Mezue ahịrịokwu a: N'afọ 2012, Merkulova meriri n'asọmpi Iko Mbaụwa nke Tashkent na asọmpi ngwụcha nke otu bọọlụ, okpu na osisi. Na asọmpi ya na onye otu ya bụ Evgenia Kanaeva na
2012 European Championships, n'ọnọdụ Daria Kondakova na Daria Dmitrieva bụ ndị merụrụ ahụ, o weere ọlaọcha ọla ọcha. Na Grand Prix Vorarlberg na Austria na July 2012, Merkulova meriri ọla nchara na gburugburu niile n'azụ Kanaeva na Dmitrieva yana ọlaọcha na njedebe hoop. N'asọmpi Iko Mbaụwa na Minsk, ọ gbara nke anọ na asọmpi niile n'azụ Liubov Charkashyna ma merie ọlaọcha na asọmpi klọb. A họpụtara ya dị ka onye ntinye aha nke abụọ nke Russia maka onye ọ bụla n'ime egwuregwu niile na 2012 Summer Olympics na London, n'akụkụ Kanaeva, Otú ọ dị, Dmitrieva dochie ya na ntinye ikpeazụ nke Russia na August 2, 2012, n'ihi mmerụ ụkwụ Merkulova.