“Victory over oneself and circumstances”: what was said in Russia after Shubenkov won the silver in the World Cup in athletics

“Of course, I don’t reach the girls”

Russian Serey Shubenkov brought the team the third medal of the World Athletics Championships in Doha. He became second in the 110 meter hurdles. In June of this year, the sprinter was injured, falling at the stage of the “Diamond League” in Morocco. It entailed complications and the recovery process lasted longer than originally thought. According to him, it was this factor that did not allow to rise to the highest step of the pedestal.

“The problem had many layers. At first, the foot could not spin, it was swollen. Then some kind of infection hit my knee. The month just fell out. They started to get in shape, and it turned out that I just can’t run the barriers. The leg did not straighten. It turned out that something in the back had shifted, nerve conduction was broken, ”Shubenkova quoted Sport-Express as saying.

The runner said that he had thoughts to prematurely end the season, but he decided not to. Enormous support at this moment was given to him by a personal trainer Sergey Klevtsov, as well as relatives and friends.

“In these situations, silver is pretty cool. This, by the way, is my fourth medal from world championships in a row. Which is very pleasing. Although I do not reach the girls, of course, they won. But what to do? Girls are our everything, ”he emphasized.

According to him, a little excitement before the semifinal gave way to the joy of getting into the decisive race.

“Before the finals, I began to have fun. And it became fun. The best guys in the world came out, we were hacked. True, I did not see the drama that unfolded on the central tracks, ”said Shubenkov.

In the finals, medals including Omar MacLeod and Orlando Ortega fought for the medals, but the 2016 Olympic champion provoked the fall of both, which gave the chance to the other rivals. Many accused Jamaicans of misbehaving on the track. However, commenting on the controversial episode, Shubenkov noted that he saw no reason to punish the opponent.

“After the semi-final, Klevtsov said to me:“ It's good that you got to the last lane. They will be chopped in the center, and it is not clear what will happen there - they will start to beat with their hands, MacLeod will fall on someone, and you will calmly run from the edge. Like a training session in Adler. ” Well, I got up, the case lowered lower. Worked out. I look - the second. Then I saw a repeat - and there is a booth, ”the athlete added.

“Silver with a golden ebb”

Coach Shubenkova Klevtsov was pleased with the result of the ward. Like the athlete himself, he expressed confidence that at the moment a silver medal is a good result.

“The second is just the best of the losers, but this certainly does not apply to this season. A medal from this World Cup is more likely success than vice versa. It is impossible to blame Sergey for not being a fighter. But he needed more starts to feel confident. If she appeared, it would be possible to wave to gold, ”the Championship quotes the mentor.

In addition, he sharply criticized MacLeod. In his opinion, the organizers of the competition should respond more decisively to such episodes, since they can be a danger to all participants in the race.

“In general, I am surprised: in the Diamond League he runs onto the opponent’s track with one foot and two, and everyone closes their eyes, as if it were necessary. People lose prize money on this. Why is there such a reverence for him? Let him then either run alone or in some kind of enclosure, I don’t know, ”said the coach.

This season, Shubenkov will perform at the War Games in China. After that, he will begin preparations for the Tokyo Olympics. Klevtsov expressed the hope that the ward will not have problems getting into competitions in connection with the possible removal of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).

“Of course, this is all very unpleasant, but I don’t even want to think in this vein. I don’t really believe that a repetition of 2016 is possible, although I am a man who has survived and it is difficult to surprise me with something, ”the expert admitted.

According to the president of the All-Russian Athletics Federation (VFLA) Dmitry Shlyakhtin, the silver medal of the competition in Doha is a special award for Shubenkov and his team.

“A beautiful and well-deserved end to what they experienced - trauma, recovery, doubts. I consider overcoming all this and going out with a medal won in such a struggle with the highest competition, as a sporting feat and the highest justice, ”said Shlyakhtin.

A similar point of view is shared by the head coach of the Russian athletics team Yuri Borzakovsky. He also noted the character of the runner, who was able to become second in the championship of the planet, despite the difficulties that he had to face recently.

“Shubenkov’s second place is akin to victory; he won silver with a golden tint. This success would not have been possible without the personal trainer of the athlete Klevtsov, whom I also heartily congratulate. I’m sure that Sergey will approach the Olympic Games in Tokyo in the optimal form and will fight there for the medal of the highest dignity, ”Borzakovsky said.

Yelena Isinbaeva, two-time Olympic champion in pole vaulting, also congratulated Shubenkova on winning second place.

“The first men's silver medal of the Doha 2019 World Cup was with our hero, the illustrious hurdler Sergei Shubenkov. A worthy victory over yourself and circumstances! I sincerely congratulate you, Sergey, your coach and your sports family on this wonderful achievement! In the Olympic year, I wish you medals and a personal record, ”Isinbayeva wrote on her Instagram page.