The growth of Kanaeva. Kanaeva Evgenia Olegovna rhythmic gymnastics. Participation of Evgenia Kanaeva in the Olympic Games

Russian gymnastics is rightfully proud of a whole galaxy of beautiful artists who compete with honor for the title of the strongest at major championships and become Olympic medalists. One of them is Evgenia Kanaeva.

First steps

It all started back in 1996, when a six-year-old girl, Zhenya, was brought by her grandmother to coach Elena Arais. Arais, who was starting her coaching career at that time, invested all her knowledge, skill and passion for rhythmic gymnastics into the girl.

Fortunately, the seeds fell into fertile soil: Zhenya’s mother is a master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics. From her mother and grandmother, the girl inherited a love of gymnastics, sports stubbornness and the ability to achieve her goals at the cost of many hours of training. And the grandmother became a faithful companion for her beloved granddaughter at the beginning of her sports career - she accompanied her everywhere to training and competitions.

Older athletes could also envy little Zhenya’s tenacity: Arais admired the amazing desire of a very little girl to complicate her training and include new elements in her program.

First victories

At the age of twelve, Evgenia, as a member of the Omsk juniors, participated in a sports training camp in Moscow, where she attracted the attention of coach Amina Zaripova. Since then, Zhenya has continued training in the capital. During this period, her coach Vera Shtelmbaus, Elena Arais’ mother, had a great influence on her. Shtelmbaus at that time was the personal trainer of another famous gymnast from Omsk, Irina Chashchina, and did not ignore her daughter’s pupil.

The young gymnast’s sporting success and perseverance attracted the attention of the national team’s head coach, Irina Viner. Irina Aleksandrovna was able to discern enormous potential in the girl and decided that it would be useful for her to train among famous athletes. Kanaeva was asked to continue training at the Novogorsk training center, where the training base for members of the Russian national team was located. The girl was lucky - Vera Shtelmbaus also worked there, so the decision to transfer to the center was made by mutual consent. Evgenia’s love for rhythmic gymnastics, her athletic perseverance and talent never made the coaches doubt the correctness of their choice.

Path to Olympus

Despite the natural talent and the enormous tenacity with which Zhenya trained, her ascent to the sports podium cannot be called easy. All places in the team were occupied until 2007, when, due to a serious injury, Alina Kabaeva withdrew from the team preparing for the European Championship in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku.

All this time, Evgenia Kanaeva trained persistently and hard, mastering more and more complex elements and honing her skills. Therefore, to replace the venerable Kabaeva, who dropped out of the national team, Wiener took her. True, so far the coach has risked entrusting Evgenia with only the performance with the ribbon. However, even then the young athlete was able to achieve the attention and recognition of fans and judges by winning gold.

And just a few months later, Zhenya achieved another gold - in the team competition at the World Championships in Patras, Greece. Since then, Evgenia has declared herself as a strong athlete who is ready to compete for Olympic medals.

Olympic takeoff

2008 started well for Kanaeva. Already in the spring of the same year, at the Russian Championship, she confidently became the absolute champion of the country. This season, Zhenya managed to take the main prize at all stages of the Grand Prix and World Cup, where the artist took part, and later at the European Championship. Even then, the media started talking about the gymnast as the main contender for gold at the upcoming Olympics.

And the predictions came true! In Beijing, Evgenia Kanaeva showed the best result of 75.5 points. She beat her closest rival, Belarusian athlete Inna Zhukova, by 3.5 points. The gymnast spectacularly repeated her success in London.

After retiring from big-time sports, Zhenya Kanaeva did not part with what she loved: today she is a young coach of a youth team Russian Federation. Evgenia instills a love of rhythmic gymnastics and sports skills in teenagers aged 12–14, considering it not a job, but a gift of fate.

Awards for Evgenia Kanaeva

Evgenia Kanaeva was born on April 2, 1990 in the city of Omsk. The girl’s mother was a Master of Sports in rhythmic gymnastics. However, at the age of six, her granddaughter was brought into the sport by her grandmother, who loved rhythmic gymnastics and figure skating. Despite her young age, Zhenya showed potential. Her first coach, Elena Arais, was amazed by her desire to learn new complex elements.

IN sports school everyone noticed that Zhenya Kanaeva often stayed to train when everyone had already left. The grandmother waited for her granddaughter in the hallway for hours. Soon, twelve-year-old Kanaeva was invited to Moscow for a training camp for young Omsk gymnasts. Her performance was seen by Amina Zaripova, who was responsible for the preparation of juniors.

Later, the girl was invited to train at the Olympic reserve school. Zhenya began to improve her results. In 2003, Kanaeva competed for Gazprom in Japan at the club championship in the junior category and won the tournament. During this period, she was noticed by Irina Viner, the head coach of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team. The girl was invited to the base of the Russian national team members, to the Novogorsk training center. This was the turning point in the athlete’s life.

