Ksenia Afanasyeva

Ksenia Afanasyeva
Country represented  Russia
Born September 13, 1991 (1991-09-13) (age 20)
Tula, Russia
Hometown Tula, Russia
Residence Moscow, Russia
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
Level Senior International Elite
Head coach(es) Marina Nazarova

Ksenia Dmitrievna Afanasyeva (Russian: Ксения Дмитриевна Афанасьева) (b. September 13, 1991) is a Russian artistic gymnast. She is the 2011 World Champion on the Floor Exercise,[1] and represented Russia at the 2008 Summer Olympics.[2] In the 1st day of competition, Ksenia qualified in 6th for the all around, however she did not qualify because of the two per country rule. (Ksenia Semenova and Anna Pavlova qualified in 4th and 5th respectively).[3] She also qualified 9th in the individual floor final, and 8th in the individual balance beam final.[4]

She missed the 2007 World Championships due to injury,[2] after coming second in a World Cup gymnastics competition on the Beam earlier in the year.[5]

In 2009 she was nominated to the Russian European team. She failed to reach the All around finals, but took Kristina Goryunova's spot in the All Around Finals.[6] She won the silver behind her compatriot Ksenia Semenova after falling from beam. She also was 4th on uneven bars. She did not compete in the 2009 world championships in London, due to injury.

In 2010, Ksenia won the Japan Cup in Team Finals for Russia and the All Around finals, followed by Japan's Koko Tsurumi, and Russian team mate Aliya Mustafina.[7] At the Pacific Rim championships she won a bronze medal in the All Around finals[8] and another bronze medal on the uneven bars event finals, held in Melbourne.[9]

At the 2010 World Championships in Rotterdam she qualified in 17th in the All Around qualification round but due to the two per country rule she did not advanced to the finals.[10] She qualified 2nd for the floor exercise event finals.[11] She helped led the Russian team to win the gold medal by posting the highest floor exercise score of the night by any gymnasts.[12] She failed to medal on the floor exercise event finals, placing 8th.[13]

At the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo, Ksenia competed vault and floor for Russia in the Team Final, and earned a silver medal along with her teammates. She also qualified fifth for the All Around, and finished seventh in the final. She was second reserve for the Floor Exercise final, but an injury to Diana Bulimar (Romania) and the withdrawal of Viktoria Komova (Russia) meant that Ksenia was able to compete in the final. She scored 15.133 and became the 2011 World Champion on this event.[1]

Afanasyeva is known for her artistry, especially on floor and balance beam. Unfortunately she had also made a name for herself as a tremendously talented gymnast who would perform consistently in team competitions but faltered when it came to her individual performance in the event finals. Despite being a fan favourite, she had had many disappointing performances before finally making the cut by becoming the World Champion on floor in Tokyo 2011.

Contents

Routines

2010, Ksenia consistently performed the following routines:

Apparatus Skills D Score
Vault Double Twisting Yurchenko 5.8
Uneven bars Glide kip cast to HS (A), Van Leeuwen transition (E), Toe on half turn (C), Straddled Jaeger (D), Straddled Tkachev (D) + Pak salto (D) cv 0.1, Cast ½, Stalder lift to HB (C), Toe on full turn (D) + Full twisting double tuck dismount (D) cv 0.1 5.8
Balance Beam Squat through to rear support mount (A), Tuck Arabian salto (F), front aerial (D) + flip flop (B) + back layout stepout (C) cv 0.2, Split leap full turn (D), L turn (C), Onodi (D) + Switch split leap (C) cv 0.1, Free aerial round-off (E), Roundoff double tuck dismount (D) 6.1
Floor exercise Double layout (F), Two whips into BHS triple twists (E) cv 0.2, Double attitude spin (D), Split leap (A) + Split leap 1.5 turns (D), 1 ½ twist (C) + Front full twist (C) cv 0.1, Double L turn (D), Double pike dismount (D) 6.1

Special skills

One arm Onodi on beam (D), double L spin (D) connected into double stag on floor, double turn with leg in back attitude spin (D) on floor, two whips connected into triple twist (E) on floor, Van Leeuwen (E) on bars.

Floor music

References

  1. ^ a b RESULTS. WOMEN'S FLOOR EXERCISE FINAL. 16 October 2011 (PDF). 43rd ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Tokyo (JPN) 7–16 October 2011
  2. ^ a b "Athletes > Ksenia Afanaseva > Bio". NBC. http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=1597/bio/index.html. Retrieved 2009-12-20. 
  3. ^ Games of the XXIX Olympiad Beijing 2008 Women's Artistic Gymnastics. Gymnasticsresults.com (2008-08-10). Retrieved on 2011-11-08.
  4. ^ Games of the XXIX Olympiad Beijing 2008 Women's Artistic Gymnastics. Gymnasticsresults.com (2008-08-10). Retrieved on 2011-11-08.
  5. ^ "Hopfner-Hibbs wins bronze in world gymnastics". Toronto Star. March 18, 2007. http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/193396. Retrieved 2009-12-20. 
  6. ^ floor routines « Inspired by Nadia. Inspiredbynadia.wordpress.com (2009-04-02). Retrieved on 2011-11-08.
  7. ^ International Gymnast Magazine Online – Uchimura, Afanasyeva Take Japan Cup Titles. Intlgymnast.com (2010-07-04). Retrieved on 2011-11-08.
  8. ^ 2010 Pacific Rim Championships. Meet Results. Women – Senior. Competition I / II. 4/29/2010 – 5/2/2010. gymnasticsresults.com
  9. ^ 2010 Pacific Rim Championships Finals. Bars Rankings. Women – Senior. Competition III 5/1/2010 – 5/2/2010. gymnasticsresults.com
  10. ^ ALLAROUND RESULTS. WOMEN'S QUALIFICATION. 42nd ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Rotterdam (NED). 16–24 October 2010
  11. ^ RESULTS; WOMEN'S QUALIFICATION. 42nd ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Rotterdam (NED). 16–24 October 2010
  12. ^ RESULTS. WOMEN'S TEAM FINAL. 42nd ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Rotterdam (NED). 16–24 October 2010
  13. ^ RESULTS. WOMEN'S FLOOR EXERCISE FINAL. 42nd ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Rotterdam (NED). 16–24 October 2010

External links