On Sunday in Moscow ended the XXII European Championship in rhythmic gymnastics. For Russia, he was more than successful: our artists became the first in team competitions of juniors, in group exercises and in individual championship. And yet, there were some surprises: Vera Sesina managed to get around the prima world gymnastics - Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva. But, much more surprisingly, Alina is not upset by her second place.
Saturday night in the universal hall "Friendship" was a full house. Along the Luzhnetskaya embankment, foreign cars flaunted. Simple fans came to the venue and stars like ex-forward of the Russian national basketball team Sergei Panov and Olympic figure skating champion Maria Butyrskaya came together. “Ornella Muti,” the men sighed hopelessly, looking after her. Little girls with soft toys were on duty by the gymnastic carpet. The audience languished, waiting for the magnificent Alina to appear. And she did appear. With new programs and old enthusiasm.
After the first two types of all-around events - clubs and ribbons - Kabaeva was ahead of her main rivals: Russian woman Vera Sesina, Ukrainian Anna Bessonova and Natalya Godunko, Belarusian Inna Zhukova. However, competitors still stepped on a living legend on their heels: Alina’s advantage was estimated at several hundredths.
The whole hall watched without a break as Kabaeva went out onto the carpet with a skipping rope. Suddenly, in the middle of the program, the subject was outside the carpet. And following Alina, 20-year-old Vera Sesina, with impeccable magic tricks with the ball, took the lead.
Alina had something to answer the ball of artist-ballerina Sesina with: she all performed the incendiary sirtaki with the same ball. This was the last view for Kabaeva, and her main rival Sesina still had to make maces. Before going to the last exercise, Irina Viner approached her ward and said that she was the leader. Vera lit up and relaxedly executed the program.
In the corner, on the gymnastic slang called "kiss & cry", champion Sesina and vice champion Kabaeva hugged. While photojournalists were trying to perpetuate the sensation, Ukrainian Anna Bessonova shone with a ribbon on the carpet, who underwent knee surgery only a month and a half ago. They became the third in the end.
In the mixed zone, where journalists usually wait for sports stars, the smile from the face of the gymnastics queen, of course, is about Kabaeva.
- I'm very happy! - Alina admitted. - Honestly, before, if I became the second, I would run away, burst into tears. Now everything is different. I am happy with everything. I am glad that I am going forward. Today I was mistaken, relaxed on the element that I have been doing for eight years now. Of course, this is all due to psychology, my physical form is excellent. You know, it even seems to me that I'm ready better than during the Athens Olympics. I work a lot, I sit in the hall, and I feel so good!
If the silver medalist of the championship was in such a mood, then what can we say about the winner of the tournament. Cecina shone with happiness. It seemed even that she herself did not believe what was happening. All evening, her mobile, decorated with a keychain in the shape of the letter B, did not stop ringing.
“Everyone congratulates me so warmly now,” Cessina admitted. - Very nice! I am especially pleased with my performance with the ball.
Irina Wiener admitted that Moscow journalists played a decisive role in Sesina’s victory.
- Do you know what I did before the competition? Verea was given the opportunity to read an article by a Moscow newspaper in which she was called a "weak rival." I say: "I saw what they wrote about you?" So she went out and proved to everyone what she was capable of. The Russian team is not weak.
Maria Bardina