
A: On September 16th, the Worlds selection camp will start. There will be a series of verifications. These verifications will decide who will make the team.
Q: And do you have any personal goals if you’ll get to Qatar?
A: There’s the obvious goal for all of us – the try to qualify to the Olympics already this year. In order to do that we’ll have to make the top 3 in the team final. Generally, it’s a hard task but it’s realistic. All the coaches and the gymnasts will try to show the best result.
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