"I am delighted with Anechka!" Anna Vakulenko's first coach Tatyana Sorokina talks about the gymnast's performance at the Southern Federal District Championship

At the Southern Federal District Championship, judge Tatyana Sorokina, the first coach of Anna Vakulenko, the Academy student from Volgograd, told how the gymnast changed after moving to Sirius, and noted her progress.

"It’s not hard, I was thinking about the child, because our conditions, of course, are not like Alina Kabaeva’s. And I wanted her to feel good and comfortable. They’ve made such progress, I was shocked. The child began to move her body, she was so calm with me. And here she works with her body, works with her face, that is, what is being assessed now. Gorgeous, such jumps. Simply bravo to Zhenya, simply bravo to Alina Kabaeva! I am delighted with Anechka," Tatyana said.

She added that Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva is a motivation for her students. 

"Alina Kabaeva comes over, it's such an incentive for them, they love her, respect her. Of course, they try very hard in front of her. And these conditions, I wish all children had them! It's good when there are both the Sky Grace rules and the FIG rules," she said.

The Southern Federal District Championship was held in Sirius from February 4 to 9. Academy student Anna Vakulenko, representing the Volgograd Region, took fourth place. She prepared for the competition with Academy coach Evgeniya Eliseeva.