New rival for Zagitova and Medvedeva? Russian gymnast Alexandra Soldatova tries out figure skating elements
Russian rhythmic gymnastics star Alexandra Soldatova has been fully enjoying her Christmas holidays swapping traditional carpet for cold ice as she tried out figure skating elements on a skating rink.
The four-time world and European gold medalist, who was apparently inspired by the Russian skaters’ sensational performances at the national championship, put on a pair of skates to virtuously demonstrate her jaw-dropping flexibility on the ice.
“My happy face. Finally I came to the skating rink,” Soldatova wrote on her Instagram page while also posting a picture where she makes gorgeous splits with one leg raised up in the air.
The gymnast’s followers praised Soldatova for her “skating skills” joking that she might be a good candidate to join the national figure skating team.
The 21-year-old, who is pursuing her Olympic dream, will have to go through a tough selection to earn a spot on the team this coming summer.
Last autumn, Soldatova missed the world championship in Azerbaijan having been excluded from the squad just weeks before the global tournament after she lost consciousness during the World Challenge Cup in Portimao, Portugal.
She will be fighting for just two individual Olympic berths together with the team leaders – the Averina twins and newly-emerged star Ekaterina Selezneva who replaced Soldatova at the 2019 world championship.