Sovetsky Sport. April 5, 1972. All-around European and world champion L. Turischeva became the all-around national champion. T. Lazakovich was second, and O. Korbut was third.
It was Lazakovich's turn to go to the beam. Everything seemed to have settled down and calmed down, and she laughed. It seemed that only one thing worried her: whether she would catch the train in time. But then Lyuda Turischeva passed by, looked understandingly into Tamara's bright eyes, and said to her seriously, suggestively: "Calm down."
I will return to this scene, the hidden meaning of which I did not immediately understand. However, the beam was the third apparatus, so first about the first two. On vault, Turischeva took the lead immediately, and risk was again her weapon. And, because, as for several years, she performed two different vaults: a Yamashita and a 'screw.' Moreover, the latter seemed to have improved, the hesitation before landing disappeared. But when she received 9.35 for the vault, which involved piking and straightening her body during the rotation, her coach V. Rastorotsky demanded a full twist, and only a full twist. He never compromises. This time the risk paid off - 9.5, and now she was ahead of Lazakovich by 0.1 points (remember, they had the same score in the compulsory program).
Performing her difficult program with complete dedication and great enthusiasm, she continued to widen the gap even further. Actually, the first eight finalists performed well and smoothly, except for two episodes. Saadi fell from the top pole during her bars routine and earned 8.35. Then she gathered herself, and courageously finished the competition on the beam and floor (and even received a special prize from the Ukrainian Sports Newspaper for the balance beam, and Burda fell from the beam - 8.95.
But here I go back to the beginning of my report. When Lazakovich was laughing and joking before the beam, I did not immediately realize that it was not a sign of confidence, because her second place was in danger. Turischeva, having obtained 9.6 on the beam, had taken first place, and O. Korbut had just dismounted the beam brilliantly, almost without a single waver, and the scoreboard showed the highest score on this apparatus - 9.7. Even R. Knysh, Korbut's coach, who was usually so calm, now beamed, since she was literally sitting on Lazakovich's heels. It was then that Turischeva, silent and withdrawn during the competition, saw and appreciated everything and found the most opportune moment to encourage her friend. Lazakovich looked collected on the beam, as usual. The movements of her long beautiful arms were bold and daring, but she dismounted as if powdered with chalk - so pale - for 9.45. Korbut was 0.05 behind.
Floor exercise. Here, attention is once again focused on Turischeva. And the attention is particularly noteworthy. The fact that never before has one of the world's strongest gymnasts included two floor exercise routines in her repertoire at the same time - one designed for the all-around competition, and the other for the final. Turischeva, her floor exercise choreographer A. Selezneva, and composer of the musical arrangements E. Vevrik, decided to do this.
On the second day of the competition, Turischeva showed Glory - her number was accompanied by Glinka's immortal melody, solemn and jubilant. In the finals, quite unexpectedly, a frivolous song from the once sensational but now half-forgotten Austrian film "The Girl of My Dreams" sounded in contrast. It was very important for the performer not only to show her usual, but usually dizzying, acrobatics. It was important to show acting talent, to paint two different musical and artistic images with different colors.
The world champion did it. I have never seen our strict Lyuda as such a carefree, flirtatious tomboy as at the time of the performance of "The Girl," - mind you, she also performed a double twist and, moreover, did it beautifully. The day before, in Glory, she was sublime and uplifted, but there is still work to be done - both on the arrangement and on the external interpretation. On the whole, she's great. And after a score of 9.8, the all-around champion of the world and Europe became the all-around champion of the country for the first time.
The excitement for second place continued, but the graceful Gutsulochka, choreographed by G. Savarina for Lazakovich got her 9.7 and finally the silver.
TECHNICAL RESULTS
USSR gymnastics championships. All-around. Women. 1. Turischeva (Dinamo) - 76.2; 2. Lazakovich (Dinamo) - 75.6; 3. Korbut (Army) - 75.5; 4. Karaseva (Army) - 75.0; 5. Voroshilina (Dinamo) and Burda (Spartak) - 74.6; 7. Koshel (Labor Reserves) - 74.55; 8. Saadi (Dinamo) - 74.2; 9. Schegolkova (Dinamo) - 73.85; 10. Voronina (Dinamo) - 73.6.
S. TOKAREV