MCSMaria's Artistic Gymnastics Blog

For a girl that was retiring from elite gymnastics several months ago, Tatiana Nabieva has come back with a vengeance. After helping the Russian team to a bronze medal at the World Championships in Nanning, China, Tataina aka "Tanya" has decided that this is an ideal time for her to train upgrades.

Just 8 months after she announced her retirement in January, Russian gymnast Tatiana Nabieva has made a comeback to make the Russian world championship team.

The Russian Gymnastics Federation has named a provisional team going to the World Championships in Nanning, China this October. The announcement comes on the heels of the recent Russian Cup in Penza, which served as part of the qualification process for the Worlds team.

The Russian Championships are happening this week in Penza, Russia. It has been confirmed that all of the major players (excluding Ksenia Afasaneyva) are there.

Sad news this holiday season, Russian gymnast Tatiana Nabieva has decided to call it quits on the sport of gymnastics. According to Russian Gymnastics Facebook, Tatiana announced her impending retirement via her Instagram account. This is what she had to say:

Aliya Mustafina, Tatiana Nabieva and their of merry gymnasts are invading a shopping mall near you this holiday season.

Here is the lovely Tatiana Nabieva on the uneven bars in Stuttgart at the DTB Cup Team final.

It's that particular Thursday in November where we Americans stuff ourselves full of turkey and gravy and give thanks. Hence,  Thanksgiving. Today, I would like to express my gratitude for everything that has made me happy this year in the world of gymnastics.

Aliya Mustafina will represent Russia the the DTB Cup in Stuttgart Germany. Not to be confused with the Stuttgart World Cup, which will be held the same weekend.

Who doesn't love adorable baby gymnasts? It's like watching a little puppy.  They're so determined. This is the case with a little Nabieva from the Friendship Classic and I am assuming it's 2005.

The Rio Olympics aren't for another 2 1/2 years, but the gymnasts are taking part in the Olympic spirit in support of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

The World Championships have come and gone and we're all still trying to drown our sorrows about it being all over with chocolate, crying sessions or whatever your vice for curing your post Worlds hangover.

All the red blooded American girls have a crush on Danell Leyva. Apparently so do the red blooded Russian girls. What straight man wouldn't love to have two beautiful girls on his arm? Especially these lovely ladies. The picture looks to be from about 2010 judging by Tanya's bangs and the length of Aliya's hair.

In Antwerp, Aly Raisman met up with Aliya Mustafina, Anna Rodionova and Tatiana Nabieva. Aly promised her fans she'd get a picture with Aliya.  What better time to get a picture while out on the town with the girls, when one is looking fabulous? Like any good girls night, picture taking must be involved. This provides the opportunity for the occasional photo-bomber. This particular photo bomber happened to be Aimee Boorman, also known as Simone Biles' coach.

Podium training for the World Championships in Antwerp have finished, and all the gymternet will dream of seeing their favorite gymnast up on the medal podium and the gymnasts dream of beating their competitors for their shot of glory.

The Russian Federation has just announced their (partial) team headed to the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium at the end of September.

Today, the list of competitors for the Russian Cup, happening this weekend, in Penza was released on sportgymrus.ru .

I love seeing gymnasts who improve with age. I love it especially because since the days of Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci, this has been a sport that is being viewed as dominated by little girls. That's not necessarily true. The FIG's technical report from the last Olympics said that the average  age of Olympic gymnasts was over twenty years old. That means that the athletes representing their countries for the most part, were actually women and not little girls. Much like a fine wine, there are certain things that get better with age. 18-year-old Tatiana Nabieva of Russia is a perfect example.

In an article on SovietSport.ru , Valentina Rodionenko, the head of the Russian Women's Gymnastics team, confirmed that Aliya Mustafina is training a triple twisting Yurchenko. It's becoming very apparent that the TTY will be the Amanar of the last quad. Simone Biles is training the TTY, as evidenced by her recent episode of Gymnastike's "Beyond the Routine" series. McKayla Maroney is also rumored to be training it as well.  Aliya Mustafina's teammate, Tatiana Nabieva, was training the TTY in 2010, but never got it competition ready.

The event finals marked  the last day of gymnastics at the Universiade in Kazan. It also meant more medals for the Russian team and a few upstarts who snuck onto the podium. Miss Ksenia Afanasyeva was Miss Bad Ass vaulter.