For several Olympic cycles in a row, the Russian women's team in synchronized swimming methodically collects all the first awards at the world's largest tournaments. One of the "golden" mermaids of this team was Maria Gromova, who successfully performed at high level over ten years. During this time, she managed to win three Olympics, become a multiple world and European champion.

pool life

Maria Igorevna Gromova was born in Moscow in 1984. Her parents tried to ensure that their daughter went in for sports, tried to attach her to the section on rhythmic gymnastics, figure skating. However, for these sports, little Masha was a bit large, so I had to look for other ways. This is how synchronized swimming appeared in the biography of Maria Gromova. An important role in the final decision was played by the fact that it was the least traumatic sport, and the risk of harm to health was minimized here.

Masha came to the pool at the age of six, like all children, she first learned to stay on the water, to swim. Gradually, the girls of her group began to perform some elements, to reveal their abilities to the mentors. Maria's first coach was Elena Piskareva, who remained by her side throughout her career.

Gromova herself at first did not burn with a special desire to overcome herself, to do tedious stretching exercises. Like all children, she wanted to play, go out with friends. However, it so happened that she unsuccessfully performed at some children's competitions, being at the tail of the group. Here the character has already leaped up, and the girl began to reach out to her friends, trying to become the best. The results went by themselves, she began to get into the youth teams of the country, being a year younger than the girls of her age category.

Transition to adult level

Already at the age of sixteen, Maria Gromova got into the main national team of the country, falling under the head coach of synchronized swimming Tatyana Pokrovskaya. Orders in the team were pretty tough. Being a maximalist in essence, Pokrovskaya sought to hone each element of the program to the ideal level, forcing her pupils to repeat the same movements many times.

The pool, where synchronized swimmers were training, was empty after the evening, swimmers, jumpers from the tower left, but Maria Gromova and her teammates trained to exhaustion, sometimes lingering until twelve o'clock at night. Under such conditions, there was not even a need for tight control over young girls outside of training, since they themselves did not experience any other needs other than rest and sleep.

These titanic efforts were not in vain, Pokrovskaya's wards invariably took all the first places in big tournaments. In 2001, Maria Gromova for the first time in her life became the world champion in group exercises, then in the same year she took the European Cup.

Collecting medals

For her first Olympics in 2004, the Moscow athlete approached in the status of a multiple world champion. In 2003, another gold medal world championships, won the European Cup. but Olympic Games was a special tournament during which sports fans forgot about hockey and football and discovered other sports, including synchronized swimming.

For the period of preparation, the stop in the national team became truly barracks. Every day there were two training sessions, each of which lasted at least five hours. After such a drill, the movements of the girls at the tournament itself became worked out to automatism, they performed the most difficult cascades of jumps and lifts with a smile on their faces.

Rivals from China and Spain tried to catch up with the Russians, but it was impossible. So in 2004, Maria Gromova became an Olympic champion for the first time in her life.

The competition within the national team was very tough, talented juniors breathed in the back, but Maria found her niche in the team. Being a relatively large girl (height 172 cm, weight 61 kg), she played the role of "Atlanta" in the team. That is, during the supports, she was at the bottom and held a teammate on her shoulders, being a kind of springboard for jumping. At the same time, it was still strictly forbidden to touch the bottom with her feet; she performed this athletic work while floating on the water.

Departure into the shadows and return

In 2008, after winning her second Olympics, Maria Gromova decided to take a break from her career. After winning all possible tournaments, it was difficult to find further motivation for performances, and the athlete left the pool.

She spent her free time sensibly, devoting it to her education. Unlike many athletes, she chose not to sports university, and the Institute of Economics, Management and Law.

However, it is always difficult to end a career at only twenty-four. Two years later, Maria Gromova, along with several other group exercise friends, returns to the team and begins to prepare for the London 2012 Olympics.

Prepared the Lost World program for the main tournament of the four-year period, the preparation of which took place in strict secrecy. Rivals from other teams have more than once borrowed especially spectacular tricks from Russian team, and the repetition of excesses tried to avoid.

