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Aleksei Nemov: “ I don’t think we shall make the top eight !”
This interview is courtesy to the FIG

Russia suffered the consequences of the injures which were incurred during the Podium Training on 25th October, Wednesday, and finished their Qualification round performances with a total of 217.384 points, which, according to the Team leader, the 2000 Olympic Champion Alexei Nemov “would hardly be enough to rank the team in the top eight, after the Qualifications are over, tomorrow afternoon”.

The team started well on Pommel Horse (36.562), strongly supported by the score of the current World Champion Nikolai Krukov (9.675), then dropped down on Rings (35.750), excelled on Vault (37.812), with strongest contribution of Alexei Bondarenko-9.725, and suffered a disaster on Parallel Bars (fall of Krukov in the middle of his routine and after the dismount, followed by bad landing of Nemov as last performer for the team). Following this, Bondarenko’s and Nemov’s excellent performances on High Bar (9.337 and 9.405 respectively) were not enough to compensate for the debutants’ low scores, and the last apparatus, the Floor, didn’t change the situation (36.361).

ALEXEI NEMOV (After having given an interview for the TV and before being congratulated by Yuri Chechi for his “great High Bar routine!” and between volunteers’ requests to have their picture taken together with Nemov)

Q. Difficult competition, wasn’t it?
Very difficult with the new Code of Points, our bad luck with the draw and the injuries that have hit the team. We found ourselves in a situation where the newcomers in the team had to take huge responsibility. Nevertheless, they did their best. I would say the content of our routines, according to the new Code was OK. We all just missed this last ingredient that gives security and brilliance of our performances…

Q. How much of your potential you have realized in this competition?
I would say 65-70 %. Hopefully you could do better in the apparatus finals… Well, I don’t think I will make any Final either! It is still too early to say- this is only the beginning of the competition, there so many more teams to go and the scores will inevitably rise between now and tomorrow afternoon.

Q.How is your little son Alexei II?
Oh, he is lovely- he will soon be one year and two month old!