At the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Tel Aviv, German athlete Daria Varfolomeeva won two bronze medals in the ball and club finals.
Here you need to know two things: firstly, Dasha was born and trained in Barnaul for a long time, representing this region in national competitions, and secondly, she became the youngest participant in the final of this European championship – an athlete of only 15 years and seven months, she even younger than the tiny Stilyana Nikolova (Bulgaria), who, after all, is already at seventeen months.
It is not surprising that this year Daria has a lot on the mat for the first time: her debut at the KM stage in Tashkent, immediately the first medals of this stage – silver in ball and ribbon, bronze in hoop and competition multiple. Well, the number of awards has only increased, but the KM and Challenge Cup stages are one thing, and the European Championship is another. Daria summed up the result of her performance in Tel Aviv after the competition ended.
– The first adult European Championship, let’s start with the results of the all-around.
– The all-around turned out, although everything could have been much better, but I’m happy to have succeeded and succeeded at least cleanly in my first adult Europe. Of course there were errors, shortcomings, but we will correct this and hopefully next time we will be ready for sure.
– In the final, you took two bronze medals, when you came here, did you expect everything to end like this?
I hoped, but I didn’t expect it. Today I lost in the exercise with the band, but I’m not sorry, there is something to work on.
– There are various conversations on the tape during this European championship, someone says that the air conditioners blow too much, how did you develop this aspect of the performance?
– Yesterday, at the general competition, it seemed to me that there was a slight breeze coming from the ventilation. Today during the tape everything was fine.
– During this European Championship, you, being the youngest individual among the seniors of the tournament, went on the mat eleven times – four in the team tournament, four more in the all-around and three in the final. Which outing was the most difficult?
– Today the tape that was the last. You always want to finish the tournament well, go home on a good note. I still had enough strength for the band, but only because on the last day I did three, not four. If there were four, it might not be enough.
Do you already feel the fatigue of the first part of the season?
– Yes. Now, after this European Championship, we will immediately host the German Championship, and then we have planned a rest week.
– If the German championship has not yet taken place, how was the selection for this European championship?
— We had two stages of selection. Margarita Kolosova won the first, and I won the second, because Margo was in trouble. In addition, we also have Mélanie Dargel, also a very good gymnast. Therefore, we decided what I would do here at the European Championship, qualifying four events, Margo – three and Melanie – one.
– After a week of rest, what’s next?
– We are going to start the preparations for the world championships in Sofia, I still don’t know for the departures before the world championships.
– When was the last time you went to Barnaul?
– One year ago.
– How come a girl from Barnaul plays for Germany?
– In line with my mother, I have German roots, and it turns out that I was born right away with a German passport. And we decided to move to Germany, because there are more chances to break into international competitions as a member of the national team.
– Did you learn the language for a long time?
– Two years, then more or less past. They just sent me to a German school and said that now I study there. I was ready for this twist.
– Does the training process take place in Russian?
– Fifty-fifty, we also use German.
– Is it different from what happened in Russia?
“I wouldn’t say that.
– You were not only born in Russia, but also performed there as a gymnast. How much knowledge is left?
— Yes, I communicate with many people in Russia. The girls write that they encourage me.
– Strange, Russian gymnasts tell journalists that they have stopped watching international tournaments.
– No, they’re watching.
– Do you watch these competitions that take place in Russia now?
– Sometimes it’s interesting.
– Would you like to play by Russian rules?
– It’s hard to say. I would probably like to try.
– Usually gymnasts show what they do best, Kramarenko – twists, someone jumps. What would you show?
– Probably a series of jumps, about seven. Maybe I would have worked on some turns, I think it will work.
– When playing, it’s clear what you’re being praised for – texture, jumps. Tell me, what are you dissatisfied with in yourself as a gymnast that you want to quit?
– Cleanliness – straighten the knees, feet, so that the lines are better. Yes, and in jumps with turns there is something to improve.
– The gymnast, who started in Russia, lacks purity of lines?!
– sometimes happenslaughing).
Source : MatchTV
