The 2020 gymnasts' qualifying rounds were held at our Academy.The girls showed off what they've learned over the past few months. They demonstrated both body movements and apparatus handling.<figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/6e1/a7a/6e1a7a7ec2e08e50ceb5153579900ec7.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/25c/02f/25c02f50b640b94e1223d18cdf0f00d4.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/da2/0f3/da20f325df66670479fcca534134d8f6.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/ec3/439/ec3439f887423c7325f59fa4772c55a5.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/ffc/44a/ffc44ae5dd1e2aa1b1c157339ba6ead0.jpg"></figure>

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Academy Life

The girls showed off what they've learned over the past few months.

The 2020 gymnasts' qualifying rounds were held at our Academy

The new Academy coach is two-time European Junior Group Exercise Champion Daria Pirogova.After the training session, Daria shared her first impressions of the training and thanked Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva for the opportunity:<blockquote>"I am the master of sports of international category in rhythmic gymnastics group exercises. I am the two-time champion of the European Championships and the multiple medalist of the Grand Prix stages and World Cup stages. I am working with juniors in group exercises.&nbsp;A very good lineup. So aware. The programs are magnificent. I know that Irina Borisovna Zenovka made the production. Everything is very harmonious, very beautiful, the music is excellent, the girls try very hard. I am simply delighted. Here, there are all the conditions for both children and the coaching staff. I want to express my immense gratitude to Alina Maratovna for giving me the chance to work here, in such a wonderful Academy."</blockquote>The juniors are currently preparing for the Russian Junior Championship. At the Academy, Daria works alongside Anna Ustsova.&nbsp;

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Opinion

Two-time European Junior Group Exercise Champion is Academy's new coach.

Daria Pirogova shares her first impressions of the working at the Academy

Our gymnasts will take part in the World Cup in Sofia.Arina Kovshova and Sofia Ilteryakova will compete in the individual events.The World Gymnastics competition will be held in the Bulgarian capital from March 28 to 30. Our athletes will compete under neutral status.&nbsp;

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Competitions

The World Gymnastics competition will be held in the Bulgarian capital from March 28 to 30. Our athletes will compete under neutral status. 



Our gymnasts will take part in the World Cup in Sofia

Valeria Gavrina from Krasnoyarsk shared how she learned about the opportunity to compete at the Russian Junior Championship in Kazan under a quota from the Sky Grace International Association:<blockquote>"I went to practice, and I was called to the principal of our regional sports school. Elena Alexandrovna, Ekaterina Olegovna, and my mom sat there. And Ekaterina Olegovna said that I was going to the Russian Junior Championship from the Sky Grace. And I was so happy, I cried with joy. I would like to thank Alina Maratovna for this opportunity."</blockquote>The gymnast told who she is from the participants of the tournament:<blockquote>"Yana Zaikina. She has a nice-shaped figure, she performs the elements well. A good, coordinated stretch."</blockquote>She also shared that the bronze medalist of the World and European Championships Ekaterina Vedeneeva and Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva are her role models&amp;The gymnast's coach Ekaterina Vedeneeva noted the importance of such a chance for gymnasts:<blockquote>"There's actually a very interesting story behind this girl. And our endless gratitude to the Association and, of course, to Alina Maratovna, for giving children the opportunity to prove themselves. She has been training for almost twelve years so far. This is the first major competition of this kind in her career. I really hope this will be a great experience for her. And this really is a great opportunity for children to have an extra chance to perform in such competitions."</blockquote>The specialist spoke about the first year of her coaching career:<blockquote>"I feel like it’s become even more intense and vibrant, because I have so many people under my care. We also travel with them to competitions, training sessions, and program reviews. This year, we had a large number of children qualifying for both the Russian Junior Championship and the Russian Pre-Junior Championship. That's why we have a lot of work on our hands. We're not stopping."</blockquote>She also assessed Mariia Borisova's recent performance at the Grand Prix in Marbella:<blockquote>"Of course, I watched the entire Marbella Grand Prix from start to finish. I would like to note the exceptional level of training of our gymnasts. And indeed, at least in terms of execution, clean performance, and artistic component, I don’t think there’s anyone who can match our gymnasts right now. Oh, and as for Masha, I'm really glad she managed to win individual medals. I think this will be a great help for future performances."</blockquote>

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The gymnast participates in competitions according to the quota of the Sky Grace International Association.

