Grand Prix Went To Russia for The First Time
March 11-12 saw the traditional international modern rhythmic gymnastics tournament, Deriuhina Cup 2000 Grand Prix, held in Kyiv’s Palace of Sports. It is for the first time in the history of these competitions that the main combined-events prize left Ukraine. Before this year, only Ukrainian gymnasts always topped the competition. Now the winner is from Russia. Alina Kabayeva earned ten points for three exercises out of four — the ball, the hoop, and the rope. Belarusian athlete Yuliya Raskina and our compatriot, Tamara Yerofeyeva, finished second and third.
The Russian girl’s victory was not the tournament’s chief sensation. Also unexpected were the low marks for Kyivan Olena Vitrychenko, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic bronze medalist and nine-times champion of the world and Europe. She ranked tenth in the combined events. Moreover, Olena’s points in individual events were lower than those of her compatriots Tamara Yerofeyeva and Hanna Bezsonova (the Grand Prix finals only admit two gymnasts from a country, so Vitrychenko did not compete for medals on Sunday).
12 gymnasts competed in each of Grand Prix events. In all, the tournament featured 35 graces from 27 countries. What is more, Kyiv was visited by rhythmic gymnasts from as far away as Australia and Egypt. But the bulk was made of representatives of the Soviet gymnastics school, who compete now under the colors of not only CIS countries but also Germany and Israel. For example, the Israeli Svetlana Tokayeva lived a few years ago in Vladikavkaz, and the German Lena Asmus in Omsk.
It is only natural that Grand Prix medals went to Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Alina Kabayeva was again the best on the Palace of Sports mat, when she grabbed all the gold in individual exercise. The Ukrainian Tamara Yerofeyeva won a silver (ribbon) and bronze (hoop). A good impression was also made by Hanna Bezsonova who twice finished fourth (hoop and ribbon).
As Albina Deriuhina, president of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation, said the tournament was a success. This was evidenced by the large number of spectators present. Many gymnasts also remained satisfied with organization: they liked the reception and the atmosphere.
And this is how Olena Vitrychenko assessed the tournament in a Music Radio interview:
“The point is I had known about this situation almost a week before the Deriuhina Cup started, so I was morally prepared for this. But I wanted to compete in Kyiv for the spectators to see that I still remain a rhythmic gymnast, so that I might be judged not by the umpires but by the audiences that love me and for the sake of whom I, in principle, stayed behind in rhythmic gymnastics. I knew they would pretend the national team of Ukraine does not need me any more. That my rivals do not need me I have known for a long time. It hurt me very much that our federation took more pleasure in hearing the anthem of Russia rather than Ukraine. My plans have changed: I am not going to take part in the next Grand Prix tournaments or in the championship of Europe. I want to see what the girls will be able do without me, since they don’t think they need me. But I am sure to compete at the Olympic Games because this was the objective of my sporting career. I think that even if I fail to bring home a medal, I will show what true rhythmic gymnastics is. I think I deserve to compete in the Olympics and will do it quite well. I have been invited to a lot of tournaments outside the Grand Prix series. I compete in them without detriment to my preparedness. I will just be able to relax morally a little and save my strength for the Olympic Games.”
