Sovetsky Sport. March 18, 1987. The bright gymnasium of the specialized sports school of Moscow Dinamo. We open the door and stop, amazed. Dozens of boys and girls practice on gymnastic apparatus. It's like an ant hill. But if you look closely, the gym is very orderly and no one is bothering anyone.
Elvira Saadi is immediately recognizable: she has not changed at all, she is still the same - impetuous, graceful, with short black hair. She doesn't notice anything around her; all her attention is on her students. Saadi will not sit down for a minute - she is carried away by her work. Her eyes roam, Elvira gets angry, she may even shout at a naughty girl, but a well-executed element brings joy and a charming smile to her face.
This is how we remember her on the platform - Elvira Saadi captivated the audience with passion and love of life.
Elvira, don't you regret that you weren't able to fully express yourself on the platform? You are an Olympic champion and a world champion in the team competition. But based on your capabilities, you could not compete at the largest tournaments in the individual competition, especially in floor and beam exercises...
No, I don't regret it. I did everything I could in sports. I was the all-around champion of the country and won individual events. Well, something didn't work out at the Olympics... However, two gold medals in Munich and Montreal are a huge achievement for me.
Did you immediately decide to become a coach?
Somewhere in the tenth grade I realized that I couldn't live without gymnastics. It was then that I decided to become a coach and suddenly entered the Faculty of Biology at Moscow State University. It seemed to me that a teacher should comprehend the deep processes of life. I studied willingly, but the pre-Olympic workout load increased so much that I simply didn't have to to take the tests. So I entered the Institute of Physical Education. It wasn't easier, but it still provided some respite during the session.
I could no longer train in the gym just for myself, and I tried to help my coach Vladimir Filipovich Aksyonov look for young talents. We moved from Tashkent to Moscow, I knew that the Olympics in Montreal would be my last competition, and therefore I thought again and again about Aksyonov's methods of working. Soon he recruited a new group, and among the girls was the nimble Olya Mostepanova. I wanted to be Vladimir Filipovich's right hand, but it didn't work out. Apparently, I immediately needed more independence, and not patronage or guardianship.
...Saadi interrupts the conversation, she herself is a little surprised how she was distracted by 'outside' conversations, but she didn't take her eyes off either Tanya Chernova or Marina Goryunova, noticed all the mistakes and now, unable to bear the accumulated information, she literally rushed to her girls and quickly spoke: "But who does a Tkachev like that? Where is the flight? Why are your feet 'walking'?"
Natasha Novozhilova has tears in her eyes - she hurt her finger. "Well, it's nothing, nothing. Let's bandage it."
And again, turning to Tanya Groshkova, doing an exercise on the balance beam: "Tanyush, in general it's not bad. But it's somehow unappetizing, you're not in the mood. Let's do it again, easier, more fun."
We take our time, sit modestly on a bench and wait for the conversation to continue. Finally, a window appears.
Elvira, your students aged 10-12 have already mastered the most modern combinations and elements. At last year's youth championship, Marina Goryunova showed off a unique dismount on the uneven bars - a double somersault in a layout with a twist, for which she was awarded a special prize. Other gymnasts are learning new elements. Are you speeding up the training of young athletes?
In a specialized sports school, girls begin gymnastics at the age of six. Talent for a particular sport often manifests itself after two years - some can't stand it, they don't have the strength, the necessary coordination, or courage. Those lagging behind move to a weaker group, others choose a more suitable sport for themselves. My girls walked smoothly along the steps of gymnastics. The most interesting thing for them is not to repeat the material they have covered, but to master something new and unusual! I can't stay in one place! Honestly, my girls probably taught me to do this, too. For me, the greatest joy is when we come up with something original together. This means we are learning to think and create!
Frankly, I myself am sometimes frightened by this incredible difficulty. What tricks, what rich compositions! And when you look at competitions, everyone is looking for something, everyone is looking ahead. Here all fear disappears. And I say to the girls: "Are we worse than others? No worse! You can beat everyone!"
I try to instill in them ambition and a thirst for victory. Without this, you won't achieve much in sports, as well as in life. Previously, I didn't really understand my coach's revelation: 'I put my soul into my students' - but now I understand. I fuss with them as with my own children, maybe I pay less attention to my daughters Diana and Liana. Girls need an eye - at this age they are both sweet and capricious, sensitive and mischievous. It's so difficult with them, but without them the world would become dim for me...
Each gymnast needs a special approach at each training session. One needs to be scolded a little to get her going, the other needs to be praised - this puts her in a good mood, the third needs to be pitied and patted on the head. My girls are different, unique in character and inclinations...
We ask 12-year-old Natasha Novozhilova: "Do you like Elvira Fuadnovna?" Natasha answers: "She is very demanding...but kind and fair, like a mother."
Saadi looks at her watch. "Today I'll leave the gym a little early - it's Lianka's birthday, she's 7 years old. I need to have time to prepare something tasty for her friends. Maybe I'll invent some unusual salad or homemade pie. I don't like to repeat myself, I can't mark time!"
We say goodbye to Elvira and look at her students. They diligently repeat their exercises, they comprehend the world of movements. Will any of them become champions? Maybe. But the time will come anyway, and they will all gratefully remember their coach - her voice, face, smile...
V. GOLUBEV and N. SMIRNOVA