"If it were my first Olympic Games, I would want to perform." Averina sisters talking about the Olympic Games, coaching and the Sky Grace

Dina and Arina Averina gave an exclusive interview during their visit to the Academy for training sessions with our gymnasts.

The gymnasts told about plans to become coaches:

"Never say no, we’ll see. How the life will go on, probably we will, certainly, coach but not in a way to sit from morning till evening, as our coaches did, as we did when we were gymnasts. The desire is to enjoy life a little bit nevertheless and not merely to sit in the hall."

The sisters also shared their opinion about participation of Russian athletes in the Olympic Games.

Arina noted that each athlete should make the decision on his or her own.

"Every athlete must decide for his or her own. If he or she makes such a decision to go and perform, please, let them go and perform. Everybody knows in any case where this athlete come from, what country he or she is performing for, but this is the decision of every athlete, every individual, so I would not impose my opinion on anyone."

Dina said how she would act if finding herself in such situation:

"I tell everyone the one thing: if it were my first Olympic Games, I would probably want to perform at the Olympics. This is my dream. This is the dream of all athletes going there, they have the goal — to perform and win the Olympic Games. Since these would be my second Olympic Games, then I would probably refuse because it is very difficult there: qualifications, and certain documents to be signed, and the neutral status."

The sisters also highlighted advantages of Sky Grace rules:

"I know they comprise elements performed by Alina Kabaeva, that is, her signature elements. A gymnast abilities are also rated very high, that is, if she has an over-split, points are added to her. They also have the rope, that is, five types. And they can also do everything they are able to do, everything they want to do. That is, they do not have constrains there: if you are able to rotate — do the rotation, if you can jump — make jumps. If you can do plenty of combined elements — please, do them."

Furthermore, Dina and Arina said that Sky Grace rules make it possible to earmark new leaders among gymnasts:

"The fact is that when they initially performed in FIG, there are certain leaders, when they turned to Sky Grace rules, absolutely different children appear. Some of them might even got the one hundredth place, and they actually enter the top ten. And we see more new gifted children in such way."

Watch the full interview with many-time world champions on our website!