Now it is official, Zhenya has retired…she announced it at the selective conference of RUS RG federation which was held at Novogorsk on 4th Dec 2012. She was selected as the vice president of RUS RG federation, together with Irina Tchachina, Natalia Kuzmina, Alexander Bryksin, Michael Kusnirovich, Andrei Guriev, and Tatyana Kolesnikova. And Zhenya, Irina Tchachina, Yuliya Barsukova and Olga Kapranova joined the Executive Committee of the Russian Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics. Irina Viner was re-selected as president and head coach for next four years.

The 30-years old Irina Tchachina, silver medalist of Athens 2004 in individual all-round, Irina Viner was going to recommend to the president of the federation, but she refused. Irina Viner said: “I think it should be suitable for young people and to take the reins. But it’s still a people should be who know gymnastics, – said President VFHG, adding: – Here, Zhenya Kanaeva hope I have. ” Most likely, in the future it will change Kanaeva as president FHGR.
(quoted from this article: http://www.gazeta.ru/sport/2012/12/04/a_4878405.shtml )

Thank you very much Zhenya for all those beautiful routines, moments and memories throughout all these years. Good Luck, Wish you all the BEST and May God Bless You always!!! I think this is a wise decision, bravo Zhenya has such courage to end up her career at her peak time. May she has bright life in the future, she will do the great job in her new role.
中文有云: 急流勇退古稱難, 小兔寶能選擇在這時候退役真的非常有勇氣, 也是很明智的選擇, 祝福她未來一切都好, 也感謝她帶給RG這麼多美好的成套, 時光跟回憶.

Translated this article, BIG Thanks Ekaterina!!!
KANAEVA HAS BECOME A PUBLIC OFFICIAL
original article link: http://www.gazeta.ru/sport/2012/12/04/a_4878405.shtml

Evgenia Kanaeva has finished her career and is getting ready to replace Irina Viner as a Head of Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation.

Evgenia Kanaeva has finished her career and has been elected a Vice-President of Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation (RRGF). Irina Viner stays as RRGF President, though she had offered the position to Irina Tshashina, but the latter refused.

On Tuesday, reporting-electing RRGF conference took place in Novogorsk where Irina Viner was unanimously re-elected for another 4-year period as the President. Olympic champion, Evgenia Kanaeva was appointed vice-president of RRGF, and she let everybody know that she was finishing her career.

“Most probably, I have finished my career. There was a choice – either “labor” in training, or switch to another activity”, – RIA “News” cites Kanaeva’s words.

In August, Evgenia Kanaeva became the first two-time individual all-around Olympic champion in the history of Rhythmic Gymnastics, having won London Olympics after 2008 Beijing games. Besides, Kanaeva won world championships 17 times (three times in individual all-around), having beaten the records of her no-less-popular predecessors – Tshashina and Alina Kabaeva.

22-year-old Kanaeva became a member of RRGF executive committee like another glorified in the near past Omsk gymnast – Irina Tshashina as well as Sydney Olympic champion Julia Barsukova and multi world and European champion Olga Kapranova. Kanaeva and Tshashina have been confirmed as RRGF vice-presidents together with Moscow Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation president – Andrey Guriev, businessman Mikhail Kusnirovich and many others.

By the way, 30-year-old Tchachina, Athens all-around silver medalist, had been recommended by Irina Viner for the position of RRGF president but Tchachina refused.
“I believe that young people should come in and assume positions of power. But they should be from those who know rhythmic gymnastics, – said RRGF president, and added: – I do have a hope for Zhenya Kanaeva”. Most likely, Kanaeva will be the one to replace Viner as RRGF president in the future.

“I have always encouraged talented kids to be brought in for the national team auditions much earlier. Because sometimes, it may be too late”, – said Viner during her speech at the conference.

She reminded that Russia has gymnastics training centers “not only in Moscow, but also in Omsk, Irkutsk, Penza and Kazan”, which is why “it is necessary to get an athlete to the place where they can grow”.

“Our system has always stuck and still sticks to such principles as “An oak does not grow in the desert, an oak grows among oaks” and “No one is forgotten, nothing is forgotten”. Children should be trained based on the approach “It is better to once see than hundred times to hear”, – informed Viner. According to her, the last two years have been a real “test” for the national team.

“But we’ve learned to win the only correct way – perform a level higher, – continued Viner. – That is why the most popular piece of music at championships is Russian national anthem”.

Irina Viner has been in charge of RRGF since 2008, having achieved fantastic results in coaching: all recent achievements in Russian gymnastics are tied to her name. She prepared all recent Olympic champions and medalists – Kabaeva, Tshashina, Kanaeva, Yana Batirshina, 2000 Sydney Olympic champion – Julia Barsukova. Viner is also vice-president of International Gymnastics Federation Technical Committee.

related news:
http://www.gazeta.ru/sport/2012/12/04/a_4878405.shtml
http://www.itar-tass.com/c9/588974.html
http://rg.ru/2012/12/04/gimnastika-site.html
http://www.sovsport.ru/news/text-item/573589
http://rt.com/sport/kanaeva-gymnastics-quits-viner-256/

and detailed report for the selective conference of RUS RG federation
http://www.vfrg.ru/index.php?dn=news&to=art&id=419

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