Double Olympic champion Sofia Pozdnyakova stated that she is morally affected from time to time by the non-admission of Russian fencers to international competitions, which affects her motivation and results.
On Friday, Pozdnyakova lost to Olga Nikitina in the quarterfinals of the Moscow International Saber Tournament with a score of 12:15 and dropped out of the tournament.
– I would not like to go into the question of motivation, but such moments sometimes occur. It worked like that, no big deal. We continue to work, the answer is trivial: there are no victories without defeats,” Pozdnyakova told reporters.
– You say you wouldn’t want to delve into motivation. Wasn’t she here today?
“No, she was. A few moments remind you that we are not allowed in international competitions. But despite this, I have great enthusiasm: I like to come to the gym, to work, to participate in competitions, to gain new experiences. Maybe today she calmed down too much and there wasn’t enough spark or something.
– It turns out that the Moscow Saber is the strongest tournament you currently have?
– So the organization here is no worse than at the World Cup. Music, tracks, lights… It’s a pleasure to perform here.
Last week, the FIE Congress voted to extend the suspension of Russians from international tournaments until March 2023. The question of the admission of Russian athletes will be raised at an extraordinary congress, which will be held before start of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics.
Source : MatchTV
