Sovetsky Sport. September 27, 1985. The gymnasts are performing for the first time at the Izmailovo Sports Palace, and at first everything seemed unusual to them. The equipment looks like it is on stage, but they aren't arranged according to the Olympic scheme. It's a bit cramped for the judges, and it's impossible for the coaches and participants to turn around near the platform - the barrier is in the way. But all these little things were forgotten when the main thing began - the penmanship lesson at "school."
Whatever they say about the new compulsory program - whether it's difficult, tricky, or quite simple - the rules contain so many special requirements for the execution of each element that without perseverance and diligence, you won't be able to "draw" it beautifully.
During the day shift, attention was focused on Yuri Korolev from the Vladimir gymnastics school. Although he has slowed down, the 1981 all-around world champion does not give up, fights and dreams of being among the leaders. But it seems that he has lost his self-confidence, and this is a worrying thing in sports and in life too. Yuri gets nervous, restrains himself (and remember how much I liked him precisely for his looseness!), and offensive blots appear on his "pages." He spoiled his pommel horse routine and made a gross error on the high bar (8.05). It's a pity, of course, that Korolev has not yet fully revealed his talent.
Korolev had a high score on rings, 9.6. Who is higher? For Bilozerchev and his Armed Forces team, the rings were their first event per the draw. Dima was warming up easily, with a smile, and coach Alexander Alexandrov, already accustomed to his student's magnificent victories, as at the very beginning of their journey, turns pale, goes numb, and doesn't notice anyone around him. Maybe we should remember that Dmitry "failed" the compulsory test at the national championship in the spring?
Bilozerchev, with his powerful chest open to all the winds, with funny curls of overgrown hair, excitedly threw his weightless body upward, clearly fixing his balance. The ring cables tinkled subtly in the silence, and the judge from Minsk, Roman Vatkin, spread his hands before giving a score. "Class is class!" 9.7 - this is for Dmitry's calligraphy.
But this evening the two-time European champion achieved more. On floor he was graceful, bouncy, and moderately emotional - 9.8. In general, he did everything with gusto, and that's the main thing. The gymnast happily galloped across the mat, subtly pushing off and soaring upward. The green mat is like being on a cushion of air these days. A young VISTI design engineer, Sergei Buzaev, a modest young man with large glasses and calloused hands, explained that their institute is creating a new generation of gymnastic equipment - with adjustable elasticity. For example, the floor was made on a spring base for the first time, which allows athletes to perform somersaults to the "second floor."
At first glance, the competition was leisurely and ordinary. The audience didn't applaud much - there were no tricks. The famous cyclist Gainan Saidkhuzhin looked at the score, sat, looked, and suddenly began to clap. To whom? Oh, it was announcer Vladimir Zaglada, in a solemn 'Levitan' voice, who announced that we were playing the Danish football team in Luzhniki.
But how can someone who gazes intently at the "familiar features" be bored by the compulsory program, in this exam in calligraphy? Isn't it interesting to watch Boris Shakhlin? He, the deputy chief judge, clearly leads the teams of judges and quickly resolved all conflict situations. Senior national team coaches are sitting at the table - Leonid Arkaev, heads the men's team, and Nikolai Andrianov heads the youth team. Recipients of the Order of Lenin, they are the highest experts in human science. Arkaev bites his lip - who will be on the team at the world championship? Andrianov is calmer, and his eyes are cunning - he knows that his team is growing into such nice guys who will show themselves on the adult platform next year.
More applause. World champion on the parallel bars, Vladimir Artemov from Vladimir (Andrianov glowed - our school, Vladimir!) repeated the highest score of the day, 9.8, on his favorite apparatus.
How have they mastered the compulsory program in general? I addressed this question to Merited Master of Sports Vladimir Markelov.
"Unfortunately, so far no one has achieved the ideal except Bilozerchev. All leaders had blots on some events. In a team dispute, this can affect the overall outcome. But there is still time for polishing. Errors must be eliminated."
The women compete on Thursday.
TECHNICAL RESULTS
30th USSR Cup and 45th USSR Championship in gymnastics. Moscow.
Men. Compulsory program. 1. D. Bilozerchev (Army 1) - 57.8; 2. V. Artemov (Burevestnik) - 57.45; 3. A. Tumilovich (Dinamo 1) - 57.1; 4. A. Pogorelov (Army 1) - 56.9; 5. V. Mogilny (Army 1) - 56.5 and E. Gevorkyan (Trud) - 56.1.
V. GOLUBEV