"She gave me a love for gymnastics that I try to pass on to the girls." Maria Pobedushkina talks about working as a coach and continuing the work of Elena Karpushenko

Maria Pobedushkina, an international Master of Sports and an International Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Clubs Association judge, works as a coach at an Academy training camp.

She shared her immediate plans with us.

"The plan for this training camp is to take shape and then to perform at the Russian Cup that will be in early September," she said.

Maria shared how she began working as a coach.

"I finished in 2023, in late August, after the competition. I went to my coach Elena Karpushenko and gave her flowers. She said, ‘Take a rest.’ I rested for a fortnight and understood that I could not be without gymnastics. I started coming nice and easy, helping her, and coaching the girls. When she departed for competitions, I took her children and helped. It is unusual so far to feel that I’m a coach myself,  particularly in the Academy, because I came here for contests, then for training camps, and as a coach this time," Maria said.

A student of Elena Karpushenko noted that, continuing the work of her coach, she is trying to instill the love for rhythmic gymnastics in her athletes.

"I am so grateful to Elena Karpushenko. She took me when I was very young; I can say that I did not actually understand anything in gymnastics. And she gave me this love exactly for gymnastics, which I am trying now to pass to the girls," she said.

In addition, Maria spoke about her experience of judging according to the International Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Clubs Association rules.

"It was actually unexpected that I was invited as a judge. It happened that we passed the seminar, took the examination and I judged a regional tournament. I liked it very much.  This was a very good experience and I hope that I will continue. Rules of the Sky Grace are very interesting. The number of elements is sufficient and they are rated much higher than under FIG rules," she said.

Maria Pobedushkina had been coming to Academy training camps and competitions as a gymnast. And now she works as a coach at the training camp for athletes from the Wings of the Soviets Athletic School.