Evgenia Kanaeva’s sports career was not easy to build. Due to the fact that there are a lot of talented gymnasts in Russia. After Alina Kabaeva and Irina Chashchina won medals at the 2004 Olympics, Olga Kapranova and Vera Sesina began to rise to the top. They became the leaders of rhythmic gymnastics in the country. Kabaeva continued to perform, so there was no place for Kanaeva in the Russian team.

But despite this, the girl continued to work and luck was on her side in 2007. Then, in the summer, the composition of the team for the European Championship was already known: Sesin, Kapranov and Kabaev. But Alina was seriously injured and was unable to go. A replacement was found in Kanaeva, and the gymnast was entrusted with performing the ribbon. Evgenia appeared on the carpet for a few minutes, but did not let her fans and coaches down. The girl won gold in the final, performing with a ribbon. Well, a few months later the gymnast brought gold at the World Championships, in the team competition.

A little later, at the European Championships, Kanaeva left the reserve and was included in the Russian national team. Zhenya beat Kapranova and Bessonova and won the title of European Champion. Even then, the gymnast was considered the main contender for participation in the Olympic Games. And so it happened, at the Beijing Olympics the girl represented the country together with Kapranova. It is worth noting that Zhenya Kanaeva became the youngest among the finalists in the rhythmic gymnastics competition at the Games. Having made the fewest mistakes, she deservedly won Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Four years later, at the London Olympics, Evgenia Kanaeva became a two-time champion.

In 2009, when new rules were introduced, the gymnast's style changed. At the beginning of the season, the girl was tormented by fatigue and injuries. But despite this, the athlete continued her streak of victories in the overall championship. In several finals with individual programs she lost to Anna Bessonova or Vera Sesina. At the European Championships, which took place in Baku, Zhenya took gold in all types of the program. Then she won nine gold medals at the 2009 Universiade and the World Games.

For her excellent result at the Universiade, the girl was awarded the title “Heroine of the Games.” In the fall of the same year, Kanaeva had the opportunity to win the world champion title. Zhenya qualified with the first results in the programs and won four gold medals. She also received a medal as part of a team together with Daria Dmitrieva, Daria Kondakova and Olga Kapranova. By the start of the competition, she already had five gold medals from one world championship. After the performances, the gymnast won her sixth medal, thereby breaking the record at a single championship.

Evgenia’s success not only brought her the love of fans, but also continued the tradition of the Omsk school to prepare excellent athletes. The athlete lives by the principle “it’s hit or miss,” which sets her apart from other gymnasts.

Evgenia completed her sports career in 2012. In the same year she graduated from Siberian State University Physical Culture and Sports. Since October 14, 2015, he has been the coach of the Russian youth rhythmic gymnastics team. He is also a member of the executive committee of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation.

Awards for Evgenia Kanaeva

Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (August 13, 2012) - for great contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, high sporting achievements at the Games of the XXX Olympiad 2012 in London (Great Britain)

Order of Friendship (August 2, 2009) - for great contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, high sporting achievements at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad 2008 in Beijing

She repeated the record of Maria Petrova and Maria Gigova, who won three championship titles in a row in 1993/1994/1995 and 1969/1971/1973, respectively.
She became the first champion in the history of rhythmic gymnastics to single-handedly occupy the highest step of the podium for three years in a row. Petrova and Gigova shared first place with other gymnasts.
For the second time, she won six out of six possible gold medals, thereby repeating her own record.
For the first time in history, she became a gymnast who won gold in all events (rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon).
She repeated the achievement of Maria Petrova in hoop: both won three gold medals at the World Championships.
She repeated the success of Ekaterina Serebryanskaya and Liliya Ignatova in ball: all won three gold medals at the world championships.
She became the only winner of 17 world championship gold medals in the history of rhythmic gymnastics.

2011 Shenzhen (China). Universiade. Gymnastics. All-around. First place.
2011 European Championships in Minsk (Belarus). Evgenia Kanaeva won three golds - in the team event, in exercises with ribbon and hoop.
2010 World Championships in Moscow (Russia). Evgenia Kanaeva won four golds - in the all-around, in the team competition, in exercises with a ball and a hoop.
2010 European Championships in Bremen (Germany). 1st place in all-around.
2009 Grand Prix Series Final in Berlin. 1st place in all-around, and in all certain types programs: 5 gold medals out of 5 possible.
2009 Five-time champion of the Universiade in Belgrade.
2009 Four-time champion of the World Games in Taiwan.
2009 Absolute world champion in all-around, world champion in the team and in individual all-around events (Japan): 6 gold medals out of 6 possible.
2009 European champion in certain all-around events (Azerbaijan).
2008 Olympic Games, Beijing (China): individual all-around - 1st place.
2008 European Championship, Turin (Italy): individual all-around - 1st place.
2007 World Championship, Patras (Greece): team championship - 1st place.
2007 European Championship, Baku (Azerbaijan): ribbon - 1st place, team championship - 1st place.

