"Every single time has to be better and better. Don't stop anywhere!"
19.09.2026. Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva helped Yana Zaikina from Volgograd to set up for her ball routine at the third stage of the Cup of the Strongest. On the first day of the tournament, the gymnast delivered the top score across the two apparatuses.
Following the performance, came words of support and an important piece of advice: Yana has already outgrown this routine, which means new goals and the next step lie ahead.
Yana is a European champion and a silver medalist of the Russian Junior Championship. The gymnast is a member of the Russian national team's main roster, lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy. Her coaches are Evgenia Eliseeva and Olga Minigalina, and the choreographer is Ekaterina Belova.
Recommends
The Olympic champion helped Alexandra Borisova from Moscow overcome her nerves before stepping onto the carpet for the first time at the third stage of the Cup of the Strongest.
19 September
The passionate support of the fans helped individual gymnasts Yana Zaikina from Volgograd, Ksenia Savinova from Gatchina, and Alesya Naifonova from Vladikavkaz achieve the three highest total scores across four apparatuses.
19 September
The top three medalists are: the group gymnasts from the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy and the Russian national team, gymnasts from the Trudovye Rezervy All-Russian Athletic and Sports Society from Moscow, and the group gymnasts from Belarus.
19 September
Medals were presented to Yana Zaikina from Volgograd, Ksenia Savinova from Gatchina and Anel Dinisheva Kazakhstan by Lyubov Charkashyna, the Belarusian National team Head coach and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, Natalia Nazarova, the General Director of the Yubileyny Athletic Facility, and Tatiana Kolesnikova, the President of the St. Petersburg Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation and Director of the Zhemchuzhina Rhythmic Gymnastics Center.
19 September
Before the start of the third stage of the Cup of the Strongest, the Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva met the head coach of the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics group team, Emanuela Maccarani.
19 September
On the first day of the tournament, the gymnast delivered the top score across the two apparatuses. Following the performance, came words of support and an important piece of advice: Yana has already outgrown this routine, which means new goals and the next step lie ahead.
19 September
At the third stage of the Cup of the Strongest, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva helped Ksyusha Savinova from Gatchina get into the zone before her ball routine and reminded her of the essentials: don't relax, hold the shape, and finish every single element.
19 September
Following the first day of the third stage of the Cup of the Strongest, Alesya Naifonova from Vladikavkaz took third place. Let's watch how Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva psyched the gymnast up before her ball routine and helped analyze and correct her mistakes after the performance.
19 September
It is important to watch the apparatus until the very end and precisely calculate every throw. Let's watch how the gymnasts polished the difficult point step-by-step to achieve a flawless execution.
19 September
Alina Kabaeva reminded the junior group exercise gymnasts of the need to stay calm and focused until the very end of their routine.
19 September
Alexandra Borisova from Moscow and Varvara Toporova from the Republic of Kalmykia showed their hoop and ball routines at the third stage of the Cup of the Strongest.
19 September
It was held jointly with students from the Sirius Federal Territory multidisciplinary gymnasium.
19 September
And the Olympic champion returned the sentiment. Featuring this sweet moment!
19 September
Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva said goodbye to Yana Zaikina from Volgograd and Ksyusha Savinova from Gatchina, wishing the girls composure and confidence. She then checked on Veronika Malinina’s progress and encouraged her fighting spirit.
19 September
Before the start of the third stage of the Cup of the Strongest, the Olympic champion offered words of encouragement to Yana Zaikina from Volgograd, noting that everyone makes mistakes, the key is not to get discouraged and to keep working.
19 September