Rhythmic gymnastics- one of the most spectacular and graceful sports, the essence of which is to perform gymnastic and dance exercises. Exercises can be performed both with the use of objects (hoop, ball, rope, ribbon, maces), and without it. Rhythmic gymnastics is an Olympic sport.

Gymnasts should have good flexibility, stretching, high push, slim figure, good coordination of movements. But even if a gymnast does not have all these qualities, almost everything can be achieved through regular training and under the supervision of a good coach.

The history of the emergence and development of rhythmic gymnastics

Rhythmic gymnastics is considered a young sport, it appeared thanks to the masters of the Mariinsky Theater. In 1913 at the St. Petersburg Institute of Physical Culture. P.F. Lesgaft, the Higher School of the Art Movement was opened. All teachers of this school before joining it had their own unique experience in teaching aesthetic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, dance gymnastics or free dance. The combination of all these styles into one gave a powerful impetus to the emergence of rhythmic gymnastics.

In 1941, the first Leningrad Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship was held. Later, all Soviet sports and rhythmic gymnastics were waiting for a stagnation in development due to the Great Patriotic War. But already in 1945, the first section of rhythmic gymnastics was created, later transformed into a federation of the USSR. The further development of rhythmic gymnastics took place at an incredible speed, covering more and more participants.

In 1948, the first USSR Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship was held. Since 1949, these championships have been held annually. Later, the USSR Cup (1965) and all-Union children's competitions (1966) appeared.

After the gymnasts began to travel outside the USSR with performances, rhythmic gymnastics was recognized by the International Gymnastics Federation and officially began to be considered a sport.

In 1960, the first official meeting took place in Sofia: Bulgaria - the USSR - Czechoslovakia, and 3 years later the first official international competitions called the European Cup were held in Budapest.

In 1967, a fundamentally new team type appeared in world rhythmic gymnastics - a competition in group exercises. In the same year, the first World Championships in group exercises took place in Copenhagen.

1980 was a turning point for rhythmic gymnastics, after the completion of the Olympic Games in Moscow, at the IOC Congress it was decided to include this sport in the program of the Olympic Games. Since 1984, the Olympic history of rhythmic gymnastics begins.

Rhythmic Gymnastics Rules

As stated above, performances can be held with or without apparatus, but in recent times world-class competitions have not been performed without apparatus. In group exercises, one or two types of objects should be used at the same time.

All exercises go under the phonogram. The choice of music depends entirely on the wishes of the gymnast and coach. But each exercise should be between 75 and 90 seconds long. Rhythmic gymnastics competitions are held on a gymnastic carpet measuring 13x13 meters.

Performances in rhythmic gymnastics are evaluated on a twenty-point system. Three teams of judges evaluate the performances:

• Difficulty (D) is evaluated by two subgroups of judges - D1 (2 judges, evaluate the technique of performance) and D2 (2 judges, evaluate the technique of working with the apparatus). When calculating the mark, the arithmetic mean of the teams D1 and D2 is taken into account.
• Artistry and choreography (A) are evaluated by 4 judges.
• Execution (E) is evaluated by 4 judges. They deduct points for mistakes.

At any competition, there is always a coordinating judge who monitors the formal side of the performance.

The final grade is calculated using the formula: Grade = (D1+D2)/2+A+E

Items for rhythmic gymnastics

jump rope There are hemp or synthetic jump ropes. The rope should be proportional to the growth of the gymnast and should not have any handles, instead of them one or two knots are tied at the ends.

Hoop for rhythmic gymnastics. There are wooden or synthetic hoops. The inner diameter should be between 80 and 90 cm and the minimum weight should be 300 gr.

Ball for rhythmic gymnastics. There are rubber or synthetic balls. The diameter of the ball is approximately equal to 18-20 cm. The weight must be at least 400 gr.

Maces for rhythmic gymnastics (chakot clubs). They are made of plastic or rubber (earlier gymnasts used wooden clubs). Maces are allowed to use velvet handles. The length of the clubs should be within 40-50 cm.

Performance with ribbon in rhythmic gymnastics. The ribbon itself can be satin or other similar material. Length at least 6 m (made from one piece). Weight not less than 35 gr. The wand can be made of wood or plastic. Its length should be from 50 to 60 cm, and its diameter should be 1 cm at its widest point.

Arina Alekseevna Averina. She was born on August 13, 1998 in the Volga region of the Nizhny Novgorod region. Russian rhythmic gymnast. Master of sports of international class.

Father is a football player. Mother Oksana Averina was engaged in gymnastics.

Twin sister - also a famous rhythmic gymnast.

The elder sister, Polina Averina, was a member of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team.

Arina, like her twin sister Dina, started rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 4. Then the parents brought the twins to Larisa Belova, who became their first coach. By the way, the daughter of their first coach, Irina Belova, is an Olympic champion in gymnastics.

Irina Belova said: “Before that, I already knew the family of Dina and Arisha - their older sister Polina did gymnastics with me. The little ones always came with their mother to meet Polina. They were very restless: they always tried to climb higher on the gymnastic rail. fall, but mother Oksana was very calm about this, because she knew that her daughters were very independent ... They were very purposeful, diligent and demanding of themselves.

Her serious sports career began at the age of 11.

