Russians hope to emerge from the abyss

LONDON, Oct 10: For decades they were considered the most dominant force in gymnastics. Now many Russians believe that only divine intervention will lead their gymnasts to gold-medal glory.

With the world championships beginning in Aarhus, Denmark, on Friday, four-times Olympic champion Alexei Nemov voiced his concerns.

''I'm praying for a strong finish but we have to be realistic about our expectations this year,'' Nemov told Reuters as he clapped his hands together and rolled his eyes skywards.

Since Russian gymnasts claimed 15 medals -- including five golds -- at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the nation has suffered a spectacular fall from grace.

At the 2004 Athens Games, they reached an all-time low when they failed to win a single gold for the first time since joining the Olympic competition in 1952.

For the men, their run of form has been especially bleak.

They contributed seven medals to the Russians' 2000 Olympic haul.

They have captured a total of only four medals -- none of them gold -- at the five major global competitions that have been held since the Sydney Games.

TALENT DRAIN

Considering that 113 medals have been awarded to male competitors at these events -- four world championships and the 2004 Olympics -- the Russians' paltry tally of two silvers and two bronzes reflects an embarrassing run of form for a country that was considered the traditional powerhouse in the sport.

Nemov, the last Russian male gymnast to climb to the top of the podium at an Olympics, feels his country is still paying the price for the talent drain that took place when the Soviet Union disbanded.

''After the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991, many coaches moved to America and left Russia with a shortage of expertise,'' said Nemov.

''The young generation have had to depend on inexperienced coaches but we hope in time they will achieve the desired results.

''We have invited the experienced coaches to come back to Russia to train our sportsmen and the Russian oligarchs are financially supporting and funding the training of our athletes under experienced coaches.

''(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has encouraged coaches to come back and train our sportsmen and this will eventually bring results.''

With Russia desperate to avoid a flop at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, this year's European championships in Volos, Greece, proved that Putin's intervention had already started to pay dividends. The men won their first continental team title since 2000.

TOP SIX

After picking up three golds and a silver -- their best European result since 1998 -- the Russian men could be poised to recapture their lost glory.

Nemov warned, however, that it may be too soon for gymnasts such as Alexei Bondarenko and 2005 world rings silver medallist Alexander Safoshkin to close the gap created by rivals such as China or 2004 Olympic team champions Japan.

''Our men won European championship titles and my main hope is that the team will finish in the top six,'' said Nemov, who won 12 Olympic medals and five world titles before retiring in 2004.

While the charismatic Russian has no desire to coach himself, describing the job as too stressful, he has used his time to devise a gymnastics show -- called 'Legend about Sport'-- which he hopes will increase the popularity of the sport in his country.

''I created and staged my own show encompassing all four disciplines in gymnastics -- artistic, rhythmic, trampoline and acrobatic -- and it was a big extravaganza with many well known names and I hope to take this show to the rest of Europe,'' said Nemov.

''Such a thing has never been done in Europe before and I hope to get more people interested in gymnastics.'' Similar shows in the United States not only proved a hit with the fans but also sent small children scurrying to their local gyms in the hope of becoming the next Mary Lou Retton, the 1984 all-round Olympic champion.

In years to come, future generations of Russian gymnasts may well credit their success to Alexei Nemov.

Reuters