Karolina Pakhtusova told how the Hopes of Russia competitions were held for her

Karolina Pakhtusova, an Academy student from St. Petersburg, became the sixth in the all-around at the All-Russian competition Hopes of Russia. Her coaches are Alina and Irina Gusarova, and the choreographer is Ekaterina Belova.

The athlete told how Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva set her up before going to the carpet:

"She supported me, told me that I needed to do element after element, not rush, finish everything and maintain balance."

The gymnast also shared the secrets of working on her artistic skills:

"My artistry has gotten better, I think, because the most important thing is listening to the music. Now the programs are more refined and I sense the images better."

The athlete thanked everyone who helped her in preparing for this start:

"I want to say a big thank you to Alina Maratovna for her advice and for the opportunity to perform. Also, many thanks to my coaches Alina Gusarova, Irina Gusarova and choreographer Ekaterina Belova. And also to all the Academy staff for your support and love."

The competition in Yekaterinburg was held on November 29 and 30.