Marina Nazarova: "From the rich families have no children

In 2007, her student Ksenia Semenova became world champion on the uneven bars. Five years later won the world championship gold still a student Nazarova - Ksenia Afanasyeva. And 11 years ago, Marina nearly left the gym forever. Her best at that time a student Masha Zasypkina just returned from the Belgian Ghent World Cup with silver-2001, was seriously injured in training - broken spine.


Translated Article

For gymnasts at the Moscow suburb "Round Lake", I was going, knowing that it will be Nazarova at the Olympic Games deducing the Russian women's team coach. Coach on the scaffold - so sometimes with a sad note in her voice joke gymnasts themselves. Nazarov has been printing the coach in Beijing. Those games actually turned to the Russian girls in the scaffold.



- Marina, what's this all about - exempting coach?
- First of all - a terrible responsibility. In the country, for the team, with the result, for the athletes. Outputting a coach must be sensitive of all the girls. After all, the main platform - does not interfere.
- And you can help out there?
- Of course. Suggest some things that distract, if you see the fear in his eyes, even if this sometimes has to pinch, to find some special words. Although it is sometimes possible, however, bring down the mood with a careless phrase or intonation. They go on to the platform is internally programmed to speak. And you should always pick up the nuances of state: when to say something, if you want, and when to remain silent at all correct.
- Our own students - a prerequisite for that outputs a coach?
- No. While in Beijing I have played both Susie - and Semenova, and Afanasyeva. They were considered the first and the second number on the team. Perhaps that is why me and put the output-coach.
It was so sad after those games ... I know how girls are ready: in the team competition, they honestly deserved third place. But ... This is - gymnastics. From falls no one is safe.
Then I thought a lot about that, even with two crashes that happened with us on a log, the girls could be the third. But, apparently, have gone a chain reaction: Anna Pavlova after the fall roughly in the wrong floor exercise, lost on a bunch more points, and we lost as a result of 0.9.
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- I was shocked when most of the fall from the log Grebenkova Ludmilla, the stability of a projectile in this legendary.
- It really was before those Games the most stable of all our athletes. Perhaps we are guilty, the coaches. Failed to realize that Mila had never in my life have turned out in a situation where you can not be wrong in principle. Under the old rules was based on team standings four of the five best athletes. In Beijing, three were a credit evaluation of the three. Before any one competitions, where she performed Grebenkova so hard there was no regulation. A three estimates of the three - a very different psychological situation. That is lovely, and failed. I, in any case, it seems that way.
Remained in the fourth round events and Ksenia Semenova. While we were traveling to Beijing, of course, not for fourth place.
- And what happened?
- We have a lot depends on the very first show - in qualifying. The fact that not all the judges themselves went through the exercises. There are those who just learned the rules and passed the exam on the referee license. Greater experience of judging them, as a rule, no real understanding of gymnastics - too. Therefore, assessment of an athlete in training becomes for them a kind of benchmark for all future performances, regardless of how the athlete performs.
We all went Semenova on the rise: with every start, it is a combination of better and better. Estimates also got just a little higher than those that have been exposed to it on the first day.
- It turns out that in London qualification will be determined as if he "corridor" through which athletes will go next?
- Apparently, yes.
- Why, in view of past experience, you are now preparing Afanasyeva?
- First of all, to the command against. For us, in London it will be most important. Ksenia team needs two shells - on the balance beam and floor exercise. In the former of these types of problem Afanasyeva just as to help the team, then I would like to wrestle free at least one hit in the individual finals. Still, Ksenia - serving the world champion in this form. It stands in the all-around, but there we already have three athletes that have programs, and stronger, and age less.
- How can I always thought you as a coach was terrible shame that Afanasyeva was constantly in the shadow of Ksenia Semenova, until she spoke. Was it?
- In part - yes. But Semenova, agree on all the events look much stronger. Whether she was mentally stronger, whether sought all his pressure and the desire to win, which then had no Afanasyeva. Now in the second Susie appeared quite different sense of responsibility. She - the senior team. And the girls can keep an eye, if needed, and she began to take their performances anyway. The main thing - do not let it start to doubt on the dais. At this point we have all the coaching staff is always on his guard: I was in such cases it is not listening.
- Why?
- This character. All she know all she can, all by herself on a check. Be wrong - so be it. But it will be my fault.
- With Semenova in this respect, it was easier?
- Yes. She always listened to my words. That is called, looked into his mouth.
