"There is no horseshoe of happiness in sports": Olympic champion Batyrgaziev on his victory and the absence of the Russian anthem in Tokyo

- The Olympic Games in Tokyo, which ended for you with a gold medal, are left behind.

How did you feel when you finally flew home?

- I would like to say thank you to everyone for your attention.

So many people came to greet and congratulate us in the center of Moscow.

It is clear that the Olympics are the most significant competition for any athlete.

I am grateful to everyone who was involved in my victory: coaches, specialists and leaders.

This is our common success.

All awards won in Japan will now be scattered across the most diverse corners of our vast country.

- The largest support group met you on Red Square.

You are the only one who was even rocked in your arms (and almost dropped on the cobblestones).

Were you waiting for such a warm welcome?

- Honestly, there were premonitions that a lot of people would gather.

I didn't even doubt that people would come to support.

After the end of my competition I spent several more days in the Olympic village: in the final I boxed on August 5, and the Games closed on the 8th.

There was a time to think things over ... Slowly I began to understand what was going on and what I had done.

We managed to write our names into history.

But in no case should we now be satisfied with what has already been achieved.

- Have you already realized that you are an Olympic champion?

Moreover, the only Russian boxing champion in Tokyo.

- Rather, I'm still in the process.

Until the end, this feeling has not come.

- Do you remember how the day passed for you after the victory over Duke Ragan?

- I started it, like any other - went out to exercise.

When I ran along the embankment, a lot of thoughts were spinning in my head.

I said to myself: “Albert, try to forget this.

Everything you achieved in Tokyo happened yesterday.

We need to get off the pedestal and work on. "

It is much easier to prepare and train this way.

Therefore, the victory in Japan is already a thing of the past, and we will work on tomorrow.

- You say that you spent several days in the Olympic village.

What did you do?

Did you manage to go to any competitions in other sports?

- Yes, it turned out to get into the final fight of Abdulrashid Sadulayev.

I was very happy.

For the first time I attended a freestyle wrestling competition and immediately at the Olympics.

I got a lot of positive emotions.

And in the stands, they specifically "hacked to death" with the Americans.

We supported Abdulrashid, they supported his opponent.

But they turned out to be much more - do not shout down.

To the credit of the rivals, they showed respect and stopped talking at one point, allowing them to cheer for our Tank.

- You also met an American in the final.

There were no fears that the judges might not assess the fight quite fairly?

There are enough scandals in amateur boxing.

In Tokyo, for example, Imam Khatayev was awarded a rather controversial defeat in the semi-finals of the up to 81 kg category.

- You need to understand that they all work in different ways.

Each has its own subjective point of view.

We simply have no right to criticize them, because the arbitrators have a very big responsibility.

- But do you agree that their decisions sometimes really raise questions?

- I just try not to give a reason to make a controversial verdict - I fight in such a way that no questions arise at all.

I'm trying to convince the judges that I deserve to win.

If all boxers thought in this way, there would be no scandals at all.

As the saying goes, if you didn't raise your hand, it means that you didn't win and did something wrong.

Anything can really happen in equal fights.

But there is no need to immediately shout about the poor performance of the referees.

It's better to pack up your bag and go plow like a horse.

Believe me, in sports there is no horseshoe of happiness.

It is required to nail it to the leg yourself.

- You have already fought three professional fights and won all of them.

What are your future plans?

- Now a career in amateurs and professionals can be combined.

I will not say that I intend to try myself as a professional, because I have already spent three fights there, and I liked it.

They gave certain emotions.

But the Olympic Games give emotions of a completely different nature.

Any athlete dreams of taking part in them.

There are only three years left before the Olympic Games in Paris, this is not five years.

Therefore, of course, we are getting ready to go there.

- At the OI-2024, you probably want to get a gold medal already to the sound of the Russian anthem, and not the First Concert of Tchaikovsky?

- There is only one thing to say.

When I stood on the podium in Tokyo, the entire world boxing community knew perfectly well which country I represented.

Only this, perhaps, and comforted at that moment.