Komsomolets Turkmenistan. January 7, 1988. Gymnast Alevtina Pryakhina's athletic career has already been filled with many happy moments. In 1986, she won the floor and the all-around bronze medal at the European Junior Championships in Karlsruhe, Germany. Last May, she won silver (all-around) and bronze (floor exercise) at the European Championship for adults in Moscow, and has won various international competitions. And yet, amidst the countless training sessions, camps, and competitions, there are moments that Alevtina especially looks forward to - the rare opportunity to visit her native Ashgabat, to see her parents, relatives, and friends.
Returning from an international tour of Australia and New Zealand, Alevtina was able to fly to the capital of Turkmenistan for a few days. Our correspondent V. Aleksandrov took advantage of the opportunity and interviewed her.
"I don't often get to Ashgabat, as I train in Moscow with the CSKA team under Merited Coach of the USSR Mikhail Yakovlevich Klimenko, so I'm very glad I was able to celebrate the New Year at home," says A. Pryakhina. "As for the past season, it's hard to give a definitive assessment of its results. Of course, I'm happy to have won a medal at the European Championships in Moscow. Although, to be honest, I didn't expect to be a participant. It would seem much easier to finish in the top six at the USSR Cup in Rostov and be included on the World Championship team than to finish in the top three at the USSR Cup in Chelyabinsk and compete among the continent's strongest gymnasts. However, everything turned out the other way around. In Chelyabinsk, I finished third in the all-around, but in Rostov I had no luck. I was sick before the competition and performed the 'screw' element poorly on the floor. As a result, I finished seventh. I went to the World Championships in Holland as an alternate."
Let's revisit some pleasant memories. Experts who observed the European Champinoship noted the increased difficulty of the elements you performed. How did that program come about?
We started working on it even before I was named to the USSR national team. I wanted this program to last through the Olympics. I spent a year and a half learning it, and I still remember the day I first demonstrated a double somersault with two twists, something no one had ever done in women's gymnastics before. It was at the end of 1985, at the Moscow Cup. Then other difficult elements appeared in my routines, on all the apparatus: on the uneven bars and balance beam, the mount (that's what it's called), consisting of a round-off and a pirouette; in the vault, a round-off to the horse and a twist after this (this is also a new vault in gymnastics).
It turns out you'll be performing with this program at the Olympic Games in Seoul?
It's too early to talk about my Olympic performance, although I'm preparing for these compeitions with particular diligence. Sixteen of the country's strongest gymnasts have been invited to a training camp, and six will be selected. The upcoming competitions will determine who will go to Seoul - the Moscow News Prize competition, international competitions in Yerevan and Leningrad (both in March), and the USSR Championships in Chelyabinsk, where the final Olympic team will be determined. As for my program, it remains the same this year. The only thing I need to do is perfect each element.
Please tell us what a typical day with the CSKA team is like for you?
We spend most of our time at the Round Lake sports center, where the USSR national team trains. Our daily routine is as follows: wake up at 7:00, line up at 7:10, go for a run, then a short workout in the gym, breakfast at 9:00, followed by a second workout from 10:30 to 1:30, and a third at 4:30. In the evenings, teachers come to our hotel and school starts. But that only happens during training camps. On regular days (I'm in 9th grade at Moscow School No. 220) I attend all my classes, including physical education. So, no concessions are made to us athletes, as is the case in boarding schools.
How many medals do you have in your collection?
It's not customary to count medals, so I don't pay attention to the number.
And about quality?
Of course, the most memorable medal is from the European Championships. There are others that are very dear to me, too. For example, the gold medals I won in the floor exercise and vault at the Chunichi Cup in Japan. I also can't forget the one I won in 1985 at the international competition of Friendly Armies in Hungary. Back then, I achieved the standard for Master of Sport International Class, having been a candidate for Master of Sport.
Sport occupies a significant place in your life. What other hobbies and interests do you have?
I have many hobbies. But unfortunately, I don't have enough time for them all. In my rare free moment, I crochet toys and dollies and knit socks. Musical interests? I prefer Soviet pop music. I especially like songs performed by Alla Pugacheva and Mikhail Boyarsky. And I also love animals. I've long dreamed of getting a pet. But I just couldn't decide what kind. Then an opportunity presented itself: one day, at the Bird Market in Moscow, I saw some dwarf hamsters with my teammate Vika Kan (she's from Samarkand). They were so cute, I couldn't resist buying them. They lived with us for over a year, and then, unfortunately, they ran away somewhere. Recently, I saw a kangaroo in Australia. What a beautiful animal! It's a shame they don't live in our country.
And the last, traditional question: your plans for the future?
I can't imagine my life without gymnastics, so I'll probably study to become a coach. But that's for the future. For now, my main goal is to qualify for the Olympic Games and compete there successfully.
V. ALEKSANDROV