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Training

Before the World Championships, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva spoke with the Russian team from St. Petersburg about the importance of going into competition with the right mindset.

"This is a great opportunity! And take full advantage of it."

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Listen to these important and touching words!

Laura Acosta addressed the Russian National team gymnasts before they left for the World Championships

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President of the St. Petersburg Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Tatiana Kolesnikova, reminded Mariia Borisova of how, as a very young girl, Masha looked with admiration at the older gymnasts preparing for the World Championships. And now Masha herself has become a role model for the young athletes who cheer for her in the stands.




Watch a touching moment from a control training session in St. Petersburg!

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Competitions

Voting for your favorite individual gymnast will be open from 10:00 am on August 12 to 21:40 on August 14. Voting for your favorite group exercise team will run from noon to 18:45 on August 15 (Moscow Time, GMT +3 hours).

The World Championship organizers are launching a fan vote to choose the best individual gymnast and the best group exercise team

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Mariia Borisova and Arina Kovshova departured to Frankfurt for the 2026 World Championships

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Qualifications for the individual all-around final and event finals will take place on August 12 and 13. The individual all-around final will be held on August 14. The group all-around competition will be held on August 15, where the team winner will be determined. The event finals will be held on August 16.


The detailed schedule for the 2026 World Championships

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Mariia Borisova, Sofia Ilteriakova, Arina Kovshova, and the Russian National team (Arina Lavrenova, Alisa Eremeeva, Anna Nikolaeva, Sofia Solonskaya, Agata Barekzai, and Daria Melnik) will compete in group exercises at the main start of the season. 

Russian gymnasts will take part in the 2026 World Championships in Frankfurt

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For health reasons, Arina will compete in one event in the qualification round instead of the planned three.

Arina Kovshova addressed the fans regarding the changes made to the 2026 World Championships roster

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Afterward, a pleasant surprise awaited the athlete—a mug, a baseball hat, and a pillow with the Academy's logo.

Thailand's Jojo Tawinun performed in front of the judges and spectators during a control training session at the Academy

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MA Academy

Young participants tried their hand at various exercises under the guidance of coach Evgeny Ivanov, demonstrating just how active, agile, and ready they are for new athletic discoveries.

Another try-out session for the early preschool education Academy classes has taken place at the Martial Arts Academy

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The judges evaluated the performances in a competitive mode, while the fans supported the athletes and created the atmosphere of a real tournament.


A control training session was held at the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics before departure for the World Championships

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During the training session, they focused on the artistic accents of the five-ball routine. Irina Zenovka, Inna Bystrova, Veronika Shatkova, and Olga Frolova also worked with the team.


Coach and judge Laura Acosta from Mexico is helping the group team from the Russian national team from St. Petersburg prepare for the World Championships

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Academy Life


This evening, the Swan Lake ballet was performed on stage as part of the Grand Summer Music Festival in Sirius.



The Academy gymnasts, coaches, and Jojo Tawinun, a participant in the training camp from Thailand, together with her coach, visited the Sirius Concert Center

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The spectators cheered Marina Malpica from Mexico, the Russian group team gymnasts, Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg, and Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region during a control training session at the Zhemchuzhina Gymnastics Center. The athletes heard the support throughout each performance. 


Take a look at how the fans cheered the gymnasts during a control training session at the Zhemchuzhina Gymnastics Center

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Following the control training session at the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva wished the gymnasts, coaches, and choreographers good luck ahead of the World Championships and reminded them how crucial it is to be a united team.

"Everyone needs to unite and move forward together as one team!"

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Together with Olga Minigalina, a member of the All-Russian Board of Judges, the gymnast from Mexico refined her clubs routine. The specialist pointed out an important nuance and advised what needed to be changed in performance.


Not only our gymnasts are preparing for the World Championships at the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics, but also Marina Malpica and her coach, Elisa Meza!

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Together with coach and judge Laura Acosta from Mexico, the Russian national team's group exercise gymnasts from St. Petersburg worked on the accents in their five-ball routine.


The final stage of preparation for the World Championships!

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Academy coaches and judges Ekaterina Lots and Olga Minigalina reviewed Masha's ball routine in detail. Watch our video to see the details in artistry and execution the experts helped to refine!




Let’s take a look at the control training at the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics, where European Championship medalist Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg performed!

