Valentina Rodionenko announced today the Russian senior WAG team for the upcoming European Championships: Angelina Melnikova, Angelina Simakova, Uliana Perebinosova, Irina Alexeeva, and Lilia Akhaimova. This is quite a surprising roster. For one, it does not include Viktoria Komova.

Rodionenko said to TASS that Komova didn’t do well during the verification and her back pain might be the reason for it:

“Yesterday’s verification didn’t go well for her and there’s no hope that she’ll be able to change anything in the days left before we’re leaving for Glasgow. You can see that her back pain bothers her a bit. We were really counting on her beam and bars routines but she will be replaced by Irina Alexeeva in Glasgow”.

The coach was a bit harsher in her comment to RSport and said that Komova’s performance at the Russian Cup also played a role. There, Komova had multiple falls across both days of competitions but she competed with an injured toe and shortly after having bronchitis.

Rodionenko said to RSport:

“Why won’t Komova compete? Because she competed unsuccessfully at the Russian Cup. And secondly, yesterday there was the last verification and she failed on her events for which she was going to be put on the team. She didn’t do her bars well and fell off the beam, but we’re starting on the beam and it’s very important for the girls to feel confident on it”.

Rodionenko said that both Komova and Mustafina will now focus on preparing for Worlds.

Another surprise was the fact that Anastasiia Iliankova didn’t make the team. Iliankova was the bars specialist last season but reminded us all that she’s a strong all-arounder this season, winning AA bronze in Jesolo and then placing second at the Russian Cup. She did have issues with her bars routine in the past few months, often making mistakes on her Ezhova but if the Russian team was selected solely among those gymnasts who are consistent, we’d see a team of one or two people at Euros.

Uliana Perebinosova was originally on the nominative list for Euros and she’s probably going as mostly a bars specialist. She was in a boot until recently and missed the Russian Cup due to that injury. At Russian Championships, she placed sixth in the all-around but had a very unfortunate bars routine in the final, placing last. Perebinosova certainly has great potential but isn’t really known for consistency. Well, at least, if she hits, hopefully, we’ll get another dance from her coach.

The rest of the team was more or less predictable. Angelina Melnikova is the best Russian all-arounder and there were no doubts about her making the team. Angelina Simakova didn’t have such a good showing at the Russian Cup but was doing quite well earlier in the season and placed second after Melnikova at the nationals. Lilia Akhaimova has the biggest tumbling on the team and will be needed on floor. Irina Alexeeva is a newcomer but is by far the most consistent gymnast on that team. Overall, Melnikova is the only veteran on that team while for the rest, it’s their first major senior international competition.

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