Rhythmic gymnast Alexandra Soldatova has repeatedly won the Grand Prix, becoming the champion of Russia, Europe and the world. Coach - Anna Vyacheslavovna Shumilova.

First steps

On June 1, 1998, one of the most beautiful athletes of our time, Sasha Soldatova, was born in Bashkortostan. The girl started doing rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 5 thanks to an incident: her mother decided to take her older brother Sasha to the gymnastics section, but did not know that there were two different sports: rhythmic and artistic gymnastics. In the end, it turned out that only a girl could be accepted into the section. This is how Sasha’s first training began. Then the family left their native Sterlitamak and moved to the city of Pushkino, Moscow region.

Relatives always supported their future champion; the first payment in the family budget was expenses for gymnastics. Brother Alexey was close to his sister in childhood and today he is aware of all the events in her life. The girl always made decisions about her future in sports herself; her parents did not put pressure on her, which may be why Sasha never deviated from her intended path.

The basics of gymnastics were taught to the girl in a town near Moscow by coaches Irina Viktorovna Kievets and Olga Nikolaevna Nazarova. At the age of 12, the young gymnast came under the tutelage of Anna Vyacheslavovna Shumilova, who by that time raised the famous gymnast, artist Daria Kondakova. It was necessary to train in the city of Dmitrov, and from a young age the child had to live separately from his parents in a boarding school. The girl did not feel sad about parting with her family, because she was doing what she loved.

The promising gymnast was invited to train at the gymnasium, but initially Alexandra was not a member of the national team and therefore did not have the right to permanently live in Novogorsk. Therefore, for a long time, Anna Shumilova and the girl went to Novogorsk early in the morning and Dmitrova went back to Novogorsk late in the evening, spending 4-5 hours a day on the road.

But Alexandra herself does not consider all this to be a difficulty; if there is a goal, then you can be patient. After all, the reward was the opportunity to train together with the best “artists” in the country.

Sports success

Already in 2012, the young gymnast won gold at the European Junior Championships in Nizhny Novgorod in the ribbon exercise and in the team all-around.

In 2014, Sasha was included in the reserve team of our country. The year was very successful for the girl and brought her five gold medals at competitions in Brazil. In the same year, at the championship in Russia, where, according to the gymnast, it is always harder for her to perform, Sasha became third, leaving only the leaders of the national team ahead of her.

And in September of the same year, by the decision of Irina Viner, the gymnast’s most memorable start so far took place; from Izmir, Turkey, the youngest and most inexperienced member of the team brought “gold” in team exercises. But at this time, her beloved coach could not support her; due to the birth of her daughter, Anna Shumilova remained in Moscow. During Anna’s maternity leave, the head coach of the national team, Irina Viner-Usmanova, trained the gymnast.

2015 again brought victory at the Grand Prix stage in Moscow in ball exercises. Then there were starts in Lisbon, Bucharest, Pesaro, Tashkent, Budapest, Sofia and finally the World Cup final in Kazan. Sasha returned without medals only from Budapest.

At the main competition of the year - the World Championships in Stuttgart, the girl took first place in the team championship and received two silver medals for exercises with a ball and clubs.

2016 brought new starts and new medals: 3 awards of the highest standard and one “silver” in Moscow, in Thieu Alexandra won two “golds” and a “silver”, in Expoo she won the all-around, and in certain events she received another “gold” and "bronze". The girl brought 2 medals from Lisbon, and four silver medals from Tashkent and Minsk. In Guadalajara, the athlete won a medal in every appearance on the gymnastics mat. Participation in the Club World Championship brought her another top award and one bronze medal.

New year 2017 and new victories - “gold” for the ball and second place in the all-around at the Grand Prix in Moscow.

For the 2017 season, Alexandra has a new program based on classical melodies. Individual numbers with objects are perceived by the viewer as a single whole. A team of master trainers, choreographers and the gymnast herself have done a huge amount of painstaking work, each element hits the right note. Let's hope that the new program will bring good luck to the girl. Alexandra is no longer a little girl, but an adult, an accomplished gymnast.

Personal life

What distinguishes this girl from many others who begin rhythmic gymnastics in early childhood? Undoubtedly, these are physical characteristics: flexibility, plasticity, musicality, amazing stretching. With a height of 170 cm, the girl’s weight is only 44 kg. But there are many of them, and Alexandra became a champion, the leading athlete of the national team. She has those qualities that many people lack: phenomenal hard work and the ability to ignore temporary inconveniences, and most importantly, the ability to listen and understand the coach’s instructions. And also a huge sense of responsibility, which distinguishes the girl from many of her peers.

