Sovetsky Sport. March 10, 1976. Tbilisi, 9 March (our special correspondents). For the first time, Svetlana Grozdova (Armed Forces, Rostov-on-Don, coach R. S. Lavrov) and Paata Shamugiya (Dinamo, Tbilisi, coach G. A. Burdzhanadze), became the all-around champions of the USSR in gymnastics for the first time.
The results of the women's competitions should not disorient the reader - more of the main Olympic candidates were absent: E. Saadi and N. Kim, who competed for their teams, decided not to run the risk of unraveling injuries that had not yet competely healed. Thus, Olga Koval, an elegant Leningrader with an already solid international reputation, took the lead before the final. However, we forget that this Koval, who has traveled the world and managed to please the London and New York public, was born only in 1961 and belongs to the generation of those who have now entered the adult platform for the first time. Near the podium, she confessed to her friends that she was very afraid and, in the end, fell from the beam.
After the first rotation, vault, tiny Masha Filatova took the lead, showing one and one-half somersaults forward. In the finals on the individual apparatus where, however, championship medals were not awarded (this will be in Moscow at the USSR Cup), Filatova demonstrated a record for the women and was the first with a "moon salto." But when her turn came on uneven bars, she fell. From this segment of the final distance, another baby began to pick up the pace (in order to eventually reach second place) - Lena Davydova, a student of the very young Voronezh resident, G. Korshunov. Lena's exercise, adorned with a unique combination on the top bar with a handstand release (!) with a change of grip, brought her a well-deserved 10.
Everyone was waiting for the famous balance beam number by S. Grozdova, after which the fate of the gold medal would be decided. Much has been said about this exercise, but the most important point, it seems, has yet to be formulated. Despite the perfection of the composition and the flawless unity of the concept, the uniqueness of the routine is that, firstly, it most accurately reflects the nature of the balance exercise and, secondly, the athletic routine named after women's gymnasitcs (we emphasize this because many coaches, in our opinion, have become excessively carried away with automatically borrowing "male" elements and sequences).
On floor, Natasha Shaposhnikova, also from the generation of 1961, flashed in third place, a new find by V. Rastorotsky. In a composition based on the ballet The Nutcracker, beautifully staged by L. Sokolova, Natasha surprised not only with difficulty, but also with artistry and incendiary temperament: it is already clear that she is a natural gymnast, and even with a twist. More precisely, however, is to say that this lively young miniature herself is the highlight.
And one more moment which, of course, did not go unnoticed. Muscovite L. Bogdanova, led by her coach N. Maiburov, managed to move from 51st place in the compulsory program to sixth. This is a record "jump" in the history of the championship.
For the men, the all-around finals was no less interesting, and maybe even more dramatic. V. Marchenko, the leader after the team competition, immediately fell back to third place after his first event - floor exercise. He was the first performer and the moon salto let him down. In general, gymnasts' exercises on the floor have become so saturated with acrobatics that you don't even know which element is considered the most dificult - either the moon salto or the triple twist shown by P. Shamugiya. And now athletes finish their routines with a double somersault (!), when it seems that there is no strength left for a simple twist...
The pommel horse spoiled the nerves of almost everyone from the leading group. Here, P. Shamugiya "glided off" during the dismount, the Lvov resident V. Safronov abruptly stumbled, and the Muscovite V. Markelov ruined his ending. Moreover, we note that our Olympic candidates failed on this apparatus, and this cannot but alert us. Only V. Tikhonov from Rostov was at the height of the situation (9.4).
V. Marchenko kept his chances for a medal up to the parallel bars. His coach K. Vasserman clenched his fists and took pity on the platform. Marchenko's exercise on this apparatus is one of the most difficult and original. However, he was not lucky - he got confused in intricate sequences. Despite the breakdown, Vladimir deserves credit for constantly updating and improving on the parallel bars.
The progress of the gymnasts on the high bar is obvious. We have been lagging behind the Japanese masters in this apparatus for a long time, and now it seems that the necessary variety and saturation with difficult elements has been achieved. It cannot be said that everything here is good, but the bold decisions of the routines cause satisfaction. Bonuses were given for risk, originality, and virtuosity to V. Marchenko, V. Markelov, V. Tikhonov, and young Muscovite G. Krysin. V. Safronov completed his exerise with a triple somersault dismount, for which he was awarded the highest score - 9.6.
