"Along with the new rules, aesthetics and plastics are returning to rhythmic gymnastics." Opinion of Venera Zaripova

The five—time champion of the USSR - about the ways of development of the most beautiful sport.

Venera Zaripova is the first star pupil of Irina Viner—Usmanova. It was with Zaripova that a great era began both for the great coach and for all rhythmic gymnastics in its modern form. Zaripova, together with Viner-Usmanova and the then head of the national federation Elina Bystritskaya, played a big role in the inclusion of this discipline in the Olympic program. It is the ways of developing rhythmic gymnastics as an Olympic sport that will be one of the topics for discussion at the upcoming Heavenly Grace tournament in Moscow.

The experimental international rhythmic gymnastics tournament Sky Grace will be held on December 16-17 on the initiative of Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva. The general sponsor of the event is SOGAZ JSC. Gymnasts from different countries will compete in the all-around according to the competition rules of the 2001-2005 cycle and the rules of the 2022-2024 cycle. In addition to Russian Lala Kramarenko, athletes from 13 countries and four continents will take part in the tournament.

The rules take us back to the roots

— Many people believe that in the past the rules in rhythmic gymnastics were fairer, and the gymnastics itself was aesthetic. Do you agree with this? — Zaripova's question.

— Absolutely. Look at my performances, for example, "Polovtsian dances" with a ball. This is a complete fusion of soul, body and object. All as one.

— Will the current changes in the rules bring us back to that era in many ways?

— They will make gymnastics better, that's for sure. Aesthetics, plasticity, body movement along with music are returning. So that the exercises were composed under the image — the way it was before. Irina Alexandrovna Viner-Usmanova always told us: "Here you go to the theater and see the production of "Carmen" for an hour and a half. And on the carpet you have to convey this image in a minute and a half." There used to be images, thoughts, and ideas in programs. Everything new is well—forgotten old. These rules really bring us back to the roots, which I am very happy about.

— How much, in your opinion, could the changes in the rules have been influenced by the disputes over the results of the Olympics in Tokyo?

— Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport that is, of course, connected with Russia, inextricably linked. And everything that happens around gymnastics has always been and will be connected with Russian athletes. Russia is a trendsetter in trends, rules, judging. Therefore, certain relationships can be found in everything. But you need to understand that there will be no rise, development of rhythmic gymnastics and interest in it in the world without Russia.

— The rules are changed after the Olympics. Is that right? Perhaps you need to develop a strategy for many years to come?

— The rules can be changed only after the Olympic Games. Make rules for 10, 15, 20 years ahead? It sounds interesting, but it will lead to stagnation. It is an intensely changing world that is moving forward. Innovations are needed. It is important to keep up with the times. And this means that we must move forward together with him. It is interesting to observe how rhythmic gymnastics develops and in which direction.

A look into the past with an eye to the future

— In the era of the pandemic, you organized the first ever online rhythmic gymnastics tournament. What do you think about the initiative of Alina Kabaeva to hold experimental competitions Sky Grace?

— I studied the information about these competitions and support Alina. That's a great idea. I would love to attend this tournament myself. Kabaeva brings us back to the origins, and this is the right direction of thought. I myself performed according to similar rules, and they seem to me more interesting and spectacular. The rules of 2001-2005 are taken as a basis, but at the same time they take us back to the very beginning, to the origin of rhythmic gymnastics. To the great revolution in this sport, which took place in 1978-1979. So we are waiting for a look into the past with an eye to the future.

— Perhaps you have some ideas in terms of promoting rhythmic gymnastics?

— I would really like to see a film about the formation of our sport. And it can be timed to coincide with similar competitions that open up a look at both the past and the future at the same time. Show where rhythmic gymnastics started from. And it began with Uchkuduka, from Uzbekistan, from Tashkent. It may not sound very modest, but that includes me. Then there were many golden pages in the history of this sport. And a very bright page is the career of Alina Kabaeva herself. There is no present without the past. There is no future without the present.

— Was it difficult for you to organize your own online competitions?

— I did not immediately receive understanding and support. I organized the tournament without any help, on my own. She told about her idea back on March 6, 2020 at the international competitions in Poland, in the city of Katowice. Almost two years ago. Once the borders are closed, it means we need to go online. This is the future now. I set the date — my birthday, April 5. But I didn't manage to do everything on time, because no one could figure out how to conduct such starts. I gathered both the team and the judges. And Irina Alexandrovna explained the idea — to everyone-to everyone! She sent letters about the importance of online competitions in all sports to the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, President of FIG Morinari Watanabe, told and promoted through YouTube. It was hard, but the main thing is that everything worked out. Then Irina Alexandrovna held such a tournament already in the format of national teams. At that time it was very relevant. And it still remains. Such competitions have proven their importance and will remain with us. Some countries have held competitions offline together with online.

— Are you communicating with Alina Kabaeva now?

— We usually meet at competitions. At various "Grand Prix", for example. I'm always glad to meet you. In 1988, I brought her, a five-year-old, to see Irina Alexandrovna Viner-Usmanova. This happened at the request of Alina's father, Marat Kabayev, a football player with whom we were friends with families.

— With Do you also maintain a relationship with Irina Viner-Usmanova?

— Of course. I am grateful to her for many things, Irina Alexandrovna calls me her eldest daughter. The relationship of a coach and a student is for life.

Source: Sport-Express.