Family of Evgenia Kanaeva

Young gymnast Evgenia Kanaeva is a two-time Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics and a three-time world champion in all-around. In 2009 she received the title of Honored Master of Sports of Russia.

Childhood and youth

Evgenia Kanaeva was born on April 2, 1990 in the distant northern city of Omsk. Zhenya’s mother is a famous athlete, master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics Svetlana Kanaeva. Knowing what difficulties the girl would face on the path to fame, she did not send her daughter to a sports school. Her grandmother intervened in Evgenia’s fate. Seeing the girl’s desire to become a gymnast, she insisted that the child be given a chance and, when she was 6 years old, she herself took her granddaughter to rhythmic gymnastics classes.

Young Zhenya showed interest in sports and began intensive training. She stayed for a long time after classes, mastering complex elements. The grandmother supported the girl and waited in the hallway for several hours so that she would not return home late at night alone.

Evgenia Kanaeva once recalled in an interview interesting fact from the biography. As a child, she was ridiculed because she was overweight and had club feet. And it’s funny, because with a height of 172 cm, the girl weighs 42 kg, and her sports records speak for themselves.

Gymnastics

When Evgenia turned 12 years old, she had the chance to show off her skills. The girl was lucky enough to go to the capital for a sports training camp. Moscow liked the young athlete and soon received an invitation to study at the Olympic Reserve School.

The girl accepted the offer and began studying under the strict guidance of Vera Shtelbaums. Vera Shtelbaums has extensive coaching experience, so she was able to choose the right exercises for Evgenia’s performances, which subsequently led the girl to numerous victories.

2003 was a turning point in the career of the young athlete. Evgenia went to the Japanese championship to win and became the best among juniors. The victory allowed the girl to get to Novogorsk and begin serious training with the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team. There the girl’s athletic talent was revealed to the maximum.

At the beginning of Evgenia Kanaeva’s sports career, the reason why her mother did not send her child to sports as a child came to light: severe competition did not allow the athlete to get into the national team.

The couple's acquaintance cannot be called romantic. They first met in the emergency room a year before the Olympic Games in London. Then both received minor injuries. Immediately after the Summer Olympics, Igor made an official marriage proposal to Zhenya. A year after the wedding, the couple had a son, who was named Vladimir.

Before we met, Zhenya’s husband became famous for his drunken antics. Therefore, sometimes you can see information about divorce on the Internet. However, this fact has never been confirmed. Friends of the couple noticed that Igor has changed a lot after meeting Evgenia, and they do not intend to get a divorce.

Evgenia Kanaeva now

In 2017, in an interview with a sports newspaper, Evgenia Kanaeva said that after the Olympics, coaches were waiting for the girl to return to sports. But training and injuries exhausted the athlete so much that she decided to devote herself to coaching. The young girl has turned into a patient mentor and now happily educates the young athletes of the Russian national team.

Five years ago, Evgenia graduated from the Siberian State University of Physical Culture and Sports.

Evgenia Kanaeva maintains a microblog in "Instagram", where the girl’s many fans can see personal photos, as well as videos from old performances of their favorite gymnast.

Awards and achievements

Records

Won 6 gold medals out of 6 possible. Thus, she became the first gymnast in the history of rhythmic gymnastics to achieve such a result at one single world championship in rhythmic gymnastics.
She became the first champion in the history of rhythmic gymnastics to single-handedly occupy the highest step of the podium for three years in a row;
For the second time, she won six out of six possible gold medals, thereby repeating her own record.
For the first time in history, she became a gymnast who won gold in all events (rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon).
She became the only winner of 17 world championship gold medals in the history of rhythmic gymnastics.
She became the first gymnast in the history of rhythmic gymnastics who managed to get the highest score under a 30-point judging system.

Sports achivments

2007 - European Championship, 1st place
2008 - European Championship, 1st place
2009 - European champion in certain all-around events (Azerbaijan).
2009 - Absolute world champion in all-around, world champion in the team and in individual all-around events (Japan): 6 gold medals out of 6 possible.
2009 - Five-time champion of the Universiade in Belgrade.
2010 - European Championship in Bremen (Germany). 1st place in all-around.
2010 - World Championships in Moscow (Russia). She won four golds - in the all-around, in the team competition, in exercises with a ball and a hoop.
2011 - European Championships in Minsk (Belarus). She won three golds - in the team competition, in exercises with ribbon and hoop.
2011 - Shenzhen (China). Universiade. Gymnastics. All-around. First place.
2011 - Absolute world champion in all-around, world champion in the team and in individual all-around events (Montpellier, France): 6 gold medals out of 6 possible.
2012 - Rhythmic gymnastics at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, UK: individual all-around - 1st place. Olympic champion.

