Olga Kapranova - insanely talented gymnast

Two thousand years in artistic gymnastics were the time of the reign of the three great "K" - Alina Kabaeva, Eugenia Kanayeva and Olga Kapranova. Only the Olympic awards are not enough in the collection of the heroine of this article. However, Olga Kapranova will remain forever in the hearts of connoisseurs as one of the most effective and talented sportswomen. Having finished her career, she did not leave her favorite thing and now she trains a new generation of champions.

Beginning of the journey shoulder to shoulder with sister

World sport might not have recognized such a name as Kapranova Olga. Artistic gymnastics appeared in her life almost by accident.

Together with her mother in childhood she met her sister Katya from school. At the bus stop two girls saw the young coach Elena Nefedova.

She immediately invited them to her room. Mom was surprised and somewhat discouraged, because Katya was already engaged in ballet school, but still decided to give both sisters to the sports section. Thus, at the age of seven Olya begins a long journey in rhythmic gymnastics. Catherine later will also achieve success in the sport, will become a three-time champion of Russia, but early finish his career and move to coaching.

Already in 1999 Kapranov was attracted by Scouts Irina Viner and taken to her.

The ascent of a new star

In 2002, Vera Shatalina became the coach of Kapranova. A year later, Olga is in the national team. The first gold of the world championships she receives in 2003 in team competitions.

Gradually, she is among the best in rhythmic gymnastics. Olga Kapranova participates in all stages of the World Cup in 2004 and in the finals held in Moscow, she receives bronze medals in a number of disciplines.

A real breakthrough for her is the 2005 World Cup. It takes the whole place five times, including in the main form of the program - personal all-around. After the departure of Kabaeva and Chaschina, Olga is considered to be the main star of the national team. However, soon appears Eugene Kanaeva, and Kapranova has to withstand competition with the future two-time Olympic champion.

The athlete is preparing intensively for the main tournament of her life - the 2008 Olympics. The world championship of 2007 is also successful. After receiving three gold medals, Olga Kapranova becomes the nine-time world champion.

Completion of career

The Olympics in Beijing is becoming one of the few failures in the life of a gymnast. There is nothing more offensive than being one step behind the prizewinners at the main tournament of their lives. After that Olga Kapranova is going to leave the sport, but Irina Wiener persuades her to stay for another couple of seasons.

The sword song of the sportswoman becomes the world championship of 2009. In Japanese Mio, she becomes a tenfold champion of the planet, winning jubilee gold in team competitions. Olga Kapranova completes her career with her head held high. Personal life now becomes a priority for the champion.

All specialists note the excellent flexibility of the athlete, her technical equipment.

She performed elements that most gymnasts could not do. Kapranova in this regard stood in the same row with Yana Batyrshina, Alina Kabaeva, Irina Chashchina.

After the Olympics in Beijing, London, changes were made to the rules of judging rhythmic gymnastics. To level the hopeless lag in the technical skills of Russian athletes, a greater emphasis in the final assessments is placed on choreography, dance elements. It is already pointless to increase the complexity of performance, and artistic gymnastics in many ways loses its sports component. All this did not please Kapranova. She was one of the last representatives of the generation of gymnasts, who performed elements of the highest level of complexity.

Olga Kapranova's School

Having finished with an active career, the gymnast does not leave her favorite pastime. Her sister Catherine left the sport early and immediately switched to coaching at the Olympic Training Center of Irina Wiener. For 8 years of working with the best coaches she has accumulated vast experience. In 2010, the sisters open their own school of rhythmic gymnastics, named after the tenfold world champion.

Originally it was located in the volleyball and sports complex "Iskra" near Moscow.

The classes recruited girls of all ages, groups of all categories were created. The intensive classes are not in vain, and already in 2011 the young athletes of the "School of Olga Kapranova" perform at many domestic and international tournaments.

The best specialists in rhythmic gymnastics and choreography, famous champions come to the sisters. "Olga Kapranova's School" finds branches in the Moscow and Leningrad Region. Today, the general leadership is exercised by Catherine. Olga also works as a director of a native sports school.

So the circle closed, and the great gymnast continues to work where everything began.