Sovetsky Sport, June 1, 1970 (our special correspondents). The USSR gymnastics champions are Lyubov Burda and Mikhail Voronin. Silver medalists are Zinaida Voronina and Viktor Klimenko. Bronze medalists are Tamara Lazakovich and Viktor Lisitsky.
The second day of the women's competition decided almost nothing in the individual competition. Only 16 finalists were determined, without having any impact on the overall championship. Olga made a truly titanic effort after her 7.6 on the uneven bars in the compulsory and 24th place, and entered the final in fifth. The team competition ended traditionally, because there are no stronger gymnasts in the country than the Dinamo girls.
And here is the third day, the decisive one. The stronegst gymnasts start with the vault. Radiant Zina Voronina (having returned from Moscow, told her husband that their son Dimka said his first word, 'papa') gets 9.55 for a clean 'bend-unbend.' Turischeva, clearly determined to fight for first place, makes a long, rather low vault (9.45). L. Lazakovich gets 9.6, and Karaseva gets 9.65.
On the uneven bars, Lazakovich received the second-highest score of the day (9.65), behind only Turischeva (9.8). Turischeva's routine, decorated with a pirouette on the top and bottom poles, is as always, almost record-breaking in difficulty. After a series of failures, she finally learned to take this stance. And what is Lazakovich's strength, who doesn't have 'turntables' in her arsenal, or anything else supernatural? Her strength lies in that amazing purity, wide range of movements, calmness combined with vigor, which should distinguish any high-class gymnast.
Let's say (running forward) that on the balance beam only she and Karaseva worked on 'high toe,' but this art is slowly dying for us, and some coaches are starting to say why do we need this high toe at all, it's not comfortable on the foot. So we can come to an agreement that we don't need straight knees, and other things that make up the style of gymnastics, and what will remain from it is pure acrobatics on apparatus.
But let's get back to the competition. The leader, former national champion L. Burda, who got 9.65 on vault and was ahead of Voronina by 0.2, to be on the safe side removed the second 'turntable' from her famous uneven bars routine and performed the exercise steadily - although without brilliance, and slightly lost the pace in the middle. After the uneven bars, Turischeva caught up with Voronina, who showed her usual class everywhere but clearly (and quite naturally) was not yet ready to fight for the gold medal.
The beam event put the nerves of all the finalists to a serious test. This is generally a good thing: competing with the GDR team required strong nerves. But it's easy to say that from the sidelines.
For a long time, the best score on this apparatus belonged to E. Saadi, who showed a charming routine with a number of difficult turns and a unique style of oriental-inspired choregraphy. Only Turischeva, having received 9.7, overtook her by 0.1. This time, the somersaults and flips were welded into a single whole. Burda came out. Twenty-five film cameras and ten movie cameras were filming her just near the platofrm. And how many from the stands!
The score wasn't announced for a long time. Judge G. Konovalova gathered the judges and gave them a strict reprimand not to inflate the scores: there were a number of pauses in the routine and Burda turned on her flat foot (9.5). Turischeva caught up with the leader. Floor exercise is ahead.
Imagine what storms and squalls raged in the souls of Yu. Shtukman and V. Rastorotsky. Shtukman was also worried because Burda had realized his long-standing plan: the composition for "Toccata," restrainedly passionate and intense, was being performed for the first time in Minsk. Turischeva's interpretation of the "Moorish Dance" from Machivariani's ballet Othello is already known and has been tested in a large competition. Solving the case, it seemed to us, would take hundredths of a point. Turischeva came out, desperately, dived into her rapid exercise and suddenly, after a flip, she bent over and sat down on the carpet. It was scary to see Rastorotsky's face at that moment. He sank his teeth into his fist, his eyes expressing extreme grief. Everything was lost - 8.7. Burda received 9.7. Voronina who, not having time to prepare a new routine, returned to the old operetta number that made her famous five years ago, came in second place. Lazakovich was in third place. The column of girls left the arena, and Lyuda Turischeva was crying right there in the arena.
The main contenders for the men's title started with floor exercises. The issue with first place was practically settled: Voronin's lead over Klimenko was 0.8, and winning that much back from the world champion was an almost impossible task. But a dispute for third place was expected between Lisitsky and Diomidov, who were separated by only 0.15 in Lisitsky's favor.
Judging by the performances of the strongest group, floor exercises are still not making much progress here. Only Klimenko has a routine whose composition is impeccable. But Voronin, having added a double twist and performed it better in the final than in the preliminary competition, seems to be on a par with the best performers in the world. It seems that in the time remaining before the world championship, candidates for the national team, but touching the acrobatic part, it is necessary to redo some simple connections that frame the tumbles. And choreographers should do this. Otherwise, it is impossible to achieve an advantage over the Japanese in this event.
Before performing on the rings, Voronin's coach E. Korolkov said, "It's just for fun, Misha, do the double twist as freely as you did the day before yesterday." When Mikhail finished his routine, Korolkov smiled. "Soon you'll be able to hit the board," But the coach was joking: Voronin landed very accurately. The whole routine was chiseled and graceful - 9.85.
Klimenko was pleased. The rings used to be considered a lagging eveng for him, but now he received 9.6, the same as Lisitsky.
Diomidov winced in pain (an old shoulder injury was making itself felt). But he was very strong, and bravely held difficult balances for the allotted time, and was rewarded for his will (9.55). However, he was already separated from Lisitsky by 0.2.
V. Fogel again distinsguished himself on vault, proving that he is close to perfection on this event.
Diomidov took a tenth back from Lisitsky. They were still separated by 0.15 points. And here is the high bar. Diomidov landed unsuccessfully (9.4), and we must wait for Lisitsky to perform. A 9.55 brought Lisitsky to third place. Last year's national champion was content with fourth place. And, of course, Voronin became the champion - for the third time.
TECHNICAL RESULTS
USSR gymnastics championships. Minsk. 30-31 May. Women. Team results. 1. Dinamo - 451.25; 2. Armed Forces - 444.65; 3. Spartak- 440.7; 4. Trud - 439.1; 5. Burevestnik - 439.1; 6. Zenit - 436.85.
All-around. Finals results are in brackets. 1. Burda (Spartak) - 76.4 (9.65, 9.6, 9.5, 9.7); 2. Voronina (Dinamo) - 76.2 (9.55, 9.6, 9.45, 9.25); 3. Lazakovich (Dinamo) - 75.85 (9.6, 9.65, 9.4, 9.65); 4. Saadi (Dinamo) - 75.5 (9.5, 9.5, 9.6, 9.6); 5. Turischeva (Dinamo) - 75.4 (9.45, 9.8, 9.7, 8.7); 6. Sikharulidze (Dinamo) - 75.4 (9.4, 9.4, 9.4, 9.65)
Men. 1. Voronin (Dinamo) - 115.4 (9.65, 9.6, 9.85, 9.45, 9.6, 9.6); 2. Klimenko (Army) - 114.35 (9.55, 9.55, 9.6, 9.6, 9.7, 9.5); 3. Lisitsky (Army) - 112.9 (9.5, 9.3, 9.6, 9.4, 9.5, 9.55); 4. Diomidov (Army) - 112.75 (9.4, 9.4, 9.55, 9.5, 9.65, 9.4); 5. Bogdanov (Army) - 112.25 (9.65, 9.35, 9.5, 9.5, 9.45, 9.5); 6. Bogus (Dinamo) - 111.85 (9.2, 9.4, 9.65, 9.35, 9.35, 9.5)
V. GOLUBEV, M. SUPONEV, S. TOKAREV