Kanaeva Evgenia Olegovna

Honored Master of Sports in Rhythmic Gymnastics

Born in Omsk

Trainers: Elena Arais, Vera Shtelbaums, Irina Viner

The first ever two-time Olympic champion in the individual all-around

Winner of the Games of the XXX Olympiad 2012 in London

Winner of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad 2008 in Beijing

Three-time absolute World champion 2009, 2010, 2011.

Multiple European champion 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012.

Two-time absolute champion of Russia 2008, 2009.

Two-time winner of the World Universiade 2009, 2011.

Winner of the 2009 World Games

Multiple winner of the World Cup and Grand Prix tournaments

Knight of the Order of Friendship

Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree

...And be happy just like that - from the sun

On snowy fir trees.

This is a craft.

And firmly know that living differently is heresy.

Love words. Live without words for years.

Be Mozart. Kill the Salieri in yourself.

And become yourself.

And this is a craft.

(Boris Smolensky)

Victory over oneself is the only triumph in which luck has no share. (R. Sheridan)

In the history of rhythmic gymnastics, only one athlete managed to become a two-time Olympic champion in the individual all-around. This unique achievement belongs to Omsk gymnast Evgenia Kanaeva.

It may seem that Evgenia is an iron lady with nerves of steel, who does not know fatigue or defeat. But that's not true. She is the same girl as millions of others, subject to experiences, weaknesses and feelings. What is the secret of the champions' success? Of course, behind every gold medal are years of life, woven from endless training, pain, tears, disappointments, overcoming and every day more and more perfect mastery in the most difficult art - subordinating our weaknesses, feelings and experiences to that inner spiritual force that makes us move forward to those peaks that seem unattainable, but are achievable. To those peaks for the sake of conquering which we come into this world.

Friends, today I want to dedicate my post to a beautiful, fragile, but strong girl, the current Olympic champion and legend of grace - Evgenia Kanaeva.

Of course, sporting achievements have great importance, but while working on this article, Kanaeva’s personality opened up for me in a new light. Reading numerous interviews, I understood that it was not so much Zhenya’s sports records that were a revelation, but her attitude to life, charming radiance and deep and clear wisdom beyond her years.

A girl capable of bringing light, creating an aura of joy and harmony around herself, and her path to the championship. What helped her climb Olympus twice and touch the rainbow above its top?..

Childhood

Evgenia Kanaeva was born on April 2, 1990 in Omsk. Her mother, Svetlana Kanaeva, is a master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics. However, at the age of six, Evgenia was brought into the sport by her grandmother, who loved rhythmic gymnastics and figure skating.

I was a rather chubby child and had a club foot as a child. To remedy the situation, my grandmother put me in sports when I was 6 years old. I remember how in the first year of training I came home and jumped around the room, repeating all the exercises especially for her.

Despite her young age, Zhenya showed great potential. Her first coach, Elena Arais (daughter of Evgenia Kanaeva’s future personal trainer, Vera Shtelbaums), was amazed by her desire to learn new complex elements. Shtelbaums, who worked at the same sports school, also remembers the times when Zhenya stayed in the gym after all the children had gone home, trained for long hours, and the grandmother waited for her granddaughter in the cold, dark corridor.

In addition to her love for rhythmic gymnastics, little Evgenia was distinguished by her kindness and care for the people around her. Coaches and parents of athletes nicknamed her Mother Teresa.

How to practice a sincere smile? - No way. You won't work. Live correctly, love people, appreciate them, do not judge or envy. Sincerity and purity should remain in people even after they become adults.

At the age of 12, Evgenia Kanaeva was invited to a training camp in Moscow as part of a group of young gymnasts from Omsk. Her performance attracted the attention of Amina Zaripova, the coach responsible for training juniors. Evgenia was invited to train at the Olympic reserve school. The young athlete improved her results, including thanks to the help of Vera Shtelbaums, who was present in Moscow, and at that time the personal trainer of another Omsk gymnast, member of the Russian national team, Irina Chashchina.

What qualities do you consider the most important in a coach? - Patience, understanding, humanity, love for your work and your students and, most importantly, FAITH.

In 2003, Evgenia competed for Gazprom at the Club World Championship in the junior category ( Aeon Cup), which took place in Japan, where she won one of her first victories.

When I started, they said so many things about me, they called me an ugly duckling. But maybe thanks to this criticism I became stronger. Didn't finish the element, you say? Okay, I'll make sure there's nothing to complain about.

