Lala Kramarenko: "I support Azerbaijani gymnasts"

This Friday, the 1st FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Junior World Championships will kick off at the Irina Viner-Usmanovaa Gymnastics Centre. Young gymnasts from around the world will compete in both individual and group programs. On the margins of a press conference dedicated to this historic tournament, Vestnik Kavkaza talked about the upcoming tournament with one of the Russian gymnasts, Lala Kramarenko - the daughter of goalkeeper Dmitry Kramarenko and granddaughter of the outstanding football goalkeeper Sergey Kramarenko, after whom the prize to the best goalkeeper of Azerbaijan was named.

- Lala, how does the team prepare for the tournament?

- Irina Aleksandrovna makes us all more determined. We have not yet participated at such serious competitions, so we will try to make things right, as Irina Aleksandrovna says.

- What apparatus will you perform with?

- I will perform with two pieces of apparatus: with a ball to Sirtaki and with clubs to ‘Dark Eyes’. This is Irina Alexandrovna’s choice - she created the program and chose music, for which I am very grateful to her.

- Who will support you this time? We know that your dad was present at the previous competition in Baku.

- In Moscow, my father probably will not be able to come, but my mother, grandmother, aunt and sister will come to support me.

- How did you start gymnastics? What does this sport give you?

- I started gymnastics in Baku because my dad works there. Gymnastics, above all, forms right posture, beautiful figure and manners.

- Gymnasts from Azerbaijan will participate in these competitions. Do you support them, follow their progress?

- Of course, I support them. For example, from a very young age we were training with Dasha Farshbavshahriari in the same group, now we keep in touch and correspond. And I communicate with Dasha Sorokina, who performs in the group exercises.

- Do you often visit Baku?

- Last time I came to Baku to rest after the 2018 European Championship when I was on vacation. When there will be the World Championship among seniors, I hope I can come to Baku to support our girls.

- Who is your favorite gymnast?

- I follow the example of such successful gymnasts as Dina and Arina Averina, Sasha Soldatova, Katya Selezneva and Alina Kabaeva.