Since September 2011, she began training at the Novogorsk training center. She and Dina were noticed at the Young Gymnast competitions, and after the training camp in Croatia they were invited to the training center for training with Vera Nikolaevna Shatalina.

The sisters had a growth problem. So, at the age of 12, they looked at 9. Because of this, their career could not take place. But then they were already in the youth team of Russia and the coach decided to examine the girls - the doctors studied their bones, phalanges of the fingers for what the growth zone is. No pathologies were identified. They slightly reduced the load, added more fish and sour cream to the diet - and the athletes went up.

Until the age of 12, Arina studied at a regular school, but not with the whole class, but individually in all subjects except music, drawing, physical education, labor and life safety. Just like her sister.

Since 2014, Arina and Dina began to go to more serious competitions. They took part in the Moscow Championship, where Dina became the champion of Moscow in 2014, and Arina was the second.

Then the girls went to Israel, to the "Grand Prix Holon 2014". This time Arina won, beating her sister by only 0.048 points. Then Arina goes alone to the "Baltic Hoop 2014" in Riga and takes second place in the all-around, and in the finals of the clubs and ribbon competitions she takes a silver medal, a bronze medal for the hoop and, finally, gold in the performance with the ball. In general, she won 5 medals.

At the 2014 Russian Championship in Penza, Arina competed with a hand injury. In the all-around, like her sister, she did not win prizes, but in the final of her performance with the ball she received a gold medal. In the final with a hoop - bronze, with maces - silver.

At the Luxembourg Trophy 2014, Arina took second place in the all-around.

In 2015, she performed at the annual Grand Prix in Moscow, where, due to an unfortunate mistake with the ribbon, she became only thirteenth in the all-around.

At the Spring Cup in Krasnoyarsk, she competes in the finals, winning two gold medals (ball, ribbon), one silver (hoop) and one bronze (clubs). At the Moscow Championship, she takes second place in the all-around, losing three points to her sister, and is selected for the Russian Championship.

In the team championship at the Russian Championship in Penza, he takes first place, becomes second in the all-around and replenishes his piggy bank with gold in the finals with a hoop and clubs, and is in second position with a ball and ribbon.

At the international senior tournament in Pesaro, she becomes the first in a team with Dina, and in the finals in individual events she wins two golds in an exercise with a ribbon and a ball. A real triumph for the gymnast was the performance in Corbeil-Esson, where Arina won five gold medals out of five possible - for the all-around and all finals. By the way, in the final with the ribbon, Averina shared the first step of the podium with her sister.

At international tournaments in Budapest and Sofia, Arina takes 3rd and 2nd places in the all-around, respectively.

In 2016, Arina and Dina Averins were already called the "secret weapon of the Russian national team", who replaced the leaders of Russian rhythmic gymnastics. Dina and Arina are given additional responsibility, and throughout the season they prove their right to play in tournaments along with the first numbers of the national team.

In the all-around at the Grand Prix stage in Moscow, Arina takes third place in the all-around, becomes second in clubs and first in the ribbon. She is sent to the World Cup in Lisbon, where she takes fifth place in the all-around and second in the ribbon final.

The year 2017 was triumphant for the Averin sisters.

At the World Games in Wroclaw, she took four medals, of which three were gold - she won in the hoop, ribbon and ball exercises, and was also third in the clubs exercises.

At the European Championships in Budapest, she took three golds - in the team, as well as in exercises with the ball and clubs.

At the World Championships in Pesaro, Arina won five medals, two of which were of the highest standard (ball and ribbon). She was also the second in the all-around and exercises with a hoop, the third - with maces.

In the all-around (that is, in the absolute championship), she lost only to her sister Dina, who won with a total of 74.700 points, Arina - 73.450.

Arina Averina - ball (World Championship in Pesaro 2017)

The growth of Arina Averina: 164 centimeters.

Personal life of Arina Averina:

Single. At the moment, the young athlete devotes herself entirely to rhythmic gymnastics.

Achievements of Arina Averina:

World Championships:

Gold - Pesaro 2017 - ball
Gold - Pesaro 2017 - Ribbon
Silver - Pesaro 2017 - all-around
Silver - Pesaro 2017 - hoop
Bronze - Pesaro 2017 - clubs

European Championships:

Gold - Budapest 2017 - team
Gold - Budapest 2017 - ball
Gold - Budapest 2017 - clubs

World Games:

Gold - Wroclaw 2017 - hoop
Gold - Wroclaw 2017 - ball
Gold - Wroclaw 2017 - Ribbon
Bronze - Wroclaw 2017 - clubs

June 11, 2017, 23:41

In my last post, many people wanted to know more about our wonderful artists. So who is now the first number of the national team?

personalities

Alexandra Soldatov.

Alexandra Sergeevna Soldatova(born June 1, 1998) - Russian gymnast, member of the Russian national team, two-time world champion in the team event (2014, 2015), two-time European champion in the team event (2015.2017), Russian champion in the individual all-around (2016), bronze medalist in the all-around at the Russian Rhythmic Gymnas Championship (2014).

Programs of 2017.

Hoop:

In my opinion, this is Sasha's most beautiful exercise. I think many people remember the beautiful Yulia Barsukova at the 2000 Olympics, and now, 17 years later, a new wonderful swan appears in the world of gymnastics.