Not everything was easy and simple for Evgenia.

2003 Little Zhenya loses her mace, but not her smile and faith.)

year 2012. Corbeil-Essonne. An exercise with clubs, which a few months later will become one of those that will bring Kanaeva her second Olympic gold.

Around the same time, she was noticed by the head coach of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team, Irina Viner.

She was a good girl, but she didn't really shine. But over time, this girl made herself, of course, with the help of a coach and all the conditions that were created for her. Her main quality is the ability to work on herself, very hard and persistently. From the moment she got to Moscow, she slowly and confidently walked towards that goal - the title of two-time Olympic champion in the individual program, which happened for the first time in history in rhythmic gymnastics. (Irina Viner)

Evgenia was invited to train at the Novogorsk training center - the base of the Russian national team members. According to Irina Viner, this was a turning point in the athlete’s life.

I was not the only gymnast, but I had a huge advantage - I trained on the same mat with Ira Chashchina! She was a great example for me in sports.

Climbing

Kanaeva's ascent to the podium among seniors was not easy due to the fact that Russia has big amount talented gymnasts. Since the end of the 2004 Olympics, where Kabaeva and Chashchina won gold and silver, respectively, Vera Sesina and Olga Kapranova began their ascent and became the leaders of Russian rhythmic gymnastics. Since Kabaeva continued to perform, there was simply no room left for Kanaeva in the team. But she continued to work hard. In the summer of 2007, the composition of the Russian national team for the European Championship in Baku was already known - Kabaeva, Sesina, Kapranov. But, having received a serious injury, Alina Kabaeva left the team. To replace Kabaeva, Wiener chose Kanaeva and entrusted her with one item - a ribbon. Despite the fleeting appearance of her appearance on the mat, Kanaeva did not let her coaches and fans down. Evgeniya won gold in the ribbon final and in the team competition.

– And yet, why did you cry on the pedestal? - From happiness. I couldn't contain myself. Journalists came up for interviews, and I didn’t even cry, I sobbed. She sobbed into the microphone. All the girls congratulated and said: “You won, well done!” – but I still couldn’t calm down. At such moments, you experience thousands of training sessions as one, remembering all the pain and disappointments. There is no time for emotions on the carpet. You just do your program, don’t look at anyone, try not to let down the coach who has invested all his strength and skills in you.

A few months later, Eugenia won gold at the World Championships in Patras, Greece, in the team competition.

Olympic season 2008

All four programs at the 2008 Olympics (hoop, clubs, jump rope and ribbon) were designed to be highly challenging, musically thoughtful, and revealed her individuality. One of the programs - a tape - was composed for the original version of “Moscow Evenings”, performed on the piano. Kanaeva began the 2008 season in the shadow of Sesina, Kapranova and the current world champion Anna Bessonova. However, by mid-spring she managed to overcome all obstacles and win the absolute championship at all stages of the Grand Prix and World Cups and win the title of absolute Champion of Russia. At the European Championships in Turin, Italy, she was no longer listed in the reserves, but was a full-fledged member of the Russian team.

Kanaeva was the youngest among all the finalists in the rhythmic gymnastics competition at the Olympics. At the same time, she was the most collected and made the fewest mistakes. “The Olympics are not like other competitions. It requires complete concentration on yourself, the carpet and the subject. You can't be distracted by anything else. I convinced myself that everything would be fine and that I had nothing to worry about,” following this mindset, Kanaeva won the Olympics with an excellent result of 75.50 points, ahead of her closest pursuer Inna Zhukova from Belarus by 3.50 points. What Kanaeva achieved in winning by a huge margin won't be easy for any gymnast to replicate in the near future, Wiener said.

A lot depends on expressiveness, on the soul, on what Lately began to place more emphasis. The sport is quite artistic. But, in my opinion, the main thing is not to cross the line. And this can be achieved only without straying from sincerity. In the world, by the way, there is not enough sincerity. As well as kindness. It's the same in sports.

Record holder

The main thing is to do your work with full dedication and love, to put your soul into it.

I couldn’t leave the gym without working out more, without pushing myself to the last. And I got a kick out of it. I liked to push my limits.

I promised myself never to show my fatigue on the carpet, never to show it to the audience. We are actresses on the carpet, and everything we do should look easy and simple.

When you step off the pedestal, you just have to forget that you won something. You need to pull yourself together again and train with redoubled force. Demand the maximum from yourself again.

My main rival is, of course, myself.

I take victories calmly. It's nice to win, of course. But as soon as she left the pedestal, she had to start all over again. For me this is the law.

