Arina Averina

Arina Alekseyevna Averina (Russian: Арина Алексеевна Аверина; born 13 August 1998) is a Russian individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2017 World All-around silver medalist, the 2018 European All-around Champion, and the 2016 Grand Prix Final All-around bronze medalist. On the national level, she is a two-time (2019, 2020) Russian National All-around champion and a two-time (2015, 2017) Russian National All-aroundmedalist. Her identical twin sister, Dina Averina is also a competitive rhythmic gymnast and the 2017 and 2018 World All-Around champion.

Born to parents Ksenia Averina and Alexey Averin, Arina along with her twin sister Dina started gymnastics at 4 years old. Arina was born on August 13th, 1998. Arina was born 20 minutes ahead of Dina, while both have moles on the upper cheekbone (near the right ear), Arina has it in the upper right while Dina has it on the lower right. Arina has a scar above her right eye, caused after an accident with a club. They also have an older sister, Polina. Arina has said that there is no rivalry between her and Dina. "We are not competitors. More important for us is to see on a podium an athlete who competes under the Russian flag and with the Averina family name." Arina and Dina share the same instagram account.

Junior

The Averina twins first trained under their first coach Larisa Belova until they became members of the Russian national team and began training in Olympic Training Center in Moscow where they are now coached by Vera Shatalina.

The Averinas began appearing in international competitions in 2011 competing at the 2011 Russian-Chinese Youth Games where Arina finished 5th in the all-around and Dina won the all-around gold medal. In 2012, Arina finished 11th at the Russian Junior Championships. Arina and Dina both competed at the Venera Cup in Eilat, Israel where Arina won bronze in the all-around, she also took silver in hoop and bronze medals in ball, clubs and ribbon. She then competed at International MTM Cup in Ljubljana (along with teammates Aleksandra Soldatova and Dina Averina) won the Team gold medal.

In 2013 season, Arina finished 5th at the 2013 Russian Junior Championships, she competed in Junior division at Happy Caravan Cup in Tashkent and won Team gold with Dina Averina. At the 2013 Russian Spartakiada's 6th Summer Student Games, Arina won the all-around silver medal.

Senior

In 2014 Season, Arina debuted at the 2014 Moscow Grand Prix competing in the senior international tournament division where she won the all-around silver medal behind her twin sister Dina. Arina then competed at the 2014 Grand Prix Holon international tournament and won the all-around gold. Her next competition was at the 2014 Baltic Hoop where she won the all-around silver behind Aleksandra Soldatova. In the event finals: she won gold in ball, 2 silver medals (clubs, ribbon) and bronze in hoop. In April 23–27, Arina competed in senior nationals at the 2014 Russian Championships where she finished 7th in the all-around.

In 2015 season, Arina started her season at the 2015 Moscow Grand Prix. she then competed at the Corbeil-Essonnes International Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament where she won the all-around gold medal ahead of twin sister Dina Averina, she won gold in all 4 of the event finals (hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon). In August 7–9, Arina competed at the MTK Budapest placing 3rd in the all-around behind Maria Titova. In apparatus finals, she won a silver in ball and bronze in hoop. Arina then took the silver medal in the all-around at the 2015 Dundee International Tournament in Sofia, behind her twin sister Dina.

In 2016, Arina began her season competing at the 2016 Grand Prix Moscow taking third place in the all-around, in apparatus finals: she won gold in ribbon and silver in clubs. On March 17–20, Arina then competed at the 2016 Lisboa World Cup where she finished 5th in the all-around with a total of 70.400 points, she qualified 2 event finals taking silver in ribbon (tied with teammate Aleksandra Soldatova) and placed 4th in ball. At the 30th Thiais Grand Prix event in Paris, Arina finished 5th in the all-around and qualified 2 apparatus finals finishing 4th in clubs and ribbon. Arina finished 4th in the all-around at the 2016 Russian Championships held in Sochi. In May 6–8, Arina competed at the Brno Grand Prix where she finished 5th in the all-around behind Victoria Veinberg Filanovsky. On May 13–15, Arina won the all-around silver at the Bucharest Grand Prix with a total of 73.600 points, she qualified to all apparatus finals: taking silver in ball, bronze in clubs, ribbon and 4th in hoop. On May 27–29, Arina finished 4th in the all-around at the 2016 Sofia World Cup with a total of 73.450 points, she qualified to all apparatus finals and won bronze in hoop, clubs, placed 4th in ball, 7th in ribbon. On July 1–3, Arina competed at the 2016 Berlin World Cup however, she withdrew after the first day of qualifications because she suffered a hand injury. On September 22–24, Arina competed at the 2016 Grand Prix Final in Eilat, Israel where she won the all-around bronze medal with a total of 73.916 points, she qualified in 2 apparatus finals taking silver medals in hoop and ribbon.

