GYMmedia interview: Oleg Chekmarev shortly before leaving for a training camp in the US

Oleg CHEKMAREV,
protégé Anja Brinker

As was reported last week, the German national women's gymnastics squad is setting off today for Piano (Tenn./USA) where they will train at the "WORLD OLYMPIC GYMNASTICS ACADEMY' (WOGA) run by Valeri Liukin, whose daughter Nastia wrote history in 2008 by winning overall gold at the Olympics.

<< CHAMPION MAKER ...:
The group also includes Herkenrath coach Oleg CHEKMAREV, who trains Anja Brinker, the only member of the 2008 German Olympic team to be participating in the training camp. Shortly before their departure, GYMmedia INTERNATIONAL conducted the following exclusive interview with him:

Anja Brinker: ... 'almost' in the Olympic bars finals!

GYMmedia Exclusive:
Oleg CHEKMAREV - TV Herkenrath (RTB)
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GYMmedia: - "Belated congratulations for Anja's participation in the Olympics in 2008! What important progress did your protégé make during the Olympic year? Oleg Chekmarev: --" Actually, your congratulations are sufficient answer to that question: Anja took part in the Olympics! In view of the foot operation she had to undergo in spring 2008, that wasn't necessarily on the cards. Our aim was therefore to get into the Olympic team, which we did indeed achieve."

GYMmedia: - … then I'll go on to Part 2 of the question: A good gymnastics coach always sees reserves: where are they to be found, i.e. what are the main focal points of your work with Anja this year?

Chekmarev, Brinker ... she is a 'pearl'!

O. Chekmarev: --"If Anja is not unlucky with injury this year, we will be able to fulfil our planned training programme. Our aim is, of course, that Anja should not just take part in the European Championships in Milan and in the World Championships. She should definitely achieve a good position there".

GYMmedia: - We both know that top-level artistic gymnastics is not easy and young girls have thousands of other distractions... How do you motivate Anja? … and how do you motivate yourself, as a coach, to meet the international performance requirements in Germany? Are the conditions adequate for top-level performance in women's gymnastics?
O. Chekmarev: --" Anja loves her sport. She loves the diversity of movements and gymnastics is her life! Anja possesses an extremely high level of self-motivation, which naturally makes my work as a coach exciting, ...

... but not necessarily easier.
In addition, Anja benefits from individual training grants, e.g. from the North Rhine-Westphalia Sports Foundation and the 'Business Unit Technical Rubber Products' of the LANXESS company. This makes it possible to conduct training and competition measures which would otherwise be impossible to finance. It provides a secure basis for the promotion of her dual career. She needn't worry about anything and can concentrate fully on her top-level sports training."

The Rhenish team at the Kienbaum training camp in 2008

GYMmedia: -As a young national gymnast, Anja Brinker still has her career in front of her: What are your specific goals as regards content on the various apparatus? What step-by-step measures are you taking with regard to the content of her routines so as to reach international apparatus finals?
* O. Chekmarev: --"Here at the national training centre in Bergisch Gladbach we have very good general conditions for promoting Anja's development and reaching the top international level. Our plans have always been oriented towards international standards. But that also means that we have to plan and work in accordance with an individual 'recipe'. We still have reserves for the future in this respect. Especially on the bars, Anja is already at world-class level. A small mistake on her dismount prevented her from reaching the apparatus final at the Olympics.

But Anja is also a serious contender in all-around competition. We will adapt her individual routines in accordance with the new Code of Points so as to achieve the highest possible A-scores. In the upcoming international competitions, and also during our training in the USA, we will see in which direction developments are going."

GYMmedia: - Is Anja a "difficult" personality? Where do her strengths lie… and, if you don't mind me asking, where are her weaknesses?
O. Chekmarev: --" Anja is a 'pearl'! She trains conscientiously and hard, she can concentrate very well. She is a fighter who asserts herself when it matters: namely, in competition.
Does she have any weaknesses ...? ... That is something her competitors should find out for themselves. We won't reveal them here!"

The Liukin family and their gymnastics academy are waiting to give a warm welcome to the German gymnasts:
www.woga.net

GYMmedia: - What benefits do you expect this training camp in the USA to bring …?
O. Chekmarev: --" If Anja wishes to improve, she has to go to where the best gymnasts are. This training camp is the place where the all-around Olympic champion, Nastia Liukin, comes from - so it will give her an excellent opportunity to compare herself with the best in the world."

GYMmedia: - Where do you come from yourself? What were the stepping stones of your career and who have you coached before?
O. Chekmarev: --"I came to Germany from Moscow about 7 years ago. As an active gymnast, I was myself in the Soviet national junior team. At that time, such famous gymnasts as Nikolai Andrianov and Olga Korbut were in the Russian team. ...

... This week GYMmedia will be reporting from Piano;
... see also ' ... Germany needs new gymnasts!'

My successes as a coach have included my protégés winning individual apparatus finals at the Russian Championships. In addition, I regularly had gymnasts who were selected for the Russian national team. In my home city of Moscow I have a 28 year old daughter whose name is also Anja. Perhaps that is my destiny ...!?

** The interview was conducted by E. Herholz on behalf of GYMmedia