Ilya’s result is 2.23, 11 centimeters lower than his result from a week ago at the Znamensky Memorial. Those 2.34 lifted Ivanyuk to the top of the world rankings in his discipline, and for the past week no one has moved him from the front row.
After the victory in Znamensky, Ivanyuk said he was waiting for the day of heights, because Mikhail Akimenko, a constant rival at national and international tournaments in previous years, was supposed to perform there. However, Akimenko did not come, and Ivanyuk’s jumps on June 13 did not look so impressive anymore.
Ivanyuk explained to journalists the reasons for such a regression, the absence of Akimenko, the imminent return to the sector of Danila Lysenko and his intention to go to Belarus after the end of the competition.
– What type of tape was on the left toe during the warm-up?
– These were my practice pair, the left toe was torn there so I had to wrap it with tape. I warmed up in this pair, because it was still raining, a wet sector, and according to previous experience of other departures, it is important to have several spare pairs with me, because I have a specificity – I don’t cannot jump in wet shoes, they become deformed, which can lead to injuries.
– After the Znamensky memorial, they said they were waiting for Akimenko here. When did you learn that he wouldn’t enter the sector?
– When I saw the departure protocols. Maybe something happened and he is not ready yet, but in the future we will meet him in competitions.
Was there enough competition without Akimenko?
– A big thank you to the guys who created the competition today. Danya Tsyplakov supported me, we jumped to a height of 2.26, and after completing his attempts at this height, I wanted to somehow get back up, so I moved the last attempt at 2.30 and did it successfully, I could take , but there was a small technical error.
– Did you feel worse today compared to Znamensky?
– Today… something like that… It was when yesterday I spoke with the children at the master class, I told them that there are days when you get up on the wrong foot. And today is such a day, I didn’t quite understand from the very morning. I thought it was going to rain, but it’s not, the weather was nice and we jumped well… well, let’s save our strength until the next competition, that’s fine.
– Did you immediately understand that the day was not going well?
– I realized it during the warm-up, I did not take a single height. There was no training, this repulsion, as on the Znamensky. Perhaps the reason is that these competitions were the first major competitions of the season and the enthusiasm of the first start helped me. Today’s 2.23 is not very happy. I think it was possible not to transfer the third from 2.26 to 2.30, try to take 2.26, but I wanted to please the audience and myself. Nothing, let’s get together and work.
– We will definitely see the result of the work in Bryansk during the Russian Cup, where else?
– Then the Grand Prix of the Moscow region in mid-July, then the Russian championship and, perhaps, but it remains to be seen, the Belarusian championship, if I can participate in it. And then the Spartakiad in Chelyabinsk.
Have you read Lasickene’s open letter to Thomas Bach?
– I didn’t read it, because, to be honest, I was very busy. It wasn’t on the phone. I’ll read it later, but I heard there was a lot of hype there.
– How did you find out about the hype if there was no time for the phone?
– I did not monitor social networks, especially since some are prohibited. Usually I learn everything from telegram channels. I drove often, I didn’t have time to read the news, but I saw the headlines that there was some kind of letter and it caused a scandal.
– Now you are the only Russian athlete who leads the world ranking in his discipline. Can we say that you are currently the main athlete in Russia?
“To be honest, I’m taking it easy. Since 2018, when I was able to show results for 2.30, I tried to watch guys around the world jump, and I wanted to match that level, there was competition. And now it motivates me, albeit in absentia. The absence of international competitions is for me a force that pushes me forward, forcing me to train. The guys may not know my results, but I do.
– Do you think that your rivals abroad do not know your 2.34?
– I think they know. They’re probably watching TV, the track on the internet.
– Have foreign athletes written anything?
– I don’t remember the support messages, they were about other topics. Of course, the guys write, ask how things are in the context of events taking place in the world, ask how we live, if everything is in order. And it was right after the start, and recently I didn’t communicate with anyone, only with the Belarusians, when I got the news that you could go to the championship with them.
Why did you decide to go there?
– It will take place in Minsk at the Dynamo stadium, there is a special atmosphere, I liked playing there. Moreover, there will be quite a big gap between the Russian championship and the Spartakiad, you need to take care of something. But I don’t know yet if I can jump there. But in general, I look forward to the winter season.
Do you think they’ll let us out by winter?
– I’m just pessimistic about this prospect – what’s the tolerance, guys? It’s just that Danya Lyssenko comes out of disqualification, we’re going to have crazy competition in the sector, I hope the youth will catch up, Misha Akimenko will come out, and he will be even cooler than the world level.
– How are you going to treat Lyssenko?
– Well, if he jumps well. I really hope he jumps really well. If we talk about its history, let’s start from the situation that exists. After he returns, we will have even higher competition. And people make mistakes, what to do, we’re all imperfect.
Source : MatchTV