The athlete also has a drawback, which may become her advantage after the end of her sports career. Sasha, before implementing a new coach’s setting, always analyzes it, as if she were going through it in her head on a small computer. In gymnastics, this interferes and the girl struggles with her only, according to the coach, shortcoming.

Sasha loves animals very much, and if she weren’t interested in sports, she would definitely become a veterinarian. Due to constant travel, Sasha cannot afford to keep a pet, but if such an opportunity arose, she would buy everything from a bird to a puppy. She is very attracted to nature; if she has free time, then of all the possible entertainments she will choose just a walk with friends in the forest.

If it is not possible to go for a walk, Sasha will happily sit with a book. Sasha developed warm relationships with teammates Margarita Mamun and Yana Kudryavtseva, which does not often happen in the beautiful but cruel world of rhythmic gymnastics.

Sasha conquered almost all the peaks, she became a two-time world champion, two-time European champion, Russian champion. Alexandra’s unfulfilled dream so far remains only victory at the Olympic Games. Let's hope it's only for now. After all, the main principle of a gymnast is to improve from training to training, from one start to another. And Sasha Soldatova in rhythmic gymnastics tries to constantly improve her skills, mastering new complex spectacular elements, following world trends in this sport.

Alexandra plans to obtain higher education at the St. Petersburg State University of Physical Culture named after P.F. Lesgaft.

Another dream of Sasha’s is that as soon as the time comes, he will go to a driving school and get a license. The feeling of speed fascinates the athlete.

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Russian gymnast and rhythmic gymnastics champion Alexandra Soldatova was born on June 1, 1998. Despite her young age, the girl has many awards. Alexandra Soldatova has many gold medals in her treasury, competing in all-around and world championships.

Rhythmic gymnastics exercises according to Alexander Soldatov

The gymnast was born in Sterlitamak. The girl first started playing sports in childhood - at the age of five. At that time, Alexandra’s first coach was Olga Nazarova. Before joining the national team, the athlete trained diligently in Dmitrov with Anna Shumilova. Alexandra is known for stretching, flexibility, and also plasticity.

Biography of Alexander Soldatov

Soldatova took part in Japan together with Kanaeva and Kondakova, where they represented the Gazprom club, taking a gold medal in the team event and all-around. In addition, the gymnast won the team all-around in 2012, performing with the ribbon with other gymnasts - Borisova, Kudryavtseva, and Sinitsina.

Already at the beginning of the 2014 season, Alexandra was on the reserve team of the Russian national team. Soldatova’s debut took place during an international tournament that took place in the capital of Russia. Here Sasha won only bronze in the all-around, which she received after the Averin sisters. After that, in March in Hungary, or rather in Debrecen, Sasha won the gold medal in the all-around, thereby ahead of the world vice-champion, who at that time was Anna Rizatdinova.

In addition, at this time Sasha took the leading place and reached the finals in the competition with clubs, ribbon, second, performing in the number with the ball, and third in the number with the hoop. In addition, in the city of Corbeil-Eson, the athlete won second place in the ball event, and in Tashkent - a bronze medal in the all-around.

The most successful and significant events for Alexandra were her performances at international competitions. At the April competitions in Riga, Sasha won 4 gold out of 5 possible, but she made a mistake in performing with the ball and therefore took only 4th place. In the summer, in July, in the Turkish city of Izmir, Sasha won the all-around, performing with a ribbon, and won three silver medals in other events. In August, the gymnast won gold in all her performances in Brazil.

Soldatova’s sports career 2014

During the Russian Championships, which took place in 2014, Alexandra confirmed her place by winning a bronze medal in the all-around. In addition, at that time, the winners of the Russian team, Yana Kudryavtseva, and Margarita Maamun, performed with her.

In the fall, in September, at the final competitions of the World Cup in rhythmic gymnastics, held in Kazan, Sasha performed a number out of competition and was able to score only 70,700 points in the all-around, failing to get ahead of Kudryavtseva, Mamun, and Melitina Stanyuta. Subsequently, following the results of the competition, Irina Winner stated that Alexandra would represent the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team at the world championship together with Kudryavtseva, as well as Margarita Mamun.

Than took place in the Turkish city of Izmir in September 2014. Alexandra took part in the all-around, where she performed two numbers - with a hoop, including a ball, earning 18,050 points in the first performance and 17,675 in the second. According to the results of the competition, Sasha, Kudryavtseva, and Mamun are world champions in the team competition. You can watch Alexandra Soldatova’s rhythmic gymnastics performances in the video that is available online, also online during the live broadcast.

