In Tokyo, Naifonov fought in the category up to 86 kg and lost to Iranian Yazdani. Now, while the Russian team cannot participate in official international competitions, we meet at the Poddubny league tournament at Vernadsky’s Circus and remember that we spoke to each other briefly four years before this day.
– We spoke with you in 2018, you said you liked heroic movies like Troy and Gladiator. And The Lion King. Have you discovered anything else like this?
Good question, because there is one more movie on the list. There Orlando Bloom in the title role … Now I remember – “Kingdom of Heaven”. A really good movie, and Gladiator and Troy are usually standout movies, I review them before the competitions.
I like the moment when Achilles stands in front of the vanquished body of Hector. He has just defeated his main rival there and seems to understand that his path is also over. That his end is somewhere near. It’s very strong.
– I noticed that in your messenger in your profile picture there was a frame of the Lion King, then in the year 2019-2020 it was replaced by a picture of the Olympic rings. Did you struggle with bronze at the Olympics?
– Well, yes, changing the photo was a big step. As for the Olympic Games, it is very difficult. I really wanted to win, everything seemed to be going well, but it happened like that. I flew home, left for a long time, even lost weight. I stayed home and didn’t want to see anyone. It wasn’t until I started training that I came to my senses a bit. I realized that we had to move forward, we couldn’t look back.
– Have you lost a lot of weight?
– My cheeks were sunken, and usually it was visible to me.
Was there a conversation that was particularly helpful?
– When I talk to coaches, I usually immediately come to my senses. There were even times when I stayed angry with myself and didn’t want to suppress that anger. And for a while I didn’t talk to coaches so they wouldn’t bring me back to normal. I wanted to be mad at myself, I thought, let it stay.
– There are times when athletes almost throw away silver and bronze medals. How did you do with yours?
She’s at my house, I watch her all the time. It’s a gift from God – yes, I’m an Olympic bronze medalist, but people dream of getting there, but I brought a medal. I never underestimated her, it’s very important. I trained a lot for that. You cannot underestimate her. It’s all your job.
– You played in a commercial tournament – what do such departures give in principle?
“Competition is tough here. A person should always be in good shape. The national competition is very strong and I know that my rivals on the international scene are performing well, preparing and I have to be better than them.
– How did you learn the news of the withdrawal of the Russian team?
– It kind of started gradually, with rumors. We were at training camp, preparing for the European Championship, the guys started chatting, although we weren’t officially informed. It seems that they were preparing, but in the end we were not taken. Then we realized it had happened.
Is it more difficult to train when there is no specific goal?
– My motivation is tomorrow, I live with the hope that everything will change.
– Can we say that the precedent in boxing gives hope to wrestlers?
– Yes, we heard it and we hope that they will pull us all and other sports, like a locomotive, and we will also start playing. Sport is out of politics, sport makes people nice. Sport is when people compete with each other, but then they hug and can talk.
– Could some kind of commercial series of fights, for example, Russia vs. USA or Russia – Turkey – Iran – USA, somehow compensate for the Olympics?
“They wanted to do it, and the wrestlers themselves want it, but something isn’t working. I’m learning from the guys that even now, at the World Championships, many American athletes wanted us to participate. The athletes themselves are not against it, it is up to us to compete.
– No one has written to you directly from foreign athletes?
– No, I have not yet managed to find a common language with them. I would like to do that, but they have a different mentality, they are a bit strange for me. Some Psychologies are different, they speak more freely. Here, if you talk to someone, if you approach a stranger and start talking to him, he will consider you a fool, but that is normal with him.
– There are several well-known athletes from Ossetia. Who are you in contact with?
– I personally know Murat Gassiev. We haven’t seen Marat Balaev, but he still writes on social networks, supports, is very fond of wrestling. This is Zaurbek Sidakov, he’s still here, he’s my friend, and most importantly, he’s still an ordinary guy who can still say it.
– What do you know about the situation with Dzambolat Tedeev (the federation may not renew the contract with the head coach of the national team. – )?
– I heard they didn’t want to renew the contract. I was shocked, to be honest, because such a result is the highest for 20 years, our team is the world leader, we constantly stand in first place in the team. What else to reinforce notoriety, if not the result? But, we hope everything will fall into place and we will continue to work together.
– As an athlete, would you ask Dzambolat Ilyich to stay on?
– Yes, I have nothing against anyone else, if there is another person, I will respect them too, but I will support Dzambolat Ilyich and I will always be there.
– You once named two MMA fighters that you don’t follow among Russians: Edson Barboza and Tyron Woodley. It was an unexpected choice. Was there anyone else during this time who was noticed?
– I like the Brazilian Oliveira, who will fight with Makhachev. I like Porrier. I like their psychology, the fact that they are free and kind. It’s nice to watch them. Barbosa is still a strong athlete for me. Khabib, although he quit the sport, it is clear that he is a great man.
– You are the first Russian-speaking athlete who himself called Oliveira an interesting MMA fighter for himself.
I saw him progress quickly. It looks like he had a losing streak and then he made up that streak over and over again. I am unconditionally for Makhachev, but I really like Oliveira as an athlete.
– Would you be interested in fighting a good grappler to try and get a hold and go choke?
– I would like to, but I don’t really like grappling. I love the stand, the percussion technique. That doesn’t mean I fight, I just find it interesting. I can work on my feet.
– Who can hold your paws?
– Murat Gassiev offered me several times to come to the room, we accepted, I did not come. Their boys held their paws, even in training camp they can. We have gloves.
– Did you try to fight with anyone before the reception?
– I do not like it at all.
– If you write in the search engine “Arthur Naifonov”, articles will appear almost everywhere you survived the terrorist attack in Beslan. Can’t ask?
“I don’t talk about it, although many questions are asked. I don’t like to talk about it and I don’t really answer.
– On September 3, I wrote a short text about Dmitry Razumovsky the commander of the Vympel, who died during the assault.
“These are the heroes of our time who gave their lives for the sake of children. I don’t remember their surnames, but I always go in and look at their names, because to me they are heroes, they defended us. I am proud to know that there are such people in our country.
We are now in October 2022. Do you think you can perform in France in 2024?
“If I didn’t have such faith, I wouldn’t train. I have no doubt that I will be able to perform there.
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
