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 Again, it was Ezhova
who took the mike when a Russian journalist asked why
the team had bombed bars. "Actually", smiled
Lyudmila, "we didn't bomb bars, we totally bombed
vault. We were quite good on bars. Only Natasha [Ziganshina]
fell, but that can be excused since this was her first
world championship, and she was nervous. It's normal to
be nervous when you're competing on the big stage for
the first time."
 In 1996, the minuscule
Muscovite made quite a splash with her innovative work
on bars and beam at the Junior European Championships.
Ezhova had to wait for 1998 to make her debut as a senior.
As part of the Russian team that won the silver medal
at the St.Petersburg Europeans, she took home a bronze
on beam. Her exclusion from Russia's line-up at the 1999
World Championships was questioned by many (though she
did make the trip as an alternate) After Ezhova failed
to make her country's Olympic team after a rough 2000,
she must have been wondering whether her time would ever
come.
 This year she seems
confident and relaxed. Her work on beam nearly brought
her the gold medal, and she looked set for a medal on
bars until she fell on her Gienger. Always more of a two
event specialist, Ezhova has improved on floor where she
is now a lot more stable in her tumbling and is expressive
in her funky dance.
 Unlike many of her
team mates, Ezhova has not enrolled at a sports institute
to obtain a coaching diploma. "I'm in my fourth year
of studying economics, management and law", she says
calmly, "I think you need something else in your
life, a real profession. Otherwise it's going to be really
difficult after you quit sports. You are left with nothing."
Ezhova says she will continue in the sport, but is aware
of the next generation of Russian gymnastics: "We
always have a lot of strong gymnasts. Now, there are other
good girls coming up the ranks and that puts some pressure
on me. But I think the competition is good for us."
Masha
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