Evgeniya Olegovna KanaevaOMF (Russian: Евгения Олеговна Канаева; born 2 April 1990) is a retired Russian individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the only individual rhythmic gymnast in history to win two Olympic all-around gold medals, winning at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where she finished with 3.75 points ahead of silver medalist Inna Zhukova, and at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where she also became the oldest gymnast to win the Olympic gold.[7] On 4 July 2013, Kanaeva received the International Fair Play Award for "Sport and Life".[8]
Kanaeva holds the record for most World titles with seventeen and thirteen European titles. Kanaeva shares the record for most individual world all-around titles with Maria Petrova (1995 tied with Ekaterina Serebrianskaya), Maria Gigova (1971 tied with Galima Shugurova) and fellow Russian gymnasts Yana Kudryavtseva and Dina Averina, and Kanaeva is the one of only three gymnasts to have won all three titles without being tied, impossible due to the tie breaking system even though she never was tied for a title.
At the 2009 World Championship in Mie, Japan, Kanaeva became the first rhythmic gymnast to win all six titles.[9] She repeated the feat at the 2011 World Championship in Montpellier, France, equaling her own record.[10]
Kanaeva is the only gymnast to receive a perfect score under the 30-point judging system, having done so twice: in the 2011 Grand Prix Final in Brno and in the 2012 Grand Prix in Vorarlberg.
Early life
Evgeniya Kanaeva was born on 2 April 1990 in Omsk, Soviet Union. Her mother, Svetlana, was also a rhythmic gymnast and was granted the title of Master of Sports. Her father, Oleg Kanaev, was a coach and a former Greco-Roman wrestler. She has an elder brother named Egor who is also a Greco-Roman wrestler.
Her grandmother introduced 6-year-old Kanaeva to rhythmic gymnastics.[11] Her first trainer, Yelena Arais, was the daughter of Kanaeva's later trainer, Vera Shtelbaums.[12] Shtelbaums, who worked in the same gymnastics school, recalled Kanaeva spending long hours practicing even though all other students were gone, while her grandmother stood in the corridor waiting to take her home.[13]
Career
Beginnings
Kanaeva was selected to join a group of young rhythmic gymnasts from Omsk for try-outs in Moscow at the age of 12.[citation needed] Her performance caught the eye of Amina Zaripova, who was in charge of the youth program.[citation needed] Kanaeva was then invited to train at the School of the Olympic Reserve.[citation needed] Kanaeva improved under the supervision of Shtelbaums who was in Moscow as fellow Omsk native Irina Tchachina's coach.[citation needed] In 2003, at 13 years of age, Kanaeva debuted in international competitions and began winning the junior events.[citation needed] Kanaeva represented 'Gazprom' as a junior rhythmic gymnast to take part in the World Club Championship (also known as 'Aeon Cup') in Japan alongside Irina Tchachina and Alina Kabayeva.[citation needed] She won the junior title and was presently noticed by the head coach of the Russian national team, Irina Viner.[citation needed] She was accepted into the Novogorsk training centre for national team members.[citation needed]
Senior debut
After the Olympic Games 2004, at which Kabaeva and Tchachina won the gold and silver medals respectively, Kabayeva remained competitive while Vera Sessina and Olga Kapranova rose to become Russia's new leading rhythmic gymnasts.[citation needed] Kanaeva made her senior international debut in 2006 at the International Tournament Schmiden where she won gold in all-around and event finals.[citation needed] She competed at the World Cup stage in Mie competing in clubs and ribbon where she finished 5th.[citation needed]
In summer 2007, Kanaeva competed in World Cup in Corbeil-Essonnes winning the all-around gold medal.[citation needed] She also won gold in hoop, rope and ribbon final defeating Anna Bessonova.[citation needed] She then competed at the World Cup series in Ljubljana where she won bronze in all-around, rope and silver in clubs.[citation needed] At the 2007 European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Kabaeva, Sessina, and Kapranova were chosen to represent Russia.[citation needed] However, on the eve of the competition, Kabaeva withdrew because of an injury.[citation needed] Viner selected Kanaeva from the reserve team as the replacement.[citation needed] Despite the short notice, Kanaeva impressed by winning gold medals in both the individual ribbon and team competition.[citation needed] A few months later, she won another gold medal in the team competition at the World Championship in Patras, Greece.[citation needed]
2008 Olympics season
Kanayeva in 2008
In preparation for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games qualification, Kanaeva's routines (hoop, clubs, rope and ribbon) were designed with high difficulties and her music was selected to bring out her uniqueness, one of which was her ribbon routine performed with the special edited piano version of 'Moscow Nights (Подмосковные вечера)'.[citation needed]
In the beginning of 2008 season, Kanaeva still faced tough competition from veteran teammates Sessina, Kapranova and Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast, the then-World Champion, Anna Bessonova.[citation needed] However, by mid-spring, Kanaeva began to establish herself by winning all the individual all-around titles in the Grand Prix and World Cup series, as well as the Russian National Championship.[citation needed][how?] She defeated Bessonova and Kapranova with high scores in all her routines (18.875 in rope, 18.925 in hoop, 18.875 in ribbon and scored a 19.050 in clubs).[citation needed]
At the 2008 European Championships she became the All-around champion.[citation needed] Viner selected Kanaeva and Kapranova as Russia's entries for the Olympic rhythmic gymnastics competition.[citation needed]
