Sovetsky Sport. April 19, 1981. LENINGRAD, April 18 (our special correspondent). The 26th USSR Cup ended with the awarding of medals in the individual events of the all-around competition.
The winners of the Cup competition on individual apparatus - though not of the national championship, as was erroneously stated earlier - are, for the most part, newcomers to the senior competitive stage. This is not merely because Alexander Tkachev, Eduard Azaryan, and Maria Filatova did not compete on the final day for various reasons; it is also because these audacious debutants - to the surprise of many - did not falter under the colossal competitive strain, nor did they cite fatigue as an excuse (as some renowned veterans did), but instead continued - with flair and courage - to delight the spectators with their dazzling routines.
It bears repeating - though it is undeniably true - that a generational shift is currently underway in the world of gymnastics. However, such a phenomenon is to be expected in a post-Olympic season. What is truly significant to note here is something else entirely: the high level of readiness displayed by young athletes for senior-level competition, along with the superior sophistication of their routines. This indicates that the talent reserve has been actively nurtured and cared for - and, crucially, cultivated with a gentle hand. Rather than merely drilling for immediate results, coaches have focused their efforts on the fundamental development of technique and on mastering elements drawn from carefully designed programs.
An overall assessment of the USSR Cup, provided by the chief judge, Professor Vladimir Silin:
I mean no offense whatsoever to the Olypians or other renowned masters, but I must say that they were bewildered - even stunned - by the onslaught of the young generation. Yes, they knew that the juniors had been preparing difficult elements and high-risk routines; yet to perform such such boldness and audacity - executing such long, intricate routines without omitting or watering down a single detail for tactical reasons - was something, perhaps, no one had expected from these debutants.
The young athletes truly burst onto the national team scene. Not everyone saw everything go their way, nor did everyone breeze through the all-around competition without a hitch; yet, on the whole, it marked a powerful assault on the positions held by the seasoned champions.
The newcomers not only showcased new elements but once again proved that progress in gymnastics is boundless. This evolution is particularly evident on the high bar. The execution of routines - performed, as we say, "far from the apparatus" - created a striking visual effect. Routines on the rings and pommel horse have also improved. Among the women, the complexity of exercises on the uneven bars and balance beam has increased. What I observe at this stage is not so much a general elevation in overall class or execution purity - areas where some shortcomings still remain - but rather a quest for a new direction.
Young Voices. Vladimir Artemiev, Pavel Sut, Yuri Korolev, Andrei Popov, and Artur Akopyan (even though he is already a world team champion) - these are the ones who stood out on the podium.
Artemiev took first place in the pommel horse and high bar events. One cannot, of course, claim that he achieved exceptional virtuosity in these disciplines - though, at least, that is how it appeared. To undergo two highly complex leg surgeries, to train virtually nothing in vaulting and acrobatics, yet still compete with such verve - this speaks volumes. It speaks of character. It speaks of willpower.
A Conversation by the Platform. - Volodya, were you prepared for events like this - for taking the lead at the USSR Cup?
- As early as the compulsory program, I sensed that I wouldn't be finishing at the back of the pack. There was a certain lightness, a surge of energy. I was apprehensive about the floor exercise and the vault, so I gave them my absolute all. For the other events, however, I felt completely at ease - everything was honed to automatic precision.
- I suppose your favorite apparatus is the pommel horse? Your routine here is very complex and beautiful.
- No, what I like most is the high bar. I revel in the flight - it feels like I can do anything!
Well, let us now turn our attention to Vladimir Artemiev - a Minsk native, a fourth-year student at the Institute of Physical Education, a level-headed young man, an avid chess player, and a promising gymnast.
In the women's program of the competition, Alla Misnik, Tanya Frolova, Elena Naimushina, Natalia Yurcheniko, Elena Polevaya, and Aida Babasyan stood out.
Still, the undisputed favorites were Alla and Tanya - the youngest of the group. They haven't even turned fourteen yet, but that doesn't mean it's a case of "the kindergarten taking over the podium" once again. Yes, these two seventh-graders are indeed pint-sized; however, the judges don't score based on height, nor do they award high marks for pretty eyes (though the girls' eyes truly are beautiful) - rather, they judge based on highly original routines, remarkable precision, and sheer novelty.
Tanechka Frolova's mother works as a store cashier, while her father is a fitter at the Bryansk Machine-Building Plant. Her coach, Vladimir Shishkin, is a miner from Kemerovo - a true working-class man. He moved to Bryansk, married Lyudmila Borisova, and thus a new coaching duo was formed. We hope that Tanya Frolova - the Cup silver medalist and vault champion - will continue to delight us in the future.
Alla Misnik attends School No. 72 in Kharkov. Her mother, a quality control inspector, and her father, a machine adjuster at a bearing plant, were delighted when their daughter began practicing gymnastics back in kindergarten. First Svetlana Shumovskaya, and later her husband, Valentin, guided Alla along the arduous path of gymnastics.
Conversations by the Podium. - Alla, which gymnasts do you like?
- Lyudmila Turischeva and Olga Korbut.
- Do you think you're brave?
- I don't know...
"Oh, she's brave! Why, she sees a cat near the house and calls for help!" laughs the cheerful coach Shumovsky. He is quite the joker, actually - you never know when he's being serious and when he's just kidding. Like right now, for instance...he was probably joking again.
TECHNICAL RESULTS
USSR Cup in gymnastics. Individual event finals. Half the sum of the compulsory and optional programs, plus the finals score.
Men.
FX: 1. Yu. Korolev (Spartak, Vladimir) - 18.95; 2. A. Pogorelov (Army, Volgograd) - 18.55; 3. S. Khizhnyakov (Army, Rostov-on-Don) - 18.475.
PH: 1. V. Artemiev (Dinamo, Minsk) - 18.95; 2. V. Baklanov (Army, Moscow) - 18.875; 3. B. Makuts (Army, Lvov) - 18.8.
RG: 1. S. Khizhnyakov - 18.8; 2. A. Atakhanov (Burevestnik, Tashkent) - 18.8; 3. V. Turbanov (Army, Volgograd) - 18.6.
VT: 1. A. Popov (Dinamo, Voronezh) - 18.7; 2. Yu. Korolev - 18.575; 3. O. Protasov (Profsoyuz, Kharkov) - 18.515.
PB: 1. B. Makuts - 18.75; 2. P. Sut (Red Star, Minsk) - 18.725; 3. V. Artemiev - 18.55.
HB: 1. V. Artemiev - 19.425; 2. A. Akopyan (Labor Reserves, Yerevan) - 19.375; 3. P. Sut - 19.1.
Women
VT: 1. T. Frolova (Labor Reserves, Bryansk) - 19.0; 2. L. Kharisova (Army, Alma-Ata) - 18.9; 3. A. Babasyan (Profsoyuz, Tbilisi) - 18.8.
UB: 1. A. Misnik (Labor Reserves, Kharkov) - 19.3; 2. E. Polevaya (Dinamo, Gomel) - 19.1; 3. E. Ivanova (Labor Reserves, Cheboksary) - 18.7.
BB: 1. A. Misnik - 19.475; 2. N. Yurchenko (Dinamo, Rostov-on-Don) - 18.3; 3. E. Naimushina (Dinamo, Krasnoyarsk) - 18.3.
FX: 1. E. Naimushina - 18.6;2. N. Solovey (Profsoyuz, Kiev) - 18.55; 3. A. Misnik - 18.375.
V.GOLUBEV