Sasha is often called the most flexible gymnast in the country.

crown element

Alexandra went to the Olympics in Rio

Sasha is trained by Anna Vyacheslavovna Dyachenko (Shumilova)

Excerpts from the interview

Without perseverance, diligence and patience, champions do not become. Your coach Anna Dyachenko told me that there was a time when you and her drove from Dmitrov to Novogorsk every morning and you slept in the back seat. This is true?

Yes. In Novogorsk, I did not start living and training right away, I had to leave Dmitrov early in the morning in order to get to Novogorsk on time. Anna Vyacheslavovna put me in the back seat, I had a pillow there, on the way I fell asleep and woke up already at the entrance to the gates of the base. But it's okay, it's the little things. If you want to achieve something, you will have to deny yourself a lot and suffer.

Sasha, why rhythmic gymnastics? This is love at first sight?

No. It turned out to be quite funny. In Sterlitamak, where I come from, my mother brought me to the rhythmic gymnastics section to record ... my brother. At that time, we simply did not know that gymnastics can be different - sports and artistic. We were told that where they wanted to send my brother, everything was only for girls, then my mother was not at a loss and said: “But I have a girl, take it!” I don’t remember the first workouts, I was little, the awareness of gymnastics came to me only when I was already in the third grade.

You have excellent physical data for gymnastics, I can assume that everything worked out the first time?

Far from it. I agree that I have flexibility, stretching, good feet, but I, for example, lack dexterity. Dina and Arina Averina, in terms of working with the subject, are stronger than me, they are by nature like that.

Which subject is more difficult for you?

I can’t say that some are more difficult, and some are easier. I'm still at the stage of perfection of skill and comprehension of something new.

To get into the Russian national team, you have come a long way. Sterlitamak - Dmitrov - Novogorsk.

They also forgot Pushkino! From Sterlitamak, my family moved to Pushkino, from there I ended up in Dmitrov, where I waited with bated breath ... when they would send me back to Pushkino. First training, second, week, second, third, and then they told me: "You stay here!" My emotion was lightning fast, but meager: "Yes. Good!" I will say right away that I did not have longing for my mother and family, as happens with many girls at the age of 12. I calmly reacted to the fact that I would live separately from my parents and without their guardianship. I was independent!

First meeting with your coach Anna Dyachenko. Did you expect to fall under her care?

I did not expect, but from the first day we had a wonderful duet. From day one, I've been listening to her every comment. The girls and I even competed who would be closer to her during training, who would be the first to ask about something, who would write to her or call her. She is wonderful in every way!

Sasha, how did you get to the training camp with Irina Viner?

I didn’t have such that I somehow unexpectedly saw Irina Alexandrovna at a training session, or she unexpectedly came to the gym, and there I am. She knows who trains with her. We came to the training camp, I saw how Irina Aleksandrovna works with other gymnasts, how she communicates. Then, when she already joined the Russian national team, she began to pay more attention to me and, naturally, there was more communication. Irina Alexandrovna is a strict and very attentive mentor.

Photoshoot:

Arina and Dina Averina

Arina.

Arina Alekseevna Averina August 13, 1998 - Zavolzhye) - Russian rhythmic gymnast, member of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team, International Master of Sports. Multiple winner and prize-winner of all-Russian and international tournaments, three-time European champion.

Programs

Dina

Dina Alekseevna Averina(August 13, 1998 - Zavolzhye) - Russian rhythmic gymnast, member of the Russian national gymnastics team, Three-time European Champion 2017, Absolute Champion of Russia 2017, International Master of Sports. Multiple winner and prize-winner of all-Russian and international tournaments.

Programs

joint demonstration

Dina in pink, Arina in blue

The sisters are trained by Vera Nikolaevna Shatalina. She also coached Alina Kabaeva.

Excerpt from interview with Irina Aleksandrovna Viner-Usmanova:

Is it possible to say that Dina and Arina somewhere even exceeded their capabilities, somewhere they surprised with their results?

The fact is that Dina and Arina were, as we say, "tricks" from childhood, and now there is such a program that all this counts. Before, we also had very strong girls, and Alina Kabaeva did amazing things, but not everything counted. So their time has come. But they lacked a little bit of feeling, lacked expressiveness, they did it all like a string. And now they do it expressively, they try to make all the exercises very "characteristic" and these movements, tricks, these risks, these interesting masterful elements merge with the music. So that they organically emphasize it, and in Budapest they succeeded.

Arina Dina

private photos

With parents and older sister Polina

Dina on the left, Arina on the right

Together with the national team doctor - Dmitry Ubogov

Arina on the right, Dina on the left

Dina, Arina, sister Polina, mother Ksenia
Arina on the right, Dina on the left

Arina Dina

The girls dreamed of standing in group exercises, but they were not taken because of their short stature.

Arina on the left, Dina on the right

Photoshoot

Group exercises

(Anastasia Bliznyuk, Anastasia Tatareva, Anastasia Maksimova, Maria Tolkacheva, Vera Biryukova - Rio 2016)

Programs

3 balls + 2 ropes

5 hoops

Now it is difficult to talk about the main composition, as it is constantly changing. But most often it includes the following gymnasts.