The new program abounded with the most difficult technical elements, some emissions and supports were about ten pieces. A special responsibility fell on Mary, who, with such elements, was a kind of foundation for a complex structure. However, she did her job perfectly and helped the team win another victory, thus becoming a three-time Olympic champion.

In 2012, Maria Gromova made the final decision to leave the sport and left her active career.

In the Yaroslavl basin "Shinnik" demonstration performances young synchronized swimmers [photo]

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Yesterday, December 26, Yaroslavl was visited by three-time Olympic champion, vice-president of the Russian Synchronized Swimming Federation Olga Brusnikina. It was her arrival that made many Yaroslavl believe in the realization of an old dream: the organization of a synchronized swimming school in Yaroslavl.

Brusnikina brought her young pupils from the city of Chekhov. Synchronized swimmers' performances began in the morning at the Shinnik swimming pool. The girls presented to the audience the programs of group exercises, duets, solos and non-traditional exercises with hoops.

The purpose of our visit is to show you what synchronized swimming is and how it happens, - Brusnikina greeted the audience. - My pupils have been engaged in synchronized swimming for five years and have already managed to achieve some success.

Although the performances were indicative, the girls behaved extremely collected. Yes, and their great mentor scolded the athletes for real: “I didn’t reach the sock ... I didn’t do the twine ... I didn’t smile!”

In the stands, admiring Yaroslavl schoolgirls and their parents, with bated breath, watched the skill of young athletes. Looking at Chekhov's guests, many of them were eager to get into the synchronized swimming section. There is only one problem - there is no such opportunity in our city, and there is a catastrophic lack of water for classes. The desire to help the residents of Yaroslavl was the reason for the visit of the eminent athlete.

- Olga, tell us about the purpose of your visit.

The Synchronized Swimming Federation of Russia received an offer from the Yaroslavl Swimming Federation to visit this city, show what synchronized swimming is, talk about it, and draw attention to this sport. We immediately responded to this invitation. I am vice-president of the Russian Synchronized Swimming Federation, responsible for the development of the regions. Together with our team, Valentina Sergeyevna Nemogaeva, the State Synchronized Swimming Coach, arrived. And she stood at the origins of the creation of synchronized swimming in Russia and the USSR. It is very good that she was able to come and assess the possible prospects here.

- What prospects do you see?

Of course, the desire of the local Swimming Federation and, I hope, the desire of local authorities, is very great. But much more needs to be added to it. An important factor is the conditions in which children will train. Much depends on specialists who are ready to educate girls involved in synchronized swimming. There is no such specialist in Yaroslavl. And you need to attract such a person here, create the necessary conditions for him: both for work and for housing. Or send your coaches for an internship at schools and synchronized swimming clubs in Moscow and the Moscow region. Synchronized swimming is a rather young sport. But, nevertheless, the successes of Russian athletes in this form speak for themselves. For the last 12 years, our team has not lost to anyone on the world stage. We are absolute leaders in synchronized swimming. This sport requires a lot of attention. Indeed, for the performance of synchronized swimmers, not one lane in the pool is needed, but open water space, and this, accordingly, is a rental. In addition, costumes and musical equipment are needed. This is not such a simple sport, you need to invest in it not only your soul, but also your money.

What arguments can be given to mothers who do not know which section to send their daughter to in favor of synchronized swimming?

In my opinion, synchronized swimming for girls is best view sports. They get everything here: they are engaged in choreography, general physical training, swimming, there are plastic lessons. All this is very good for health. Water is generally useful for children: it is both hardening and alignment of posture. In addition, synchronized swimming is a minimum of injuries.

Now among athletes who have completed their sports careers, it is fashionable to go into politics. Why didn't you leave synchronized swimming?

Probably because I wanted to stay, I wanted to do something of my own, try my hand as a coach, organizer. Of course, coaches work with me, whom I trust in everything. In addition, I have a large amount of social workload. I am Vice-President of the Synchronized Swimming Federation of Russia, President of the Synchronized Swimming Federation of the Moscow Region. I am a member of the executive committee Olympic Committee, Chairman of the Commission of Athletes of the Olympic Committee. All this gives me the opportunity to communicate with people in the world of sports, acquire certain skills as an organizer, and somewhere as an official. I think everyone should mind their own business. I don't feel the need to go into serious politics. Everything needs to be learned. It is impossible to leave the pool, from the stadium, from the hall and immediately become a politician, an official, a leader. The synchronized swimming school that I created is a platform for me to grow, learn and move forward.

