"I missed the fans so much!" Varvara Toporova talks about the emotions of returning to competitions

Following the third stage of the Cup of the Strongest, Varvara Toporova from the Republic of Kalmykia shared her feelings about returning to competition:

"I’m so glad this has finally happened, because I terribly missed the fans and the competitive atmosphere in general. It’s a huge responsibility, but at the same time, you can feel the support of the Academy’s massive team. There were mistakes in both the all-around and the finals. For instance, my hoop and ball routines in the finals didn't go very well, I was struggling to find my rhythm, but I’m glad I managed to 'wake up', so to speak, by the time I got to the clubs and ribbon. Alina Ivanovna and Irina Nikolaevna helped me. It was honestly quite hard to get going; I was scared and a bit shaky during the first two events. But fortunately, all the nerves vanished by the time I reached the clubs. By the way, I hadn't felt this kind of support in the arena during my recent competitions. But coming back after such a long time, seeing so many fans and so many stuffed animals. It gives you such an incredible energy boost."

The gymnast spoke about the new programs she presented at this competition:

"I have two new routines: a hoop routine and a ball routine. Evgeniya Olegovna Kanaeva choreographed both of them for me. Irina Nikolaevna and I made a few adjustments to make certain parts more comfortable to execute. I think they turned out wonderfully. A huge thank you to Evgeniya Olegovna for such beautiful routines."

She also talked about how Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva helped her cope with anxiety:

"Alina Maratovna gave me a huge amount of valuable advice, things that really helped me pull myself together and improve my focus for certain elements. She kept saying that there are no such things as 'little details'. That’s often a struggle for me: I nail the difficult parts but then lose focus on the finer details. Her words really helped me stay composed. I’m so grateful she came and helped us get ready to compete."

Varya also thanked everyone who supported her during her recovery: the coaches, choreographers, doctors, the Academy staff, and the fans whose support fueled her for the performances:

"I want to thank everyone who supported me during this competition. I want to say a huge thank you to Alina Maratovna for her invaluable advice. I want to thank my coaches Irina Nikolaevna, Alina Ivanovna, and Evgeniya Olegovna. I want to thank the program creators and choreographers, as well as Ekaterina Medorovna. I also want to thank all the doctors who treated and rehabilitated me over such a long period. And I want to thank the entire staff of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy, because the work we all put in as a great team is simply invaluable. And I want to thank Ekaterina Konstantinovna for her wonderful support and essential advice. I want to thank all the fans for cheering so passionately for me, and for the countless gifts, posters, and everything else — because it was for them that I really wanted to get out onto the floor as soon as possible."

At the tournament, the gymnast won gold medals in the all-around, the clubs event, and the ribbon event, as well as silver with the ball and bronze with the hoop.

Varya lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy. Her coaches are Irina and Alina Gusarova, and her choreographer is Ekaterina Belova.