“I miss home. When I returned, I ate cucumbers right in the car. Efimova on returning to Russia

Triple Olympic medalist in swimming Yulia Efimova returned to competition on Monday after almost two years. The 31-year-old athlete achieved the best time in the short course 50-meter breaststroke at the qualifying tournament for the Russian championship – 30.90 seconds.

Yulia’s immediate goal is the Russian Championship in St. Petersburg. We talked to him about the return, the lack of water, vegetables and the Olympic Games.

— Yulia, have you thought about starting with a long water and skipping a short season before coming back?

— It’s easier to start with a short one. This is good practice when, after a technical break, you need to get involved. You are like a fresh, uncrumpled leaf, and you can simply realize all the subtle moments that you could not implement from scratch. It’s even easier.

— After your return, it was announced that you were going to train in Volgodonsk. For what?

– I miss home. It could be nice in Moscow in summer. But the prices for renting a swimming pool are very “fun”, and in general it is not easy to find swimming pools in Moscow now. And in a big city, you spend a lot of time on the road. It takes an hour to get to the pool. Two workouts a day, and in the end half a day is devoted to some kind of movement. I would like to save this time.

And in Volgodonsk – a house, friends, a swimming pool. And yet, it’s warmer there.

— Have you tried applying for competitions in Europe with a club?

— In Europe, I wouldn’t even try to do that now. It was possible in the United States, but I just didn’t want it. I didn’t have a coach, I swam for myself, for my health. David Salo moved, and it was also quite difficult to get there to train with him. I swam for myself, for pleasure, to avoid having back pain.

— How did you adapt to life in Moscow after California?

— I came back this summer. It’s clear that summer is great. I missed a lot of things: the people, the hospitality. I was in St. Petersburg. I had planned on it being just one day, but ended up staying over a week. The guys helped, showed everything in St. Petersburg. It was my first time in St. Petersburg this summer and I really liked it. Well, I miss food too. It is clear that everything has its advantages and disadvantages. At first, everyone was mad at me because I ate tomatoes and cucumbers all the time. They are in bad taste there.

— Residents of the southern regions at the moment: “Moscow also has tasteless tomatoes”!

– You have to know the places! I bought several kilos. As soon as I got back, I was driving the car and gnawing on cucumbers. And to those who were furious, she said: “It’s so delicious, you don’t understand it at all!

— How did you solve the problem of good nutrition in the United States?

— I went to farmers’ markets once a week. Organic costs ten times more, but remains tasteless. So they have their own good food, but the vegetables are really tasteless.

— When we last visited, they said we had few dog-friendly establishments. Like now?

– There is more. Additionally, there are groups on Telegram where this information is shared. But for some reason in St. Petersburg I was not always allowed to take a taxi with Jasper. Although he obeys me.

Yulia Efimova / Photo: © Personal archive of Yulia Efimova

— After the first interview about her return, many wrote in the comments that they believed that Efimova had ended her career.

“It’s probably because I withdrew into myself for a long time.” I did not communicate and appeared less on social networks. I wanted to close for a while. In that respect, it was good in the USA, because no one knows me there. I needed such a period.

— There was a conversation that I even wanted to get a job as a fitness model.

– What have I never thought of? I had to take care of something. There was some filming, but I didn’t really try in that direction. It’s not really mine. I don’t really like all these cameras and photographs. I can when I go out with my girlfriends or something. But wanting to do that all the time… It’s probably not my thing.

“Now the stereotype has been broken into pieces: “Efimova only posts photos and does not train.” It turns out that Efimova does not like to be photographed!

– I do not really like. I started posting less on social media. Previously, the contract included certain obligations, there had to be an active profile. Every now and then it’s sunset, Jasper. I understand that if necessary, I will be active on social networks, otherwise no sponsor will work with you. In swimming, no matter how many medals you have, the main factor is the media and social networks.

— Do you believe in the possibility of participating in the Olympic Games?

— It’s hardly possible, but, of course, I would like to do it. I still can’t imagine how that could be.