"The Sky Grace tournament will promote our sport all over the world." The opinion of the gymnast from Australia

Alexandra Kira-Bogatyreva was born in New Zealand, advocates for Australia, but considers herself Russian.

On December 16 and 17, the international rhythmic gymnastics tournament Sky Grace will be held in Moscow. At these competitions, which will be held on the initiative of Alina Kabaeva and with the organizational support of the Olympic champion's Charitable Foundation, there will be many famous athletes from all over the world, including the representative of Australia. For the team of the Green Continent for several years a girl with Russian roots has been performing — Alexandra Kira-bogatyrev.

She is a British Commonwealth Games bronze medalist and a 21-time Australian champion. Alexandra's parents are from Russia and moved to the Green Continent before she was born. Bogatyreva was generally born in New Zealand and holds passports from three countries at once! However, the girl perceives herself as Russian and admires our sport. Alexandra spoke about the thoughts about the upcoming competitions, plans for the future and the features of the development of rhythmic gymnastics thousands of kilometers from Moscow.

In Australia, the lockdown is difficult, the borders are closed. Therefore, he moved to Moscow for now

- Alexandra, in what mood are you preparing for the Sky Grace tournament? What were your emotions when you received an invitation to these competitions?

- It will be a very interesting start. I am from Australia, where the Sydney Olympic Games were held in 2000. I have reviewed the video of Alina Kabaeva's performances countless times. So when the invitation to the tournament of his name came, the coach and I were very excited. And with a great desire to participate in the preparation of the program for these competitions.

- Tell us more about yourself and your path in rhythmic gymnastics. Were you inspired by Alina Kabaeva?

- When I was little, the decision to take me to artistic gymnastics was made by my parents. They were in Australia when the Sydney Olympics took place and, of course, they watched the competition. They liked Russian girls, and the idea of giving their son the sport settled in their heads. I started training at the age of six.

- How did your family get to Australia? Have you been born in this country yet?

- They moved to 90, after the troubles in connection with the collapse of the Soviet Union. But I was born in New Zealand, so I am a citizen of three countries at once: Russia, Australia and New Zealand. We live in Australia, but in the Russian community. We speak Russian, we respect traditions. We are all Russian, although Russian is not native to me. I learned it after English. I am fluent in two languages now.

- You consider yourself a Russian, but at the same time you did not live in Russia for a long time. How did that happen?

- I lived in Russia for a couple of years when I was little. In addition, every year I come to Moscow to train with Anastasia Vyacheslavovna Target, so Russia is my second home.

- How fair is the idea that in Australia rhythmic gymnastics is mainly dedicated to people from Russia and the countries of the former USSR, Russian-speaking people?

- The gymnasts are mostly Russian. The little gymnasts I see are mostly Russian. The children are given to Russian families in the sport. This is logical, because artistic gymnastics is a Russian sport. I think so.

- Are the coaches local?

- They look different. I just don't know how many serious rhythmic gymnastics specialists there are in Australia. The strongest school is in Russia.

- I mean, you constantly work with Russian coaches, right?

"Most of the time I work in Moscow, I put on programs here, then I go to Australia, I work there with my Australian coach. And so every year, in two countries. True, I live in Moscow constantly now, due to the pandemic. In Australia, there was a difficult lockdown, almost everything was closed regardless of vaccination. Since August 10, it has been impossible to enter and leave the country. Whatever you do, it doesn't matter. They closed the borders, that's all. Therefore, they bought a one-way ticket, parents helped, found an Apartment in Moscow.

- Has moving to Moscow made your life easier? You don't have to constantly fly from one continent to another.

- I wouldn't do it. I'm here without a family, studying at an Australian online university. Constantly in the Russian environment, there is not enough English practice. And I have a serious law school, and I need to take exams in English. No family here, no friends. Although Russia and the second house, but a lot of ties in Australia. Everything is new to me now. It became easier in terms of sports, but I wouldn't say it's easier in terms of life. It's easier to do gymnastics in Moscow, but the decision to move was very difficult.

Averina's coach helped me find motivation after the Olympics

- How developed is artistic gymnastics in Australia? Do you have fans who recognize you?

