Evgenia Kanaeva
Encyclopedia
Yevgeniya Olegovna Kanayeva ' onMouseout='HidePop("23746")' href="/topics/Omsk">Omsk
, Soviet Union
) is a Russia
n rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2008 Olympic individual gold medalist and European Champion in the all around for Rhythmic Gymnastics.
Omsk is also the hometown of 2004 Olympic silver medalist Irina Tchachina
and she is training with the same coach. At the 2008 European Championships, in Torino she led the field by almost two full points, placing first in every event.
Kanayeva also beat compatriot Vera Sessina
who won the all-around title in 2006 but was out due to injury and compatriot Olga Kapranova
the 2005 World Champion.
Kanayeva won her first Olympic gold medal in Beijing 2008 in the women's rhythmic individual all-around final with a score of 75.500 (Rope:18.850, Hoop:18.850, Clubs:18,950 and Ribbon:18.850).
In the 2009 European Championship in Baku, Azerbaijan, she got five gold medals of 5 possible.
In 2009, at the 29th World Championship in Mie, Japan, she won 6 gold medals and became the only woman rhythmic gymnast in history to have set such record. In 2011, at the 31st World Championship in Montpellier, France, Kanayeva repeated her success by winning all 6 gold medals.
She is one of the best rhythmic gymnasts in history.
Kanayeva is 1.70m (5'7") tall and weighs 49 kg (108 lbs).
n city of Omsk
, Siberia
, Her mother, Svetlana, was also a rhythmic gymnast – entitled ‘Master of Sports’. However, it was her grandmother, a devoted fan of Rhythmic Gymnastics
and figure skating
, who introduced her to Rhythmic Gymnastics
at the age of 6. Despite her young age, the little Kanayeva had already shown enormous potential. Her first trainer, Elena Arais (daughter of Kanayeva’s current trainer Vera Efremovna Shtelbaums), was impressed by her enthusiasm to learn doing difficult elements. Shtelbaums, who worked in the same gymnastic school, also recalled the time when Kanayeva spent long hours practicing even though all other students were gone, with her grandmother standing in the cold dark corridor waiting to take her home. Besides her passion for Rhythmic Gymnastics, the little Kanayeva was well known for her kindness and care for others. She was nicknamed ‘Mother Theresa’ by the training staff and the parents of her childhood friends.
Kanayeva was selected to join a group of young rhythmic gymnasts from Omsk for a try-out in Moscow
at the age of 12. Her performance caught the eyes of Amina Zaripova
- the person in charge of the youth program. She was then invited to train at the School of the Olympic Reserve. With Shtelbaums being also in Moscow as Omsk native Irina Tchachina
’s personal trainer, Kanayeva received good supervision from her and improved quickly. In 2003 Kanayeva represented ‘Gazprom
’ as a junior rhythmic gymnast to take part in the World Club Championship (also known as ‘Aeon Cup’) in Japan alongside Irina Tchachina
and Alina Kabayeva. She won the junior title. At around the same time, she was noticed by the head trainer of the Russian national team, Irina Aleksandrovna Viner. She was accepted to train at ‘Novogorsk’, the training centre for national team members alone. In Viner’s words, it was a crucial period for Kanayeva because ‘it is better to witness something once than to hear it for 100 times. Alina Kabayeva started in the same way by training among the stars. Oaks do not grow in the desert, they grow among oaks. Kanayeva was lucky in this sense – that there were ‘Novogorsk’ and Vera Efremovna, and we made that decision. She started showing herself as a very clever and very gifted girl in love with Rhythmic Gymnastics
.
’s rich resource in rhythmic gymnasts. Since the end of the Olympic Games 2004, in which Kabayeva and Tchachina won the gold and silver medal respectively, Vera Sessina
and Olga Kapranova
had risen up and gradually become Russia’s leading rhythmic gymnasts. With Kabayeva remaining competitive, there was simply no room for Kanayeva. Yet, she continually worked hard, and the opportunity came in 2007.
In summer 2007, the team of rhythmic gymnasts, who were supposed to be heading to the European championship in Baku of Azerbaijan
, was already known. They were Kabayeva, Sessina and Kapranova. However, due to a serious injury, Kabayeva needed to withdraw on the eve of the championship. In search of a replacement, Viner entrusted Kanayeva from the reserve team to do one apparatus – the ribbon. Despite the short notice, Kanayeva’s first performance on the international stage did not disappoint her trainers and supporters. Kanayeva won the gold medals in individual apparatus and in the team competition. Few months later, she won another gold medal in the team competition at the World Championship in Patras
, Greece
.