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Every unnecessary movement wastes time and disrupts the rhythm of the routine. Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva showed the Russian national group team from St. Petersburg how to transition immediately into an exchange right after catching the ball. A few repetitions — and the combination becomes noticeably cleaner.


How to eliminate extra steps after a catch?

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During a control training session at the Zhemchuzhina Central Gymnastics Center, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva and Russia’s Honored Coach Natalia Lashchinskaya advised Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg on how to more accurately time her ribbon routine to the music.

Alina Kabaeva and Natalia Lashchinskaya advise Mariia Borisova on how to more accurately time her ribbon routine to the music

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Together with Academy coach Olesya Kovaleva, gymnast Jojo Tawinun from Thailand is working on her expressiveness: adding fluidity, accents, and freedom of movement.


Just a few training sessions — and the routine already starts to look completely different

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Following the control run-throughs, Academy judges Olga Minigalina, Ekaterina Lots, Olga Frolova, and Zlata Tulubaeva evaluated the gymnasts' performances. The specialists explained why it is important to project energy to the spectators and judges, how the presentation affects the overall impression, and what technical nuances require attention to avoid losing points. Honored Coaches of Russia Veronika Shatkova and Inna Bystrova also took part in the training session.


What feedback did the group exercise gymnasts of the Russian national team from St. Petersburg receive during the control training session?

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During the training session, Honored Coach of Russia and national team choreographer Veronika Shatkova helps the gymnasts work on their lines, shoulder and arm positioning, expressive gaze, and smile — the details that make a performance truly alive and artistic.


Choreography is not just about the precision of movements, but also about the ability to convey a character

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Under the guidance of their coaches, the gymnasts worked with clubs and ribbons.



We took a look at the training session of athletes from the Bryansk Region!

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During the control training session, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva noted the progress made by the Russian national group exercise team from St. Petersburg in their ball routine and shared warm memories of her choreography classes with Honored Coach of Russia Veronika Shatkova.



Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva noted the progress made by the Russian national group exercise team from St. Petersburg

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During the control training, Ekaterina Lots, Olga Frolova, Olga Minigalina, and the coaches analyzed the Russian national team's run-through in detail. The judging panel highlighted one of the most important elements of the composition — the accents, which must be clearly visible during the performance.



Judges and coaches analyze the Russian national team's run-through in detail during the control training

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A video featuring Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, fans, coaches, choreographers, and judges.

Showing the complete video of the start of the control training at the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics

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During the control training session at the Zhemchuzhina Center of Rhythmic Gymnastics, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva spoke with Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg about how important it is to divide attention across every aspect of the routine, never forgetting either the artistry or the technical component.

"The most important thing is to work for the result!"

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During the control training session ahead of the World Championships, our gymnasts received very special support — young spectators in the stands cheered for Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg and the Russian national group exercise team.


Every run-through — together!

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During the training session of Maria Borisova from St. Petersburg, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, together with judges Olga Minigalina, Olga Frolova, and Natalya Lashchinskaya, reviewed the execution of her risk with a ball. After several successful attempts, Masha received another assignment — to perform the risk one more time, but this time for herself, in order to lock in the feeling of the correct execution.


A video about why it is important not to rest on your laurels even at a workout

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Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, together with coaches Irina Gusarova, Natalya Lashchinskaya, and Olga Minigalina, gave Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg tips on how to better feel the music during her routine. However, the judges' opinions were divided on one of the elements, so she had to perform it one more time. Watch the video to see if Masha managed to convince the strictest judge — her personal coach, Irina Gusarova.



"Listen to the music — it will help you!"

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Alina Kabaeva welcomed the young spectators before the control training session in St. Petersburg ahead of the World Championships and asked them to cheer for the gymnasts.


"Imagine that we are at the World Championships!"

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Before the World Championships, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva went over a section of the five-ball routine with the Russian national group exercise team from St. Petersburg and drew attention to the quality of exchanges and the timing in execution of every single element.


"All catches happen on strong legs"

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Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva explained to Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region why simply executing elements is not enough: it is important to feel the musical pattern, accelerate in time, and not to lose the tempo.



Technique is important, but it is the music that sets the rhythm for the entire routine

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During a training session ahead of the World Championships, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva explained to Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg why it is important in a risk not only to execute the throw correctly but also to instantly begin the rotational movement.



"Once you’ve thrown it — immediately go after the apparatus"

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During a training session in Novogorsk, Alina Kabaeva and coach Irina Gusarova guided Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg on how to polish her clubs routine and maintain her tempo in difficult rotations. Additionally, alongside judge Ekaterina Lots, the Olympic champion helped the gymnast to sort out her risk execution errors.