- Do other members of the synchronized swimming team create their own schools?

So far, this is an isolated case in my face.

- How did you manage to achieve such success?

I was born in Moscow, my mother came to the capital from the Tula region. I am extremely grateful to her for raising me. It was very difficult for her. She raised me alone. Now, as a mother myself, I can imagine the sacrifices she had to make. I had to forget about my personal life. She studied and worked, creating all the conditions for me to grow into a worthy citizen and benefit my country. She laid down her life for my good.

- Olga, what advice can you give to novice athletes?

First of all, you need to contact your parents first. These are the people who bring children to sports. Sometimes children do not understand where they are going, why and for what they need it. The main impetus should be parental will. Parents should understand that their children can grow up to be worthy and successful people. Children should be given this chance. Many believe that the child has enough workload at school. And while they are in school, they already have the opportunity to start a different life. And, perhaps, one of them will achieve great success. Children would like to wish patience and diligence. It is most important. Because any business requires full dedication. When there is a return, there is a result.

- And how many girls who came to the pool still achieve high results?

Imagine that in Moscow alone, about 1,500 children study. The national team consists of ten members. Draw your own conclusions. And this is only Moscow. Officially, we have 20 subjects of the Federation taking part in the competition. Of course, knowing this information, you can wave your hand, saying: “Oh, where are we going there” ... Thinking like this, you yourself are taking away from your children the chance to break through somewhere. Now the Russian national team has representatives from Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg. They once started in these regions. Only having achieved certain results, the coaches gave them to Moscow. There would be a desire, but there is always a chance.

- What emotions do you experience as a coach?

Different. Sometimes there is delight, sometimes you want to kill ( laughs). Of course I'm worried. When I was an athlete, I only worried before the start. When I went to the start, my work began, and the excitement faded into the background. I worry about the girls throughout the program, when I understand that now I can’t do anything for them.

- Are relationships important for girls performing in a duet in a group?

Certainly. They may not be close friends, but they must understand that they are doing the same thing and moving towards the same goal. Each of them can let the team down with their bad mood or unwillingness to work. A sense of responsibility is very important, it needs to be brought up from childhood.

- How are your relations with Maria Kiseleva developing now?

Fine. Just the other day, a project took place, which we prepare together every year. This show Olympic champions where our entire team played. It was a big celebration of synchronized swimming.

- What is your goal as a coach?

I, as a leader, dream that someday my athletes will become as great as their coach. The main success of the coach lies in the fact that he will be able to raise a pupil much higher in level than he is.

- Are they invited to work abroad?

I worked abroad. In Italy, in China. We are hired there. Of course, we can be useful, earn money. But I understand that this is not the case. I want to do something of my own. Let it not be right away. My school is already five years old, and my pupils are still growing. I'm ready to wait. I want it to be done by my hands. The conditions that were created for me are simply unique. When I, a Moscow athlete, began to work in the region, they looked at me askance. The conditions that have been created for me allow me to devote myself to work completely, not paying attention to difficulties.

- Why can't other countries beat Russia in synchronized swimming competitions?

Many factors influence this. First of all, we have a special approach to the preparation of the national team. Our team is at the training camp almost all the time, all the time they are together. Athletes work very hard. Sometimes, 8 hours in the water every day, more training in the gym. Our country is huge. She is a storehouse of not only athletes, but also coaches. We have wonderful coaches preparing the national team - Tatyana Pokrovskaya, Tatyana Danchenko, my coach is Elena Nikolaevna Polyanskaya. Of course, this is an administrative job. Those people who remain in the shadows do a great job. Last year I joined the technical committee of the European Synchronized Swimming Federation. This is a long-term work of a huge team in different directions. This year we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Russian Synchronized Swimming Federation. Victories are the fruit of 30 years of work.

