Russia announces gymnastics 'dream team' for Kazan Univarsiade

The Russian women’s gymnastics team will be strengthened by the addition of two Olympic medalists at the Universiade in Kazan next year, including London Games champion Aliya Mustafina.

“We have chosen four female athletes who will definitely compete in Kazan. The team leader will be Aliya Mustafina, and Ksenia Afanasyeva, Tatiana Nabieva and Kristina Goryunova will compete together with her,” women’s team coach Valentina Rodionenko told R-Sport on Saturday.Mustafina won gold in the uneven bars in London, ending Russia’s 12-year wait for a first-place finish in Olympic gymnastics. The 18-year-old also added a team silver and two individual bronze medals to her collection.Afanasyeva, the most experienced athlete on the team, won team silver alongside Mustafina. Nabieva, the former team world champion, did not compete in London, nor did Goryunova, who had to miss the Olympics after testing positive for a banned substance prior to the games.The Universiade in Kazan will be the first such event in Russia since 1973, when Moscow hosted the Student Games.