"You see, the music itself is waiting for you"

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During a workout in Novogorsk, the Olympic champion together with coaches Elizaveta Chernova and Olga Minigalina, worked on the fouetté turns in the clubs routine of Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region. Alina Kabaeva and the specialists advised the gymnast to perform an exact number of double turns to maintain her tempo and execution cleanliness.


The Olympic champion and Academy coaches work on the fouetté turns in the clubs routine of Arina Kovshova

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During a workout in Novogorsk, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva showed Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg the correct entry into a leap for a hoop catch. Let's watch this video to see how to properly prepare the legs and keep moving right away. The routine was choreographed and directed by Irina Zenovka.


Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva shows Mariia Borisova the correct entry into a leap for a hoop catch

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Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, along with choreographer and stage director Irina Zenovka, coaches Ekaterina Lots and Elizaveta Chernova, and choreographer Ekaterina Belova, explained to Russian champion Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region how to perform the skill at the end of her clubs routine so that it gets credited.

Arina is a World Cup stage medalist. She lives and trains at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy. Her coaches are Elizaveta Chernova and Olga Minigalina, and the choreographer is Ekaterina Belova.

Sometimes the secret to clean execution is not in the catch itself, but in moving toward the apparatus!

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Russia’s Honored Coach Veronika Shatkova spoke about working with gymnasts at the Academy, the role of artistry in rhythmic gymnastics, and the athletes' training system.

Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva trained and won medals under Veronika’s guidance.

Russia’s Honored Coach Veronika Shatkova spoke about working with gymnasts at the Academy

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During a control training session in Novogorsk, Alina Kabaeva suggested removing the skill on the fouetté in the clubs routine of Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region, to help the gymnast keep up with the music. 



"Music helps you there!"

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During a pre-World Championships training session in Novogorsk, Alina Kabaeva explained to Russian champion Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region how to distribute her weight when entering a planche, while Academy coaches Elizaveta Chernova, Olga Minigalina, Olga Frolova, and choreographer Ekaterina Belova helped the gymnast practice her rotation.

A step-by-step review of the approach to a spectacular planche from the Olympic champion!

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During a control training session in Novogorsk, Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg received valuable feedback from Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva and judges Olga Minigalina, Olga Frolova, Natalya Kukushkina, and Evgenia Gertsikova.

Our gymnasts continue to prepare for the World Championships!

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Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, coaches Olga Minigalina and Elizaveta Chernova, and choreographer Ekaterina Belova advised Russian champion Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region on how to increase the rotational force in her ball routine.

During training before the World Championships, the planché technique received a lot of attention

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Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, along with coaches Elizaveta Chernova and Olga Minigalina, and choreographer and stage director Irina Zenovka, reviewed a mistake in the hoop routine with World Cup stage medalist Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region and explained why it is important not to rush during the risk element: a proper throw should be made, the apparatus should be given the necessary height, and only then a clean rebound should be done.

"The most important thing is a proper throw"

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While working on the ball routine ahead of the World Championships, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, along with coaches Olga Minigalina and Irina Gusarova, and choreographer Ekaterina Belova, helped Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg refine her helicopter element and her catch into a roll.



"Always go into your run-through with these exact feelings!"

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During a workout in Novogorsk, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, coaches Olga Minigalina and Irina Gusarova, and choreographer Ekaterina Belova shared an effective way for Mariia Borisova from St. Petersburg to practice difficult elements — the risk and the boomerang in her ribbon routine. Irina Zenovka is the choreographer and stage director of the program.


Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva and Academy coaches share an effective way for Mariia Borisova to practice difficult elements

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Jojo Tawinun is working on expressiveness and plasticity under the guidance of Honored Coach of Russia Veronika Shatkova. 

How does the training session of the athlete from Thailand go?

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During a workout in Novogorsk, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, along with coaches Elizaveta Chernova and Olga Minigalina, and choreographer Ekaterina Belova, helped Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region perfect her hoop fouetté technique. They paid special attention to the correct entry into the element, body posture, and hand and wrist work.





Alina Kabaeva and Academy coaches help Arina Kovshova perfect her hoop fouetté technique

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During a training session with Arina Kovshova from the Novosibirsk Region, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva analyzes a risk element involving the ball and explains what to focus on: how to properly initiate the throw, how the arm and leg work, and why applying more force isn't always necessary. 