I was born on 12 May 1983 in the magical city of Tashkent in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. This is the city of my childhood, a place I remember and love deeply. Higher education: I graduated from the Moscow State University of Service and from the P.F.Lesgaft State University of Physical Culture in St.Petersburg. It was quite hard to combine my studies with serious sports training, but what got me through it was the habit (thanks, Mum!) of sticking with my homework right to the end.



My big breakthrough came in 1995. While I was still at school and practicing rhythmic gymnastics, serious changes began to take place in our country. And it was in 1995, just after I had turned 12, that Mum decided to leave Tashkent. We were faced with the decision to move to another city, and perhaps even to another country. Those were such uncertain times that I didn’t know whether I’d be able to continue with my gymnastics at all. A lot would depend on the trainers, with whom the whole thing needed to be discussed. Irina Alexandrovna Viner – a well-known and very discerning lady who is regarded as a guru in the gymnastics world – told me I had what it takes to go into professional sport. And so we settled in Moscow.



In 1996 I became a member of the Russian national team. I was very proud of this and dreamed of becoming a champion. Two years later, in 1998, my dream came true when I won the European Championship. Europe was pretty good to me, and crowned me as its absolute champion five times…And then, in 1999, I came first in the world championship, and was totally convinced I had the gold at the 2000 Olympics in my pocket. However…either it was getting too easy to win, or my confidence had begun to develop into overconfidence…but anyway, the hoop, along with the victory, slipped out of my hands and I took the bronze in the Sydney Olympics.

Nowadays I know for sure that what happened in Sydney was a real gift of fate that helped see things from another angle. I’m actually happy now that it all happened exactly that way. First, because I didn’t give up professional sport and was able to move on and achieve other things that were important to me; and second, because that defeat made me stop and think. And I realized you mustn’t be too sure of yourself, of winning. You mustn’t get too big for your boots. You need to work hard, of course, and make progress towards your goal, but you have to remember that not everything in this life depends on us alone…And that’s how I stayed on in professional sport.

It was an excellent lesson. In many ways it was precisely that reassessment that helped me to become world champion once again (in 2003), and then win the 2004 Olympics in Athens one year later. And that was followed by several more important wins…



But after a while I began to think about the future. I tried to understand what I wanted to do next in life, and decided to get involved in social issues and help people. And it was then that I became convinced once again that everything in life depends on fate: at that very moment I was elected to the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.

In 2006-7 I was a member of the Chamber’s Commission on Charity and Volunteer Work.



I joined the United Russia party back in 2001. But when I was in the Public Chamber I had to leave the party, because by law PC members are not allowed to belong to a political party. PC members rotate every two years, so when I left I went back to the party, and the Executive Committee suggested that I run for the State Duma on the United Russia ticket. This idea appealed to me straight away, though I realized that it was a great responsibility. It was like a challenge, and I accepted it.

Since December 2007 I’ve been a member of the 5th Convocation of the State Duma and Deputy Chairman of the Duma Youth Committee. Why the Youth Committee? Because I’m deeply interested in the future of my country and without intelligent, educated and committed young people there will be no future. If you ask me what they lack, I would say the right environment to develop in – the right atmosphere, if you like, and information. I want young people to have access to information on all the government initiatives and other schemes designed to help them get ahead in education, housing and jobs.



Outside public life I really like to read, and I love ballet and the theatre.



But I have less and less time for these things. I’ve had to study masses of documents and material recently. And I love going to the shops, of course, and buying things - though more for others than for myself. I love everything to do with Japan and the Orient: the food, the culture…My ideal gift would be good health for myself and my family.

My credo is “Get Over Yourself!”

PS: Alina Kabaeva holds the title of “Merited Master of Sport” as well as two outstanding government awards – the Order of Friendship and the Order of Services to the Fatherland, 4th Grade.