[12] Shtelbaums, who worked in the same gymnastics school, recalled Kanaeva spending long hours practicing even though all other students were gone, while her grandmother stood in the corridor waiting to take her home.

[citation needed] Kanaeva improved under the supervision of Shtelbaums who was in Moscow as fellow Omsk native Irina Tchachina's coach.

[citation needed] In 2003, at 13 years of age, Kanaeva debuted in international competitions and began winning the junior events.

[citation needed] Kanaeva represented 'Gazprom' as a junior rhythmic gymnast to take part in the World Club Championship (also known as 'Aeon Cup') in Japan alongside Irina Tchachina and Alina Kabayeva.

[citation needed] She won the junior title and was presently noticed by the head coach of the Russian national team, Irina Viner.

[citation needed] After the Olympic Games 2004, at which Kabaeva and Tchachina won the gold and silver medals respectively, Kabayeva remained competitive while Vera Sessina and Olga Kapranova rose to become Russia's new leading rhythmic gymnasts.

[citation needed] She then competed at the World Cup series in Ljubljana where she won bronze in all-around, rope and silver in clubs.

[citation needed] At the 2007 European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Kabaeva, Sessina, and Kapranova were chosen to represent Russia.

[citation needed] Despite the short notice, Kanaeva impressed by winning gold medals in both the individual ribbon and team competition.

[citation needed] In preparation for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games qualification, Kanaeva's routines (hoop, clubs, rope and ribbon) were designed with high difficulties and her music was selected to bring out her uniqueness, one of which was her ribbon routine performed with the special edited piano version of 'Moscow Nights (Подмосковные вечера)'.

[citation needed] In the beginning of 2008 season, Kanaeva still faced tough competition from veteran teammates Sessina, Kapranova and Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast, the then-World Champion, Anna Bessonova.

[citation needed] However, by mid-spring, Kanaeva began to establish herself by winning all the individual all-around titles in the Grand Prix and World Cup series, as well as the Russian National Championship.

[citation needed] Viner selected Kanaeva and Kapranova as Russia's entries for the Olympic rhythmic gymnastics competition.

"[13] Kanaeva won the Olympic title with a score of 75.50, ahead of second place Inna Zhukova of Belarus by a margin of 3.50 points.

[citation needed] Kanaeva qualified for the individual all-around final by placing first in every single apparatus, each with a gold medal.

[citation needed] At the 2010 World Championships, she won gold in the all-around, ball, hoop and silver in rope behind teammate Daria Kondakova.

[citation needed] She competed at the 2011 European Championships where she won gold in hoop, ball and a silver medal in ribbon behind Belarusian Liubov Charkashyna.

[citation needed] She went on to compete on her first World Cup of the season at Pesaro and won the all-around title as well the clubs, ball and hoop finals.

[citation needed] She returned to competition at the Sofia World Cup where she beat the defending champion Daria Kondakova and won the event finals in ball and hoop.

[citation needed] At the World Cup series in Minsk, Kanaeva won the gold medal in all-around ahead of teammate Daria Dmitrieva (silver) and Belarusian Liubov Charkashyna (bronze).

In the qualifications at the 2012 Olympics, Kanaeva ranked 2nd on the first day, behind teammate Daria Dmitrieva, after an unusual errant of fumbling her hoop routine.

[citation needed] In June 2009, Shtelbaums stated that Kanaeva had the quality to become a good coach because of her attentiveness in instructing young rhythmic gymnasts.

[26] She has appeared in a commercial video for Pantene Pro-V.[citation needed] Kanaeva was one of the 50 elite athletes of Russia chosen as an honorary ambassador for the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan.

[citation needed] On 8 October 2013, Kanaeva's father Oleg died of a heart attack on a plane during a flight from Turkey to Moscow while returning from the World Cup Championships of Greco-Roman wrestling.

[34] Kanaeva has one eponymous skill listed in the code of points, a 180 degree turn on the stomach with the gymnast's legs held in a split position with no hand or arm assistance.