(Подмосковные вечера)’.
Kanayeva began her 2008 season under the shadows of Sesina, Kapranova and Ukrainian
rhythmic gymnast, the then World Champion, Anna Bessonova
. However, by mid-spring she was able to overcome all odds and win all Individual All-around titles in the Grand Prix and World Cup series, as well as the Russian National Championship. At the European Championship in Turin
, Italy
, she was no longer a replacement or a reserve as one year before but an established senior rhythmic gymnast of the Russian national team. She defeated Bessonova and Kapranova with high scores in all her routines and became the European Champion. On Viner’ mind, by that time, Kanayeva was the automatic first choice for her Olympic team ahead of Sesina and Kapranova. Viner later settled with Kanayeva and Kapranova as the representatives of the Russian Federations in the Rhythmic Gymnastics competition for the Olympic Games.
Kanayeva was the youngest among all the finalists in the Olympic Rhythmic Gymnastics competition. However, she was also the calmest and made the fewest mistakes. In her words, the Olympic Games was ‘different from all other competitions. You just have to concentrate on yourself, the apparatus and the carpet. You should not pay attention on anything else. I persuaded myself that everything would be alright, that I should not worry.’ With this mentality, Kanayeva won the Olympic title with an excellent score 75.50, ahead of second place Inna Zhukova
of Belarus
by a margin of 3.50 point. According to Viner, what Kanayeva achieved was exceptional as the huge margin between her and the silver medalist was not likely to be ever repeated by any other rhythmic gymnasts in future Olympic Games.
and the World Games
. In fact, her 5 gold medals in the Universiade
enabled Russia
to come top on the overall team ranking. President Dmitry Medvedev
of the Russian Federations openly complimented on Kanayeva’s contribution. She was also hailed as the 'Heroine of the Games' by the official website of Universiade Belgrade 2009.
In September, the World Championship in Rhythmic Gymnastics (Mie Prefecture
, Japan
) provided Kanayeva the opportunity to become World Champion. Kanayeva qualified for the Individual All-around final by coming first in every single apparatus, each with a gold medal. Besides, her results in individual apparatus also won her a gold medal for the team competition (together with Olga Kapranova
, Daria Kondakova
and Daria Dmitrieva
). As a result, prior to the Individual All-around final, Kanaeva had already won 5 gold medals – equaled the record set by Oxana Kostina
of Russia
in 1992 of winning the most number of gold medals in one single Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championship.
Although none expected it to be a record-breaking World Championship, Kanayeva’s determination was clearly seen in the Individual All-around final. After 3 rotations she led second place Kondakova by 0.850. As Kondakova finished her final rotation (rope) elegantly with a high score in 28.400, the atmosphere in the gymnasium turned electrified. After waiting for 5 other finalists to complete their routines, Kanayeva held the ball in her hands and stepped onto the carpet as the last competitor of the day. She gave a championship-winning performance. By a margin of 0.600, Kanayeva won her sixth gold medal and set a new record by winning the most number of gold medals in one single Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championship. With physical and emotional exhaustion, Kanayeva shed her tears when the Russian
training staff embraced her.. President Dmitry Medvedev
of the Russian Federation acknowledged Kanayeva's new record by sending her a telegram of congratulation.
and around the globe but also continued Omsk
’s tradition in producing outstanding rhythmic gymnasts. Sport commentator and former rhythmic gymnast Lyaisan Utyasheva once described Kanayeva as a combination of Tchachina and Kabayeva. However, Kanayeva had no intention to be a copier of the former greats. Frequently in interviews, when asked about her views on success and future plan, her reply was that she lived only in today and every victory motivated her to improve further. According to Arais, Kanayeva always applies the principle ‘winner or loser’ in life, which has distinguished her from others since her first step in Rhythmic Gymnastics. For Kanayeva, 'victory and defeat both give lessons. In the face of victory, the most important thing is not to be overwhelmed but to stay on the ground, to go on and work and take delight in life. For an athlete’s life does not only come through by one victory, and a real athlete is one who is capable of winning and losing.'
