OT: Russia in other sports

[MaxV]

I wanted Khachanov vs. Djokovic, but alas.

You know, it's kind of weird, but tennis is the only sport I can think of where Russian program actually became among world's best after the break up of USSR.

Kafelnikov, Safin, Medvedev, Davydenko, Rublev, Youzhny, Khachanov and about 20 or so elite women players all developed in Russia.

 

[Atas2000]

You know, it's kind of weird, but tennis is the only sport I can think of where Russian program actually became among world's best after the break up of USSR.

Kafelnikov, Safin, Medvedev, Davydenko, Rublev, Youzhny, Khachanov and about 20 or so elite women players all developed in Russia.

Certainly not the only sport. When were we ever good at swimming for example? Except for Salnikov there barely were any stars. Things change. The problem is even more sports have become worse, far worse.

 

[BMann]

Fencing has improved. Handball and volleyball are always there or thereabouts. The gymnastics team is rebounding with the men and women. Permanent champions in rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming.

But they can do better. In the past the attitude is gold or nothing. Now it seems a medal is enough. The tough coaching may be criticized in the past but it is what wins medals. Legendary coaches like Tikhonov, Trefilov, Viner and now in the ice skating for women Tutberidze who always get criticism for pushing their proteges hard. They could do a lot better at swimming. Kolesnikov is the only true elite swimmer at the moment.

 

[MaxV]

Also, a case could be made for combat sports, where Russian programs have been great. Russia has world class athletes in just about any combat sport. Judo, wrestling, boxing, various kickboxing sports, obviously Sambo and even BJJ lately, you name it, Russia has a great program.

It's tough to say if it's better then Soviet programs, because Soviet boxers couldn't turn pro and MMA didn't really exist before the 1990s, at least not in an international organized form like today (there were some local promotions, including Combat Sambo tournaments in Soviet Union).

 

[BMann]

Dominant display at the Ice Skating WC in Stockholm a few months ago. Scherbakova took the gold. Trusova would have won but for her poor performance in the short programme. Russian 1-2-3.

In the pairs on their debut Mishina and Galliamov took the gold. Boikova and Kozlovsky the bronze with the third Russian pair in fourth. Sinitsina and Katsalapov took the gold in the ice dance. The other two pairs finished in the top ten. Stepanova and Bukin are still not living up to their potential as former junior champions.

Kolyada came fifth and high hopes on Semenenko progressing who finished eighth was the only event the team missed out on gold or a medal. Mozalev did not quite make the grade but is the junior world champion. Valieva the girls junior world champion and in the pairs Panfilova and Rylov also took gold in Harbin in March.

So some things to sort out before Russia can fully return to dominating the ice skating as they did as the Soviet Union aside from the women who were quite weak then but are now simply unstoppable.

​

 

[PM88RU]

Fencing has improved. Handball and volleyball are always there or thereabouts. The gymnastics team is rebounding with the men and women. Permanent champions in rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming.

But they can do better. In the past the attitude is gold or nothing. Now it seems a medal is enough. The tough coaching may be criticized in the past but it is what wins medals. Legendary coaches like Tikhonov, Trefilov, Viner and now in the ice skating for women Tutberidze who always get criticism for pushing their proteges hard. They could do a lot better at swimming. Kolesnikov is the only true elite swimmer at the moment.

You completely forgot about Rylov, who won the gold medal (100m swimming on the back) at recent Olympics in Tokyo.
Rhythmic gymnastics at Olympics was officiated really badly, OAR was unfairly left without the gold medal. The school and whole system of rhytmic gimnastics sportswomen preparation is seriously set up in Russia and has a bright future. I had a chance to see it from the inside, as my daughter attended training camp on rhythmic gymnastics this summer. The atmosphere, motivation and competition level there was insane (in a good way).

Unfortunately, on international level politics affect refereeing more and more. Thus the international sport in general and Olympics in particular becomes less and less attractive for me to follow.
It takes lots of efforts and sacrifices to prepare for Olympic games, and being poorly judged is a last thing you want to face as a pro athlete.

 

[sdf]

Nurmagomedov is from that country but he is not a russian. Just like me

 

[sdf]

I do not sniff man's balls, though

 

[Caser]