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- There are times when you look at the performance of their girls and you get scared?
- No, already accustomed to. Girls are so many times all of these elements is repeated before going on to the platform, so all worked out ... Also before the Olympic Games we do not include in the program is nothing new. Only a few months to replay the existing combination. It is clear that the error-no one is safe, but in general the situation is rarely turns in unexpected ways.
- And if you remember the case that fell Zasypkina? I heard one: it supposedly happened because the athlete was sent to training too soon. And that against fatigue and acclimatize it just was not ready to perform the item.
- No, it was not the case. With the World Championships in Ghent, Mary just then arrived at the "round" because it was supposed to go to a tournament in France. I asked leave to go for a few days back home to see the child, who was at that time nine months. Then I came back. And the next day on the charge it all happened. There was no head drop to the floor, as if the newspapers. It was the most common jump "somersault" in the foam pit. Even seemingly looked perfectly normal landing. And suddenly - fracture of the neck ...
We were lucky, of course: just had surgery, and did well. Nevertheless, a few months I was not able to bring myself to go to the gym. And in January, Mary came to me and said: "I want to train only you ..." I could not refuse her - she knew how much she is eager to return to the gym and be selected for the Olympic Games. Unfortunately, it turned out: a Zasypkin became apparent fear of the elements. In this case, continue to exercise pointless.
- Agree that now gymnastics is much more dangerous.
- I would not say that. Nobody goes right to the supercomplex tricks. First, the athlete is brought to it physically, mentally, and then begins to perform an element of insurance, in the foam pit. Repeats it hundreds of times. With no rhyme or reason to the platform does not come out.
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- Did you ever see the gym as a mere spectator?
- When she visited the event. Always follow the performances of competitors: estimate, as compiled their program, where we can pass them. Semenova won the same bars at the world championships in Stuttgart? But there were the famous - Nastia Liukin and Elizabeth Tweddle.
- Looking at Tweddle, who continues to act until now, I'm always reminded of how cruel are always chasing our gymnasts for the extra weight.
- Yes, at first glance does not gymnastic girl. But that does everything? Just in our country is always an opinion that a gymnast must always be beautiful. Face of the whole team. In comparison with Soviet times the program the girls have become much more difficult to change the requirements. I can not say that we do not pay attention to weight, but if the athlete to cope with them, perform their entire program without prejudice to the elements, then no it is not particularly find fault. And the girls are we still the most beautiful.
- I would say that the absolute Beijing Olympic champion Nastia Liukin - to some extent, the personification of all the best that was in the Soviet and Russian is in the gym. You are, incidentally, believed that Anastasia will perform in London, too?
- No. It is too late to set about training. But it was necessary not only to restore the old program, but also add to their complexity, to be able to compete with the strongest gymnasts. I know what it is. Faced with the whole complex of problems when recovering from injury Semenova. Ksenia then began to grow strongly and created an imbalance: the thigh muscles were stronger than the pelvic bone, to which they are attached. Started bone separation and delamination. Even when we thought we coped with the trauma, severe stress when she immediately made itself felt. Exit to the previous level, we can be, and were able to, but rise above it was too unrealistic. So I had to finish with the sport.
- I know that Semenov's now working together with you.
- And it works very well, by the way. The first time I watched it very closely. And saw that she had obtained. Is that the organization lacks a little bit. Although when he was an athlete Ksenia was very collected and clear. Apparently, from this, too, need to rest for a while.
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- A recent U.S. Championship you not scared?
- Vault - yes, impressed. Compared to before last American World Cup have added this as a very strongly. The rest of projectiles - nothing unexpected.
- I know that the May performance of our team at the European Championships, many found it disappointing.
- I would not draw any conclusions from those results. First, Vika Komova and Aliya Mustafina were in Brussels for a truncated program - recovering from injuries. Second, there was no Afanasyeva. But these three athletes are the backbone of the Olympic team.
- What we do not have enough to beat those same Americans?
- In the United States is very long "bench". Before you take away five athletes in the Olympic team, each of them is a very tough selection. We also go to the gym is initially unity. Whether people are scared of the potential complexity and the likelihood of injury, or what else. And the kids are different now. They are a computer with internet access is much more interesting.
- It turns out that the nature of a potential champion of man must be born?
- I think so. And another thing ... From rich families have no children.