Although Kanayeva's ability to follow her trainers' instructions was well known, she had no hesitation to give her opinions on her routines and performances. Year by year, she has shown desires in trying out new elements and adopting new styles. She stated that her satisfaction in Rhythmic Gymnastics was not merely associated with scores or medals but more with the reaction of the audience to her performance.
For Shtelbaums, Kanayeva has the quality to become a good trainer because of her attentiveness to instruct young rhythmic gymnasts. Currently, she is enrolled at The Siberian State University of Physical Training and Sports. When asked what she would like to do when her sporting career is over, Kanayeva expressed her wish to learn how to draw and play piano. She has also said in other interviews that she is keen to study a foreign language, such as English, and some computer-related subjects. Her mother Svetlana said her daughter is thoughtful in this aspect as all her prize money is being saved up for future education.
By the end of 2009, Kanayeva was awarded the title ‘Merited Master of Sports’ in Russia
. Irina Tchachina
was the guest of honour to present Kanayeva the award.
31st World Championship Montpellier, France 2011
Grand Prix Brno, Czech 2011
Omsk
-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2008 Olympic individual gold medalist and European Champion in the all around for Rhythmic Gymnastics.
Omsk is also the hometown of 2004 Olympic silver medalist Irina Tchachina
Irina Tchachina
Irina Viktorovna Tchachina is an Individual rhythmic gymnast born 24 April 1982 in Omsk, Russia. Known for her jumps and clean technique, Irina is considered to be one of the most elegant and technical gymnasts ever. She has been quoted as saying “Besides your body, you should train your mind too...
and she is training with the same coach. At the 2008 European Championships, in Torino she led the field by almost two full points, placing first in every event.
Kanayeva also beat compatriot Vera Sessina
Vera Sessina
Vera Sessina is a Russian individual rhythmic gymnast. She trains in Moscow at the MGFCO - Dinamo Club. She started rhythmic gymnastics in 1993....
who won the all-around title in 2006 but was out due to injury and compatriot Olga Kapranova
Olga Kapranova
Olga Sergeyevna Kapranova is a rhythmic gymnast from Moscow, Russia.She first took up the sport of rhythmic gymnastics in 1993 and trained with Elena Nefedova...
the 2005 World Champion.
Kanayeva won her first Olympic gold medal in Beijing 2008 in the women's rhythmic individual all-around final with a score of 75.500 (Rope:18.850, Hoop:18.850, Clubs:18,950 and Ribbon:18.850).
In the 2009 European Championship in Baku, Azerbaijan, she got five gold medals of 5 possible.
In 2009, at the 29th World Championship in Mie, Japan, she won 6 gold medals and became the only woman rhythmic gymnast in history to have set such record. In 2011, at the 31st World Championship in Montpellier, France, Kanayeva repeated her success by winning all 6 gold medals.
She is one of the best rhythmic gymnasts in history.
Kanayeva is 1.70m (5'7") tall and weighs 49 kg (108 lbs).
Childhood
Yevgeniya Kanayeva was born on 2 April 1990 in the RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n city of Omsk
Omsk
-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
, Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, Her mother, Svetlana, was also a rhythmic gymnast – entitled ‘Master of Sports’. However, it was her grandmother, a devoted fan of Rhythmic Gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
and figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
, who introduced her to Rhythmic Gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
at the age of 6. Despite her young age, the little Kanayeva had already shown enormous potential. Her first trainer, Elena Arais (daughter of Kanayeva’s current trainer Vera Efremovna Shtelbaums), was impressed by her enthusiasm to learn doing difficult elements. Shtelbaums, who worked in the same gymnastic school, also recalled the time when Kanayeva spent long hours practicing even though all other students were gone, with her grandmother standing in the cold dark corridor waiting to take her home. Besides her passion for Rhythmic Gymnastics, the little Kanayeva was well known for her kindness and care for others. She was nicknamed ‘Mother Theresa’ by the training staff and the parents of her childhood friends.
Kanayeva was selected to join a group of young rhythmic gymnasts from Omsk for a try-out in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
at the age of 12. Her performance caught the eyes of Amina Zaripova
Amina Zaripova
Amina Zaripova is a retired rhythmic gymnast with Tatar roots. She competed for Russia. Her older sister, Venera Zaripova, is also a retired rhythmic gymnast. Her husband is Alexei Kortnev, lead singer of Neschastny Sluchai.-External links:...