With the introduction of new rules in 2009, Evgenia Kanaeva’s style has changed significantly. At the beginning of the season, the athlete was plagued by injuries and fatigue. Nevertheless, she continued to win all competitions in the absolute championship, and only some finals in certain types of the program she lost to Vera Sesina or Anna Bessonova. In May, at the European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Kanaeva won gold in all four events of the program. In July, she won all the gold medals (9 in total) at the Universiade in Belgrade and the World Games in Taiwan. The five gold medals it won at the World Games allowed Russia to take the lead in the overall standings. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev thanked Evgenia Kanaeva for her contribution to achieving victory, and Evgenia was awarded the title “Heroine of the Games” on the official website of the 2009 Universiade in Belgrade.

Although no one thought that the World Championships in the Japanese city of Mye would break records, Kanaeva's advantage was obvious. After three types of the program, she took the leading position, ahead of her teammate Daria Kondakova by 0.850 points.

You shouldn’t be afraid of your opponents, you need to learn from them.

After Kondakova masterfully completed her last event - the jump rope, receiving the highest score of 28.400 points, the atmosphere in the hall became tense to the limit. After the performance of all five other finalists, Kanaeva came out onto the mat with the ball in her hands. Her performance was final and triumphant. With a difference of 0.600 points, Kanaeva won her sixth medal, and thereby set a new record for the number of gold medals won by an athlete at one single world championship in rhythmic gymnastics. After the performance, Kanaeva gave vent to tears in the arms of the coaching staff.

At the 2011 World Championships, held in Montpellier, France, Evgenia Kanaeva managed to repeat her amazing achievement: she was again able to win all 6 of the 6 possible top awards in individual disciplines. As a result of the championship, Evgenia became a 17-time world champion in rhythmic gymnastics.

Olympic season 2012

Patience and pain are part of the path to achieving your goal.

I give myself completely to this sport, trying to make it enjoyable for both the audience and myself. Although I am rarely satisfied with myself. I can’t look at my performances: it always seems to me that everything is wrong. Therefore, I constantly work on myself, try to become better. And I hope I succeed at least a little.

In the summer of 2012 in London, Evgenia Kanaeva became a two-time Olympic champion.

In one of her interviews, Evgenia admitted that this success was much more difficult for her than four years ago in Beijing, noted that she had matured noticeably during this period and in her new programs tried to give as many bright emotions to the fans as possible.

London, like Beijing, still needed to be reached. Some said: “Come on, why are you worried? You go, you perform, everything will be fine.” It’s nice, of course, when they believe in you like that, but it was wildly difficult. There were injuries, illnesses, doubts. And the other gymnasts performed very well. For example, a very young girl, Sasha Merkulova, appeared - young and light. And I need to rebuild, urgently lose five kilograms in order to look just as ethereal against her background. I had to be in the hall until 12 at night and endure a lot. Our sport is brutal. You can’t lose a single start: if you don’t exist, there will be someone else.

- If we compare the gold in Beijing and the victory in London. Which success was more difficult?

The current gold was much more difficult, because it is always more difficult to confirm your level. Then four years ago I was much younger and did not fully imagine everything that awaited me. Now I initially set the goal to win at all costs, and the desire for this peak helped me throughout the entire preparatory four-year period. It was very difficult because I had to practice new elements, new images.

- Do you feel any changes in yourself during this period?

Of course, I have become much older, as all those who work with me and watch my success say. If before I worked more and more on technique, now I try to add as much artistry and beautiful movements to my program as possible. The fact is that we perform for the audience, and what is more important to them is not the grades, but the brightness and beauty of the performance.

When you have a team, a lot is possible. I was lucky to have her. I had wonderful first trainers, whom I want to thank constantly, then I got a personal trainer, the main one, I always have friends and relatives nearby, and also my favorite person. Life is often difficult, but with the team everything can be overcome, and for that I thank them very much!

Off the carpet

At the end of 2009, Evgenia Kanaeva became the new ambassador of elegance of the famous Swiss watch company Longines, being a partner of international sports federations.

On September 18, 2013, Zhenya received the title “Woman of the Year” according to GQ magazine. The Omsk gymnast managed to beat tennis player Maria Sharapova, model Sasha Luss, actress Olga Kurylenko and journalist Irada Zeynalova.

The Olympic champion of Beijing and London was named the best athlete of 2012 based on the results of the editorial and reader voting of Championship.com.

Success is satisfaction with what you have achieved. And not only professionally.

The brightest thing in my life is the words of people and their sincere support.

Zhenya’s success not only brought her recognition from fans around the world, but also continued the tradition of the Omsk school of training excellent athletes. According to Vera Shtelbaums, Evgenia has all the makings to become a good rhythmic gymnastics coach.

