Sovetsky Sport. April 15, 1981. LENINGRAD, April 14 (our special correspondent). The USSR Cup in gymnastics continues at the Yubileiny Sports Palace. The women have completed the compulsory program. In an intriguing contest, two leaders have emerged: Olympic champion Elena Naimushina from Krasnoyarsk and Tatiana Frolova from Bryansk, a newcomer to senior-level competition. Both gymnasts hold a score of 36.7 points.
The coaches of the Dinamo team were in a quandry: which gymnasts to assign to the first squad, and which to the second. Olympic champion Stella Zakharova had clearly not been at her best during recent training sessions, performing her routines with a somewhat labored air. Nor had former world champion Tatiana Arzhannikova from Vitebsk yet regained her form. Their only hope was that these renowned athletes would demonstrate their true mettle. And although both ultimately competed for the second team - generally considered the weaker of the two - they gave it their absolute all.
It's quite possible that both Stella and Tanya could have excelled and become "straight-A students" in the sport. However, the crux of the matter is that the current new compulsory program demands the utmost readiness and flawless physical conditioning from the gymnasts. As has already been noted, these routines are significantly weaker than their predecessors; yet, the intricate connections linking the difficult elements compel the gymnast to perform at the very limit of intense physical and mental strain.
No, no one has yet mastered the compulsory exercises to the required standard. It has been a long time since the majority of gymnasts committed so many errors on the All-Union stage. The balance beam, in particular, proved to be the undoing of many. It was here that two-time Olympic champion Maria Filatova from Leninsk-Kuznetsk fell (scoring 7.8 points); she was followed by Elena Polevaya from Gomel (8.3) - who had been in the lead after two events - and then Zakharova (8.8), who had held the lead after three apparatuses.
The uneven bars proved to be a treacherous event as well. Here, too, there was a hail of low scores. For instance: Arzhannikova - 8.5, Filatova - 8.75. The judges adhered strictly to the letter of the rules: precision and amplitude, fluidity and virtuosity were the requirements. And what of the vault? Of course, nowadays - when everyone is performing the Tsukahara in its various permutations - that very twist (a front handspring with a turn) seems like a trivial matter. Yet, from a technical standpoint, it is precisely this twist that presents a difficult challenge in terms of movement coordination. Oh, how magnificently Lyudmila Turischeva and Karin Janz executed it back in their day! Today, however, I searched in vain for anything comparable.
Olympic all-around champion Elena Davydova (who was feeling slightly under the weather) noted that this compulsory routine would fray quite a few nerves among the gymnasts, and that it would require just as much intense work as the optional exercises.
It was clear that on this evening, too - bold, determined young women making their debut on the senior stage - the female competitors took their cue from the men: there was no need to hide behind the backs of more experienced athletes. All eyes were fixed on those whom television screens had only recently introduced to gymnastics enthusiasts - participants in the international tournament for the Moscow News prize: schoolgirls Alla Misnik from Kharkov and Tatiana Frolova from Bryansk. Well, the youngsters certainly demonstrated an intriguing interpretation of their routines. And Frolova, as we can see, managed to hold onto the top spot on the scoreboard. And who does she share the lead with? None other than Olympic champions Elena Naimushina!
Everyone regards Naimushina as the Cup leader - the schoolgirl from Krasnoyarsk is making noticeable progress. Moreover, she is universally adored for her cheerful disposition, her mischievous smile, and her diligence. Elena has begun to perform her routines with greater expressiveness, softness, and grace - she is coming into her own as an adult. Her coach, Valentin Shevchuk, is strict with her - but, after all, it is all for her own good.
After scoring 9.0 on the uneven bars, Lena found herself outside the top six. You should have seen how she prepared for the final event of the program, the floor exercise. It was her favorite event, and Naimushina resolved to make up for the ground she had lost along the way. And sure enough! Her routine on the mat was a resounding success. A score of 9.45 - and the Siberian gymnast pulled even with Frolova. What a comeback!
Natasha Yurchanko, a student of Vladislav Rastorotsky, made a successful return to competition following a one-year hiatus (though another of the coach's proteges - Natalia Shaposhnikova - proved unprepared for the event). Irina Kirpichenko, a schoolgirl from Vitebsk and student of Vikenty Dmitriev, left a lasting impressionwith the exquisite elegance of her lines. Regrettably, one of the most talented young gymnasts - Natasha Ilienko from Alma-Ata - sustained an injury during the warm up.
At the end of a grueling day, Valentina Mazur - head coach of the Labor Reserves national team - received congratulations; her girls had finished ahead of the two Dinamo squads. Believe me, in the world of gymnastics, that is a major event.
TECHNICAL RESULTS
USSR Cup in gymnastics. Women. Compulsory program. 1. E. Naimushina (Dinamo, Krasnoyarsk) and T. Frolova (Labor Reserves, Bryansk) - 36.7; 3. N. Yurchenko (Dinamo, Rostov-on-Don) - 36.65; 4. S. Zakharova (Dinamo 2, Kiev) - 36.5; 5. E. Gurina (Army, Moscow) - 36.45; 6. I. Kirpichenko (Dinamo 2, Vitebsk) - 36.4; 7. E. Polevaya (Dinamo, Gomel) - 36.25; 8. A. Misnik (Labor Reserves, Kharkov) - 36.05; 9. T. Arzhannikova (Dinamo 2, Vitebsk) - 36.0; 10. A. Babasyan (Profsoyuz, Tbilisi) - 35.95.
Team standings. 1. Labor Reserves - 217.45; 2. Dinamo - 213.1; 3. Dinamo 2 - 212.5.
V. GOLUBEV