---Nothing works and Valentina is acting weird, but at least you get to compete!
It was a long flight and everyone was stuck in a plane with Valentina for the duration of it (my poor babies), so the team's spirits didn't look to be particularly high on arrival, but at least they made it.
And they could have flown to Rio, and get banned from competing straight away so there's that. The FIG is currently going thought the criteria given by the IOC, trying to establish the "clean" status of the gymnasts, hopefully everyone will get cleared soon.
The real problem however was that someone actually had the audacity to make Queen Aliya carry her own bags, what a travesty. She has back problems and wrist problems and god knows what else, someone help her.
They also had to wait for a bus so she decided to put those bags to good use and take a quick power nap. I really don't understand what makes people so stressed about traveling. Packing is a bitch, but I love the actual traveling. I wanted to be a pilot when I was a kid because I've always loved airports and flying. And I don't care if I have to sit in a plane for hours and hours, it's worth it. And connections? OMG. More airports and more take-offs and landings, love it! Those are the best parts of a flight. And the feeling when you step out of the airport, step onto a weird looking pavement with weird plant decorations and are suddenly surrounded by the air that somehow tastes completely different from your home country... I would be bouncing around happily instead of napping on some bags. Although I don't have to train for hours the next day. But if the Queen ever needs someone to do her flying for her, I volunteer.
It looks like the team (and their stuffed animals) headed straight to the Olympic Village. Aliya video chatted with her bf while Spiridoz got cozy.
I'm looking forward to see pictures of their exploration in the Olympic Village, those were great in London. The boys already headed out and took the obligatory pictures with the sign, but I guess the girls were too tired. The Olympic rings fortunately weren't raised as high as in London, so there should be no scary-looking-injury-waiting-to-happen climbing. I'm good with that.
Of course V-Rod has now fully recovered from that episode with "happy tears" after the IOC decision (I'm surprised she didn't melt at the touch of water) and is already complaining about their living conditions (while her gymnasts are asleep, V-Rod doesn't need sleep, she's a vampire). They flew in super early, so she's actually considering the possibility that the Village isn't ready. Hmm... maybe she hasn't recovered after all... We won't know for sure until she starts switching out the team with the alternates and says that Aliya retired right before the competition, but should be at 178% nevertheless. But I'm going to give this to Valentina, the Russians aren't the only ones complaining. Apparently there's major problems with plumbing and power.
We saw Vika seeing the team off to the airport, but based on her instagram, it looks like she's back in Voronezh. Hopefully she'll get to go to Rio once the actual competition starts. She visited Munich and has decided since to continue with gymnastics, but said that she can't train for 4-6 months. Presumably her back needs some rest and physio. With her (and our) luck, she's going to be out with various and occasionally strange injuries for 3 years again and then return briefly before the Tokyo Olympics to claim another pre-Olympic Worlds bars title and get injured again. She's just too good for the current code, too perfect. Why can't we ever have nice things... *pouty face*
UPDATE: She's there!!!
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