"We are absolutely delighted!" Olympic champion in group exercises Irina Belova talks about the atmosphere at the Academy

2000 Olympic champion in group exercises, two-time world champion, and three-time European champion Irina Belova came to the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

Together with her mother and coach Larisa Belova, she watched the classes and shared her emotions about the atmosphere at the Academy.

"This is my first time at the Academy. We come here to Sochi every year for a couple of months. I was really interested in the conditions in which gymnasts train now. And, when we came here, of course, we were absolutely delighted, starting from the hall, where the museum is, where all the equipment is, where all the gymnasts of all times were gathered. Then the accessories from the early years, when gymnastics began, and up to the very last ones. It is really something incredible to do all this, because, remembering our training conditions, they are incomparable. A gymnast should appreciate this. She should appreciate where she trains, she should appreciate every word of the coach," she said.

She also visited our museum. The tour was conducted by the Academy coach, 1996 Olympic Games bronze medalist Irina Dzyuba.

"It's fantastic. The very first thing Irina showed us was that you press a button and the gymnast you want to see immediately comes out. I've never seen anything like that," the coach said.

 She noted that after visiting the Academy, she wanted to dive back into rhythmic gymnastics and even work as a coach:

"I felt that I wanted to. I'm happy for all the coaches who work here," she said.