Sovetsky Sport. April 24, 1985. So, there's been another change of champions. In 1983, Natalia Yurchenko won the USSR championships, last season - Natalia Ilienko, and now Oksana Omelyanchik has won the all-around.
Progress of the Struggle. In the all-around finals, the requirements for the difficulty and composition of routines, as is known, are much higher than in team competitions. And, of course, each of the medal contenders has prepared a "homemade recipe" to surprise the strict judges. Today, stability and the ability to perform without mistakes are especially valued, because the results at competitions are so tight that any mistake sets the gymnast back.
Let me remind you that Omelyanchik became the leader after both programs: no one beat her in the optional program, either. And although Oksana was 0.4 points ahead of her closest pursuer before the final, it was felt from the mood of the other gymnasts that no one had come to terms with this leadership.
And so it began! This was a fight, this was a seething of passions! There was no fear, no caution - we saw inspiration and a thirst for fight in the girls' performances. The first event was vault. Omelyanchik - 9.7, Rostovite Yurchenko - 9.8, Shushunova - also 9.8 (she performed a Yurchenko vault with a double twist), Irina Baraksanova from Tashkent - 9.7, Leningrader Natalia Frolova - 9.9. Yes, they were about evenly matched.
Now, the most spectacular apparatus is the uneven bars. I wonder what will be scored higher - the dashing, flighty nature of Omelyanchik, the elegance and calligraphy of Baraksanova, the complexity of Shushunova, or the academic quality and rigor of Yurchenko's lines? Shushunova won this dispute (9.85), which was one hundredth more than Omelyanchik. The results tightened even more, but Yurchenko was still fourth, one tenth behind Baraksanova.
Touches to the Champion's Portrait. After the end of the competition, Omelyanchik said that on the first day she felt a little constrained, and then she 'let go,' cast aside all doubts and competed without fear of getting messed up. The victory of the Ukrainian team completely inspired her: team gold is so pleasant for everyone.
She made her debut on the adult platform in 1983, at the All-Union Spartakiad. She took fifth place there. Last year, Oksana moved up a notch and even became a medalist in floor exercises at the national championship.
On January 2, eighth-grader Oksana turned 15 years old. She started studying gymnastics at six with Leonid Eidelman. This wonderful coach passed away early, but his work was continued by his wife Tatiana Perskaya, a former gymnast and champion of Ukraine. Oksana is an excellent student at school, enjoys modeling and drawing, and has been writing poetry for a long time. Psychologist Arnold Grinshtat works at the Spartak sschool. He gave the following description of Omelyanchik: "Sociable, not withdrawn into herself. Psychologically stable. Now stability has come to her."
Progress of the Struggle. The top four looked great on beam. Yurchenko was especially impressive (9.9), and now she passed Baraksanova (9.7). Shushunova and Omelyanchik had 9.8 each. Other gymnasts, having forgotten the sorrows of failure, also spread their wings. Fifteen-year-old Zhanna Kravchuk from Grodno made a sharp leap upward. Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences Ludmila Chereshneva, an employee of the scientific group at the national team, said that Zhanna made the greatest impression on her; she is, perhaps, the leader of the new wave, and her program looks to the future. Muscovite Oksana Averkova and Elena Zabrodina from Kuibyshev also looked fresh and unconventional.
The last event is floor. They performed their routines with inspiration (Shushunova - 9.9, Frolova and Omelyanchik - 9.8, Zabrodina - 9.75). The final point has been reached, and the winners have been decided.
Touches to the Champion's Portrait. Omelynchik left the platform as the winner. Tatiana Perskaya approached her and said: "You know, I will congratulate you on the pedestal. But now, listen to what mistakes you made on the last diagonal." Oksana laughes happily - that's how it is with her and her coach. Gymnastics first, and only then congratulations.
I asked Oksana to write something in the composition notebook.
"Can I write something silly?"
"Sure."
I can tell you frankly,
that there is probably nothing better.
What do I mean?
Yes, it is sport.
I love it!
This is how she is, our new all-around national champion.
TECHNICAL RESULTS
51st USSR Gymnastics Championships. Alma-Ata.
Women. Half the sum of the compulsory and optional programs, plus the finals. 1. O. Omelyanchik (UKR) - 77.825; 2. E. Shushunova (LEN) - 77.675; 3. N. Yurchenko (RUS) - 76.775; 4. I. Baraksanova (UZB) - 76.425; 5. N. Frolova (LEN) - 75.975; 6. Zh. Kravchuk (BLR) - 75.025; 7. O. Averkova (MOS) - 74.775; 8. L. Kharisova (KAZ) - 74.70; 9. S. Spichak (KAZ) - 74.5; 10. E. Zabrodina (RUS) - 74.45; 11. T. Tuzhikova (RUS) - 74.35; 12. E. Sapsaeva (MOS) - 74.325.
V. GOLUBEV