Sovetsky Sport. July 6, 1972. The big gymnastic tournament of the strongest sportsmen of the country is over. On the last day of the competition, which took place at the Luzhniki Sports Palace, the men competed for medals on the individual events. Viktor Klimenko was the most successful of all: he won three gold medals - vault, pommel horse, and parallel bars. Nikolai Andrianov, the winner of the Cup, rose to the top step of the podium twice - he was the best in the floor exercises and on the high bar. Mikhail Voronin became the six-time USSR champion on the rings.
I asked our illustrious gymnast Boris Shakhlin to share his impressions of the men's competition:
"We saw almost all the strongest athletes. Not all of them could compete for a place in the Olympic team: some were not in the best shape, others did not hope for a miracle and resigned themselves to the role of outside observers, and some simply 'burned out,' unable to withstand the competition. Was this competition fierce? I woudn't say very, but it was."
"Those who applied for the team had to endure the most difficult tests. And by the way, they are not finished yet. Shchukin, Maleev, and Mikaelyan, it seems to me, coped with the psychological and physical stress. They need to continue to maintain themselves in the same tone, polish their routines, and in no case slow down."
"Compared to the Kiev championship, the gymnasts achieved a more accurate performance of the compulsory exercises. But the shortcomings still remained. They must be eliminated at the final stage of preparation for the Olympics."
"'Our brother' is getting more difficult - one more day has already been added to the Olympic program. Now the gymnasts will have to work hard on endurance, otherwise they will not have enough strength."
"The three leaders - Andrianov, Klimenko, and Voronin - have real prospects to fight for medals in Munich. This is my firm conviction," concluded Boris Anfiyanovich.
Floor exercise. 1. N. Andrianov (Burevestnik) - 19.0; 2. E. Mikaelyan (Burevestnik) - 18.825; 3. V. Shchukin (Army) - 18.8.
This event is considered a monopoly of the Japanese. In Mexico, Sawao Kato won this event, and at the world championship in Ljubljana, the winner was Akinori Nakayama. 'Kimono' routines are embroidered with numerous sequins, and the ornamentation was elegant. The routines of the Soviet gymnasts looked simplistic, with almost no interesting connections. Now the situation seems to have changed. Maleev learned a number of original elements. Mikaelyan showed how to perform tumbles correctly. Shchukin left the standard altogether - his exercise is unusual and therefore interesting.
I have watched Andrianov's performances for a long time and am always surprised that the Vladimir gymnast never simplifies his routine. And it is very difficult for him. You can could on your fingers those gymnasts in the world who, in one exercise, insert both a double somersault and a double twist at once. And Nikolai does these tumbles at a high level.
Pommel horse. 1. V. Klimenko (Army) - 18.95; 2. N. Andrianov - 18.85; 3. V. Khokhlov (Zenit) - 18.825.
If there was a world championship for individual events, then you can safely take Vitaly Khokhlov to such a tournament - you won't lose. Gymnastics lovers know Yugoslav Miroslav Cerar well, an unsurpassed master of the pommel horse. So, Khokhlov is a carbon copy of Cerar: the same high landing, wide amplitude, beautiful one-legged swings, a variety of elements. Not without reason Khokhlov earned the best score in the final, 9.6, but his preliminary score was weaker.
Rings. 1. V. Voronin (Dinamo) - 18.75; 2. N. Andrianov - 18.725; 3. V. Boiko (Army) - 18.7.
For a long time, giant swings on rings with straight arms have come into fashion, and everyone has learned how to do them, yet no one can show them better than Voronin, the first performer of this most beautiful element. Eduard Mikaelyan also has an excellent routine - he could have become a medalist, but unfortunately he landed unsuccessfully after a double-twisting somersault.
I remember the routines of the Japanese on this apparatus at the last world championship - they were similar to each other, like two drops of water. Last year, our gymnasts went to Japan, and the specialists again noted the more spectacular and complex routines of the Soviet athletes. This is reassuring, by the way.
Vault. 1. V. Klimenko - 18.775; 2. N. Andrianov - 18.75; 3. A. Katkov (Zenit) - 18.725.
