Despite undergoing surgery earlier in the year, Aliya Mustafina showed a solid quick return from her recent recovery by winning the all around at the 2014 Russian Cup. She performed an incredibly strong bars routine and although she counted a fall on beam, she still scored well. Mustafina was not expected to compete in the all around, but take time recovering towards her preparation for the World Championships in October. Yet Queen Aliya pushes herself when she doesn’t have to and still comes out on top. She is proving herself to be an exceptional leader and role model to younger gymnasts not only in Russia, but around the world. She leads by example with professionalism, competitiveness, willpower, and sheer dedication to the sport. Russian’s are stereotypically known for their toughness, and Mustafina is without a doubt that. She shows up, competes well, and makes no excuses.
Check out her bar routine below.


 

Behind Mustafina came Maria Kharenkova who seems to be the breakout star out of all the seniors this year for Russia. She delivered a beam routine scoring an impressive 16.200, although there have been several debates about inflated scoring. First year senior, Daria Spiridonova, came third with a highlight on her bars routine scoring 15.033. Looking at all the scores from the competition, floor looks to be the overall weakness for Russia. 
 

A big question that continues to arise is whether Olympic All Around Silver Medalist, Viktoria Komova, will make the Russian Worlds team selection. She only competed bars at the Russian Cup, but took gold on the uneven bars in the event finals scoring 15.367, ahead of Mustafina by 0.10. However, her chances to make the the Worlds team will be determined by whether she can prove herself on more than this piece of apparatus. It is still questionable to which pieces of apparatus these will be, but it is evident that Russia will need strong contributors on vault and floor and that will be key for her selection.
 

The official announcement of the provisional team was Mustafina, Sosnitskaya, Kharenkova, Paseka, Kramerenko and Spiridonova with Nabiyeva and Rodionova as alternates. Time can only tell to whether this list may change which, for Russia, will likely not be finalized until the very last minute keeping everyone wondering with anticipation. All we can be sure of is that behind closed doors Russia will be carefully preparing for Worlds, as they be looking to fight for that No.1 team position on the podium against the other contending top countries like USA, China, and Romania.

 

All Around Results:

 

1. Aliya Mustafina 

VT - 14.833

UB - 15.400

BB - 14.600

FX - 14.300

AA = 59.133

 

2. Maria Kharenkova

VT - 14.100
UB - 13.867
BB - 16.200 - Video
FX - 13.667

AA = 57.834

 

3. Daria Spiridonova

VT - 13.833
UB - 15.033
BB - 14.233
FX - 13.700

AA = 56.799

 

4. Alla Sosnitskaya

VT - 14.533
UB - 13.833
BB - 14.033
FX - 14.033

AA = 56.432

 

5. Ekaterina Kramarenko

VT - 13.900

UB - 14.667

BB - 13.600

FX - 13.367
AA = 55.534

Full Results Here

Event Final Results:

Vault:
1. Sosnitskaya - 14.534
2. Nabieva - 14.317
3. Paseka - 14.117

Bars:
1. Komova - 15.367
2. Mustafina - 15.267
3. Spiridonova - 14.933

Beam:
1. Mustafina - 15.567
2. Kharenkova - 14.833
3. Spiridonova - 13.933

Floor:
1. Mustafina - 14.700
2. Elizarova - 14.000
3. Kharenkova - 13.933

Full Event Final Results Here