Valeria Gavrina and her coach Ekaterina Vedeneeva speak about the importance of the chance to compete at the Russian Championship

Yulia Chuvashova from Irkutsk, who competes at the Russian Junior Championship in Kazan according to the quota of the Sky Grace International Association, is the champion of the Irkutsk Championship in 2025, the silver medalist of the All-Russian Udokan Gold tournament in 2025. Her coach is Olga Buyanova.The athlete told which of the gymnasts of the past and present are her idols:<blockquote>"Gymnastics is my life. I love this sport for its beauty and grace. Training and competitions strengthen me and make me stronger not only on the floor but also in everyday life. My idol is Oksana Kostina. She is a role model for me and the gymnasts from my school. Of those currently competing, I like Masha Borisova. I love her for her hard work and the beauty she displays on the floor."</blockquote>

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The athlete performs at the Russian championship in Kazan according to the quota of the Sky Grace International Association.

Yulia Chuvashova from Irkutsk tells which of the gymnasts of the past and present are her idols

Sirius Federal Territory gymnasts became the best the team competition at the Russian Junior Championship. The team consists of Yana Zaikina, Ksenia Savinova, Elizaveta Geraskina, Kristina Dyupina, Daria Khoroshilova, and Ellina Denisova.Second place went to the athletes from the Moscow team: Eva Chevtaeva, Taisiya Serdyukova, Anna Repina, Ksenia Saliy, Adel Dotsenko, and Maria Tarasikova.And the Central Federal District team made up of Sofia Dubrovina, Anastasia Grineva, Elena Styushina, Olesya Vernigor, Sofia Povarova, and Polina Semenova took bronze.

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The team consists of Yana Zaikina, Ksenia Savinova, Elizaveta Geraskina, Kristina Dyupina, Daria Khoroshilova, and Ellina Denisova.



Sirius Federal Territory gymnasts won the team competition at the Russian Junior Championship

Yulia Chuvashova from Irkutsk performs at the Russian Junior Championship according to the quota of the Sky Grace International Association. The gymnast shared how she reacted to the news that she would participate in the tournament In Kazan:<blockquote>"Our coach called us in the evening and told us I was going to the Russian Junior Championship. My mom and I were, of course, very happy. I’ve got adrenaline pumping right now because this is my first time competing at such a big event. I'm really scared, but at the same time, I'm so happy that I have this opportunity to compete here. I'll gain experience that will help me become better."</blockquote>The gymnast also spoke about her mentor, Honored Coach of Russia Olga Buyanova:<blockquote>"In person, Olga Vladimirovna is actually very cheerful. She can laugh and talk. During training, of course, she can scold and reprimand. But we all understand that on the floor, things are different in real life. Olga Vladimirovna loves us all and always supports us at competitions."</blockquote>And she revealed the images in her programs, and also thanked the Sky Grace International Association for the opportunity:<blockquote>"I went out today thinking that I needed to calm down, do what I can, and show everyone who I am. In the hoop, I danced the tango; I showed passion, precise movements, and an intimidating style. In the ball, I'm a bird, constantly soaring and battling all the challenges. I'd like to thank the Sky Grace International Association for giving me this quota. I'm very happy to be here."</blockquote>

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At the tournament in Kazan, the gymnast performs according to the quota of the Sky Grace International Association.

Yulia Chuvashova shares her impressions of participating in the Russian Junior Championship

Kirill Barkan, the choreographer of the Russian national team, told how the work with the Academy's juniors was organized before the Russian Junior Championships:<blockquote>"We've done such good, productive work in five days. We had a lesson and did a lot of body work on the elements. The upcoming competition will finally show us the results of all this work. We structured our workday like this. We started with a choreography lesson, then we practiced elements, doing a lot of swings. And in the evening, we had floor work, putting the body through its paces, and practicing elements. There is a large field for work, it is always very interesting. The process was structured so that each lesson, each meeting, and each material complemented and reinforced each other. Ultimately, we were supposed to achieve the result we all came here to achieve."</blockquote>The specialist also thanked Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva for the invitation:<blockquote>"I'm very pleased that Alina Maratovna gave me this opportunity and invited me to Sky Grace. To meet the girls who train here. To support them, encourage them, and see how they're doing. Their progress is certainly noticeable. Everyone from the general physical training coaches to the head coaches are working with the girls here. We've achieved great results since our last meeting, and the latest competition is a good example of that."</blockquote>He wished new victories to the gymnasts:<blockquote>"I wish the girls continued success, victories, and, most importantly, health, because they train hard here and receive a very high-quality and intense workout."</blockquote>Kirill helped the juniors prepare for the Russian Junior Championships, working with them on choreography and technique. The tournament is taking place in Kazan from March 23 to April 1.

