Inside Interview: Sasha Artemev

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Last year, Sasha Artemev, a World medalist on pommel horse, was considered a virtual lock for a 2008 Olympic spot, but Artemev’s fall-filled performance at USAs has put his Olympic status in question—a fact Artemev is well aware of.

Confident and relaxed before USAs—“ I haven’t been this prepared, this good, in a while,” he said before that meet—Artemev arrived in Philly with considerably more on his mind, and it shows. A little nervous and quiet in interviews this morning at the Wachovia Center, Artemev knows his Olympic ticket is riding on his performance here.

A feeling that could be giving Artemev déjà vu. Groomed for the 2004 squad—he was made an alternate on the 2003 world team specifically to gain experience for Athens—hesitant performances at Championships and Trials put him out of the Olympic mix. (On many people’s short list early in the year, Artemev didn’t even advance to the final Selection Camp.)

This time, Artemev is taking it all a lot more seriously—for one thing, he’s relented and returned to his 2007 pommel horse routine, removing the 270-degree Russian mount—and only time will tell if that is a good or bad sign.

Inside Gymnastics chatted with the pommel horse pro this morning …

INSIDE: What made you change your horse routine?

ARTEMEV: I didn’t fall on that routine at all last year, and it’s a little bit easier for me. It was pretty consistent and I need to stick with that.

It was just such a long routine and a large variety of skills that I started thinking about each skill and lost control of the rhythm, what I need to think about.

… For me, it’s a lot easier to not do that [new] routine. I just kind of fly through it. I don’t worry about anything as much.

It brings my [Start Value] down three tenths. Instead of a 6.3, I’ll be at a 6.0. I can still score in the 15.5, 15.6-range.

If I come off floor, I know, if I’m breathing hard, I can still hit the [horse] routine. I’ve done that in practice and I know I can do that here.

INSIDE: Is this the routine you’ll be doing if you make the team?

ARTEMEV: First of all, hopefully, I make the team. Then, I can make finals with my old routine and, in finals, I’ll probably do the harder routine.

INSIDE: Was there pressure to change your routine?

ARTEMEV: I made that decision with my dad. We sat down and talked and I just need to hit that routine. Last year was pretty consistent and we just need to do what we did last year and make that team. That’s the most important right now. We’ll worry about event finals when that comes along.

INSIDE: Did you see the NBC broadcast of Championships?

ARTEMEV: No, I didn’t. I didn’t even know it was on, to tell you the truth.

… I heard they were pretty harsh on me. I know they expect me to do better. I just didn’t have a good meet.

Even my neighbors were giving me crap (laughs). They were like, ‘Dude, they were pretty harsh on you.’

That’s the way it needs to be, though. They kind of kicked my butt and I needed that. It just kind of motivates me. I will hopefully do better at this meet and give me a little bit more confidence.

… I just kind of wanted to move on, and not [relive] it. Just kind of, you know, go to Trials and forget about that. It’s kind of a fresh start for me here. I just don’t want to think about USAs.

INSIDE: Were you upset?

ARTEMEV: Oh, yeah. I should have been in top three, if I’d hit. But the circumstances prevented it.

So, I’ve just got to move on and forget it. Just not focus on that anymore.

INSIDE: What did your dad-coach, Vladimir, say after USAs?

ARTMEV: Just to move on, you know? It happens. Everybody falls. You walk down the street and see people fall. This is gymnastics. I’m gonna’ not think about WHAT happened, but what’s GOING TO happen.

INSIDE: How do you feel now?

ARTEMEV: I come here, and I feel a little bit more confident in my routines. I know I’ve been doing ’em for a while. They’re a little bit easier for me, as far as horse. I don’t have to worry about certain events. I’ll just go out and worry about the meet itself. I won’t worry about one particular skill, one particular event.

It just kind of frees up my mind a little bit.

INSIDE: What have you been doing, training-wise, since Championships?

ARTMEV: I’ve just been in the gym every day. I went down to the [U.S. Olympic] Training Center (OTC). I’ve done some routines over there, and did an intrasquad. It kind of prepared me for this meet.

Yesterday, I did a podium training with a uniform and all the routines. It looked good yesterday, so hopefully that carries over.

INSIDE: Are you more nervous than you were in Houston? You seem very reserved.

ARTEMEV: Well, yesterday was like a meet for me. I needed to do that in order to get comfortable for Thursday. I’m just a little bit tired today. I always have an easier day on Wednesday, so I just need to get recovered. To get ready to go for it tomorrow.

INSIDE: Where do you think you are now, in the Selection Committee’s eyes?

