Alexander Balandin is a gymnast born in June 1989 in the capital of the Republic of Karelia, the city of Petrozavodsk. From childhood, the young man had a weakness for physical education and liked to engage in many sports. His mother and twin brother, Alexei, brought him and his twin brother to the gymnastics section. At first, Alexei showed good results, later the situation changed - Alexander showed more will to win and trained hard. However, there was never a rivalry between brothers.
The beginning of a sports career and major achievements
Quite quickly, the young man was able to reach the highest level of professionalism in his sport, competing in international competitions. So, already in 2007, Alexander Balandin, whose first achievements were at the World Cup, managed to win third place in his crown ring projectile. Subsequent performances in these competitions until 2010 did not bring the long-awaited gold medal.
After the triumph in Moscow at the 2010 World Cup, a year later the victory at the Russian Championship followed, and in 2012 at the European Championship. Participation in the World Cup brought only the second place, there are no triumphal performances at the Olympic Games in Alexander’s career: in the first pre-Olympic period after winning the 2008 Russian Championship in fierce competition with another strongest Russian gymnast - Konstantin Pluzhnikov, Balandin lost his place on the list of candidates for a trip to Beijing.
Injury
In big sport, unfortunately, there are no triumphs without falls and injuries. Participating in the Russian Cup, held in Yekaterinburg, Alexander due to an unsuccessful landing damaged his thigh bone, had to withdraw from the competition. Fortunately, there were no bias and serious consequences. After two operations, the recovery period began. Which went quickly and quite successfully, and after the athlete continued to compete at the same pace. Willpower, perseverance and the desire to conquer new heights were at that moment the main driving forces for Alexander, who not only easily performed new elements, but also complicated his program.
Second Olympic cycle
The most important competitions in the career of any athlete were approaching - the Olympic Games in London in 2012, with Alexander Balandin being a candidate for participation. This was the second cycle of preparation for games in the athlete's career. Unfortunately, neither a good physical form of an athlete, nor a complicated program, nor the will to win brought the long-awaited medal.
Russian spectators, athletes and judges unanimously claimed that Alexander was condemned - at least, he could become the silver medalist of the Olympics. It almost came to an international scandal: with a clean technique for the execution of the most complex elements, Alexander was moved by rivals who made blatant mistakes. The situation caused a public outcry, some demanded an appeal for a review of the judges' ratings. But at these Olympics, the Russian team did not have the right to vote. In an interview after the performance, the gymnast himself stopped all the reasons for gossip, assuring that he himself had given a slack, which was used by the medalists. Only fourth place, and yet the medal was so close.
However, Balandin is forever captured in the annals of world gymnastics. His three crown elements on his favorite projectile are not only the most complex in the structural group and included in the rules of the international level, but also bear his name. The third element was approved by the International Federation not so long ago - in 2013 and, as Balandin admits, few people manage to do it right. All three times that he managed to watch performances with his own elements included, not one was performed at the proper level.
The third preparation for the Olympics
In the third Olympic cycle, Alexander Balandin won gold twice at the 2014 European Championships in Belgium. The first medal was received in the team competition, the second - in the personal on the rings. After the competition, the athlete was operated on - an old injury made itself felt. Of course, participation in the Rio Olympics in 2016 was out of the question. After the operation, the gymnast is not able to train at full strength. Not so long ago, the course of treatment ended, but Balandin does not think about ending his career. Currently, although not having constant practice, Alexander is an instructor in the republican Center for Sports Training - in the "School of Higher Sports Excellence".
Personal life
Alexander Balandin is a gymnast, whose biography is known to fans only in sports, he prefers not to talk about his personal life. However, in an interview at a press conference, he admitted to journalists that he has a lover, with whom the athlete currently lives. According to Balandin, earlier only his mother was his main fan, with the advent of his beloved, the “team” doubled.