It’s our pleasure to introduce Ilya Baranov, a 2010 Men’s Artistic Gymnastics athlete from Stittsville, ON, Canada who trains with Yevgeny Molyev and Michael Figotin at Rideau Gymnastics.

Read below to learn more about Ilya and hear how he maintains his competitive edge!

Interview

Weʼd love to begin by learning about your early gymnastics career. When and where did you start your competitive program? And, what did you love most about it?
I started when I was 6 years old in the developmental MAG program at a local gymnastics club in Kanata, ON. I loved jumping and playing and learning gymnastics tricks.

What was it like to compete for the first time? Did this experience shift for you as you gained experience?
My first “competition” was an invitational/showcase that was just for fun, the competitions now are more serious and there’s more travelling, which is also fun.

As you continued training and competing, what were some of the challenges you faced? And, how did you overcome them?
I’m trying to clean up my routines and add more difficulty, which is a challenge. I’m trying to stay focused and work harder.

Who and what has been most influential in your gymnastics career? And, how have you stayed dedicated and motivated?
My mom has definitely been my biggest influence. She was a National competitive gymnast in Belarus. She keeps me motived when I feel down because she understands the challenges of being a competitive gymnast.

One of the aspects of gymnastics that we appreciate so much is that senior competitive athletes often participate in coaching younger competitive athletes. From what we hear, this is pretty standard in the sport and, we have to say, we think itʼs ingenious! Athletes who are new to the sport get to know their role models, which is so inspiring; Senior athletes deepen their knowledge by teaching skills in ways that resonate with boys who have myriad learning styles; and the gymnastics community benefits by having those who are participating in the sport literally shape its future. We’re curious: Does your gym also use a model like this?
No

Could you talk about your perspective on this practice and share your experience growing up within it, if applicable?
Yes, I like it. It’s cool to help the younger gymnasts have a second opinion from the main coach.

What are some of your most memorable career highlights?
Winning the provincial championships last year 2023.

Could you please share what grade you’re in and what plans and aspirations you have for the future?
I’m in grade 8 and am interested in aerospace engineering.

Iʼd like you to imagine that youʼre in your 30s, living your best life! What do you think youʼll remember most fondly about your gymnastics career? And what has been your most fun memory, to this point?
My friends and my team.

Could you please share some of the transferable skills that youʼve developed because of gymnastics? And also about any other ways you anticipate this sport will influence your life in the future?
I can do a back tuck on the floor and impress the kids in school, which helps me make friends. Gymnastics helps me to be stronger mentally when hard challenges come and to love being active.

Lastly, do you have any advice for younger athletes who are interested in MAG? Both in terms of gymnastics and in general?
Do your best and try gymnastics; it’s fun!

LIGHTNING ROUND QUESTIONS

If you could eat one food for the rest of your life it would be:
Pepperoni Pizza

If you were told the internet was going to disappear forever, what would you put on your hard drive? (Movies, shows, music, photos, etc.)
Family pictures and Hollow Knight (video game)

Your morning drink/meal of choice is:
Milk and something easy to prepare

On your days off, what do you LOVE doing?
Playing video games

Your three biggest priorities in life are:
Family, place to live in, friends

Describe your go-to style in and out of the gym:
Style?

THAT’S A WRAP! THANK YOU, ILYA!

We hope you found Ilya’s interview fun and inspiring! Here at the Grizzly Classic, our goal is to increase participation in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics across Canada. We thought it would be fun to share stories from athletes competing at every level and every age to create a sense of connection among these extraordinary athletes and give newcomers a window into the MAG community.

We hope you found this interview interesting and helpful.

If you have feedback, we’d love to hear it! And, if you know an athlete who would like to be featured, please direct them to the Grizzly Classic Featured Athlete Profile Form.