At the end of 2009, Kanaeva received the title of “Honored Master of Sports of Russia.” The certificate was presented to her by Irina Chashchina. And on December 4, 2012, Evgenia was elected vice-president of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation. On the same day, the two-time Olympic champion announced that she was ending her sports career.

Like any girl...

After all, what is personal should remain personal, it should be kept deep in your heart. Although, like any girl, I also dream about own family, and about children. And about great love - and as a believer, I believe that the Lord sees everything and sends it to those who really want to find it. It rewards me for challenges, of which I have had many in my life.

Evgenia's dream came true. In June 2013, she married Igor Musatov, a hockey player for the Lokomotiv club. And in the spring of 2014, Zhenya and Igor became parents. On March 19, their son was born. Vladimir.

What would you like people to remember about Evgenia Kanaeva? - That everything I did, I did with love for people, that I loved them...

Materials: website of the All-Russian Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics

Little Zhenya. Exercise with clubs (2003)

Corbeil-Essonne. Exercise with clubs (2012)

Olympics in Beijing. Exercise with the tape “Moscow Evenings” (2008)

World Championship. Mie. Exercises with hoop and ball. Final (2009)

Olympics in London. Exercises with a ball, clubs and tape. (2012)

Evgenia Olegovna Kanaeva (married Kanaeva-Musatov). Born on April 2, 1990 in Omsk. Russian rhythmic gymnast, two-time Olympic champion (2008, 2012), multiple world and European champion. Honored Master of Sports of the Russian Federation (2008).

Father - Oleg Kanaev, master of sports, Greco-Roman wrestling coach.

Mother - Svetlana Kanaeva, master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics.

From the age of five, Evgenia began studying in the section of the Omsk regional sports school for children and youth of the Olympic reserve (SDYUSHOR), where her grandmother, Irina Aleksandrovna, brought her. As Evgenia admitted, then she was “chubby and clubfooted.” That is why the grandmother, who was taking care of her granddaughter, came up with the idea of taking her to the rhythmic gymnastics section - “to “lose weight” and “twist” her legs.”

Her first coach was Honored Trainer of Russia Elena Arais, the daughter of Vera Shtelbaums, who later became the personal trainer of Evgenia Kanaeva.

From the very first training, Zhenya showed excellent results, demonstrated high efficiency and determination. As her coaches later said, she often stayed in the gym after all the children had gone home. While the girl was training, the grandmother was waiting for her granddaughter.

In 2003, Evgenia competed for Gazprom at the Club World Championship in the junior category (Aeon Cup), which was held in Japan. Represented Russia together with and. She won the junior competition. As Evgenia admitted: “Chashchina and Kabaeva became a huge example for me. Alina turned the world of gymnastics upside down, opened it up from a different side. She was so emotional, artistic and sincere in her performances that it was impossible to tear yourself away.”

At the same time, the head coach of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team drew attention to her. Next, Evgenia was invited to train at the Novogorsk training center - the base of the Russian national team members.

In 2007, due to the fact that Kabaeva was injured, Evgenia Kanaeva was included in the Russian national team’s application for the European Championship in Baku. She was entrusted with one item - a ribbon. And Kanaeva did not let her coaches and fans down; she won gold in the ribbon final and in the team competition.

Also in 2007, she won gold at the World Championships in Patras, Greece, in the team competition.

At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing Kanaeva was the youngest among all the finalists in the rhythmic gymnastics competition. But she turned out to be the most collected and made the fewest mistakes. Evgenia Kanaeva won the Olympics with an excellent score of 75.50 points, beating her closest competitor Inna Zhukova from Belarus by 3.50 points.

After the Beijing Olympics, the athlete signed advertising contracts and starred in several commercials; since 2009, she has been an official spokesperson for Longines watches for some time.

The five gold medals won by Kanaeva at the 2009 World Games allowed Russia to take the lead in the overall standings.

At the 2009 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Mieu, Japan, Evgenia Kanaeva set a record by winning 6 gold medals out of 6 possible. Thus, she became the first gymnast in the history of rhythmic gymnastics to achieve such a result at one single world championship in rhythmic gymnastics.

In 2010, she won five gold medals at the World Championships in Moscow - in the team and all-around, as well as in individual events (jump rope, hoop, ball).

At the 2011 World Championships, held in Montpellier, France, Evgenia Kanaeva again managed to win all 6 of the 6 possible top awards in individual disciplines. As a result of the championship, Evgenia became a 17-time world champion in rhythmic gymnastics.

On October 16, 2011, Evgenia Kanaeva scored 30 points in the ribbon exercise at the Rhythmic Gymnastics Grand Prix final in Brno, Czech Republic. She became the first gymnast in the history of rhythmic gymnastics to receive the highest score under the 30-point judging system.

In 2011 - laureate of the national award “Russian of the Year”.