Anastasia Bliznyuk

Anastasia Ilyinichna Bliznyuk(born June 28, 1994, Zaporozhye, Ukraine) - Russian gymnast. Two-time Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics in group all-around (2012, 2016); world and European champion.

Nastya returned to sports after a serious illness - leptospirosis.

The whole country was worried when you got sick, you got into a difficult situation. How did you manage to continue your career?
I didn't even know that I was so seriously ill. My kidneys failed... Irina Aleksandrovna Wiener treated me in Germany. At first they said that perhaps the kidneys would not start. The chances are very slim and I will always live on dialysis.

But thank God I recovered. And she began working in Novogorsk as a coach of the second squad. Somehow it turned out that I decided to lose weight, get in shape. And it turned into a training process.

I got into the second team. Proved to everyone that I can and want. I will be on this team! And made it to the main team.

In general, there is a lot of competition in Russia. Only when it was the last week before the Olympics, I realized that I would perform in Rio. Each start is a very big struggle. If you make some mistake even in training, you will be removed at any time. It doesn't matter that I was an Olympic champion and that the girls won the World Championships. The road started from scratch

More excerpts from the interview:

Nastya! You are the second two-time Olympic champion in the group in our history. There was also the gold of London.
- Third - there is also Elena Posevina and Natalya Lavrova ... Of course, I am extremely happy and grateful to Irina Alexandrovna Viner for this victory. I was able to overcome myself, recover from illness, return with faith in my strength and capabilities. Thanks to the whole team for helping out a lot. This road was extremely difficult. But when you realize that you could do everything, the taste of victory becomes the sweetest.

- And now, five Olympics in a row, we take two gold medals in rhythmic gymnastics.
- I think that only Irina Alexandrovna. Everything rests on Wiener.

For me, she is like a mother. Because she saved my life when I got sick. I was reborn! And I was given a chance to perform in Rio.

- How to set yourself up morally for the new Olympic cycle?
- You know what you're doing it for. But we have insanely hard training. And this medal was harder for me than the first one. Apparently I was younger then. And now I thought: “Maybe I can still do it? Maybe that's not all?

I left gymnastics in 2013 after the World Championships. Now back. And I think: “But I can still!”

Photoshoot

Anastasia Tatareva

Anastasia Alekseevna Tatareva(born July 19, 1997) - Russian gymnast. Olympic champion (2016). Honored Master of Sports of Russia. World and European Champion.

Excerpts from the interview

- The age of gymnasts is very short. Many have only one Olympics, then they have to end their careers ... Doesn't that scare you?
– Life is beautiful, and there are so many interesting things in it! I'm not afraid that I'll have to say goodbye to sports. This is fine. I study at the university - at the correspondence department of the Institute of International Relations. So that's what I'll probably do next. Life will show.

- An interesting choice. Perhaps you speak a foreign language well?
– English. Not bad, but I need to learn more - that's what I'll do. There is a lot of language practice at competitions!

- Do you have time to study?
- All forces go to training. Especially when preparing for competitions. We have to study on Skype ... And they send us assignments, we complete them and send them back.

- Teachers do not give discounts, do not simplify the task?
- Not. Who am I to make things easy for me? (laughs).

- You compete in the team competition. Do you want to go private?
- I started, by the way, in the personal. Then they called me to the team ... No, I don’t want to - I like it more in the team - here, of course, the responsibility is higher. But you feel that we are together. There is something called "team spirit". We have a very friendly team. If we quarrel, then rarely. And we make up quickly.

- Do you know that you are compared on the forums with Alina Kabaeva?
- I have not heard about that! I think we are very different. I'm not like her ... I think we should remain ourselves, not strive to be like others.

Photoshoot:

private photos

Vera Biryukova

Vera Leonidovna Biryukova(born April 11, 1998 - Omsk) - Russian gymnast. Member of the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics team. Master of Sports of Russia of international class. 2016 Summer Olympic champion. Honored Master of Sports. European Champion.

Interview

Vera Biryukova burst into the Rio Olympics at the speed of a meteor and almost at the last moment. A month and a half before the Games, neither numerous fans of rhythmic gymnastics, nor the Omsk "artist" herself even thought about such a development of events.

- If I had any hopes of getting into the main team, then a couple of months before the Olympics, they almost dissipated, - says Vera. - I calmly worked in the second team, trained and didn’t really count on anything. Judge for yourself: there is nothing left before the Games, who will make changes to the existing group? But it turned out that one of the girls was injured, and the coaches decided to try me. And you know, it worked out well. Even Irina Alexandrovna Viner praised. She said that it was almost imperceptible to her that a new person had joined the group. “You will go to Kazan, and we will see there,” were her words. Only two starts remained before the Olympic Games: the World Cup stages in Kazan and Baku. To be honest, I thought that after Kazan I would be removed from the squad. But this did not happen either after Kazan or after Baku! But I could only believe that I was going to Rio on a plane flying to Brazil.

