The head coach of the national team explained the decision to choose Taisiya to Victoria Onoprienko
Head coach Irina Deriugina, Ukrainian National Rhythmic Gymnastics Team explained why Ukraine was eliminated in the individual championship Olympics 2024 will present Taisiya Onofriychukbut not Victoria Onoprienko.
“First of all, I would like to remind you that Victoria Onoprienko is a graduate of the Deriugins’ school. From her first steps in rhythmic gymnastics, we believed in her, we supported her, we invested our knowledge, energy, strength, and love in her. Personally, I spent countless hours with Victoria on the mat, passing on my experience to her. We all know the result: Victoria is a finalist of the 2020 Olympics, a bronze medalist of the World Championship, a European Champion, the winner of two silver medals at the European Championship, and the winner of many stages of the World Cup and other prestigious competitions.”
“The decision on who will compete in the individual championship at the Olympics was very difficult. However, as the head coach of the Ukrainian team, I am guided by the criteria for selecting athletes for the Olympic Games, which are established by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. There are clear criteria according to which Taisiya Onofriychuk scored the required number of points to qualify for the Games in Paris.”
“Taisiya, by the way, is also a pupil of the Deriugins’ school, her first coach is my pupil Elina Khozlu. She is a very talented athlete, and I am convinced that she will do everything in Paris to worthily represent Ukraine.”
“Victoria has a fighting spirit, so I believe that this situation will make her stronger. She defends the flag of Ukraine in all competitions in which she participates, and especially in such a difficult time as a full-scale war in our country. When, as you know, she worries every day about her father, who defends Ukraine at the front, and to whom we are all very grateful for this.”
“We have always supported and will continue to support Victoria: both in sports and in her personal life. We wish her the fastest possible recovery from her injury and are waiting for Vika in the gym, because an athlete of such a level, with such skill and such a character as she has, I am convinced, will bring much more benefit to Ukrainian gymnastics.”
Let us recall that at the recent Grand Prix competition in Brno, Czech Republic, Onofriychuk and Onoprienko won six medals between them. Viktoria won the hoop and clubs competitions and also took third place in the ball finals. Onofriychuk has three silver medals. Taisiya took second place in the hoop, ball and ribbon competitions.
Six athletes will represent Ukraine in rhythmic gymnastics at the Olympics. Onofriychuk will perform in individual exercises. The team in team exercises includes Maria Vysochanskaya, Diana Baeva, Alina Melnik, Kira Shirykina, Valeria Peremeta. Rhythmic gymnastics competitions at the Games in Paris will be held on August 8-10.
Source: Sportarena
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