In 2017, Arina's season began in competition at the 2017 Grand Prix Moscow where she won the all-around bronze medal, she qualified to 1 apparatus final winning the silver medal in ribbon behind her twin sister Dina. Arina then participated in the organized Desio-Italia Trophy where she won silver in the all-around and team gold medal (together with Twin Sister Dina). On March 10–12, Arina won the all-around bronze medal at the 2017 Russian Championships behind Aleksandra Soldatova. On March 31 - April 2, Arina competed at the 2017 Grand Prix Marbella where she won silver in the all-around, she won 2 bronze medals in the ball and clubs. On April 21–23, Arina competed in her first World Cup of the season at the 2017 Tashkent World Cup where she won silver in the all-around behind Dina Averina, she qualified 3 apparatus finals winning gold in hoop, ball and ribbon. Her next event was at the 2017 Baku World Cup where she won her first gold medal in the all-around, she qualified to all apparatus finals taking gold in hoop, silver medals in ball, ribbon and bronze in clubs. On May 19–21, at the 2017 European Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Arina was member of the Golden winning Russian Team (together with senior individuals: twin sister Dina Averina, Aleksandra Soldatova and the junior group) scoring a total of 182.175 points which was more than 11 points ahead of their nearest competitor team Belarus. Arina qualified to 2 apparatus finals taking the gold medals in ball and clubs. In June 23–26, Arina then competed at the 2017 Holon Grand Prix taking gold in the all-around ahead of sister Dina, she qualified two apparatus finals winning gold in ribbon and silver in ball. At the quadrennial 2017 World Games which was held in Wrocław, Poland from July 20–30, Arina won 3 gold medals in hoop, ball, ribbon and a bronze medal in clubs. On August 11–13, Arina competed at the 2017 Kazan World Challenge Cup and won silver in the all-around behind Dina, she qualified in all the apparatus finals and won 2 gold medals in ball, ribbon and 2 silver medals in hoop, clubs. At the 2017 World Championships held on August 30 - September 3 in Pesaro, Italy, in the first day of the apparatus finals; Arina won gold in ball (18.950) and silver in hoop (19.000). The following day, she won another gold in ribbon (18.300) and bronze in clubs (17.800). During the individual all-around finals, she accumulated scores in (hoop:18.150, ball:18.500, clubs:18.550, ribbon:18.250) scoring a total of 73.450 points to win the silver medal behind twin sister Dina Averina.

In 2018, recovering from an off season injury, Arina's season began in competition at the 2018 Grand Prix Moscow where she won the all-around silver medal, she qualified to 3 apparatus finals but withdrew due to hand injury. She participated at the 2018 Russian Championships, but later withdrew after one apparatus.

On March 24–25, Arina returned to competition at the 2018 Grand Prix Thiais where she finished 5th in all-around competition after big mistakes with ball. She qualified to two apparatus finals winning gold with clubs and silver with hoop. On April 13–15, she then competed at the 2018 Pesaro World Cup where she placed 4th in the all-around behind Linoy Ashram. She qualified to 3 apparatus finals and won gold with hoop, bronze with ribbon and placed 4th with clubs. On May 4–6, Arina's next event was 2018 Guadalajara World Challenge Cup where she won bronze in the all-around, she qualified to 3 apparatus finals winning gold with hoop and clubs and bronze with ribbon. On May 16–17, Arina competed at the 2018 Holon Grand Prix and won the all-around gold medal with a total of 76.700 points ahead of teammate Aleksandra Soldatova, she qualified in all apparatus finals. Arina won gold in hoop and silver in ball, in her last two events: she dropped her clubs twice putting her in 6th place and had imprecision with executions with ribbon placing her in 5th.

Arina is known for her pivot turns and clean apparatus handling. Arina can execute a Quadruple ring pivot and a triple Kanaeva ring pivot. Arina also frequently adds penchee turns to her retinue of Element skills while her sister Dina has not included nor executed this type of pivot turn in a competition since 2012.

(Team competitions in seniors are held only at the World Championships, Europeans and other Continental Games.)