“Already at the stage of acceptance, morally it has become easier” – swimmer Salamatina on being banned from participating in international departures

Silver medalist at the European Swimming Championships Valerie Salamatina told that she still isn’t giving up hope of performing at the Olympics, even though she realizes how low the chances of making it are, and. the stage of acceptance of the non-admission to international departures is already in progress.

On Friday, Salamatina won the 400m freestyle at the Yekaterinburg International University Sports Festival. Russian swimmers have been suspended from competitions held under the auspices of World Aquatics due to the situation in Ukraine.

How do you judge the season?

– I had a little rest after the Russian Championship, so it was easier than the last one. I only walked one stage of the Russian Cup, but even if there were more, it wouldn’t change much. There were other beginnings of intoxication, but that’s normal. Last year it was more difficult mentally – this year, for example, there were competitions in Kemerovo, such departures unload psychologically.

– Why has it become easier morally? Have you passed the acceptance stage?

– I think so. I went through the stage of denial. Now is the stage of acceptance.

– How to morally get out of all this?

– Psychologically, it’s very difficult, especially at an age when you’re no longer 15. It’s hard to train, but I want to rush the last one, finish the sport calmly and know that I did everything I could.

– Quietly finish the sport – how is it going?

– Get satisfaction.

– Wasn’t it like that before?

“We were always running somewhere, selected. It’s hard that there are no more international departures now, but as the work itself is calmer, although for such a sad reason, there is an opportunity to feel something that we did not have no time to do before.

Of course, I miss international departures. In Ekaterinburg, I felt such a moment of nostalgia when other teams arrived… Almost tears flowed. If I had known that the Olympics would be the last, then of course everything would have been perceived differently.

Do you allow yourself decadent atmospheres?

— No, I think so. I really want to feel everything. Everyone understands everything, but I really want to go.

“Do you have hobbies, business?” What do you want to do besides sports?

– Actually, I really like working with children, maybe I will. I have the ability to organize, maybe I will become the organizer of international competitions in Yekaterinburg.

— For you, this festival is usually a big event.e.

– Yes, I play for Tatarstan, but my soul comes from here, from the Urals.

– Don’t worry, the new water sports palace is far from the city, next to the airport?

– Personally, no. Before the Russian Cup we swam here alone and it was very cool. At first they also thought it was very far, but it takes 15 minutes from my place. By Moscow standards, this is nothing at all. Also, there’s already construction going on here so I think that’s not a problem,” Salamatina told .