2023 Russian Championships

[MaryClare]

Some videos now available. The female commentator is Lidia Ivanova who is so old that she was the commentator at Olga Korbut’s senior debut

 

[tsarinajen]

Ignoring the scores, Listunova looks good. She handled most of her upgrades. Some rough patches for sure (fall on Arabian on beam), but overall I thought she looked good. Melnikova had a rough day. Hopefully day 2 is better for her.

 

[navyblue]

Based on these routines, Listunova looks to me like the 2nd best elite in the world currently.

 

[MaryClare]

Behind Andrade?

 

[lovegymnasts]

This should be downgraded, right (second vault)?
What would it be downgraded to?

 

[FrolovasDoubleLayout]

It wouldn’t be devalued. At the point of contact on the landing mat she is square to the table. It is on the hop & adjustment after that she turns her feet.

 

[Doug1233]

At the point of contact on the landing mat she is square to the table.

Are we looking at the same screenshot?

 

[lovegymnasts]

She lands like that

 

[Doug1233]

I have some thoughts:

1. The music. First half - amazing, gorgeous, beautiful, wonderful fantastic. Second half (including the obligatory and wildly obnoxious Russian fingers down the keyboard) - why? It’s awful.
2. She should leap out of the Dos Santos. And literally just do 6 more dance elements. And keep dancing beautifully to the first half music.
3. Why isn’t she doing a Split Leap to Ring?
4. The Switch Full isn’t even close. Just do a Switch Half.
5. Would the hop on the Illusion break the connection and thus no CV?
6. She has some of the best turns we have ever seen in WAG. She’s the only gymnast who I actually don’t mind doing 3D+ turns in one routine.
7. Why on earth is she doing 4 passes? With her dance elements?
8. Make these changes and she could win the FX title in a Simone-less Worlds.

Silivas
Dos Santos - Stag 0.1
Switch Ring to Split Ring
Switch Half
Double L
Triple Wolf
Memmel to Illusion 0.1

HF1CCCDED12 = 6.0

Gadirova had a 6.0 in Worlds EF. Everyone else was a 5.9 or less.

 

[tsarinajen]

@MaryClare My Russian isn’t very good but Melnikova seems so down on Telegram. It translates that it’s more than just today’s performance. Can you confirm what’s she’s talking about?

 

[MaryClare]

I don’t follow her on telegram, if you send a screen shot I’ll take a look

 

[Doug1233]

She fell on bars (Inbar full didn’t go over the bar).

Listunova’s new arabian on beam is not a good look for her. Her DTY looks much better though. Way more dynamics.

Some very slow connections on beam for the Russians generally. They shouldn’t fly at Worlds.

Crazy to think that if Tokyo 2020 hadn’t been pushed back a year, Listunova and Urazova would have only ever been to one Worlds by now.

This Russian woman commentator has such a fucking annoying voice I wish she would stop talking throughout the floor routines.

Melnikova tried the Triple L but was a little short. I think her form has regressed a little. Some bent knees on skills that we don’t normally see from her (Front Full on floor being a prime example, also the Shap 1/2).

Funny how we aren’t seeing all the online discourse about Listunova’s “open” Silivas like we saw for Jess Gadirova… And her switch full is embarrassingly short. What are they doing?

 

[MaryClare]

This Russian woman commentator has such a fucking annoying voice I wish she would stop talking throughout the floor routines

Lidia Ivanova (Kalinina). Absolute legend of a commentator. The male commentator is Emin Garibov, two time European champion and one time boyfriend of Aliya Mustafina.

 

[MaryClare]

Funny how we aren’t seeing all the online discourse about Listunova’s “open” Silivas like we saw for Jess Gadirova… And her switch full is embarrassingly short. What are they doing?

Probably because 0.5% of the gymternet have watched it. And she’s just a nicer gymnast

 

[Caledi]

Funny how we aren’t seeing all the online discourse about Listunova’s “open” Silivas like we saw for Jess Gadirova

I don’t think the complaint about Gadirova was ever about the openness per se. I think the complaint was the change in position – Gadirova did the first salto almost laid out and the second one tucked. Whereas Listunova and others have mostly the same open tuck position throughout.

 

[onodian]

I like the elderly woman commentating. Granting, probably only cause I don’t understand a word she’s saying, but still.

Urazova’s bb is really hollowed out. Nothing of notice except when she does the triple wolf and the celebratory music for the 3 millionth triple turn of the last decade kicks in.



Ps. also, for that extra Russian je-ne-sais-quoi, why on earth is she doing a simple turn, which she of course wobbles on, towards the end of the routine? There’s no way in hell that was connected to anything before, if that’s what that’s there for…

 

[tsarinajen]

I’ll message you.

 

[Puffin]

I thought Listy looked good here - some good upgrades but some Listy-type mistakes as well

I’m sure I read that Vlada was not competing here? But I liked her bb - notwithstanding the big mistake on her easiest move …

But what on earth is going on with Melnikova? She looked close to tears after her first vt and it wasn’t even that bad … then she landed vt2 facing the crowd. Her ub was a struggle - especially the full turn … I didn’t think she was going to make the second attempt either. BB got off to a very bad start when she was left hanging under the beam on her leap mount, stumbled on most elements and was almost off on the free walkover … FX just continued with poorly executed dance and low landings on acro

 

[MaryClare]

Re Melnikova.

She sent out a highly emotive and long message on telegram (thanks @tsarinajen) where she says that she knew the meet wasn’t going to go well and the relationship with her coach has broken down.

I wouldn’t read too much into it, it comes across as very much in the heat of the moment.

 

[MaryClare]

More upbeat this morning