Sovetsky Sport. June 29, 1972. Today, June 28, competitions for the USSR Cup in gymnastics begin at the Luzhniki Sports Palace. At the same time, gold medals will be awarded in the individual events.
Yes, dear sports fans, hurry to Luzhniki! You will see the whole color of domestic gymnastics, its best representatives. Twenty-one women and thirty-six male gymmnasts will take to the platform. Among them - Lyudmila Turischeva and Mikhail Voronin, Tamara Lazakovich and Viktor Klimenko, Lyubov Burda and Nikolai Andrianov, Olga Karaseva, Zinaida Voronina, Olga Korbut, Sergei Diomidov ... in general, all the strongest gymnasts.
The tournament regulations are like the Olympics, and will last six days. First, the athletes will show how they have mastered the compulsory program. On June 29, the women will start at 6 PM, and the men will start at 8 PM. On Friday, June 30, women will perform the optional exercises (beginning at 6 PM), and on Saturday will be the men (also beginning at 6 PM). The final will be on Sunday. The sixteen female and male gymnasts with the highest scores will compete for the main prize of the tournament - the USSR Cup. Women compete at 5 PM and the men compete at 7 PM. Then, on Monday, July 3, we will find out the names of the country's champions in floor exercise, beam, uneven bars, and vault. Finally, on Tuesday, will be the final day. The men will compete for apparatus awards (beginning on July 3 and 4 at 7 PM).
The current competition is the second stage of selection for the Olympic team. If 154 athletes participated in the national championship in Kiev, now the circle of applicants has narrowed to 68 people. This is also a significant figure and, of course, not final - after all, the Olympic teams consist of six gymnasts plus one substitute.
The Kiev championship and the USSR Cup are the two most important competitions, as a result of which twelve men and women will be selected for immediate preparation for the Olympics. And only a month after the last, decisive round, the coaches of the national team will name the cherished sextets. It should be noted that the 'points' earned by the gymnasts in numerous international compoetitions will also be taken into account.
Those who come to Luzhniki will enjoy a magnificent sporting spectacle. Many gymnasts will demonstrate new routines that they have specially prepared for the Olypics. True, it is possible that some of the leaders will keep some 'secret' weapon secret until the actual Games.
As you know, the FIG has made changes to the gymnasts' competition program at the Olympic Games. One day has been added to identify the all-around winners of the Games. Thus, the participants will have to compete for four days. This is a big psychological and physical load. Therefore, the USSR Cup will be held in accordance with the new requirements and will become a dress rehearsal for the Olympic battle.