The day ended with a round table, which was attended by state synchronized swimming coach Valentina Nemogaeva, Olga Brusnikina, as well as representatives of local authorities represented by the director of the department of physical culture and sports Sergey Karpov, the deputy of the regional duma Ilya Osipov. According to the participants, unfortunately, there are no facilities for classes in Yaroslavl, but the first step towards creating infrastructure will be the creation of a department or club for synchronized swimming.

We can say that there is not enough water anyway. We almost lost Drattsev; left, but Fesikov returned, - complained Ilya Osipov. - Now they have nowhere to train. By the time the new pool is built, we should already have schools and trainers ready so that the water is not empty. You can start training in kindergarten pools. The club needs to be created. This will take 2-4 years. We will build a swimming pool together with the Federation of Synchronized Swimming of Russia. After all, this is the employment of children, and health, and prestige.

How to force eight different beautiful girls live, act as a whole? Is it just the most severe discipline and daily 10-hour workouts? How are performance programs created that the whole world recognizes as masterpieces? Who and how makes the Russian synchronized swimming team absolutely invincible? We will learn about what was left behind the scenes of the victorious performance of our synchronized swimmers in Rio de Janeiro, and get acquainted with the private life of the “Russian mermaids”, where they also have to fight. But not for Olympic gold, but for personal female happiness ...

We will show the real behind the scenes of the Russian national team, where a homely atmosphere reigns, where the girls are not shy about being themselves. Fragments of an amateur film shot by one of the champions - Alexandra Patskevich.

They know the joy of great victories. And the pain of cruel life losses. But no matter what happened to them, they were and remain invincible.

Once again reliving moments of world triumph, looking at the victorious performances of our girls in Rio, we get to know each of the participants in turn.

Natalya Ishchenko - she's not just five times Olympic champion, but also the first athlete in the history of world synchronized swimming to win Olympic gold after giving birth. “Given the specifics of our sport, this is basically impossible,” the athletes and coaches unanimously say. But Ishchenko proved that it is possible! One of the episodes of the film is dedicated to her personal history.

We shoot Svetlana Romashina during sailing regatta in outskirts of Moscow. Husband Nikolai is watching his wife from the shore. For Svetlana, the regatta is not just a hobby. The point is that it is sailing helped her in her time to win one of the most important victories in life - to find female happiness. Svetlana and Nikolay tell us a beautiful and touching story of their relationship.

Two-time Olympic champion Alexandra Patskevich is a beautiful blonde, the heroine of gossip columns. Before our eyes, she is filming for fashion magazines, developing an author's clothing line. But Alexandra's life is not only glamorous brilliance. In an interview, she recalls how she suffered a serious spinal injury in training three months before the London Olympics. IN Olympic program all the most difficult acrobatic elements are tied to Sasha, so replace her with someone else for such short term was impossible. The Olympic gold of all our eight depended on her courage.

Another two-time Olympic champion in our team is Alla Shishkina. On a brand new "champion" car, just received on Red Square, Alla and her mother drive all day south-east of Moscow. The ultimate goal of the trip is a tiny regional center on the Khoper River - Borisoglebsk. Once upon a time, little Allochka spent every summer here with her grandmother, and today the appearance of a world sports star causes a sensation here. Having learned that “the same Shishkina” would come to Borisoglebsk to relatives, the city rose to its ears in advance. How are super champions met in the provinces?

Duet coach Tatyana Danchenko even spends rare free hours by the water. Therefore, together with her, we went ... fishing, where we learned the curious details of her biography. Her own sports career in synchronized swimming ended very early, because at the age of 18 Tatyana became a mother. Was it easy for a 20-year-old girl to train peers? How were the legendary "golden" duets born: Davydova - Ermakova, Ishchenko - Romashina? And what is it like to work under the guidance of Tatyana Pokrovskaya, a former gymnast who has never gone in for swimming (!), and often sets tasks that, in principle, are impossible on the water?