- Did you manage to have a good rest after the Games?
- Yes, the whole team sent us to the sea, we rested in Sardinia, it was great. Then each went to their hometown. I also enjoyed my week at home.
- Did you and your mother remember how it all began?
- From the sea and Turkey! We rested there, and my mother only had time to make sure that I didn’t climb where I didn’t need to. The energy was overflowing! Well, I always loved to dance, "bent" in all directions. Then my mother suggested that I try gymnastics. I immediately agreed, although I really had no idea what it was! Maybe I saw it on TV a couple of times. When we returned home, my mother brought me to the hall. And that's how I started training at the age of five. Mom said that parents were not allowed to train so that the children would not be distracted. But she managed to look out the window. He says I always tried, I didn’t mess around. I trained conscientiously, even if the coach left the gym. Although I don't remember that time very well.

- And the first medal?
-I remember. At school competitions, she shared first place with another girl.

- You once mentioned that in childhood your idol in gymnastics was Laysan Utyasheva. But Omsk people traditionally call Irina Chashchina, Evgenia Kanaeva ...
- Irina and Evgenia are great gymnasts. But it's true: it was Laysan that I admired. I always liked the way she moves, works with the subject, her emotionality. Yes, for me she was the best gymnast. And over time, it did not go anywhere, she is still my idol. And not only as an athlete, but also as a person.
- Before the Olympics, did you turn to her for advice?
- Unfortunately, before the Olympics, I was not yet familiar with her. My childhood dream came true after the Games. We were introduced by Nastya Bliznyuk. This happened when the girls and I performed at the Alexei Nemov show in Moscow. Laysan also participated in it, we even changed clothes in the same locker room.

- Laysan, after completing her gymnastic career, found herself as a TV presenter. Have you already thought about the future?
- To be honest, this is a difficult topic for me. I have not yet decided on new goals in life, in gymnastics. Now sports take up 100% of my time and it is very difficult to fit something else into my life with such a schedule. So for now I can't answer this question!

Photoshoot

private photos

Sofia Skomorokh

Sofia Pavlovna Skomorokh(born August 18, 1999 Omsk) - Russian gymnast, world and European champion.

Shortly before the Olympics, Sonya was injured and could not go there, although she was in the first team all year.

private photos

Maria Tolkacheva

Maria Yurievna Tolkacheva(born August 18, 1997 - Zhukov) - Russian gymnast, three-time world champion, three-time European champion, two-time European Games champion, Olympic champion (2016) in group exercises. Honored Master of Sports

In my opinion, Masha is the most beautiful gymnast of the national team. Although, of course, they are all beautiful.

Masha and Nastya Tatareva are best friends

That's all! Thank you all for your attention, and the girls new victories)

In the team championship, all-around and exercises in individual types. The sisters are always together - so it would be wrong to divide this conversation into two separate interviews. The Averins told R-Sport correspondent Elena Sobol how it is to be like and support each other at competitions, about how they don’t see their relatives for a long time, about their relationship with coach Vera Shatalina and two-time Olympic champion Evgenia Kanaeva, as well as about their goals in sports career.

"I know my sister's program by heart"

- Did everything work out in the team championship?

Dina: It turned out more than planned. Of course, something did not work out, there is something to work on, we will correct it in the all-around. Probably underdeveloped or something else. The task is to do everything to the maximum, as set. The most important thing is that the coach, director and, of course, me like it.

- That is, your personal assessment is also important?

Dina: Of course. This is always present in herself, and the coach teaches this.

- Personal all-around will be the most important here?

Arina: Yes, of course, it will be a very important and responsible competition. This is a selection for the national team, you need to get into the top eight. Such a task is worth it.

- You are always so touchingly worried about each other.

Dina: It's already a tradition - we go out to cheer for each other during the competition. Of course, if the exit is very close, we don't go. But if not, then mentally I'm with my sister anyway. When my sister performs, I don't even know what I'm thinking! I am very afraid, I pronounce all her exercise to myself, I know it by heart. When Arisha staged, I was present at the production, and I have it too. When I watch an exercise, I praise it to myself and scold it. I experience such emotions as if it was me on the carpet, and not her!

Arina: I have exactly the same feelings. And you worry more about your sister. You know for yourself - where you throw, how you catch. And when Dina speaks, I don’t understand what she will do, how she will act. I'm worried about my sister.

- If you are doubly scared than others, then, probably, doubly joyful?

Arina: Yes, it's true.

How hard is it if one performs well and the other does not?

Arina: It's not that difficult, I guess. The one of us who performed well, she will support, say important words to improve the next day.

- Are you always together?

Dina: Yes! It helps a lot, and not only in training. We are always together in life. There is rarely free time at competitions, and there are days off at training camps. Every year we have training camps in Croatia, in our free time we sunbathe there, swim, go somewhere or just walk. Now they were preparing for the Russian Championship in Novogorsk, they arrived with the most fighting mood.

Zhenya Kanaeva - an example

- Did you choose the music yourself this year?

Arina: With a coach and director.

Dina: We are already slowly looking for music for the new season, we will show the coach something.

Arina: We are preparing in advance.

- Do you like the staging process?

Dina: Yes! This is something new and interesting. In a year, the old gets bored, you learn new elements, you want to go to training with pleasure, even around the clock! Fatigue is not felt at all.

- Is it harder to compete at Russian or international competitions?

Dina: It's a little more difficult at the Russian competitions, we compete at home.

Arina: Moreover, we have very serious competition in Russia, it is more difficult, of course.