There is nothing to say - our guys have really improved and have mastered the most difficult and diverse vaults. There are Tsukaharas, and "screws" and 360-degree twists, and even a unique Arabian somersault, performed by Alexander Katkov. Andrianov has such a vault in reserve, which can make a big noise at the Olympics. However, they say the world champion Japanese M. Tsukahara is preparing something unusual. One can expect an interesting dispute between innovators.
Parallel bars. 1. V. Klimenko - 18.775; 2. N. Andrianov - 18.675; 3. E. Mikaelyan - 18.625.
Klimenko made a tactical move - he refused to perform on two events, but on the other four he gave his best. The tactic paid off - Viktor won three gold and one bronze medals. Klimenko answered in detail my question whether he was satisfied with his performances.
"It was the first time I performed the entire program I was preparing for the Olympics. In Kiev, I had some easier routines, but now I managed to put together everything I had learned. I'm glad I've accomplished what I set out to do. I know there are still some rough edges, especially in the cleanliness of execution. But when you know your mistakes, it's easier to eliminate them."
High bar. 1. N. Andrianov - 19.1; 2. E. Mikaelyan - 19.025; 3. V. Klimenko - 18.95.
A word from the winner of this event, Nikolai Andrianov: "The high bar was considered my worst event. I had to work hard to catch up. And here is the coveted reward. I would like to congratulate other gymnasts - Klimenko, Shchukin, Mikaelyan, and Maleev. They showed interesting routings. It seems that our situation on the high bar is starting to improve."
TECHNICAL RESULTS
USSR championships in individual events.
Women.
Vault. 1. Turischeva (Dinamo) - 19.075; 2. Burda (Spartak) - 18.875; 3. Lazakovich (Dinamo) - 18.825; 4. Koshel (Labor Reserves) - 18.775; 5. Saadi (Dinamo) - 18.725; 6. Karaseva (Army) - 18.7.
Uneven bars. 1. Turischeva - 19.4; 2. Korbut (Army) - 19.3; 3. Lazakovich - 19.125; 4. Voronina (Dinamo) - 18.65; 5. Saadi - 18.575; 6. Znosenko (Labor Reserves) - 18.475.
Balance beam. 1. Saadi - 19.225; 2. Korbut - 18.825; 3. Lazakovich - 18.75; 4. Burda - 18.675; 5. Schegolkova (Dinamo) - 18.375; 6. Voronina - 18.25.
Floor exercise. 1. Saadi - 19.3; 2. Burda - 19.2; 3. Bogdanova (Burevestnik) - 18.7; 4. Bichukina (Burevestnik) - 18.6; 5. Schegolkova - 18.55; 6. Turischeva - 18.35.
Men.
Floor exercise. 1. Andrianov (Burevestnik) - 19.0; 2. Mikaelyan (Burevestnik) - 18.825; 3. Shchukin (Army) - 18.8; 4. Komissarov (Army) - 18.475; 5. Fogel (Army) - 18.45; 6. Maleev (Army) - 18.325.
Pommel horse. 1. Klimenko (Army) - 18.95; 2. Andrianov - 18.85; 3. Khokhlov (Zenit) - 18.825; 4. Mikaelyan - 18.525; 5. Shchukin - 18.475; 6. Kozeev (Zenit) - 18.375.
Rings. 1. Voronin (Dinamo) - 18.75; 2. Andrianov - 18.725; 3. Boiko (Army) - 18.7; 4. Mikaelyan - 18.45; 5. Fogel, Maleev, and Grigoryan (Army) - 19.25.
Vault. 1. Klimenko - 18.775; 2. Andrianov - 18.675; 3. Mikaelyan - 18.625; 4. Voronin - 18.5; 5. Shchukin and Grigoryan - 18.125.
Parallel bars. 1. Klimenko- 18.775; 2. Andrianov - 18.675; 3. Mikaelyan - 18.625; 4. Boiko - 1.4; 5. Diomidov (Army) - 18.3; 6. Shchukin and Grigoryan - 18.125.
High bar. 1. Andrianov - 19.1; 2. Mikaelyan - 19.025; 3. Klimenko - 18.95; 4. Maleev and Razumovsky - 18.65; 6. Voronin and Shchukin - 18.475
V. GOLUBEV