At the beginning of the 2015 season, during the Grand Prix held in Moscow, Alexandra was only able to take fourth place in the individual all-around. Performing in the finals with the ball and clubs, the gymnast won the gold medal with the ball, scoring 18,200 points.

Soldatova’s sports career 2015

Alexandra also participated in all stages of the World Cup. In Portugal she won a gold medal in the all-around, as well as in performances with clubs, a silver medal in performances with a ball, in Bucharest - a gold medal in the number with a ribbon, a silver medal in the number with clubs.

In addition, in Uzbekistan, performing in all-around events with a hoop, ball, and ribbon, Sasha managed to take second place; in Hungary, unfortunately, the gymnast did not receive a single medal, but in the capital of Bulgaria she won for her performance with clubs silver medal

In addition, the network contains performances by Alexandra Soldatova in rhythmic gymnastics and other gymnasts, presented in the form of photos, as well as videos from performances. Speaking in the finals of the World Cup in Kazan, Sasha won third place in the all-around. Performing in separate numbers, Sasha replaced Kudryavtseva, who was unable to perform due to injury, and won a silver medal for all 4 performances.

The 2016 Olympic season began with the Grand Prix tournament series, which took place in the capital of Russia. Speaking this season, Sasha won the all-around, showing herself in three separate numbers in the final. Alexandra was able to win first place in the numbers with a hoop, as well as a ball, and a silver medal for the number with a ribbon.

Soldatova’s sports career 2016

The next second stage of the Grand Prix competition took place in France in Thieu, where the gymnast took a silver medal in individual numbers, in the all-around, and in the final, performing in individual events - a silver medal in the number with a hoop, as well as two gold medals in numbers with a ball and tape.

You know, I’m flattered if strangers think I’m beautiful and capable. It’s difficult to judge yourself from the outside. I won’t argue, such reviews are pleasant, but I, for example, cannot call myself a beauty. According to external data, I am rather pretty (laughs).

- How would you characterize yourself?

She said about being pretty, I also think that I am kind, sympathetic and purposeful, and if you take gymnastics as well, then I will add perseverance to all of the above.

“You don’t become champions without perseverance, hard work and patience.” Your coach Anna Dyachenko said that there was a time when you and she drove from Dmitrov by car to Novogorsk every morning and you slept in the back seat. This is true?

Yes. I didn’t start living and training in Novogorsk right away; I had to leave Dmitrov early in the morning to get to Novogorsk on time. Anna Vyacheslavovna put me in the back seat, I had a pillow there, I fell asleep on the way and woke up already at the entrance to the gate of the base. But it's okay, these are minor things. If you want to achieve something, you will have to deny yourself a lot and be patient.

- Sasha, why rhythmic gymnastics? This is love at first sight?

No. It turned out really funny. In Sterlitamak, where I’m from, my mother brought... my brother to the rhythmic gymnastics section to sign up. We simply didn’t know then that gymnastics can be different - sports and artistic. We were told that where they wanted to send my brother, everything was only for girls, then my mother was not at a loss and said: “I have a girl too, take it!” I don’t remember my first training sessions; I was little; the awareness of gymnastics came to me only when I was already in third grade.

- You have excellent physical data for gymnastics, I can assume that everything worked out the first time?

Far from it. I agree that I have flexibility, stretch, and good feet, but, for example, I lack dexterity. Dina and Arina Averina, in terms of working with the subject, are stronger than me, they are like that by nature.

- Which subject is more difficult for you?

I can’t say that some are more difficult and some are easier. I'm still at the stage of perfecting my skills and comprehending something new.

- Explain?

I perceive training and competitions as new steps. Every time I try to discover something new for myself and hone the things I have already mastered until they become automatic. You need to grow from lesson to lesson, from start to start, then there will be progress.

- To get into the Russian national team, you have come a long way. Sterlitamak - Dmitrov - Novogorsk.

They forgot Pushkino! From Sterlitamak my family moved to Pushkino, from there I ended up in Dmitrov, where I waited with bated breath... for me to be sent back to Pushkino. First training, second, week, second, third, and then they told me: “You stay here!” My emotion was lightning fast, but meager: “Yes. Good!” I’ll say right away that I didn’t experience any longing for my mother and family, as many girls do at the age of 12. I calmly accepted the fact that I would live separately from my parents and without their care. She was independent!

- First meeting with your coach Anna Dyachenko. Did you expect to fall under her care?

I didn’t expect it, but from the first day we had a wonderful duet. From the first day, I caught her every remark. The girls and I even competed to see who would stand closest to her during training, who would be the first to ask about something, who would write or call her. She is wonderful in every way!