- There is no feeling that the level of the World Cup?

Dina: Yes, only among Russian women.

- Are the fans different?

Arina: Abroad is also very well supported, they are also suitable. I want to perform for the audience again and again, you go out with pleasure.

- Doesn't it bother you when a crowd of little girls comes up and asks you to sign or take a photo as a keepsake?

Dina: No, on the contrary, very nice (smiles). But if they come up before the performance, then it may be a little confusing or even unnerving, because you are getting ready, getting ready. Usually we ask after the performance, and everyone comes after.

- Who is an example and inspiration for you in rhythmic gymnastics?

Dina: Zhenya Kanaeva! She was always hardworking, obedient, purposeful. She works as a coach now in Novogorsk, sometimes she tells me something, she makes some comments. Helps a lot! Zhenya recently finished her career, she remembers everything, what to do, tells.

Arina: She told us a very valuable thing about the skill in the ribbon. How to throw it correctly, how to catch it, how to make it fly into your hand, how not to get confused.

- What have you added this year?

Dina: In terms of emotions.

Arina: In emotions, in technique. Turns - try to always turn three or more.

"Only new acquaintances confuse"

- Are you often confused?

Dina: Relatives - no. And new people and friends confuse at first, and then get used to it.

- Ever enjoyed what you look like? Did they go out, for example, for each other to the blackboard at school?

Arina: We didn’t particularly attend school, and there wasn’t such a thing, probably we never wanted to.

- How are relations with older sister Polina?

Dina: We have a very good relationship, we are friends, we correspond every day. We rarely see each other, really. She and her mother came to visit us in Moscow before leaving for Sochi.

- She does not regret that she ended her career?

Dina: No, she is now training little girls by herself. So sometimes it can give us a hint. He always supports us at competitions, writes, but never scolds.

- Is it cool to be the same?

Dina: We don't really notice it. But now we have begun to dress differently, we already want to be a little different, so that they know that we can be different.

Arina: Everything used to be the same. Probably tired.

- How does your mother feel about not seeing you for a long time?

Dina: Calm down, she's already used to it. At first she cried when we left for Moscow. We got used to it, we got used to it, and then it became normal. But she had never watched the competition since childhood. We have such a tradition that she doesn't even watch us live. She can't, she's very worried.

Arina: We also have some traditions, but which ones are a secret.

About the coach, the Olympics and dreams

- You have a very warm relationship with the coach Vera Nikolaevna Shatalina.

Arina: It somehow happened right away with us.

Dina: She noticed us, took us to train. She treated us like her own daughters. She is like a second mother to us, it helps us a lot. Every year we get closer and closer to her.

- Is Vera Nikolaevna demanding?

Dina: Yes.

- Does it happen that he swears?

Arina: All coaches swear, you can’t praise us for what we are doing wrong! (Laughs) And if everything is good, then he praises.

- What is the best way to work on yourself?

Dina: Probably criticism.

Arina: Yes, criticism. We are told mistakes, we correct them and become better and better.

- What is your goal in sports?

Dina: Probably go to the Olympics. And become an Olympic champion.

Arina: Me too.

- Do you think about the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro?

Dina: We don't really think about it, we just work, improve our results. And there - how it goes.

Arina: If they say yes, we must always be ready.

- Do you have a dream outside of sports?

Arina: Probably, there is. Start a family (laughs).

Dina: And I always dreamed of building a house so that we could live together as a family. Not to be separated from my sister.

- Do you like to dream at all?

Dina: Yes, of course. Sometimes we dream about a vacation. I want to, when we finish with sports, I want to take the whole family and go somewhere to relax, not to think about anything.

- You have, of course, a heavy schedule. And it happens that you just want to lie down and do nothing because of fatigue?

Arina: It happens. There are difficult days during preparation, when you just want to lie down and lie down.

About chocolate and hobbies

- They say that in Novogorsk you can’t even eat a piece of excess chocolate.

Arina: No, the coach allows us. She knows that we ourselves monitor the weight, she trusts us.

Dina: In general, it is not very difficult to monitor weight. Perhaps we were lucky after all by nature.

Arina: Sweet? I don’t want the whole cake, I like marmalade more, somehow I’m not particularly drawn to chocolate.

Dina: I'm somehow indifferent to sweets.

What do you think sport has given you?

Arina: First of all - character. Posture, figure.

Dina: If we didn’t go in for sports, we would always be at home, it would be hard to part with loved ones, with parents. Sport has made us independent.

- You are already studying at the university, despite the fact that you are only 17 years old.

Dina: We are already finishing the first year, studying to be a coach. It's not hard to study, there is time - we go to St. Petersburg to study, but no - we do our homework.

- Would you like to work in your profession in the future?

Dina: At first I wanted to choose some other education so that after the sport I would just work. And so I wanted to be a coach, but now I don’t really want to. I want to get a higher education first, then a family, a job. And if you work as a coach and have a family, it will be hard.

Arina: As a coach, honestly, I don’t really want to work yet. Because I understand how hard it is. Maybe I'll grow up and want to. I love working with young children, I really like to prompt, explain. Perhaps someday ... In general, we have not yet thought about the future, what will happen after rhythmic gymnastics.

