"Don’t stop no matter what!" Alina Kabaeva addressing participants in the Academy selection

After the next day of the Academy selection, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva addressed girls and urged them to continue training irrespective of any difficulties.

She said that she started taking first places far not at once — only when reaching the age of 12.

"Don’t stop no matter what! Train and train! When I was that small, I trained in Uzbekistan, in Tashkent. And in fact, I never took first places. Never, until I moved to Moscow. Later I began to train, and only then, at the age of 12, I began to take first places. And before that — no. But I trained, loved this sport and dreamed that I would also be a world champion."

The Olympic champion underscored the contribution of coaches in the life of each gymnast.

"The most important is that coaches are so excellent. They make you loving this beautiful kind of sport. And then, if something does not work in rhythmic gymnastics, you will nevertheless go in for sports because sport is the life!"

Lastly, she wished good luck and success in studies to young athletes.