The five-time champion of the 15th Summer European Youth Olympic Festival, who won gold medals in all gymnastics disciplines except balance beam, Russian Victoria Listunova would like to take part in the Olympics. Still, she will compete in the youth tournaments for another year, the athlete told in an interview to the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza.
“Unfortunately, I’m not passing by age now, I’m missing only one year. I will participate in the main competitions next year - in the Paris championship. Although I would love to compete in the adult competitions with pleasure,” she said.
”On August 23-30, there will be the Cup of Russia, I would love to participate in this tournament, but, unfortunately, I do not fit due to my age,” the gymnast explained.
According to Victoria Listunova, working on her results, she is guided by the example of many gymnasts. "I am striving to improve my bars like Svetlana Khorkina,’’ the Russian gymnast said.
Commenting on her performance in the final on balance beam, she noted that she was a little dissatisfied with her results. “I made an incorrect turn. Of course, it was absurd and unexpected for me, for the coach and for everyone. But I will try to analyze my mistakes, make the beam much better next time ”the athlete assured.
In addition, Victoria Listunova expressed hope that she would still have time and opportunity to see Baku and bring souvenirs from the capital of Azerbaijan to Russia.
The 15th Summer European Youth Olympic Festival is being held in Baku on July 21-27. The festival will be attended by more than 3,900 athletes from 48 European countries. Athletes will compete in ten kinds of sports - gymnastics, athletics, basketball, cycling, handball, judo, swimming, tennis, volleyball and wrestling. In total, athletes will compete for 135 sets of medals.