Arina: I love to draw. Especially tigers, I really like them. I taught myself, it's just my hobby. And now I'm trying to learn English. Need to learn. While the level is zero, we stopped attending school normally from the fifth grade, there was no time to teach it. We focused on the main subjects for admission, and now we decided to take up English.

Dina: We understand that English is very necessary, we often travel abroad. It's hard not to know English there, I want to communicate. Our elder sister knows English, it is easy for her.

Arina: We want the same. My sister is with us.

Dina: We tried to talk to each other with Arisha, but every time we try, we start laughing. In addition, there are press conferences at international competitions, you need to understand what question you are asked and answer it yourself.

Rhythmic gymnast Arina Alekseevna Averina was born in the city of Zavolzhye, a member of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team, Master of Sports of international class. She was a champion many times and won prizes at national and international tournaments. Three times became the champion of Europe. Her sister Averina Dina Alekseevna is also a member of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team and has also won European competitions three times. In 2017 she became the absolute champion of Russia. Repeatedly climbed the podium at all-Russian and international competitions, including the first step. Dina and Arina have another sister, Polina, who also did rhythmic gymnastics, but switched to other activities. First of all, rhythmic gymnastics should be liked, because it brings not only rewards, but also pain and hardship, not everyone likes to give priority to sports for the sake of other equally interesting and important activities.

Junior team

Averina's sisters - Dina and Arina are twins, they were born on August 13, 1998 in the city of Zavolzhye, not far from Nizhny Novgorod. Gymnasts go side by side in sports - they are members of the Russian national team together, they often attend the same competitions together.

The sports biography began with the fact that the girls went to a sports school in the rhythmic gymnastics department at the age of four (they went to a regular school a year later, at the age of five). The twins were interested in their older sister Polina, who was already involved in this sport. Later, Polina left the sports school, and Arina and Dina Averina decided at an early age to pursue a sports career - they are distinguished by their serious attitude to the common cause they started. The first coach was Larisa Viktorovna Belova.

Girls up to 12 years old studied in a regular school. Then we switched to an individual training program. All free time was occupied by training, but a serious attitude to gymnastics gave its results in the form of victories in competitions.

Since the girls began to give excellent results, the parents decided to continue their education in Nizhny Novgorod, where gymnastics is taught at a different level due to good material resources and sports traditions - there are excellent gyms where international tournaments are held, the world champion in rhythmic gymnastics was engaged in the city . In order for the daughters to have enough opportunities to develop their talents, the entire Averin family moves to Nizhny Novgorod.

In 2011, the sisters had three competitions in which they showed good results: the Moscow Grand Prix stage, Nadezhda Rossii and the Russian championship. The Young Gymnast competition was successful, after which the twins were invited to the training camp in Croatia. The head coach of the Russian junior team Shatalina Vera Nikolaevna, who coached Olga Kapranova and Alina Kabaeva, invites the twins to the Moscow Olympic Training Center after training in Croatia. The sisters arrived in Moscow, bypassing the Olympic reserve school in Nizhny Novgorod, which happens very rarely.

The girls came to Vera Shatalina by accident - in 2011 they came to the Olympic village to train for 10 days. The girls were determined to show the result decisively in the capital. They said that if they did not stay in Moscow, they would give up gymnastics and focus on studying at school, as their sister Polina did.

The girls, when they first arrived in Moscow, were small, 138 centimeters. Children did not go on a diet, but on the contrary, they ate hard so that their body would grow up and develop well. A few years later, the height was already 161 centimeters (weight was about 40 kilograms), which is quite enough to successfully enter adult sports (weight and height correspond to the last year of the junior girls' program). Thus, Shatalina Vera took care not only of the sports result, but also of the health of the young gymnasts.

Since 2011, the girls' new place of residence is the Russian capital, where their training took place. We trained intensively, from 10:00 to 13:00, then a break for lunch, and from 14:00 to 17:00 again training, only five hours a day.

In 2012, there were many successful competitions - the World Cup in Pesaro and the Russian championship, the junior international tournament in Slovenia - gold medals, Nadezhda Rossii - third and fourth place.

In 2013, the girls become masters of sports, they move from the junior team to the senior team and start training in Novogorsk.

In 2014

In 2014, the sisters won the Grand Prix in Moscow, after which there was a victory at the Grand Prix in Israeli Holon. In Israel, Averina Arina defeated her sister with a gap of hundredths of a point, which indicates an approximately equal level of them as athletes.

This year, the sisters took part in the Moscow Championship, in which Averina Dina became the champion (despite the fact that she performed with a fever), Arina Averina received a silver medal.

The Lisbon World Cup earned Dina a silver medal for clubs and two bronze medals for all-around and ribbon. Around the same time, Arina Alekseevna Averina at the Baltic Hoop competition received a gold medal for performing with a ball, two silver medals for a mace and a ribbon, the hoop brought bronze. She achieved this success in the absence of a coach, since Vera Shatalina was with Dina in Portugal at that time.

In the same year, the Russian Championship in the city of Penza for Arina brought a gold medal for the ball, a silver medal for maces, a bronze medal for a hoop. The gymnast won many awards, despite the fact that she performed with a hand injury. Dina at these competitions got silver for a hoop, bronze for a ribbon.