Tatyana Pokrovskaya, with her tough innovative approach, has moved the entire world of synchronized swimming far ahead. Pokrovskaya is a "fighter" of the old Soviet style. In her training, even multiple Olympic champions do not dare to utter a word. The discipline in the team is tougher than the army. But who said that Pokrovskaya is wrong? After all, it gives a 100% result. We are revisiting the “golden” performance of our team in Rio de Janeiro again and again, and suddenly we find out that in the life of Tatyana Pokrovskaya, not only victorious, but also the most difficult experiences are connected with this city. Her eldest granddaughter Lisa grew up there and is buried there. In memory of her, the Prayer program was staged, which gives the audience goosebumps. The loss of a granddaughter, unfortunately, is far from the only drama in Pokrovskaya's life. “I paid very little attention to my husband. He dragged on himself the whole household, the whole house. Now that he is gone, I feel guilty about how much I didn’t give him.”

The final shots of the film were shot in the park near Tatyana Nikolaevna's house in early September. Immediately after the Olympics, her daughter and grandson flew to visit her. They flew in from Rio de Janeiro, where the only daughter of an outstanding coach has been living for more than 20 years. Pokrovskaya spent several days next to the lively Vanya, and frankly admits: “To command an ambitious team, to lead it to Olympic victories- there is nothing difficult in this! Compared to how hard it is to be a grandmother!”

The film features:

five-time Olympic champions Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina and their families;

two-time Olympic champions Alexandra Patskevich and Alla Shishkina;

honored coaches of Russia Tatyana Pokrovskaya and Tatyana Danchenko;

Olympic champions in synchronized swimming of previous years Olga Kuzhela and Maria Kiselyova;

Professor, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chief Cardiac Surgeon of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Gennady Khubulava.

Director: Oleg Shilovsky

Producer: Alexey Vasiliev

Angelica Timanina will take part in international tournament on surfing.

Olympic champion in synchronized swimming Anzhelika Timanina will perform in a new sport for herself - surfing.

30-year-old Timanina will take part in the World Championships, which will be held in Miyazaki (Japan) from September 7 to 15. This tournament will be the first international start for a synchronized surfer and the twelfth world championship in her career.

“I still don’t fully understand everything that is happening to me now,” Timanina said. - Only thanks to the support of people who sincerely believe in me, everything that happens today became possible, and I personally thank everyone who helped me get to where I am now. It is a great honor for me to take part in competitions of this level and represent the country.”

Note that Timanina ended her career as a synchronized swimmer in 2016.

Composition of the Russian team at the World Championships: Nikita Avdeev, Yegor Volkov, Sergey Rasshivaev, Polina Malizia, Anna Chudnenko, Anzhelika Timanina.

The World Surfing Championship will be the qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Related: Surfing competitions in Japan and Indonesia postponed Olympic champion in synchronized swimming to perform at the World Surfing Championships

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From the "paddling pool" to the Olympics

I was six when my parents sent me to the swimming section - in fact, it was an ordinary “paddling pool”, where I went solely to learn how to swim and stay on the water. But after a couple of months, the coach said that there was nothing for me to do in the “paddling pool”, and sent me to a normal pool. It so happened (and quite by accident) that instead of the usual pool, I ended up in a deep one - in the pool where synchronized swimmers were engaged. I remember that we were then told that synchronized swimming is a developing and very beautiful sport that is perfect for a girl. From that moment, in fact, my formation as a professional athlete begins. Of course, in the beginning there was no question of high results, but when at the age of ten I switched to coach Tatyana Evgenievna Danchenko, my parents seriously thought about my sports career. At first, my parents thought, and then - after the first successes - I myself already wanted this. I remember at the age of 11 I said that I would become an Olympic champion. She said, and seven years later she held her first Olympic medal in her hands.

Frankly, there were moments (especially in adolescence) when I wanted to quit everything. At the age of 15, I moved to the senior team and began to train hard - my peers were finishing school at that time, walking and talking. At that time I really wanted to get involved in sports and live a normal life. But now, looking back, I do not regret anything, on the contrary, I am happy that life turned out that way.

I think my main secret- in my own character, namely - in purposefulness. It is very important to be able to set goals and go to them, no matter what. Such maximalism, in principle, is inherent in many athletes. Still, for the most part, we all dream of "gold". I can say that my first medal was silver. And I was very offended. I remember that I then said: “Further on, all the medals will be only gold.” And so it was.