- the person in charge of the youth program. She was then invited to train at the School of the Olympic Reserve. With Shtelbaums being also in Moscow as Omsk native Irina Tchachina
Irina Tchachina
Irina Viktorovna Tchachina is an Individual rhythmic gymnast born 24 April 1982 in Omsk, Russia. Known for her jumps and clean technique, Irina is considered to be one of the most elegant and technical gymnasts ever. She has been quoted as saying “Besides your body, you should train your mind too...
’s personal trainer, Kanayeva received good supervision from her and improved quickly. In 2003 Kanayeva represented ‘Gazprom
Gazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
’ as a junior rhythmic gymnast to take part in the World Club Championship (also known as ‘Aeon Cup’) in Japan alongside Irina Tchachina
Irina Tchachina
Irina Viktorovna Tchachina is an Individual rhythmic gymnast born 24 April 1982 in Omsk, Russia. Known for her jumps and clean technique, Irina is considered to be one of the most elegant and technical gymnasts ever. She has been quoted as saying “Besides your body, you should train your mind too...
and Alina Kabayeva. She won the junior title. At around the same time, she was noticed by the head trainer of the Russian national team, Irina Aleksandrovna Viner. She was accepted to train at ‘Novogorsk’, the training centre for national team members alone. In Viner’s words, it was a crucial period for Kanayeva because ‘it is better to witness something once than to hear it for 100 times. Alina Kabayeva started in the same way by training among the stars. Oaks do not grow in the desert, they grow among oaks. Kanayeva was lucky in this sense – that there were ‘Novogorsk’ and Vera Efremovna, and we made that decision. She started showing herself as a very clever and very gifted girl in love with Rhythmic Gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
.
The Rise
Kanayeva’s path to rise to the senior rank was not without difficulty due to RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
’s rich resource in rhythmic gymnasts. Since the end of the Olympic Games 2004, in which Kabayeva and Tchachina won the gold and silver medal respectively, Vera Sessina
Vera Sessina
Vera Sessina is a Russian individual rhythmic gymnast. She trains in Moscow at the MGFCO - Dinamo Club. She started rhythmic gymnastics in 1993....
and Olga Kapranova
Olga Kapranova
Olga Sergeyevna Kapranova is a rhythmic gymnast from Moscow, Russia.She first took up the sport of rhythmic gymnastics in 1993 and trained with Elena Nefedova...
had risen up and gradually become Russia’s leading rhythmic gymnasts. With Kabayeva remaining competitive, there was simply no room for Kanayeva. Yet, she continually worked hard, and the opportunity came in 2007.
In summer 2007, the team of rhythmic gymnasts, who were supposed to be heading to the European championship in Baku of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, was already known. They were Kabayeva, Sessina and Kapranova. However, due to a serious injury, Kabayeva needed to withdraw on the eve of the championship. In search of a replacement, Viner entrusted Kanayeva from the reserve team to do one apparatus – the ribbon. Despite the short notice, Kanayeva’s first performance on the international stage did not disappoint her trainers and supporters. Kanayeva won the gold medals in individual apparatus and in the team competition. Few months later, she won another gold medal in the team competition at the World Championship in Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
The Olympics Season
With the opportunity to take part in the Olympic Games in Beijing arising, Kanayeva’s performance in 2008 was breathtaking. All her routines (hoop, clubs, rope and ribbon) were designed with high difficulties and thoughtful music selection to bring out her uniqueness. One of which was her ribbon routine performed with the special edited piano version of ‘Moscow NightsMoscow Nights
"Moscow Nights" or "Midnight in Moscow" is a Russian song, and one of those best known outside its homeland.The song was originally created as "Leningradskie Vechera" by composer Vasily Solovyov-Sedoi and poet Mikhail Matusovsky in 1955 , but at the request of the Soviet Ministry of Culture, the...
(Подмосковные вечера)’.
Kanayeva began her 2008 season under the shadows of Sesina, Kapranova and Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
rhythmic gymnast, the then World Champion, Anna Bessonova
Anna Bessonova
Anna Bessonova is an Individual Rhythmic Gymnast who was born in Kiev, Ukraine. Her father is the Dynamo Kiev football player Vladimir Bessonov and her mother, Viktoria, was a two time world champion group rhythmic gymnast....