The stage of the Spartakiad in Ramenskoye and the Luxembourg Trophy brought silver medals to Arina. Dina in Ramenskoye won silver, at the competition in Luxeburg she received gold medals for the all-around, hoop and ribbon.

In 2015

The Moscow Grand Prix did not bring medals, Arina took 13th place, Dina - 6th. But since the Grand Prix is ​​one of the most prestigious competitions in the world (there were 42 participants in total), these places roughly indicate the world rating of rhythmic gymnasts. For novice athletes, a quite decent result at the Grand Prix will approach the top ten.

Girls at the Championship of Russia take prizes - in the all-around Arina won silver, Dina - bronze. In some events, Arina received first place for clubs and a hoop, second place for her performance with a ribbon and a ball. Dina received a gold medal for her performance with a ball, a silver medal for her performance with a hoop, and third place for her performance with a ribbon. The girls received first and second team places, as they separately competed for different federal districts.

The international tournament in Pesaro brought championship titles to two sisters, in some events Arina received a gold medal for exercises with a ribbon and a ball, Dina - a gold medal for maces, a bronze - for performing with a hoop.

From the Spanish tournament Corbeil-Essones, the girls brought ten prize medals - Arina five gold, Dina five silver.

At the Hungarian stage of the World Cup, Dina received a gold medal for the all-around, exercises with clubs, a ball, a hoop, a silver - and a ribbon. Arina won silver for hoop, bronze for all-around and performance with the ball.

The tournament in Sofia brought gold to Dina and silver to Arina.

In 2016

In 2016, the Averina sisters continued to successfully perform at world-class competitions.

The Czech stage of the Grand Prix in Brno brought Dina a bronze medal for the all-around, a silver medal for her performance with a ribbon and a hoop.

The Romanian stage of the Grand Prix, which took place in the city of Bucharest, brought Arina a silver medal for the all-around, the ribbon and maces brought bronze. Dina received silver for clubs, bronze for all-around, ball and hoop.

World Cup in Sofia - Arina won a bronze medal. The Berlin stage of the World Cup - Dina won the gold medal for the all-around, ribbon and ball. Arina suffered a hand injury at this tournament and stopped performing on the next day of the competition.

Moscow Grand Prix - Arina receives bronze for the all-around, silver for clubs and gold for ribbon exercises. Alina Kabaeva awarded the sisters with a prize for the high level of artistry in their performances.

The World Cup stage in the Finnish city of Espoo received a gold medal for her performance with the ball.

The World Cup stage in Lisbon, Portugal, Arina won a silver medal for ribbon exercises.

Senior tournament as part of the World Cup - Arina receives a full set of gold medals, a total of five awards.

World Cup in Pesaro - Dina won two bronzes for clubs and a hoop, silver for a ribbon and a ball.

At the Russian Championships, Dina won bronze in the all-around and ball, the hoop and ribbon brought two silver medals. Arina won a bronze medal for her performance with a hoop and clubs, the ball brought silver.

The Grand Prix stage and the Israeli Eilat brought Dina silver for the all-around, hoop and ribbon, Dina received silver for the ball and bronze for the all-around.

Dina and Arina, as members of the Russian team, represented Russia at international competitions, represented the Volga Federal District and Moscow in the team championship.

In 2017

Dina Averina competed in the following competitions in 2017:

1. At the Grand Prix in Moscow, Dina is ahead of Alexandra Soldatov in points and wins a gold medal in the all-around, for her performance with a ribbon, maces and a hoop, the ball brought silver.
2. Dina becomes the absolute champion of Russia, having won the Russian championship.
3. Grand Prix in Thiers brought four gold medals - for all-around, maces, ball and hoop.
4. The World Cup in Pesaro brings gold for ribbon, clubs and ball, silver medals for all-around and hoop.
5. The Tashkent stage of the World Cup brought gold for the all-around and maces, as well as three silver medals.
6. The European Championship brought three gold medals - all-around, ribbon, hoop, for exercises with clubs received a silver medal. This was Dina's third victory at the European Championship.
7. Grand Prix stage in Holon - gold for the ball, two silver for the all-around and maces.

Dina and Arina often attend competitions together, Arina also won prizes in many of the above competitions. One of the most recent performances where the sisters competed together was the World Games, which took place in the Polish city of Wroclaw on July 21-22, 2017. On the first day of the competition, Arina became the champion in the ball and hoop exercises, Dina won two silver medals in the same disciplines.

Personal life

After graduating from school, the girls received higher education by studying in absentia at the Lesgaft Institute of Physical Education and Sports in the northern capital - the city of St. Petersburg. No matter how much girls spend time in the gym, they understand that studying is also important. Despite the tough sports schedule, they found time to study school subjects and study at the university.

In 2016, the Averina sisters took part in the show "Alexey Nemov and Sports Legends", as well as in the show "Without Insurance".

Girls love to travel, listen to music, and chat with friends in their free time. In order to communicate with peers at competitions, they study foreign languages, the emphasis is on English as the language of international communication. Although, given the level of development of gymnastics in Russia, the Russian language is also international in this sport.

Averina's gymnasts are considered the most promising gymnasts in Russia, there are many competitions ahead, which will be stages to the main test - the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.