Synchronized swimmers are often asked about the secret of their victories and their domination on the international scene. More often than not the answer you can hear is “we train ten hours a day” and “it’s all about our coaches”. What are the coaches themselves saying?
Tatyana Pokrovskaya, in a meeting with journalists before the Friendship Games, admitted that the matter was in endless anxiety. This anxiety is simply necessary on the way to perfection.
– You should have seen the mood of our coaches before departure.
I always say to my athletes: “You are the worst, you are the worst”. And maybe it looks different in the end, but when we work on programs, we always fight for pennies in points.
There are always sympathizers, and there are also villains. From the category “Well, what a surprise these competitions prepared for us – the Russians will be the first”, while after the competition they say: “You in general, well, you in general!”
And we are still worried. We have no sense of hegemony. When we calm down and say “Ha! before the start, then the collapse will begin.
We always fought honestly, we changed the composition. An eminent line-up reunited in Tokyo. Marina Golyadkina was not charged with a medal – she is from Donetsk, I always say thank you very much for her preparation. There was also a young athlete Polina Komar. She had a good posture, her neck is solid, she held it, that also plays a role. Everything else was already titled.
On the one hand it is easier, on the other hand it is more difficult. They say I’ve changed. I answer: “I am not the one who has become different. You already want more respect, but you are my children, whether you have a medal or not.
Our workforce is changing and we are worried.
Now there were also conversations – it is clear on which side – “finally we are honest …”. Are we dishonest?
There have always been, there always will be conversations, it’s a sport. Yes, the fight is not always fair, even corruption flourishes somewhere, but not in our sport. Our skates aren’t broken, clips aren’t stolen, swimsuits aren’t cut.
Our coaches in the national team: Gana Maksimova will exhaust my whole nervous system, Tatyana Danchenko too. Well, I’m just like that…
I can’t imagine Ghana coming to me and saying, ‘I’ve got everything super prepared here. Or Tatyana Danchenko. She usually says: “Tatiana Nikolaevna, I don’t show it yet …” She postpones everything and delays this moment.
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Maria Kiseleva, as a former athlete and now a coach, confirms: “We grew up on it and we became the same. In the whole history of the national team, I don’t remember a single training session that ended with the words “good, good, it was not bad, you can relax”. Yes, never in my life! Whatever generation the coaching staff raised under the guidance of Tatyana Nikolaevna Pokrovskaya, it has always been that way. And that leads to this result. You can add it, you can repair it, and it will be more beautiful, more musical, more technical, more unusual.
The whole world is watching and trying to repeat something. Our athletes and coaches look and see into someone else’s program – we did that once. But the Russian team, the Russian coaches will never allow themselves the slightest hint that at least one element is indirectly similar to someone else. Everything has to be done all over again, even if it takes several months.
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The conversation about the “golden” traditions of our synchronized swimming took place at a meeting where, in addition to the Russian side, the coaches of the host teams were also present.
The Vietnamese team flew with five transfers to Kazan to play and learn from the Russian team. Their coach Phung Ngoc Thuy admitted that she could only dream of such joint performance experience before. Well, the Serbian national team coach confirmed that the main quality of Russian synchronized swimming is the ability to surprise rivals year after year.
– When the Olympic cycle begins, everyone asks the question – well, what will be new, – says Svetlana Kontich. “And there is always something new. That’s what’s really special about the Russian team. There is always something new in the programs, in the choreography. Although, it seems, what else can be prepared again?
The first part of the Russian national team, as well as the juniors, will start their performance at the Friendship Games on July 30. Competition will take place in Olympic events, as well as in men’s, women’s solo and mixed pairs.
Watch the Match clothing channels on the air, and follow the news of synchronized swimming in the Telegram thematic channel on water sports.
Source : MatchTV
