Russian swimmer Kliment Kolesnikov explained what his homeland means to him

Double Olympic medalist swimmer Kliment Kolesnikov On the air of the program “There is a subject” on , he explained what the Fatherland represents for him.

Kolesnikov is the world record holder in the 50 meter backstroke and a six-time short course world champion.

— Do you have a favorite place in Moscow?

— Probably VDNKh, the “Russia” exhibition. At VDNKh, I started liking it when everyone was catching Pokémon, remember? Now there is something to see there. I like to go there on weekends. I loved the forest near my house near VDNKh, where I lived. The guys and I were going to Elk Island. I skied and ran there.

— What does the Fatherland mean to you?

— There is no big difference in concept for a person and for an athlete. From an athlete’s point of view, when you start at the international level, whether you win as a team or individually, there is a certain sense of pride in yourself and in the country. You stand on a pedestal with a flag and an anthem and you get goosebumps from having done this, having gone through difficulties in your sports career, where you were helped and raised, where you took your first steps . All this together, this feeling which appears at the moment of victorious swims, is probably a kind of feeling of Homeland. You play for the country that you want to play for, that you want to promote and show that you come from this great country that can win.

And from a human point of view, then it is a certain place, even if it is not Russia as a whole, but it is a corner of the country where we want to return from time to time .

—What does victory mean to you?

— If in general, then, probably, victory is ours in different life situations, from an early age, when you take your first steps, beating gravity above the ground, ending with victory in major competitions as an athlete. It’s an overall victory for the athlete. And so, the fight against laziness, fatigue, victory over oneself decides a lot. Every day! You get up early even though you may have slept late the night before. You don’t feel like going to practice, but you get up. You overcome yourself, and this surpassing is victory! – Kolesnikov said on .

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