- Svetlana Sleptsova during the years of her performances noticed that going to the start in the yellow jersey of the leader is a very special feeling. Have you experienced something similar?
- Last year, I already became the leader of the overall standings of the Russian Cup, but we didn’t have any T-shirts, only numbers.
Since I won that year, I started this season in a yellow jersey - I ran a sprint race in it.
I don't remember the feeling.
Much more emotion was due to the fact that this is the first race of the season on snow.
- Your international sports biography includes participation in the Universiade and two seasons in the IBU Cup. At the end of the month you will turn 27 years old, you run on a par with the leaders of the Russian team, sometimes surpassing them. Why the results have grown right now, is there an explanation?
- I matured, began to look at some things differently, gained experience that I didn’t have before.
Nevertheless, I think that the main role in my progress still belongs to Artyom Istomin and Vitaly Noritsyn.
If you compare, then, probably, in a ratio of 70 to 30.
- After all, you had an excellent personal trainer before that - Valery Zakharov, who prepared, in particular, the same Sleptsova.
“Perhaps the system I work with now suits me better.
The load increased, while I was able to “digest” it.
And the result was different.
- What was tougher - contact with adult biathlon, or with the loads of the national team?
- Probably, the transition to adult racing five or six years ago.
That season was the worst for me.
At the Russian Cup, I didn’t even get into the top ten and quickly realized that there were completely different speeds.
- It is believed that an athlete must mature before an adult biathlon. Do you think this is a must?
“It certainly takes time to adapt.
In principle, you can start trying yourself in adult races early enough, but do not forget about junior starts.
But there is no perfect recipe here.
There are individuals who, at the age of 17-18, go to the IBU cups and almost in the same season find themselves in the World Cup, showing good speed and decent shooting there.
Is it scary to be in an adult company for the first time?
— I would say exciting and interesting.
- In one of the interviews, you said that with the arrival of Istomin and Noritsyn to the team, you had to significantly change your technique. Was it running or shooting?
- We did not touch the shooting equipment, it remained the same with me.
But in terms of skiing - yes.
It was difficult to break everything that had been accumulated over the years.
- Was there any despair in those days when nothing worked? Didn't want to stop, leave the team, end up with self-torture?
- It certainly wasn’t hard to such an extent, although the preparatory period turned out to be incredibly difficult.
What did you find solace in such moments?
- I clung to the idea that this hard labor must necessarily result in something good.
That all this is not in vain.
This is how it is happening now.
What was the hardest thing to get used to? To the loads, mode, nutrition ...
- I’m still not the first year in the national team, but if we talk about Istomin’s group, the most difficult thing was to get used to constant daily control: what did you do, how did you do it, what did you do between training sessions ... By the end of the summer, all this was already automatic , but at first it took a lot of nerves.
- Food was controlled as strictly?
We even held meetings on this issue.
The trainers explained what is better, what is worse, why, what products should be completely abandoned.
My diet has changed a lot as a result.
On the one hand, I didn’t learn anything new for myself, I just didn’t adhere to any rules and recommendations before.
Now, on the contrary, I try to follow all the instructions.
What food replenishes energy the fastest, you know?
- Which?
— Bananas. That is why many Norwegian skiers take bananas to the races to eat right after the finish.
“Oh, I don’t like bananas.
I can eat, but only when they are unripe.
What does your idea of a perfect day look like?
- Before, I would say that I need to go somewhere in the city, unwind, take a walk.
Now - lie under the covers longer, watch a series, eat delicious food.
Raise something in the evening.
I always carry embroidery with me.
- What else do you carry in your luggage from non-sports equipment? Is there a dress and heels for any special occasion?
- The dress was - I took it with me to put on for the New Year.
But now I've sent it back home.
But I had to do without heels - I put on shoes under the dress.
And from unsportsmanlike, in addition to embroidery, I always have books and drumsticks with me.
- What item replaces the drum for you?