- Of course they know me as a gymnast. I have raised the level of development of this sport in the country quite well. The coach and I have worked a lot on the world ranking. There are fans, they come to the competition. It can gather eight thousand spectators — a full room at the main competitions. Gymnastics is developing slowly, but, of course, this cannot be compared with Russia.

- Have you thought about trying to speak for Russia, or did you realize that the competition is too high?

- I have been in favour of Australia since I was a child. For me it is a country of origin that I always represent in competitions. Besides, there is such a competition in Russia that, conditionally, I will come, they will take me, and what next? I can become someone, but it's more interesting for me to elevate the sport in a new country, make it more popular in Australia. It seems to be working.

- Is the Australian state helping the training process?

- Unfortunately, it doesn't help at all. 99% is paid by the parents. Participation in tournaments, including the World Cup. Training, suits. Australia can help sometimes, but in terms of finances, it's a drop in the ocean of our expenses. It does not feel at all.

- What would be your professional success as the most important one?

- I think these are medals from the British Commonwealth Games - big competitions similar to the Olympics. I won two bronzes at the age of 16, I was the youngest on the team. A new experience, the first year I acted in masters, in adults, and two medals at once. A stadium full of people, Prince Edward in the grandstand is a relative of Queen Elizabeth. And for me, a little girl, to become an award winner in this environment is expensive. Incredible.

- Did you not apply for the Olympic Games?

- In Australia we had some problems with the selection for the Tokyo Games. I see no point in spreading about these complexities.

- Are you thinking about the upcoming Paris Games?

- We'll see how my career goes and if my country helps me.

- Did you watch the Tokyo Olympics?

- I saw the performances of the girls I wanted to see. Because it was a difficult time for me. I think everyone who went to the Olympics deserves to be there. They have worked very hard for this, I know how much effort needs to be made, because I also prepared to perform... It's incredibly difficult. It was difficult to watch the competitions, but I followed and encouraged the girls. From different countries.

- Do you know the Averin sisters personally?

- I personally do not know him, but after the World Cup I performed every day immediately after them, it turned out like this in the schedule. We've always been on the same carpet. I communicate well with the sisters coach, Vera Nikolaevna Shatalina. She helped me a lot after the Olympics, she talked to me a lot. Many thanks to her, her and my coach Anastasia Vyacheslavovna. Thanks to them and their advice, I continue my path in sports and try to achieve the following goals. The plans are ambitious.

A long-standing dream: a joint photo with Kabaeva

- About the future of rhythmic gymnastics. The rules are seriously changing. How will you value these innovations?

- The new rules are very different from the current ones. Now the spectators felt that all we were doing was pulling and pulling, pulling and pulling. He worked mainly with the subject. Starting next year we will do more different elements, combinations, turns, jumps. It seems to me that for spectators, such competitions will be more spectacular. And for the gymnasts themselves it is something new, different. Not all of us are used to making a lot of elements. We can say that we are going back to the origins, to the time of Alina Kabaeva. In his time there were 30 elements per program and now we are moving towards that rhythmic gymnastics.

- Will the changes in the rules help to extend the duration of the performances of the girls in the big tournaments?

- It is always more interesting to see how an experienced gymnast performs. And for a long time at the highest level, when she was remembered and loved by the public. For the public it's always great. And the new rules will help gymnasts stay in the sport longer.

- You said that you are inspired by the experience of Alina Kabaeva. Have you heard about her activities after the end of her sports career, about her charitable foundation and other projects?

- I follow Alina Kabaeva, I see various news that reaches Australia. I heard that she recently won a sports Oscar in Italy. Alina is an example of a successful person. She has achieved a lot on the gymnastics carpet, and now she is doing a lot for the development of sports. Always close to gymnastics. Thanks to Alina Maratovna for raising Russian rhythmic gymnastics. After all, this is the strongest school that moves our sport around the world. Holding the "Heavenly Grace" tournament is part of this work.

- Surely at this tournament there will be an opportunity for you to communicate with your idol.

- I have never talked to Alina Maratovna before, but if I suddenly see her, I will definitely ask for a joint photo and talk a little. I want to discuss a lot, and if she has time, my old dream will come true.

Source: Sport-Express.