Tokyo Olympic Champion Maria Lasitskene bypassed Tatyana Ermachenkova at the Russian Team Championship in Athletics, which was held in Sochi.
Complications arose at a height of 1.91m, which Ermachenkova took on the second attempt, and Lasitskene on the third. At the next 1.94m turn, Lasickienė cleared the bar on the second attempt. Ermachenkova did not submit to the height.
Having already won, Maria commanded 2.01, a centimeter more than the best result of the season in the world, but could not clear the bar.
– You can’t stand the heat very well, as far as I know, was it hard today?
– It was very hot, I even remembered qualifying in Tokyo, then I immediately forgot, because it was a bit out of place. But it’s normal for it to be hot, all the girls were hiding, and I was hiding in the shade with them. Thanks to the girls, they jumped well, created a competitive mood, fought, it’s nice to feel at competitions.
– Did the empty stands affect the atmosphere?
– I do not understand why they are empty, despite the fact that all the goals and objectives of Russian sport are aimed at development. And we are again with empty stands, it scares me. Unpleasant.
– Before the presentation of the participants, they made two descents and only one jump, why?
– These are all the settings of the coach, we are at the start of the season, at the start of technical work, and now there has been good technical work in competition mode. Everything Gennady Garikovich said in terms of facilities, I did.
– I spoke with your coach before the start of the jumps, he said that a huge price was paid for Tokyo, the consequences of which are still haunting – microspasms, some problems. How does this interfere with preparation?
– In general, after Tokyo, the start of preparations for the winter season passed with a violation of all plans. But I think that after the Olympics, it cannot be otherwise. I’m inexperienced at the Olympics, but I think so (laughing). A lot of things didn’t go as planned, a lot had to be moved, pushed, we’re working with what we have.
– And what do you have in mind in terms of psychology against the background of these problems?
“I tell myself that I have to do everything I can now, no matter what hurts me. Also, there are doctors that I work with who are always in contact. There is something that is disturbing, but I will not fall into despair.
– About the height you managed to take, 1.94, what can you say about the performance?
– I haven’t spoken to Gennady Garikovich yet, but I think it’s a good result for the start of the season. Today I fought, I tried, and it turned out that I did. Its good. Not without worries, but I manage.
– When you went to the third attempt at 1.91, what did you have in mind?
– Reflection: “Practice the installations and gain height.” You have to fight, invest yourself to the end in each result, now for me competition is the best training, perfecting the technique. I need starts and fight on them.
– Today was windy, how much did that affect the jumps?
– I’ve been through this all the time! In general, this sector has always been like this for me. As soon as I run to the mat, I’m blown away somewhere far away, so I’m already trying not to think about how it will be there. And it actually knocks me down, despite the fact that I’m not at my fight weight now, but it knocks me down anyway.
– How much is the uncontested weight?
— per kilogram (laughing). Actually, I don’t pay attention to it, I just joked about the wind. I live calmly in my diet, the weight itself will return to normal, it is necessary to understand what is happening with the body.
– 2.01 turned out to be too high?
– I did not expect it, Gennady Garikovich told me, even my thoughts got mixed up, I asked again: “What?” But the coach set the height, we never discuss it, and I just silently went to play. Naturally, I did not like any attempt, but it should not concern me, I just had to work, fight, as the coach says, “eat” this height. It is very high. By the way, I didn’t even know who the world season leader was until they said so.
— What do you expect from the Russian season you opened here?
— Expectation that ARAF will work more on popularization, development, mass media attraction, publicity. We talk about it a lot, but it seems that it is only done on paper. They came up with a kind of analogue of the “Diamond League”, in which there are only memorials, the same empty stadiums. We have so many places, so many talented people who can and want to do it! But for some reason, that’s beyond us. Once again, I want to make an appeal, to ask: after all, you shouldn’t jump to a funeral, but to a vacation.
“Is it a shame to jump here and not Eugene?”
“Now is not the time to talk about grievances. Unfortunately, for a very long time I was punished more than once for being born in Russia. I understand what is happening and I have to do something to stay in shape. I do, I try, we don’t despair, but it’s very difficult, and in general I’ve never had such a state as now. But athletes must always fight until the end, and I will fight until the end.
– You don’t want to leave everything?
– I don’t want to stop, because previous years show that I always have to be ready, be in good shape, because you don’t know what can happen. Today the situation is like this. And I’m going to jump in Russia, give my best, especially since the girls create competition.
– If tomorrow they say, “Fly to the Diamond League, are you ready to fly?”
– Naturally. I’m ready, but it won’t be.
Source : MatchTV