- What will the eye fall on.
My own legs, bed, or just beat the rhythm in the air.
- At one time, the swimming world went around the story, as the famous American coach James Councilman ordered an inflatable figure of himself, put it on the side of the pool and put boxing gloves next to it - so that any of the athletes had the opportunity to blow off steam after training. Are drumsticks in your case a link in the same chain?
- Maybe yes.
- In general, do you know the desire to “strangle” a mentor?
- Honestly?
Of course.
In relation to each of my coaches, this happened at least once, but it happened.
This is not a matter of personal relationships or some kind of anger, rather, everything sometimes converges at one point - exorbitant loads, one’s own mood, and even the mentor will say something at the wrong time ...
- This season, biathletes have the opportunity to earn quite solid prize money. Do you have any dream related to money?
- Own apartment.
I'm saving up for it now.
Is 26 a serious age?
- For biathlon - normal.
In general, to be honest, I don’t feel like 26. And in general I don’t think it’s right to set any psychological limits: a lot, a little, old, young ... I feel comfortable training, I don’t feel any limiting factors, and this is the main thing.
- In Rybinsk, you became the winner of the big mass start. Are three misses in such a race a lot?
- Many.
At the international start, with such shooting, I would hardly have been in the prizes.
Although it doesn’t happen once at a time: on the same day, the girls ran a mass start at the World Cup stage in Ruhpolding, and Julia Simon won with the same shooting as mine - one miss at three lines.
In Rybinsk, besides, there is a specific shooting range in terms of wind: you have to guess every shot.
- Anton Babikov admitted that he does not have time to follow what is happening at the World Cup. How are you doing?
- I can’t say that I follow all the races, although I review most of them after.
And be sure to study the protocols.
— What do you pay attention to?
- On the approach to the line, shooting, leaving the position.
Everything is interesting there: when a person starts preparing for shooting, when exactly he takes off sticks, glasses, how he lays down, at what second he starts to close the targets, how he then picks up sticks ...
Are you generally satisfied with your own shooting?
— Yes, now.
At the beginning of the season, things were much slower.
I remember we were reviewing the races and it was noticeable that even in comparison with the Belarusian athletes we were much inferior in this component.
Now we are trying to act at the turn as quickly as possible.
- When you watch biathlon from the side, which races give more food for thought - men's or women's?
- Everyone, probably, chooses from whom he learns.
The guys always work more clearly on technique, on the passage of the track.
In my view, for example, the ideal biathlete does not exist at all.
Someone is better on the track, someone is better at shooting.
- And who is the coolest shooter in women's biathlon?
I think it's Simon.
This season she started to shoot very well.
From compatriots - Larisa Kuklina.
— What associations does the word supersprint evoke in you?
- It's very fast, very emotional, and at the turn you need to work very clearly.
In general, it's exciting.
You just need to calculate your strengths correctly: shoot as high as possible in qualification to get to the final.
It is clear that it would be good to start from the first or second line, but sometimes it makes sense to save strength in qualifying.
- Where do you feel more comfortable - in disciplines with a general start, or sprint, where you actually run the first round alone?
- I like contact races more, where you can overtake.
In time trials, the main thing I enjoy is that they allow me to go at my own pace.
You decide where to add or slow down.
In this regard, you do not have to adapt to anyone.
- Not too high growth is not a hindrance for you?
- It does not bother me.
Don't run or shoot.
- Male biathletes often talk about their cherished desire to run a ski marathon. What is the longest race you have ever had?
- Twice in my life I ran a biathlon marathon - 30 km and eight shooting lines.
In the past, we had such a start in Tyumen - it was part of the program of the Russian championship.
- Can you describe in one word your feelings from this distance?
- It is interesting.
Especially when there are many athletes competing.
Almost like a mass start, only more authentic.
- Not every skier will run without preparation.
- Skiers in this regard are still easier.
We also have rifles and penalty rings...