– Clément, did you want to skip the water court and come back in the spring? Relax and restart.
– No, because the long water is fed up. In the “neighborhood” I wanted to swim. It’s simpler and the more turns, the more fun you get.
– Tired of “fifty kopecks” to prepare for the Olympics?
No, it’s basically like that all the time. Everything is conditional – just a bit more like a “quarter” than a “fifty”.
“Don’t you want to take a break?”
– We had a good rest after the Spartakiad. The fatigue did not have time to accumulate.
What about motivation? If that’s not enough, I have to say you managed to disguise it.
– If nothing prevented me from calmly getting back in shape, I could rest. But we don’t have that kind of sport – it’s hard enough to come back. The rest we had in August-September is usually the longest in the past 4-5 years. It was enough.
“I saw you at the base of Lake Krugloye last week. How many times are you there?
– We swim mainly in Dolgoprudny, at the base of the pentathletes. We train at Krugly when we feel it is necessary. We speak with Maxim (Stupin) Dmitry Gennadievich (Lazarev) that this is necessary. Psychologically, it is easier to connect to work there. Plus, you spend less time on the road.
Some say it’s depressing.
“Now there is no choice. In addition, there are good conditions in Krugloy. Yes, of course, there are not enough modern simulators, there are problems with electronics during measurements, but all this can be solved Yes, and the schedule of the “Round” for training is good.
“Does it take a long time to get to Dolgoprudny?”
– Volume? Not really. Maxim – yes. And the bus is coming from the northeast.
– How long have you worked together?
– Yes. At first there were six or seven of us – older guys were swimming with us. Then they left, only our comrades remained in the group. And when the Olimpiyskiy was closed, there were only two of us.
– How have you and your coach rebuilt your work since your childhood period?
– There was no moment of transition. We just grew up with each other. Understand how and what comes with time.
– Do you mean that you were not capricious during the transition period?
“We almost never had those moments. There is a period once a year when, for some inexplicable reason, in this Universe I swim as poorly as possible. Right now I don’t know what to do. The coach can suggest something and start diagnosing… me. He never even yelled at me. He is calm.
– Isn’t that more worrying? It’s quiet and you don’t know what’s going on inside.
– There are obviously many experiences inside. Yes. There are experiences, not vivid, fiery emotions.
– How did the coach survive your silver medal at the Olympics? I get it, the Games debut, the first medal, but…
“I know he was very worried. I know what he thinks about it. We have agreed to think about the Paris Olympics. But given the current circumstances, we now have other tasks.
– Is it an underestimated psychological prognosis or a real assessment?
– Real. In life I am not pessimistic, I listen to the positive. But all these declarations from the international federations… In general, the forecasts are disappointing.
– What about Thomas Bach’s speech that it is important for countries at war to participate in the Olympic Games?
— It’s not just Bach who decides there. And even if we have a good relationship with FINA, Vladimir Valeryevich (Salnikov, president of the All-Russian Swimming Federation) always contributes to it, it will not be a decisive factor either.
– The results of this Russian championship, unlike the spring and summer competitions, were practically not written on specialized foreign sites in the first three days.
Anyone who needs it will know it. China was floating somewhere, and no one ever knew. You come to see: the world record is on the backs of the Chinese.
– For this, now you have to … come somewhere.
– Guys from other teams will come to the competition and see. Although for me it does not play a special role. There’s a result, that’s good, they’ll know anyway.
“Under the current circumstances, we have other tasks.” Who?
– Swim fast. Even faster. Get through it all with results, not words.
— How do you find the competition in Kazan? At Spartakiad, I felt like everything looked more faded.
– We rested, in addition there is a lack of water. Everyone is in a different mood, more prepared, rested. Everyone is happy to see each other. First of all, I consider these departures as the Russian championship. There are not yet many athletes from other countries with whom communication is established.
Depending on the environment – a DJ has been added! It’s interesting. In St. Petersburg, at the Spartakiad, there was a separate story, but here there is nothing to tell. Everything is great here: light show, music. These are the things that contribute to a good emotional state.
– Don’t you regret that at some point you didn’t go to study and swim in the USA?
– Not. There were prerequisites at a certain age, pushing me to go there. But to each his own.
“So why not?
“It’s not mine. I don’t like this move. After practice I go home, sit down, relax. After all, they have more active student life there. I’m not a sociophobe, but I don’t like this movement – shouting, hanging out. It suits Andriukha Minakov, but I’m a different person.
– More phlegmatic?
– Probably, yes (smile).
– There is a conveyor, and here you work in a small group with a coach. Is this also a factor?
– Thanks to such a conveyor, they have a greater critical mass of athletes to reach a high level than ours. But it’s definitely calmer for me to train like we’re working now.
– You have already said that money is not the main thing for a Russian athlete.
“I said it. First and foremost for me is the result. As long as I can progress, I will have the result. And not to prove anything to myself, I just want to succeed. I remember he there was a piano tiles game – I messed around, tried to improve it. And here the feelings are similar. What about the payouts? If the result is good, you will get them.
— You have earned more internationally. But at the same time, compared to most sports, your prize money is very worthy.
– Of course, it depends on who and how much can allocate. Well, international departures – world history, the level is higher, the prize money too.
Yes, and we cannot compare to other sports as their popularity differs.
– That is to say that we will not hear the reproaches of the swimmer against the players?
– Well, why? We will never have the income they have. Football is more popular, there are sponsors, etc. That’s another topic, I’m not getting into it. It’s good that we now have cash prizes, which they try to provide for medals and records.
“How are you going to spend the New Year?”
– Let’s go with my girlfriend to Minsk to her relatives. Celebrate as a family. I have never traveled to hot countries for the New Year – it does not shoot. A lot of time is spent on sports life, I want to relax with my girlfriend and family, and not fly very far.
Source : MatchTV