Kanaeva was the youngest among all the finalists in the Olympic rhythmic gymnastics competition.[citation needed] In her words, the Olympic Games were "different from all other competitions. You just have to concentrate on yourself, the apparatus and the carpet. You should not pay attention on anything else. I persuaded myself that everything would be alright, that I should not worry."[13] Kanaeva won the Olympic title with a score of 75.50, ahead of second place Inna Zhukova of Belarus by a margin of 3.50 points.[citation needed]
Kanaeva's style changed drastically in 2009, causing her to struggle with injury and exhaustion.[citation needed] Nevertheless, Kanaeva won gold medals in all four apparatuses at the 2009 European Championships in May.[citation needed] Then, in July, she collected all nine gold medals at the Universiade and the World Games.[citation needed] Her five gold medals in the Universiade enabled Russia to come first in the overall team ranking.[citation needed] Russian President Dmitry Medvedev openly complimented Kanaeva's contribution.[14] She was also hailed as the "Heroine of the Games" by the official website of Universiade Belgrade 2009.[15]
In September, Kanaeva competed at the World Championships in Mie Prefecture, Japan.[citation needed] Kanaeva qualified for the individual all-around final by placing first in every single apparatus, each with a gold medal.[citation needed] Her results in individual apparatuses (along with those of her teammates Olga Kapranova, Daria Kondakova, and Daria Dmitrieva) helped win the team gold for Russia.[citation needed] In the individual all-around final, Kanaeva won her sixth gold medal by a margin of 0.600, beating by one the record set by Russian gymnast Oxana Kostina in 1992 of most gold medals won in a single rhythmic gymnastics World Championship.[citation needed] President Medvedev again acknowledged Kanaeva's new record by sending her a telegram of congratulations.[citation needed]
2010 & 2011 seasons
Kanaeva at the 2011 LG WHISEN Rhythmic All Stars Gala
In 2010, Kanaeva had an undefeated all-around season winning the gold medals in all-around and event finals at the Grand Prix Final, she repeated as the 2010 European all-around champion ahead of teammate Daria Kondakova.[citation needed] At the 2010 World Championships, she won gold in the all-around, ball, hoop and silver in rope behind teammate Daria Kondakova.[citation needed]
Kanaeva started her 2011 season competing at the 2011 Moscow Grand Prix where she won gold in all-around and all event finals, she won silver in all-around at the Pesaro World Cup behind teammate Daria Kondakova nevertheless, she won all her other World Cup and Grand Prix series all-around competitions.[citation needed] She competed at the 2011 European Championships where she won gold in hoop, ball and a silver medal in ribbon behind Belarusian Liubov Charkashyna.[citation needed] In the 2011 World Championships, Kanaeva broke her record by again winning 6 gold medals in a single World Championship, the all-around, event finals (hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon) and team event.[citation needed] At the 2011 Grand Prix Final in Brno, Kanaeva won gold in all-around and all event finals where she scored a perfect 30 in ribbon under the 30-point judging system.[citation needed] She finished her season winning the all-around at the 2011 Aeon Cup in Japan.[citation needed] She ranked 5th in the world ranking 2011 season, dropped from the 1st in 2010 season due to she didn't take part in many competition in the 2011 season.[citation needed] However, she ranked the 1st again in the 2012 season.[citation needed]
2012 Olympics season
Kanaeva in 2012
Kanaeva started her season with new hoop, clubs and ball routines at the Moscow Grand Prix.[citation needed] She finished 2nd in the all-around at the 2012 Moscow Grand Prix behind teammate Daria Kondakova, but won gold medals in the ribbon, clubs and hoop finals ahead of Daria Dmitrieva and Daria Kondakova.[citation needed] She followed her win at the Grand Prix by winning the all-around at the International Thiais Tournament.[citation needed] She went on to compete on her first World Cup of the season at Pesaro and won the all-around title as well the clubs, ball and hoop finals.[citation needed] She withdrew from Penza World Cup citing illness.[citation needed] She returned to competition at the Sofia World Cup where she beat the defending champion Daria Kondakova and won the event finals in ball and hoop.[citation needed] She did not qualify for the ribbon finals because of the two-per-country rule, with Kondakova and Dmitrieva ahead of her in the ribbon qualifications.[citation needed] She was also the champion in all-around at the 2012 Corbeil-Essonnes Cup ahead of compatriots Daria Dmitrieva and Alexandra Merkulova.[citation needed]
Kanaeva performing at the Grand Prix Rhythmic Gymnastics in Austria (2012)
At the 2012 European Championships, Kanaeva won her third consecutive European All-around title and posted a score of 29.700 in her ball routine.[citation needed] In an interview after the event, she said: "This victory didn't come easy. In the future I have to put effort on executing elements stronger and more precisely. My coaches are satisfied, and it's very important. I don't live by victory but by what I do."[16] Kanaeva then competed at the Grand Prix Vorarlberg in Austria, where she won gold medals in the all-around and all the apparatus finals.[citation needed] At the World Cup series in Minsk, Kanaeva won the gold medal in all-around ahead of teammate Daria Dmitrieva (silver) and Belarusian Liubov Charkashyna (bronze).[citation needed] Kanaeva also won all the gold medals (Ball, Hoop, Clubs and Ribbon) at the event finals.[citation needed]
"Gymnastics has been part of my life since I was six years old. Since that time I have practiced every day, eight hours a day so I'm delighted to have won golds at two Olympics, It was not my target to be a legend but I do like the sound of it. I love gymnastics and I want the audience to remember me."