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The specialist helped the juniors prepare for the Russian Junior Championships, working with them on choreography and technique.

"The progress is very visible." Kirill Barkan talks about working with the Academy gymnasts

Daria Melnik from Ryazan and Arina Lysenko from Krasnodar, participants in the Academy's senior group exercise team tryouts, shared their excitement for the training sessions at Sirius.&nbsp;The athletes said that this was not the first time at the Academy: they took part in the second stage of the Cup of the Strongest in 2025, and Arina, while still in her individual program, competed for Sky Grace at the Crystal Rose and participated in the Alina festival.Daria shared their current goal and thanked Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva and the Academy's management for the opportunity:<blockquote>"We switched to the Master program at the beginning of this year, and before that, we spent two years together on the junior team. The goal is to join the team and move forward together. We want to express our deepest gratitude to Alina Maratovna and the entire Academy management for giving us a chance. We can continue our athletic careers here."</blockquote>Arina also noted the task she sets for herself:<blockquote>"The goal is to stay here and train with the girls."</blockquote>The gymnasts also thanked the coaches who had worked with them earlier: Anna Olegovna Epifanova, Maria Yurievna Tolkacheva, Ekaterina Olegovna Osaulenko, Natalia Borisovna Tushina, Veronika Borisovna Shatkova, Anastasia Ivanovna Maksimova and Alina Andreevna Makarenko.The athletes previously represented the Russian National team in group exercises. Arina also competed for the Academy at the international 2023 Crystal Rose competition.

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The gymnasts also thanked Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva and the Academy's management for the opportunity, and their coaches for their preparation assistance. 


Daria Melnik and Arina Lysenko talk about Academy's senior group exercise team tryouts

Marbella Grand Prix judge Olga Minigalina spoke of the importance of international tournament experience:<blockquote>"Working at tournaments of this level is truly very important. We strive for it. By attending these tournaments, we can assess the quality of judging by various panels and address any shortcomings we discover. We can see how judges from other countries evaluate our gymnasts and other gymnasts. And, of course, we can adapt and adjust our routines to achieve the highest possible scores at future competitions."</blockquote>The specialist summed up the performance of Mariia Borisova, who won silver and bronze medals in the ribbon and hoop finals:<blockquote>"The result was quite good, we demonstrated our programs and showed what we're capable of. We managed to take home two medals in the finals, which we're very happy about. And we hope the results will only improve at other international competitions. Masha did a great job. Her first appearance on the international stage is always nerve-wracking. The Spanish fans were incredibly supportive. Maria managed to pull herself together in the finals; she fought for every tenth. I think the spectators saw that. We're very proud of her and thrilled that she overcame her nerves, fixed the mistakes she made in the all-around, and competed with the top countries for the medals."</blockquote>On the all-around day of the tournament, Olga judged apparatus difficulty (ball and ribbon), and in the individual event finals, artistic gymnastics (clubs and ribbon). The competition took place on March 21-22.

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The specialist spoke of the importance of international tournament experience and summarized Mariia Borisova’s performance which brought her silver and bronze medals in the ribbon and hoop finals.


"She fought for every tenth, and the audience saw it." Judge Olga Minigalina talks about Mariia Borisova's performance in Marbella

Veronika Solomatina from St. Petersburg got a chance to compete at the Russian Championships under the Sky Grace International Association quota.Veronika is the the Russian Championship 2025 bronze medalist in the team event, international Winter Fairytale 2024 tournament champion, and Gracia Fair Cup 2025 champion. Her coaches are Alina and Irina Gusarova.The gymnast told what she enjoys rhythmic gymnastics and who her favorite athletes are:<blockquote>"In rhythmic gymnastics, you can fully realize your potential, show off your body's capabilities, flexibility, and grace, and give the audience a thrilling experience. Senior gymnasts Masha Borisova and Milena Shchenyatskaya are role models for me. They perform complex risks and elements, yet never forget to convey their artistic vision."</blockquote>&nbsp;

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The gymnast performs at the Russian Championship in Kazan according to the quota of the Sky Grace International Association.