. However, by mid-spring she was able to overcome all odds and win all Individual All-around titles in the Grand Prix and World Cup series, as well as the Russian National Championship. At the European Championship in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, she was no longer a replacement or a reserve as one year before but an established senior rhythmic gymnast of the Russian national team. She defeated Bessonova and Kapranova with high scores in all her routines and became the European Champion. On Viner’ mind, by that time, Kanayeva was the automatic first choice for her Olympic team ahead of Sesina and Kapranova. Viner later settled with Kanayeva and Kapranova as the representatives of the Russian Federations in the Rhythmic Gymnastics competition for the Olympic Games.
Kanayeva was the youngest among all the finalists in the Olympic Rhythmic Gymnastics competition. However, she was also the calmest and made the fewest mistakes. In her words, the Olympic Games was ‘different from all other competitions. You just have to concentrate on yourself, the apparatus and the carpet. You should not pay attention on anything else. I persuaded myself that everything would be alright, that I should not worry.’ With this mentality, Kanayeva won the Olympic title with an excellent score 75.50, ahead of second place Inna Zhukova
Inna Zhukova
Inna Zhukova Belarusian: Іна Іванаўна Жукава Ina Ivanawna Zhukava Russian: Инна Ивановна Жукова Inna Ivanovna Zhukova, born on September 6, 1986 in Krasnodar, Soviet Union, is a Belarusian individual Rhythmic Gymnast. She started rhythmic gymnastics in 1990 at age 4...
of Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
by a margin of 3.50 point. According to Viner, what Kanayeva achieved was exceptional as the huge margin between her and the silver medalist was not likely to be ever repeated by any other rhythmic gymnasts in future Olympic Games.
The Record-breaker
With the implementation of the new ‘Codes of Points’, Kanayeva's style was changed drastically in 2009. The transition was not smooth as in early season she struggled against injuries and exhaustion. Although she remained undefeated in all Individual All-around competitions, on a few occasions Sesina and Bessonova finished ahead of her in individual apparatus. Nevertheless, in May Kanayeva won the gold medals for all 4 apparatus at the European Championship in Baku. Then, in July, she collected all gold medals available (9 in total) at the Rhythmic Gymnastics competitions in the UniversiadeUniversiade
The Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"...
and the World Games
World Games
The World Games, first held in 1981, are an international multi-sport event, meant for sports, or disciplines or events within a sport, that are not contested in the Olympic Games...
. In fact, her 5 gold medals in the Universiade
Universiade
The Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"...
enabled Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to come top on the overall team ranking. President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
of the Russian Federations openly complimented on Kanayeva’s contribution. She was also hailed as the 'Heroine of the Games' by the official website of Universiade Belgrade 2009.
In September, the World Championship in Rhythmic Gymnastics (Mie Prefecture
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) provided Kanayeva the opportunity to become World Champion. Kanayeva qualified for the Individual All-around final by coming first in every single apparatus, each with a gold medal. Besides, her results in individual apparatus also won her a gold medal for the team competition (together with Olga Kapranova
Olga Kapranova
Olga Sergeyevna Kapranova is a rhythmic gymnast from Moscow, Russia.She first took up the sport of rhythmic gymnastics in 1993 and trained with Elena Nefedova...
, Daria Kondakova
Daria Kondakova
Daria Kondakova is a Russian rhythmic gymnast from Moscow, Russia.She obtained very good results in her first season , culminating in her all around silver medal at the Worlds Championships in Mie....
and Daria Dmitrieva
Daria Dmitrieva
Daria Andreyevna Dmitrieva is a Russian rhythmic gymnast she was born on June 22 of 1993 in Irkutsk, Russia. She won the ribbon gold medal at the 2010 World Championships in Moscow....
). As a result, prior to the Individual All-around final, Kanaeva had already won 5 gold medals – equaled the record set by Oxana Kostina
Oxana Kostina
Oksana A. Kostina, was a former Soviet Individual Rhythmic Gymnast. She was born in Irkutsk, Russia.For years Oksana Kostina remained in the shadow of the two Ukrainian gymnasts Oxana Skaldina and Alexandra Timoshenko, even though she won many international events before her excellent results at...
of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1992 of winning the most number of gold medals in one single Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championship.