In the qualifications at the 2012 Olympics, Kanaeva ranked 2nd on the first day, behind teammate Daria Dmitrieva, after an unusual errant of fumbling her hoop routine. On the second day, she moved ahead of Dmitrieva with a total score of 116.000 points.
During the finals, Kanayeva completed all four apparatus without any major mistakes.[citation needed] She was the only gymnast to score more than 29 points in the ball, hoop and clubs, falling short of that mark only with the ribbon that scored 28.900.[citation needed] Kanaeva finished with a total of 116.900 points, ahead of teammate Daria Dmitrieva who scored a total of 114.500 points.[citation needed]
Post-Olympics
Kanaeva did not continue training after the Olympics.[citation needed] In November 2012, Irina Viner commented about the possibility of Kanaeva's return to the national team, saying "We never discuss the timing of return with such great gymnasts...Any time when she recovers and decides to come back, it will be a great joy for us."[18]
At a conference of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation (RRGF) on 4 December 2012 in Novogorsk, Kanaeva announced the end of her competitive career, saying "Most probably, I have finished my career. There was a choice between labor in training and switching to another activity."[19] At the same conference, it was announced that Kanaeva had been elected a vice-president of the RRGF, along with 2004 Olympic silver medalist Irina Tchachina.[20] Kanaeva had expressed a desire to remain in rhythmic gymnastics indefinitely as a coach or in an administrative position.[citation needed] In June 2009, Shtelbaums stated that Kanaeva had the quality to become a good coach because of her attentiveness in instructing young rhythmic gymnasts.[21]
Kanaeva was ranked 1st as the most Successful Female Athlete of Russia in 2012 beating Aliya Mustafina (2nd) and Maria Sharapova (3rd) for the top ranking.[22] The overall rating was formed in the basis of the greatest number of votes of experts.[citation needed] Also, the maximum figures for the number of references in the paper and press the number of requests in the Russian segment of the Internet for a year.[citation needed]
Kanaeva was one of the 50 elite athletes of Russia chosen as an honorary ambassador for the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan.[27]
Personal life
Kanaeva is enrolled at the Siberian State University of Physical Training and Sports.[citation needed] Kanaeva has expressed an interest in learning to draw and play piano after her sporting career.[13] She is also keen on studying foreign languages and computer-related subjects.[28] According to her mother, Kanaeva saves her prize money for future education.[29]
Kanaeva has stated that if she were not a gymnast, she would take up dance professionally.[30]
On 8 October 2013, Kanaeva's father Oleg died of a heart attack on a plane during a flight from Turkey to Moscow while returning from the World Cup Championships of Greco-Roman wrestling.[32]
On 19 March 2014, Kanaeva gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy named Vladimir.[33]
As of February 2020, Kanaeva has been working as a coach for Junior Russian Gymnasts.[citation needed] She now coaches Sofya Agafonova, a junior member of the Russian National Team, and also, together with Vera Shtelbaums to Anastasia Simakova, 2019 junior world champion in rope and team.[34]
Eponymous skills
Kanaeva has one eponymous skill listed in the code of points, a 180 degree turn on the stomach with the gymnast's legs held in a split position with no hand or arm assistance.[35]
Kanaeva performing her hoop routine at the 2012 Vorarlberg Grand Prix that scored a perfect 30 points.Kanaeva performing with clubsKanaeva at the 2011 LG WHISEN Rhythmic All Stars Gala.
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