Her older sister Aliya made a name for herself in the U.S. at the 2006 Friendship Classic. And two years later, 11-year-old Nailya Mustafina appears to be doing the same thing.
Nailya Mustafina, 2008 WOGA Classic, Balance Beam:
Aliya Mustafina, 2006 Friendship Classic, Balance Beam:
The comparison between the two, both shown below on balance beam at age 11, is interesting. Although each has the superb form that characterizes most of Russia’s juniors, my bet is that Nailya grows up to be the powerful one (that’s an intense double pike dismount for an 11-year-old.)
At 13, Aliya, who was just second to teammate Tatiana Nabieva at the 2008 junior European Championships in France, already seems quite long-legged and willowy.
Aliya Mustafina, 2008 Junior European Championships, Floor Exercise:
April 11, 2008 at 6:16 am |
Honestly. I think Aliya’s form is better than her sisters… I don’t like her sister’s form at all.. the little bends in the knees, not a full split on the handstand halfway through, just little things. I know she’s 11 and what not but her sister at the same age looks better
April 11, 2008 at 4:04 pm |
Agreed. Attention to the little details, extension, hands, feet, head position, it’s not even close. Trick-wise it’s all Nalia, but at least for now I pick Alia for the more complete gymnast
September 2, 2008 at 4:38 pm |
I lived in Moscow in 2007 and watched both sisters train once a week for 4 months. What you say is totally true… their training has been very similar but they have very different styles. Nailya is much more powerful (seeing her double pike back with half twist on floor assured me of that!) and she does a lot of moves which are very advanced for her age, though often makes mistakes. Aliya is far more elegant and her dance work is beautiful, as is her handstand line on bars – her performance at the Voronin Cup was brilliant. They are also very different in terms of personality – Nailya’s as bold as brass and definitely the drama queen in the gym! Aliya is very sensitive and always looks very worried, but is much more consistent than her sister and easier to work with!
May 14, 2009 at 1:40 pm |
[...] Gymblog commentary on Nailya and her older sister Aliya. [...]
March 30, 2010 at 3:56 pm |
shee is amazing i wish i could do that
January 26, 2011 at 4:56 am |
Nailya is great– but so is Aliya
I love Rebecca Bross in the video of Nailya on beam!