Sovetsky Sport. April 14, 1971. We follow the competitions of high-ranking male gymnasts with constant concern: how are they doing, what's new, are they closing the gap in skill that separated them from their constant rivals in recent years - the Japanese?
I remember a year ago, after the national championship, there was an opinion going around: our gymnasts have a leader, M. Voronin, but there is no team. Voronin didn't compete at the Cup, but the spot of team leader didn't remain vacant: V. Klimenko took it cleanly and thoroughly. His program was the most difficult, the most interesting, and the brightest on almost all the apparatus. Viktor showed a new vault - a Tsukahara, named after the inventor and winner of the world championship gold medal. On the parallel bars, he did a "twirl" in Diomidov's style and seemed to be rooted to the floor after dismounting with a twisting back somersault. He also mastered completely new elements on the high bar. Another interesting touch: Klimenko entered the floor exercise mat not in a traditional leotard, but in blue shorts 'a la Menichelli'. What is this - coquetry? Wanting to stand out somehow? Not at all. Viktor himself explaind that this was the first time he had included a double somersault in his routine, and for now he feels freer in shorts, so there is no showmanship here, but an exact calculation.
Klimenko couldn't show one of his work pieces - circles on the horse with the support of one hand. A sore hand hindered him. Of course, it's too early to say that Voronin has lost his place to the leader, but in the person of Klimenko we now have a top-class gymnast. That's for sure! His handwriting is approaching calligraphy, and he is far from reaching his ceiling.
S. Diomidov fell significantly behind the winner - by more than two points. There was no sense of freshness in him; his performance, one might say, was mediocre. Sergei himself admitted that he was feeling the fatigue that has accumulated over many years.
G. Bogdanov fought courageously - there is no other way to say it: an old injury made itself felt. But Georgy, limping, moved from event to event and performed the most difficult elements - and a double somersault. He performed his floor exercise more confidently on the second day, although the entire program still needs a fair amount of cleaning. But third place is his rightful one.
The top six were completed by young Muscovites V. Boiko and V. Dubs, and R. Mikaelyan from Yerevan, who have never previously competed in the national team. There were a lot of interesting things in their routines, but there were also plenty of breakdowns. Boiko performed the best on rings but he failed on the high bar.
Mikaelyan is an excellent vaulter, but he didn't achieve success in his best event; otherwise, he would have risen to a higher finish. He has a very difficult and spectacular vault - a push and a double somersault on the far side of the horse. Dubs excelled on the pommel horse, but scored below nine points on three events.
The senior coach of the men's team, V. Smolevsky, shared some of his impressions at the final press conference:
"At the Cup it was important to see," said Vladimir Mikhailovich, "how the gymnasts performed the tasks that had been set for them a long time ago. Difficulty has undoubtedly increased, but there is a noticeable lack of preparedness. Daring will continue to be encouraged, but it needs to be demonstrated not only in mastering individual elements, but also in compositional coherence. The judging was strict, without any bias, but also without any leniency. It cannot be otherwise: gymnasts need to feel that they still have a long way to go. There are very few veterans in the team right now. Voronin, Diomidov, and now even Klimeko counted among them... Therefore, the ball is in the young guys' court. They have reinforced the team pursuing the Japanese, but the pace still needs to increase, and significantly so."
TECHNICAL RESULTS
The total score for the optional program, performed twice. The results of the final are given in parentheses. 1. V. Klimenko - 112.5 (9.35, 9.45, 9.1, 9.25, 9.4, 9.45); 2. S. Diomidov - 110.375 (9.0, 9.45, 9.05, 9.075, 9.05, 9.2); 3. G. Bogdanov - 109.975 (9.2, 8.85, 9.25, 9.125, 9.2, 9.15); 4. V. Boiko (all Moscow) - 109.025 (9.15, 8.75, 9.3, 9.075, 9.15, 8.4) and R. Mikaelyan (Yerevan) - 109.025 (9.0, 9.45, 9.05. 8.825, 8.7, 9.15); 5. V. Dubs (Moscow) - 108.825 (9.05, 9.4, 8.8, 8.875, 8.75, 9.15).
M. SUPONEV