- Sasha, how did you get to the training camp with Irina Viner?

It didn’t happen to me that I somehow unexpectedly saw Irina Alexandrovna at a training session or she unexpectedly came to the gym, and there I was. She knows who trains with her. We came to the training camp, I saw how Irina Aleksandrovna worked with other gymnasts, how she communicated. Then, when she became part of the Russian national team, she began to pay more attention to me and, naturally, there was more communication. Irina Aleksandrovna is a strict and very attentive mentor.

- You have been part of the Russian national team for several years now. At the moment, what competitions do you remember most?

This is the World Championship in Izmir, where I became the team champion. This was my first serious start at this level and immediately with gold. In general, it is wrong to single out any competitions; I have already said that each tournament for me is a new step in growth. Every start, even if it was successful, still makes you think about what else can be done and where you can improve. I will only note that it is always more difficult to perform in Russia. My responsibility to my fans increases many times over. In this regard, the Moscow stage of the Grand Prix is ​​the most exciting, not only is it your native country, a full house, but also the first start of the season!

- Do you have a dream?

Naturally, I really want an Olympic medal, I strive for this, and I also want to leave my mark on sports history, like Alina Kabaeva, whose smile every sports fan probably knows and remembers. I want to stand on a par with such gymnasts as Zhenya Kanaeva, Irina Chashchina, Dasha Kondakova. I want them not to forget about me.

- I know that if it weren’t for gymnastics, you would have wanted to become a veterinarian and, probably, would have left your mark in this profession?

I think yes. I love animals very much and as a child I really wanted to be an Aibolit. I once had a cat, but now, alas, I can’t have one. You know, if I had a choice where to spend a free day, I would definitely prefer outdoor recreation to cinema, restaurants, clubs, museums and exhibitions. A walk through the forest is amazing! I love being in nature.

- If you had the opportunity to choose an animal, who would you choose?

For everyone. And dogs, and cats, and birds, and rodents (smiles).

Just recently I was thinking about this, but there is no secret to success or a specific formula yet. I only know that nothing comes without work and hard training, even if you have talent and good physical characteristics. I would like to wish, although no, not even wish, but strongly recommend that you trust the coach more. The mentor will not give bad advice and will always tell you where and how best to do it. I was convinced of this myself. When Irina Aleksandrovna told me that I had to turn not 2, but 4 turns, and then 5, I was horrified and thought: “How is this even possible?” Despite my skeptical thoughts, I went and did it, and two hours later... and I was already making 5 turns! A coach sometimes knows our abilities better than you yourself. And of course, I really want to wish the gymnasts from Spartak great luck and bright victories.

“Sasha lived with me for several years... in my car.” Coach Anna Shumilova - about the new gymnastics star Alexandra Soldatova

Even at the last World Championships in Izmir, Sasha Soldatova, the smallest and most inexperienced gymnast on the team, became the world champion in the team. And today she is already beating the entire world elite in a ball exercise at the Moscow Grand Prix at Luzhniki. Has a new star been born? Without any doubts.

Even at the last World Championships in Izmir, Sasha Soldatova, the smallest and most inexperienced gymnast on the team, became the world champion. On the team. But, as her coach Anna Shumilova says, this event clearly divided her life into “before and after.” And now, today she is already beating the entire world elite in a ball exercise at the Moscow Grand Prix in Luzhniki. Has a new star been born? No doubt about it.

Who knows, maybe she will be destined to become the main star of the Olympic Rio. In any case, Anna Shumilova, when Sasha came to her for the first training four years ago, felt at first sight: “This is a diamond.” And I also realized that I fell in love with this girl - also at first sight.

- What if they didn’t fall in love? Would you be able to work with her in pure professionalism?

I could. But... nothing worked out for us.

- Sure?

Certainly. Fortunately, everything turned out to be quite the opposite. I fell in love with her from the first second, when she came to me from her first coach, Olga Nazarova. Firstly, decency. Responsibility. Sometimes it’s hyper-responsibility. She didn't need to explain why or why. She believed and did as the coach said. Now, of course, we are going through a transitional age. Even in the most ideal children it leaves its mark. I went on maternity leave, gave birth to a daughter, and without me Sasha worked with Irina Alexandrovna (Viner-Usmanova, head coach of the national team - author's note), they were preparing for the World Cup. And Irina Aleksandrovna identified a certain problem with Sasha - that she thinks and analyzes a lot where you just need to take the coach at his word, believe and do. And at first she begins to doubt... We are working on this. And we even involve a psychologist. This needs to be removed, it slows down the process. In her head it’s like a kind of computer, or a chessboard, where endless mental combinations are played out. Perhaps this is its only drawback.

