Recent content by MaryClare

I thought that the FIG now insists upon a heritage link or long term residency for anyone wanting to switch countries?

Metroplex gymnasts must really get on with each other, which is nice

AIN list has been updated. It now includes some gymnasts who competed at Russia Cup last week, which existing AIN were prevented from doing. Anna Kalmykova, Lyudmilla Roschina, Leila Vasilieva. Melnikova is still on the list, so no action yet regarding her political ambitions. But that is not...

Pole vaulters, if they were gymnasts tend to be on the taller side for gymnasts. Elena Isinbaeva was 5’9 but Svetlana Feofanova was only 5’4 which isn’t tall by today’s gymnasts but certainly was in the mid 90s. Here she is, showing her versatile talent at gripping poles and countering...

Amy Smith in Romanian is Andreea Munteanu. Which I think they’ve had 3 of, grace the national team at different points.

Could she have become a track athlete? Obviously she has exceptional power and acceleration, but which track events have athletes as short as Simone?

Melnikova was already sanctioned by Ukraine and on their list of athletes they believe should not be allowed to compete internationally. I am surprised by the FIG’s lack of action on this. At the very least, I thought they would make a statement saying they were investigating. Although someone...

Who is coaching her for elite?

It’s seeded, unlike worlds. The only draw is who starts on what

Here. This competition is probably best known for Yulia Lozhechko and Nadezhda Ivanova being on song but what is particularly remarkable is how overall error free it was. The lesser known names to look out for are Alyona Donodina, Irina Isaeva, Nadezhda Chikhireva and Elvira Khusainova.

I’ll have a look. There was definitely a video of EF broadcast on YouTube at one point

Welsh squad and England squad aren’t really comparable. As you say, the England squad isn’t funded but unlike the Welsh squad, you can’t also be in the British squad

Apologies for slap dash thread, but I just got back through the door from Novosibirsk (I don’t travel with my British devices) Melnikova has effectively retired. Not officially, they never do because they want to keep the salary. But she is standing for election for Voronezh local government...

I am pretty sure that Welsh athletes on the GB national team get both GB funding and funding from Wales.

I wonder if wales provides better/additional funding