At the 2012 Olympics in London Kanaeva again became an Olympic champion in the most prestigious section - the all-around. In total she received 116,900. She is the only two-time Olympic champion in the all-around in the history of rhythmic gymnastics.

“I promised myself never to show my fatigue on the carpet, not to show it to the audience. We are actresses on the carpet, and everything we do should look easy and simple... I couldn’t leave the hall without working out more, without pushing myself to the last. And I got a thrill from it. I liked to overcome my capabilities,” Evgenia shared the secret of her success.

“My main rival is, of course, myself,” she admitted.

“You shouldn’t be afraid of your opponents, you need to learn from them,” Kanaeva is sure.

“When you come off the podium, you just have to forget that you won something. You need to pull yourself together again and train with redoubled force. Again, demand the maximum from yourself... I take victories calmly. It’s nice, of course, to win But as soon as I left the pedestal, I had to start all over again. For me, this is the law,” noted the athlete.

“We have a cruel sport. You can’t lose a single start: if you don’t exist, there will be someone else,” said Evgenia.

“A lot depends on expressiveness, on the soul, which has recently become more emphasized. The sport is quite artistic. But, in my opinion, the main thing is not to cross the line. And this can only be achieved without straying from sincerity. By the way, sincerity is lacking. As well as kindness. It’s the same in sports... The main thing is to do your job with full dedication and love, to put your soul into it,” Kanaeva said.

On December 4, 2012, she was elected vice-president of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, and on the same day she announced that she was ending her sports career.

Since 2015 he has been coaching the Russian national team. The first student was an athlete from St. Petersburg, Ekaterina Ayupova.

Evgenia Kanaeva is the coach of gymnast Eleanor Romanova, who moved from Ukraine to Russia in 2016 and received Russian citizenship in September of the same year.

Evgenia Kanaeva's height: 170 centimeters.

Personal life of Evgenia Kanaeva:

She was in a relationship with a figure skater.

Husband - Igor Musatov, Russian hockey player. They met by chance - in the emergency room, Igor Musatov was injured after falling on the ice, Zhenya arrived with a leg injury. Igor proposed to Evgenia after the end of the 2012 London Olympics; before that, the couple had been dating for 1 year.

We got married on June 8, 2013. The wedding ceremony was officiated by Anton Komolov and Olga Shelest. Honeymoon travel the newlyweds spent a cruise on a yacht in Croatia.

On March 19, 2014, the couple had a son, who was named Vladimir (they decided to name the boy in honor of Igor’s grandfather).

Sports achievements of Evgenia Kanaeva:

Olympic Games:

Gold - Beijing 2008 - all-around
Gold - London 2012 - all-around

World Championships:

Gold - Patras 2007 - team
Gold - Mieu 2009 - team
Gold - Mie 2009 - jump rope
Gold - Mie 2009 - hoop
Gold - Mieu 2009 - ball
Gold - Mieu 2009 - ribbon
Gold - Mieu 2009 - all-around
Gold - Moscow 2010 - team
Silver - Moscow 2010 - jump rope
Gold - Moscow 2010 - hoop
Gold - Moscow 2010 - ball
Gold - Moscow 2010 - all-around
Gold - Montpellier 2011 - ribbon
Gold - Montpellier 2011 - clubs
Gold - Montpellier 2011 - hoop
Gold - Montpellier 2011 - ball
Gold - Montpellier 2011 - team
Gold - Montpellier 2011 - all-around

European Championships:

Gold - Baku 2007 - team
Gold - Baku 2007 - ribbon
Gold - Turin 2008 - all-around
Gold - Baku 2009 - team
Gold - Baku 2009 - jump rope
Gold - Baku 2009 - hoop
Gold - Baku 2009 - ball
Gold - Baku 2009 - ribbon
Gold - Bremen 2010 - all-around
Gold - Minsk 2011 - team
Gold - Minsk 2011 - hoop
Gold - Minsk 2011 - ribbon
Silver - Minsk 2011 - ball
Gold - Nizhny Novgorod 2012 - all-around

Universiade:

Gold - Belgrade 2009 - all-around
Gold - Belgrade 2009 - jump rope
Gold - Belgrade 2009 - hoop
Gold - Belgrade 2009 - ball
Gold - Belgrade 2009 - ribbon
Gold - Shenzhen 2011 - all-around
Gold - Shenzhen 2011 - ball
Gold - Shenzhen 2011 - hoop
Gold - Shenzhen 2011 - clubs
Silver - Shenzhen 2011 - ribbon

World Games:

Gold - Kaohsiung 2009 - jump rope
Gold - Kaohsiung 2009 - hoop
Gold - Kaohsiung 2009 - ball
Gold - Kaohsiung 2009 - ribbon