Paata Shamugiya, a twenty-three-year-old Tbilisi student, a future chemical engineer, began studying with Timur Astanani fifteen years ago. Then Gans Burdzhanadze became his coach. A participant in the world championships, Shamugiya has never been a winner of the national championship, although he won the USSR Cup. And here is an inspirational takeoff.
TECHNICAL RESULTS
All-around final. Half the sum of the compulsory and optional programs, plus the sum of the final. Final scores are given in parentheses.
Women. 1. S. Grozdova (Army) - 77.5 (9.2, 9.9, 10.9, 9.6); 2. E. Davydova (Spartak) - 75.975 (9.65, 10, 9.65, 9.7); 3. N. Shaposhnikova (Dinamo) - 75.95 (9.45, 9.15, 10.1, 10.1); 4. M. Filatova (Burevestnik) - 75.775; 5. O. Koval (Trud) - 75.725; 6. L. Bogdanova (Burevestnik) - 75.6; 7. N. Dronova (Gantiadi) - 75.3; 8. L. Yudina (Dinamo) - 74.7; 9. E. Mukhina (Army), M. Ostanina (Zenit), E. Primak (Burevestnik) - 74.7.
Men. 1. P. Shamugiya (Dinamo) - 109.55 (9.05, 8.9, 9.0, 9.5, 9.1, 9.25); 2. V. Safronov (Army) - (9.4, 8.4, 8.65, 9.45, 9.15, 9.6) and V. Markelov (Army) - 109.15 (9.15, 8.65, 9.3, 9.1, 9.25, 9.35); 4. V. Marchenko (Dinamo) - 108.575; 5. V. Tikhonov (Dinamo) - 108.2; 6. R. Mikaelyan (Burevestnik) - 107.825; 7. V. Boiko (Army) - 106.55; 8. A. Sedykh (Army) - 106.475; 9. N. Fedorenko (Labor Reserves) - 106.225; 10. V. Selifanov (Zenit) - 105.7.
Winners of individual events. In parentheses is the score of the final.
Women.
Vault: 1. Filatova - 19.25 (9.725); 2. E. Aleksyutina (Burevestnik) - 19.225 (9.75; 3. Koval - 18.825 (9.45).
Bars: 1. Davydova - 19.75 (10.25); 2. Bogdanova - 19.675 (10.2); 3. S. Pozigun (Trud) - 18.9 (9.5).
Beam: 1. Grozdova - 20.625 (10.6); 2. L. Gonchenko (Trud 2) - 19.2 (9.8); 3. A. Glebova (Burevestnik) - 19.125 (9.75).
Floor: 1. Shaposhnikova - 19.625 (10.05); 2. Davydova - 19.375 (9.75); 3. E. Safonova (Army) - 19.175 (9.7).
Men.
Floor: 1. Safronov - 18.375 (9.0); 2. Shamugiya - 18.35 (9.0); 3. Markelov - 17.95 (8.8).
Pommel horse: 1. V. Khokhlov (Zenit) - 18.475 (9.3); 2. Mikaelyan - 17.75 (8.75); 3. A. Petrosyan (Dinamo) - 17.725 (8.8).
Rings: 1. Mikaelyan - 18.75 (9.5); 2. Markelov - 18.725 (9.35); 3. V. Airapetyan (Spartak) - 18.5 (9.3).
Vault: 1. Shamugiya - 18.85 (9.4); 2. Safronov - 18.65 (9.325); 3. Mikaelyan - 18.2 (9.3).
Parallel bars: 1. Selifanov - 18.45 (9.3); 2. Markelov - 18.2 (9.3); 3. Shamugiya - 18.0 (9.0).
High bar: 1. Safronov - 18.3 (9.2); 2. Tikhonov - 18.075 (8.95) and G. Krysin (Burevestnik) - 18.075 (9.0).
G. AKOPOV
V. GOLUBEV
S. TOKAREV