In synchronized swimming, flexibility and physique are very important - often, when taking a child into a section, coaches even pay attention to the texture of his parents. Nevertheless, the desire of the athlete himself still plays a decisive role. When I first started, I did not have any special inclinations - as a child, I was generally a rather chubby child, without stretching and without flexibility. And the fact that I became an Olympic champion is not the result of natural gifts, but of colossal work and desire. And, of course, I certainly would not have coped without my mother. In fact, she then took the entire preparation process under her control - she forbade me to eat rolls, sat with me on the splits and helped with the lessons.

The synchronicity of movements, in my opinion, is the result not only of hard work, but also of hundreds of hours spent together. Just imagine, we live on camps that last six months, and sometimes a year; we see each other more often than relatives (sometimes we catch ourselves copying habits and adopting manners on each other). But nevertheless, I can’t say that all nine, or even twelve people in the team - best friends. Of course not. But it does not matter if the relationship is based on mutual respect and understanding. We have exactly that.

It's always scary before a competition. It’s scary that the program needs to be done perfectly, and that it can be insanely difficult and difficult. The feelings we experience are simply beyond words. Hands and legs tremble, oxygen is sorely lacking, dizzy - some athletes in general, due to excitement, can go to the bottom right during the performance. There are always fears, and the ability to resist them comes only with experience. It cannot be said that with each new start we are less worried and less worried. No, we're just used to this state - our body already needs this adrenaline to be in good shape. Sometimes we notice: if we are not afraid, then something is wrong.

From synchronized swimming to sailing regatta

The program for the season is set at the beginning of the year, after which we develop it for a long time and only in July or May, during the main competitions, do we show it. Two or three months before the competition, our day looks like this: getting up early in the morning, having breakfast and jumping into the water - the first training starts at eight and lasts an average of four and a half hours, then at 12:30 we go to gym. In the gym, both OFP and “dry” training are waiting for us - everything that we do in the water with our feet, here we do it with our hands. This is necessary so that the sense of rhythm is perfect - if the music is turned off during the performance, ours should be developed so well that we can complete the program to the end and not get lost. After classes in the gym, we have lunch and rest - someone goes for a massage, and someone sleeps. At 17:30, the second training session in the pool begins, which usually lasts until 22:00-22:30. Then we have dinner and go to bed (of course, falling asleep after such loads is not easy).

In the pool, we not only hone the program, but also perform all kinds of exercises. For example, we swim eight times in 50-meter crawl with a breath hold: 45 seconds you swim, 15 - you rest. At the same time, we are not limited to only one crawl - on the contrary, due to the fact that each style involves different muscle groups, it turns out to develop comprehensively. For example, we have an exercise on the back, during which we swim only on our hands with legs apart - this is done in order to develop shoulder joints and reduce their risk of injury.

If the coach competently and consistently develops his athlete, then training will only strengthen the body, but if a non-professional takes up the matter, then, of course, he can do harm. For example, we have such an element as a screw - we perform it while going under water - and so, from the very beginning, the coach must make sure that the athlete can spin in both directions, otherwise there is a high risk of developing a curvature of the spine. There are a lot of such moments in synchronized swimming, and if you take into account all the nuances and know the specifics of this sport well, then health problems can be avoided.

Previously, at a transitional age, I had to monitor my weight, but then this need disappeared - the weight began to go away on its own. And this is more a minus than a plus - after all muscle mass goes away too. And to avoid unnecessary losses, the coach makes us eat even during training - we always have a plate with nuts, chocolate and dried fruits on the side. Of course, to swim 4.5 hours, you need strength. A lot of strength.

My passion for sailing began exactly four years ago, after the Olympics in London - then my husband invited me to take part in the regatta with him. I participated, and now we almost always sail together. We walk along the coast of Turkey, Greece, Croatia, once we were even in the Caribbean. This is what I like about sailing - the range of places where you can visit is very large. True, for some reason, many people think that this is an insanely expensive pleasure that cannot be afforded. But actually it is not. The price is the same as a week's vacation on the beach. Same, only more interesting. After all, on the one hand, a sail is the sea, a beach and a tan, and on the other, a movement that is so necessary and which is sometimes very much in Everyday life lacks.