- You say you immediately saw the diamond. What exactly was this expressed in?

We are often asked how we select children. You probably need to feel it with your heart. Of course, Sasha has excellent natural abilities. And she is beautifully built, and her face is very pretty. Plus flexibility and stretching. But something completely different caught my attention. It can't even be explained in words. I felt in my heart that this was my child. And what can I do with it? She was still very young, she was twelve years old. I started taking her with me to training in Novogorsk, and she practically lived in my car. She was not yet allowed to live in Novogorsk, so we left in the morning, very early from Dmitrov, Sasha slept in the back seat, she had her own little pillow there in the shape of a squirrel. I warmed up to her so much, I trusted her... What? Part of my personal life. Because the coach in the car only has the opportunity to talk about something on the phone, not only about business, not only about something related to work, there are also deeply personal conversations. And the child was always with me. And in all these years, never once, anywhere, nothing... Not the slightest discomfort. It costs a lot. Probably, in order to raise a high-level athlete, you must breathe the same air with him, and there is no other way.

Sasha won the world team title in the fall. Did this title weigh you down a little, demanding you live up to it, or did it inspire you?

You know, there was “Sasha before”, and it became “Sasha after”. She called me from Izmir with such joy, but due to the birth of the child I could not be there... Sasha said: “Anna Vyacheslavovna, now I realized that everything is just beginning for me!” Earlier, when I explained to her that we were still preparing for what would come later. Then adult gymnastics will begin. In the meantime, we need to develop, very gruelingly, all these new elements. And in Izmir, Sasha performed in only two exercises, and I heard from her: “I want more, I want to go out!” She opened up very emotionally with Irina Alexandrovna. Before this, she was a little constrained, maybe even complex. At times she did not believe that she was a beautiful girl, that she could move beautifully. From time to time we had dialogues like this: “We need to do this here, it’s very beautiful...”. And until Sasha convinces herself with a mirror, or with the help of a video, that yes, it’s true, it looks beautiful, this movement will not “come to life” for her. And even now, in the new program, in a variation on the theme of “Swan Lake”, she still does not do as well as she can. And at certain moments during training she does things that make you want to cry...

- Is it true?

Yes, she has such things. And Irina Aleksandrovna inspired us, and the director Lucy Dimitrova is a very emotional, creative person. She helped Sasha open up.

- Can you call Alexandra an adult gymnast?

I can not yet. If at one time with Dasha Kondakova (world champion - author's note) we entered adult gymnastics for the second time after group exercises, and Dasha was then eighteen years old, going on her nineteenth, then Sasha Soldatova is still only sixteen. And she is also very different from Yana Kudryavtseva and from Rita Mamun. Somewhere in her there is still a purely childish enthusiasm, but somewhere on the contrary - she does something mechanically, and Yana and Margarita are already enjoying themselves. Including during preparation. I watch them during warm-ups - they get such a buzz from every movement! But everything will come to Sasha. She will definitely enjoy it.

They won a gold medal in ball exercises at the Moscow Grand Prix. And the clubs are most likely openly upset?

Previously, Sasha made the clubs well, but now there was that unsuccessful run that happens during training. Initially, a very high musical tempo was taken, in principle, she copes with it easily - she gets into the flow and catches the courage. But an error occurred, and that’s it. Sasha was confused, the music went ahead, and to catch up... She fell out of the flow, as Irina Aleksandnova (Viner-Usmanova, head coach of the national team - author's note) says, it was obvious. Sasha is a very emotional girl, and this either helps her, or, as now, it completely hinders her.

- But you have experience working with such emotional gymnasts. Daria Kondakova was like that.

- And you know the answer to the question “What to do?”

She and Dasha are radically different. Sasha is emotional on the mat, but in life she is a fairly reserved girl. Dasha was emotional everywhere. Now, by the way, she works as a trainer in Novogorsk. And at first she categorically did not want to become a coach. She trains foreign girls and little gymnasts. And she really likes it. She is still learning, but... she is growing before our eyes.

I remember this picture very well, how at the European Championships in Minsk Dasha cried in your arms and could not calm down. Can Vass Sasha also sometimes be seen in this image?

Very rarely. It happens, of course. But more often she expresses her feelings differently. He squeezes my hand forcefully and pulls me towards him. Sometimes he cries too. But most often in such a way that no one sees it.

- Such a character.

A strong character.

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