Although none expected it to be a record-breaking World Championship, Kanayeva’s determination was clearly seen in the Individual All-around final. After 3 rotations she led second place Kondakova by 0.850. As Kondakova finished her final rotation (rope) elegantly with a high score in 28.400, the atmosphere in the gymnasium turned electrified. After waiting for 5 other finalists to complete their routines, Kanayeva held the ball in her hands and stepped onto the carpet as the last competitor of the day. She gave a championship-winning performance. By a margin of 0.600, Kanayeva won her sixth gold medal and set a new record by winning the most number of gold medals in one single Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championship. With physical and emotional exhaustion, Kanayeva shed her tears when the Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
training staff embraced her.. President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
of the Russian Federation acknowledged Kanayeva's new record by sending her a telegram of congratulation.
On and Off the Carpet
Kanayeva’s success in Rhythmic Gymnastics has not only won her admiration across RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and around the globe but also continued Omsk
Omsk
-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
’s tradition in producing outstanding rhythmic gymnasts. Sport commentator and former rhythmic gymnast Lyaisan Utyasheva once described Kanayeva as a combination of Tchachina and Kabayeva. However, Kanayeva had no intention to be a copier of the former greats. Frequently in interviews, when asked about her views on success and future plan, her reply was that she lived only in today and every victory motivated her to improve further. According to Arais, Kanayeva always applies the principle ‘winner or loser’ in life, which has distinguished her from others since her first step in Rhythmic Gymnastics. For Kanayeva, 'victory and defeat both give lessons. In the face of victory, the most important thing is not to be overwhelmed but to stay on the ground, to go on and work and take delight in life. For an athlete’s life does not only come through by one victory, and a real athlete is one who is capable of winning and losing.'
Although Kanayeva's ability to follow her trainers' instructions was well known, she had no hesitation to give her opinions on her routines and performances. Year by year, she has shown desires in trying out new elements and adopting new styles. She stated that her satisfaction in Rhythmic Gymnastics was not merely associated with scores or medals but more with the reaction of the audience to her performance.
For Shtelbaums, Kanayeva has the quality to become a good trainer because of her attentiveness to instruct young rhythmic gymnasts. Currently, she is enrolled at The Siberian State University of Physical Training and Sports. When asked what she would like to do when her sporting career is over, Kanayeva expressed her wish to learn how to draw and play piano. She has also said in other interviews that she is keen to study a foreign language, such as English, and some computer-related subjects. Her mother Svetlana said her daughter is thoughtful in this aspect as all her prize money is being saved up for future education.
By the end of 2009, Kanayeva was awarded the title ‘Merited Master of Sports’ in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Irina Tchachina
Irina Tchachina
Irina Viktorovna Tchachina is an Individual rhythmic gymnast born 24 April 1982 in Omsk, Russia. Known for her jumps and clean technique, Irina is considered to be one of the most elegant and technical gymnasts ever. She has been quoted as saying “Besides your body, you should train your mind too...
was the guest of honour to present Kanayeva the award.
Records
29th RG World Championships Mie, Japan 2009- Yevgeniya Kanayeva set a record in the 29th RG World Championships 2009 in Mie by wining 6 gold medals. She is the first gymnast in RG history to achieve such results in one single World Championship.
31st World Championship Montpellier, France 2011
- She equals the record of Maria Petrova (rhythmic gymnast)Maria Petrova (rhythmic gymnast)Maria Petrova is a Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. She shares the world record for the most individual world all-around rhythmic gymnastics titles of all time and has never placed lower than seventh in any competition in her entire career.-Career:Petrova began her training at the age of five at...
, who won 3 world titles for three consecutive years (1993/1994/1995), and of María Gigova (1969/1971/1973). - She is the first gymnast who has won 3 consecutive world titles without sharing the triumph with other gymnasts. Petrova and Gigova shared their respective titles with other gymnasts.
- It is the second time when Yevgeniya Kanayeva won 6 gold medals out of 6. She equals her own record.
- She is the first gymnast who has won gold medals in all of apparatus. (5 apparatus, rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon). She is also the only one gymnast in history to ahieve gold medals in the 7 individual categories of rhythmic gymnastics (All-around, rope, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon and team competition).
- She levels with Maria Gigova in hoop: both have won 3 gold medals in the World Championships.
- She levels with Ekaterina SerebrianskayaEkaterina SerebrianskayaKateryna Serebrianskaya is a former Individual Rhythmic Gymnast. She was born in Simferopol, in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union - in present day Ukraine. She started gymnastics in 1982 at age 4, her mother Liubov was her coach, at the Gratsia club in Simferopol...
and Lilia Ignatova in ball: all of them have won 3 gold medals in the World Championships. - She is the gymnast in the entire RG history who has won the most World Championships titles: 17 gold medals.
