European indoor champion Ilya Shkurenev has no equal in Russian competitions. In three weeks, the decathlete won the national championship, then the All-Russian Spartakiad of the strongest.
After that, Shkurenev gave an incendiary interview to , talking about the importance of supporting fans, the love for basketball and the sadness over the lack of international departures.
“WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE FULL, PUBLIC SUPPORT IS NECESSARY”
“The two toughest days of competition are over. Expired ?
“Honestly, I’m glad it’s over. Everyone got tired, of course.
– Decathletes have a tradition – swimming after the finish. Why was she not followed?
– I do not like these movements of frog. But I always take pictures with the guys.
– There was a good crowd in Chelyabinsk, you were coldly supported during the pole vault. Did this help?
Of course, it’s always nice to get help. It’s worse when there’s nobody around and you feel like nobody needs you, you’re not interesting – you can only hear crickets in the stadium. But here in Chelyabinsk there were people in the stands, despite the fact that the decathletes were removed from the main program.
– The audience here is quite understanding – reacted sensitively to the requests of athletes to support or, conversely, to be silent. How do you feel more comfortable?
– I don’t like it when they hit the post – you have to try to get into the rhythm. Here, in other disciplines, where you have to break through to the maximum, yes there. You fly, your eyes burn, you need to shout, to applaud. For example, long jumps are good, but pole vault… Well, then.
– They say that the next Russian championship will be held in Chelyabinsk. Ready to come back here?
– Yes, it is. Of course it was hard here – the track was hard, it hit everyone in the calves. But in 2020 when I did some types I liked it here, it was great.
– It’s hot here – every day it was hot and over 30 degrees. How did you handle this?
– Oh, and we were still installed in a hotel where there are no air conditioners in the rooms! Of course, it’s hot, but I’m from Volgograd, we’ve been typing “+38” there for two weeks. So I can’t say it bothered me much.
“FAVORITE DISCIPLINE? BASKETBALL”
— Do you like all the disciplines in the same way or do you distinguish some of them?
Basketball is probably my favorite. In fact, periods: sometimes you really like something, and then it starts to get mad, then you like it again. From love to hate, as they say.
– With whom I spoke, no one doubted that you would win in Chelyabinsk.
Yes, I was also confident in my abilities. At the end of the day, we all know each other – who’s ready for what. You are more concerned with your outcome than who will pass whom. If you are overwhelmed, you are weaker. So what?
– You speak with Russian athletes, and everyone can see the sadness due to the lack of international competitions. How are you?
“Of course, I’m sad too. I just try not to think about it. When you just mind your own business, everything becomes easier.
– That is to say that you do not read the declarations of the persons in charge, do not make forecasts?
“Oh, I don’t read anything at all. Today they said something, some McLaren said something there. And I don’t even understand what it is. And it seems to me that I must say that I heard something, but in fact I don’t know anything at all. I don’t even have TV channels at home. I don’t have time to watch TV.
“KOBE BRYANT WAS AND STILL IS MY IDOL”
– And what do you do with your free time then? Series, books?
– I just don’t have it! And when that happens, I play basketball. We have an amateur league, I am registered in it, a month ago we played the final four – we took third place.
– You are powerful. Do you play under the shield?
Yes, I play everywhere. I’m a bit like number two, sometimes a leader. But since I’m the only track and field athlete on the team, I’m sometimes moved on defense to get some rebounds. In the third-place game, he collected 18 rebounds.
– And a double-double, probably, was issued?
– Yes, about 20 points plus 18 rebounds and about seven assists. I did not manage to triple a bit.
Do you follow the NBA closely? Do you have a favorite player?
– Oh, sure. Now, there are intrigues, exchanges. As for the player, I like James Harden. But when I did, my idol was and remains Kobe Bryant. Too bad he’s no longer with us.
Kobe Bryant / Picture: © Ronald Martinez/Staff/Getty Images Sport/Gettyimages.ru
– Which team are you drowning for?
– Other. I rather like it when some sort of cool game comes along. For example, I don’t really like Boston, but what have they done this season! It’s just chocolate! I couldn’t believe it when they lost to Golden State in the Finals! What were they doing?!
Did you get up at night to watch the final?
– No, no, I’ve already walked away from that. Yes, I watched it all the time. Now I mostly play with reflections. But if a very cool game drops, I don’t watch it at night, but in the morning in the recording. Right now I was still supporting Philadelphia, I was watching their games and they flew away. Although they had Harden, Joel Embid. For the rest, I followed the highlights, how Boston Lane was there, crushed everyone, Brooklyn swept away – that’s usually something!
Where does this love for basketball come from?
I’ve been a basketball player since high school. I hardly did any athletics.
– Why didn’t you start building a career in basketball?
– I come from a small village, they did not send me anywhere – they sent me to athletics. There, the coach looked at the guys: “This one won’t work, this one too, but this one is fine! Let’s take it!” So I walked in.
“Apparently they got involved quickly.
– Yes of course. Appetite comes with eating. When I tried it, it got delicious and you thought, “Wow, that’s really cool!”
“I STUDY THE TRAINING PROCESSES, I TRY IT ON MYSELF”
What is your main motivation in your career right now?
– I have no idea. I just want to break my records. There is no such thing. I’m just practicing, I’m interested in the process itself. It seems like every year I learn something new about how to train. Sometimes I sit and think, “Damn, what the hell did I do for so many years before this?”
– That is, you add in the methodological plan?
– Yes yes. I study different training processes, I try to try them on myself, on the guys in the group. Almost everyone comes in. I tried something on myself, and once it flooded. After that, you think, “Why did I do all the rest?”
– Are you also concerned about nutrition?
– Nutrition is more difficult. When a serious start, you start to bother.
– Well, the Russian Championship, Spartakiad are serious debuts.
“Yes, but I’m preparing for it in a different way. I keep a pore all the time, I try not to change anything, including food.
– Apparently, you have the makings of a trainer. Have you ever thought about what you will do after your career ends?
No, I don’t think so far.
– The season is over. And after?
– There, of course, there is a beginning. But I don’t know if I should go or not. I think now I’m going to buy some marmalade and gobble down a kilo. And then we’ll see.
Decathletes don’t rest much. Maybe we’ll take a week off, and then we’ll start over. Well, maybe two, there someone had sores appearing – either in the Achilles tendon or in the knees. But in October, we will definitely be in full swing.
Source : MatchTV
