They are very young champions of rhythmic gymnastics and are part of the ASD Europe which, for years, has carried the name of Aprilia around the world, in the national and international series A, B and C championships. Girls, from under 8 to over 18, must be able to train with ribbons, hoops, clubs, balls and ropes in adequate spaces, with at least 9 meters in height, a 16×16 space for the platform, more large spaces to allow movements with the tools. This year, however, the young athletes of Nina Trushkova’s club train in a gym too small for their needs. In fact, the association has been assigned the gymnasium of the Elsa Morante school, in via Monte Grappa.
«For 20 years I have been training my gymnasts at high levels, we have always trained in the gyms of Pascoli and Toscanini. This year we have been awarded the Montegrappa, while Pascoli only on Saturdays. Montegrappa is good for athletic training, but we need much larger spaces for training with equipment, ”explains the coach.
Very recent is the assignment of the gyms of the Aprilia school complexes to 14 associations and sports clubs that have requested them, responding to the announcement. “We too have sent our request, specifying our priorities. I would like to understand on what criterion this gym was assigned to us who have 109 members and have been training for years in large spaces », asks Nina, who among her athletes also counts a girl who joined the national team. «If Pascoli can accommodate up to 30 gymnasts at the same time, Morante has about ten. So our activities are limited ».
The families of the athletes have joined forces with the coach to get a meeting with the mayor Antonio Terra, set for this morning, to ask for more hours at the Pascoli gym. “We have the support of parents who demand a more suitable place to train the girls. It is a question of safety, you have to respect the right distances, especially when using tools: it is impossible to train in too small spaces, the circles immediately touch the ceiling ”, explains Trushkova. So the ASD Europe, for training, also relies on a private gym at higher costs. “For families these are additional expenses and, with the crisis, some are forced to give up”. “On 23 October we have a regional match while in November we have a national match, but in these conditions we cannot train adequately”.