Gymn Forum: Not One Mistake!

Not One Mistake!

Sovetskii Sport

October 7, 1977 The women's team from Dinamo finished in first place at the USSR Cup for sport gymnastics. They were led by the confident sportswoman from Rostov-on-Don, Natalia Shaposhnikova -- 77.75.

In the second day of competition, the fight was between two teams. Dinamo had the Rostov schoolgirl Shaposhnikova, but the Army sportswoman, Muscovite Elena Mukhina, showed evidence of her superiority. It's necessary to say that in both teams the leaders had good support from their teammates. For Dinamo -- E. Polevaya from Gomel (this was her debut in senior competition), and Lyubov Yudina and Larissa Nikiforova from Rostov. These two, like Shaposhinikova, are students of Vladislav Rastorotsky. From the Army Club team, Mukhina was supported by Muscovites Olga Koval and Elena Gurina, and Zhanna Gazaryan from Baku.

At the beginning the Dinamo girls hesitated, but then they tore out in front. And this was thanks to the success of Shaposhnikova. That night she presented new elements in a cool and confident way. Before this, Natasha wasn't very stable. But now she didn't make one error in two days of competition. She demonstrated on all events complicated combinations of the highest category. It's a delight to recall her exercise on uneven bars where she performed a giant swing on the upper bar and dismounted with a double back salto.

Possibly, we have seen in Minsk a new direction in the development of compositions in this event. Of course, Mukhina and Filatova also didn't want to let slip their chances. Their exercises had quite a lot of interesting elements. But Lena and Masha made many errors. And Lena Polevaya finished in second position.

This schoolgirl from Gomel was successful in the All-Union Youth Games. And now Lena, who's the same small girl in height, showed a program of high class and substance.

We wish to speak also of Stella Zakharova from Kishinev. Stella, in spite of her 14 years, was a prize winner in this tournament. We spoke of her for the first time two years ago; she was a girl undoubtedly gifted, but not much above average otherwise. However, trainer Vladimir Kuksa saw promise in her.

Stella is very strong and bold. Her trainer found new qualities in Zakharova. She demonstrated not only acrobatic elements on floor exercise (a double layout!) but also high choreographic preparation.

Technical Results
USSR Cup in Sport Gymnastics, Minsk Sports Palace, October 6.
Women. Sum of compulsory and optional program. Order of apparatus: vault, uneven bars, beam, floor
1. N. Shaposhnikova (Dinamo) - 77.75 (9.9, 10.1, 10.6, 10.2); 2. E. Polevaya (Dinamo) - 75.2 (9.7, 9.4, 9.9, 9.7); 3. E. Mukhina (Army) - 74.75 (9.05, 10.3, 8.6, 10.4); 4-5. M. Filatova (Burevestnik) and S. Zakharova (Trudovie Reservi) - 73.55; 6. E. Nikolaentseva (Alga) - 73.25.
Team results: 1. Dinamo - 385.55; 2. Army Club - 366.55; 3. Trud - 356.9.