While Andrei Rodionenko said that gymnastics doesn’t have heroes anymore, Valentina Rodionenko disagrees: she called Aliya Mustafina who got third place in today’s qualification a hero.
Mustafina finished with 55.432 in the all-around qualification, the second highest score of the day (she tied with Angelina Simakova who got second after a tie-breaker) and only Angelina Melnikova got a higher score – 57.732. Mustafina also made three event finals – bars, beam, and floor. Like you do, after you take a break, give birth to a real human baby and then train for less than seven months.
Valentina Rodionenko said to TASS:
“Mustafina’s performance today at the Russian Championships showed that she was able to recover. It’s been less than a year since she gave birth and Aliya’s already going on the competition floor and fighting for medals. It’s an example of real athletic heroism. Of course, she still has work to do but we have plenty of time before the European Championships in August”.
Photo: Russian Artistic Gymnastics Federation
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