“Those who think that swimming is super cheap are wrong” – Efimova

Triple Olympic medalist in swimming Yulia Efimova in an interview with , she said that professional swimming is expensive, contrary to popular belief.

This season, the 31-year-old is participating in tournaments in Russia for the first time in two years. She became first at the competitions of the Astrakhan Federal District three times. At the distances of 50 meters, 100 m and 200 m breaststroke at the Russian Short Course Swimming Championships in St. Petersburg, Efimova became third. And at the Vladimir Salnikov Cup in December, she became first in the 50-meter breaststroke and second in the 100-meter breaststroke.

— In general, swimming is an inexpensive sport, isn’t it? Did you take goggles, a cap, a swimsuit – and swim?

– It seems that this is the case. Professional swimming is not cheap at all. For example, a jumpsuit. It costs between $350 and $500. There should be several of them, and you look at where to put them. In the morning you can swim in an old one. It’s not a one-time use, but it helps very well the first three or four times. And then less and less, because it stretches – it’s no longer as water-repellent. And it has to dry, which means you have to have two or three a day.

Next, you need hats and glasses. Nowadays, it is usually difficult to find the right manufacturer, but also you have to spend 30-50 dollars for the same glasses. Fins, paddles, rubber, that’s all the equipment needed. The last time my fins broke was in Russia and I had to order 8.5 thousand.

Clothing, accommodation, travel, food, coach. It would also be nice to have a massage therapist…

—How much is that per month?

— I cannot give an exact figure at the moment. And even though it’s smaller, because I don’t have a massage therapist, I didn’t buy new suits – I didn’t play for two years, they were gathering dust. In Volgodonsk I spent little. But in Moscow, the costs would be much higher.

For example, renting a swimming pool. I even have my own personal locker in Volgodonsk, and they give everything there for free. But in Moscow, calculate how much it costs to rent a track in Luzhniki. Not to lie… 12 thousand in two hours? In general, those who think that swimming is very cheap are completely wrong,” Efimova told .