"The finals left very bright impressions on me." Chief judge Evgenia Gertsikova talks on the results of the Russian Junior Championship

Evgenia Gertsikova, the chief judge of the Russian Junior Championship, shared her impressions of the tournament in Kazan and noted the high level of the juniors’ preparation:

"It is the most important event of this season. It is very important because the national team is being formed. We are entering the international arena and will participate in the European Junior Championships. Many strong athletes represented their regions. These were 139 gymnasts from 46 constituencies of the Russian Federation. It was very nice to see children from different regions of our country. It is clear that all the athletes have improved a lot, especially in artistic skills. Everyone is working very hard on this. Cleanliness of execution is critical now. It is clear that the gymnasts are fighting for every tenth of a point, taking very difficult risks, attempting to make difficult turns and balances." 

The specialist identified the participants who she particularly remembered:

"Very vivid impressions are left from almost every gymnast after today's finals. We have such diverse children, very talented, very artistic. For example, Ksenia Savinova is very emotional and fast. She is so light, bold in her work. When you look at her, you understand that she really enjoys all this. As for Yana Zaikina, she is a different kind of gymnast. She is more classical, but at the same time she works very powerfully, widely, emotionally. And this inner world of hers, in my opinion, is very deep, it is conveyed to both the judges and the spectators. Eva Chevtaeva is an original gymnast, with her own style, her own apparatus work, with exercises having different aspects. Believe me, the children who are further down the rankings also showed very interesting programs at this competition. Therefore, it is very pleasing that we have such promising children."