ARTEMEV: I just need to stay on my events. You know, the ones the team needs me on. If I do, I’ll hopefully put myself in a good position. Pommel horse is important and, of course, parallel bars and high bar. Just stay on those events and, hopefully, be up there in all-around, too.

INSIDE: Are you hoping to do the all-around in Beijing?

ARTEMEV: You know, all-around would be great. I know I can be up there if I just actually stay on and do clean routines, stick my dismounts. [If I do that] I could be up there. I just gotta’ accomplish my plan; do what I’ve been doing in the gym—I’ve been pretty consistent in the gym, even at the OTC. I just need to keep doing that.

… I’ve always wanted to be an all-around gymnast. All-around and team—those are my events. I don’t want to specialize.

INSIDE: You were so confident before Nationals and you said you felt like this was your year. Does it still feel that way?

ARTEMEV: Yeah, I mean, you know, everyone makes a big deal about, ‘Oh, he fell.’ But, to look at it, I only messed up my high bar dismount and that’s an easy fix for me. Pommel horse was more an accident than a fall. I just kind of jumped off and didn’t know what happened. I’ve cleaned up floor quite a bit and I’ll hope to stay in bounds this time (laughs).

I’ve been working on small details but I did take a few things back from that, too and like p-bars I did good. Vault, the second day, was good.

I know that I can hit and I know I’ll do better this meet. It’s just, umm, I don’t know, I’ve got to get that confidence going that I had at USAs and Worlds last year.

INSIDE: What did you learn from your Trials experience in 2004?

ARTEMEV: I think I am not in the same position as I was in 2004. The last quad there were a lot of guys that were, pretty much, on the team already before Olympic Trials. I know, pretty much, that there was a slim chance I’d be on the Olympic team.

But this year I think I’m in the mix of the main guys. And I think I could definitely help out the team and hopefully they need me.

INSIDE: Do you think they need you?

ARTEMEV: (laughing) Yeah, I really do.

INSIDE: If you hit pommel horse here do you feel like you’re on this Olympic Team?

ARTEMEV: I don’t think anybody is a lock. Everybody says these 14 guys [competing here,] there could be such a combination of teams, you just never know where you’re going to end up.

I need to hit pommel horse and that will definitely improve my chances.

… I just need to get a little more angrier and little bit more tough on myself and not look at the competition. Just look at my own routines and take it one event a time. Not rush ahead to any other events, just take my time on that event and think about the first skill in my routine.

INSIDE: Are you peaking at the right time?

ARTEMEV: I think I’m in pretty good shape right now. I did like a mock meet yesterday and didn’t even get that tired. I think I’m ready to go as far as endurance.

INSIDE: Are you healthy?

ARTEMEV: Right now it doesn’t really matter any more. It’s crunch time in my head and I’m just trying to get recovered and be efficient. Not do too many pounding skills.

… I just hope my body holds up and I just want to make it through the Trials. … My shoulder is all right, it’s just, I’ve had a slap tear, for a while—a year and a half now that I know of. I’ve done a lot of strength, a lot of rehab, to where it doesn’t really bother me.

… I’m gonna’ get my shoulder fixed [after the Olympics], and then I’ll be 100 percent. I think I’ll be even better than I am now. That will be my time to shine.

INSIDE: So, you plan to continue after these Games?

ARTEMEV: My Dad and I have talked about it already and I think still have four years in me.

(shrugs) It’s not like a job. Gymnastics is my hobby. There are a lot things in the world I want to do, but gymnastics is like a hobby for me. I enjoy doing the sport. I love doing it and I can’t see myself not doing the sport. It’s going to be hard when I stop doing it. That will be the hard part.

INSIDE: What else do you want to do if this is just your hobby?

ARTEMEV: I’ve got a friend who does, like, mortgage and financial [planning] and he’s been bugging me to come work with him. So, I’m going to do that after my have surgery. Help him out for a few months and see what happens, if I enjoy it.

INSIDE: And your life outside the gym?

ARTEMEV: Me and my girlfriend, Briana Springer, live together. She’s from Denver. We are a family. … She has her own business, so she’s busy [and can’t be here,] but she’s always supportive of me. Just always there. That’s why I love her. She knows that I don’t really like to talk about meets and how I did, even when I did good.

… [And,] I bought a house [because] my dad kicked me out of his (laughs). No more freeloading. I kind of had to get out on my own and we have three dogs. We had two and she had puppies and we kept one, so we have three now running around our house. There’s Hustler, he’s the boy, and Skyla and she’s the girl and Kia she’s the little puppy.

The Olympic year is here! Subscribe or Renew now so that you don’t miss a single issue of Inside Gymnastics! Plus, subscribe for 3 years and receive a FREE poster of Nastia Liukin!