Grand Prix Brno, Czech 2011
- On October 16, 2011 Yevgeniya Kanayeva scored 30, she got perfect 10 in difficulty, artistry and execution at ribbon final, Grand Prix Brno 2011, Czech. She is the first gymnast in the history of rhythmic gymnastic to achieve full mark under 30 points judging system.
Routines Music Information
Year | Apparatus | Music Title |
2003 | Rope | Black Cat, White Cat by Goran Bregovic |
Ball | No Information | |
Clubs | No Information | |
Ribbon | I Wanna Be Like You by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy | |
2004 | Rope | Black Cat, White Cat by Goran Bregovic |
Ball | PC Game-Pharaoh OST, mix of jakb+jrj-Hb-sd | |
Clubs | Hey Pachuco (Mask OST) by Royal Crown Revue | |
Clubs (Aeon Cup) | No information | |
Ribbon | Besame Mucho by Gadjo | |
2005 | Rope | Laissez Moi Me Griser by Maurice el Medioni |
Hoop | Big Drum, Small World by Dhol Foundation | |
Clubs | Animals by X-Mode | |
Ribbon | Besame Mucho by Gadjo | |
2006 | Rope | Playing Marilyn Monroe by Oleg Kostrow |
Ball (1st one) | Earthsong by Karunesh | |
Ball (2nd one, CariPrato) | Moonlight Rumba by Gustavo Montesano | |
Clubs | No Information | |
Ribbon | Walls of Akendora by Keiko Matsui | |
Gala-free hand | Earthsong by Karunesh | |
2007 | Rope | Kalinka by Ivan Petrovich Larionov |
Hoop | La Forza Del Destino by G.Verdi, composed by Pompon Finkelstein | |
Clubs (1st one) | Act 1Largoal factotum by Rossini | |
Clubs (2nd one, ex CariPrato) | No Information | |
Ribbon | Walls of Akendora by Keiko Matsui | |
Gala (CariPrato with Ermakova) | Song #1 by Serebro | |
Gala-2 Ribbons (WCH Patras) | Kadril Veselaya by Svetoch | |
2008 | Rope | El Conquistador by Maxime Rodriguez |
Hoop | Tristan & Iseult by Maxime Rodriguez | |
Clubs @ LA Lights | No Information (same music with CariPrato 2007) | |
Clubs | Jota Aragonesa by Glinka | |
Ribbon | MoscowNights by Vasily Solovyov-Sedoy | |
Gala-2 Ribbons | Kadril Veselaya by Svetoch | |
Gala-Autum | You in My September by Igor Krotoy | |
2009 | Rope (1st One) | Carmen Suite by Rodion Shchedrin |
Rope (2nd One) | Kadril Veselaya by Svetoch | |
Hoop | Fantasia on Russian Folksongs by Anton Arensky | |
Ball (1st one) | Oventure of Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian | |
Ball (2nd one) | Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo | |
Ribbon | Padam Padam by Edith Piaf | |
Gala-Autumn | You in My September by Igor Krotoy | |
Gala (WCH Mie) | Do Your Thing by Basement Jaxx | |
2010 | Rope (1st One) | Pigalle (Interlude) by Patricia Kaas |
Rope (2nd One) | Smuglyanka Moldovanka | |
Hoop | Rite of the Spring by Igor Stravinsky | |
Ball | Mix of Loss (OST Eminent Domain) and Decision (OST A Short Film About Killing) by Zbigniew Preisner | |
Ribbon | No Information | |
Gala @GP Thiais | La monture from Notre Dame de Paris (Musical) | |
Gala @EC Bremen | Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla | |
Gala @WCHMoscow | Who Wants to Live Forever by Queen, Sarah Brightman version | |
2011 | Hoop | L'Ete Indien by Joe Dassin |
Ball (1st One) | OST Picture of Dorian Gray (Mix, 1st part-Picture of Dorian Gray by Charlie Mole, 2nd part-Catch the Falling Sky by Immediate Music) | |
Ball (2nd One) | Elegy in E-Flat Minor by Sergei Rachmaninov | |
Clubs | Bolero by Maurice Ravel | |
Ribbon | Fantasie Impromptu No 66 by Frédéric Chopin | |
Gala @EC Minsk | You Lost Me by Christina Aguilera |