Penza, 7 April 2016. PenzaNews. The two-times Olympic champion Svetlana Khorkina, who arrived to Penza for the first time for the Russian countrywide gymnastics championship and competition, was impressed by the level of the local “Burtasy” sports palace.

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“I am in Penza for the first time. For the first time in this beautiful sports palace. I repeat – the palace. I went through the whole sports palace like in a guided tour. I am impressed and proud of my country, proud that Penza has such a sports palace where people can get involved in not just gymnastics, but swimming, platform diving, boxing, artistic gymnastics. I think the acrobats and trampoliners as well – that means, the whole range of those ‘regal’ sports that bring us many medals at the Olympic Games,” she said during the press conference in Penza on Thursday, April 7.

Svetlana Khorkina thanked all people who contributed to the construction and development of “Burtasy.”

“I was pleasantly surprised. I want to see more of such sports palaces in many regions. It is multifunctional, universal, convenient. But also, most importantly when you are holding sports training gatherings and big competitions [...] the lodgings are right nearby. There is a hotel that is fully autonomous: you can walk in your sports suit in winter or summer alike without going outside [...] and go right to the training or performance hall,” the award-winning athlete stressed.

Also, Svetlana Khorkina praised the fact that “Burtasy” has a sports stage.

“All our performances at international competitions are done at a sports stage, and sometimes both girls and boys get weak knees. It is good to see that it has such a stress-testing option for the competitions where the coaches, the experts, the boys and girls themselves are checking their stress resistance, their composure – physical and psychological – at the competitions. This is very important, because you can be a winner while at control tests, but, flunk the actual performance, like we say. I’ve seen many such girls, my colleagues – talented, but unable to show their work during the performance – at the sports stage,” the athlete explained.

Answering a question about her associations over the sports Penza, Svetlana Khorkina stressed that her main association now is “Burtasy.”

“I am very impressed. The sports hall is already 8 years old, and it is in good condition. If we want to see it teeming with life, with new little hopes appearing constantly, it must held as many competitions and as often as possible. Because competitions do more than reveal leaders. Competitions are summaries of the work done, but for you, the citizens, those who bring their children here and are unable to visit other competitions; and for them, it is also an opportunity to see, watch, learn” Svetlana Khorkina said.