Larissa Kuklina She performs regularly in pre-season, but every time in winter, something inexplicable happens to her. To understand the reason, she settles in the group of Yuri Kaminsky, where she trains among men.
The biathlete, in an interview with , said that without a rifle she shows skiing at the level of the best biathletes. Speaking of running in the cold, she said athletes aren’t immortal. She also explained why her husband’s statements did not affect her in any way.
“You can talk, but if anything will change is a question”
– After the first training session in Uvat, the coaches announced a small amount of snow on some sections of the distance. Then the head of the Uvat district told me in an interview that the track was in perfect condition. Did the situation really change the next day?
– Probably, one cannot hide the fact that there were a lot of complaints about the track. Yes, the asphalt is visible in some places. When you go up you feel with poles a knock on the asphalt. Regarding our inventory, we are concerned. If it is damaged, it will be damage. On the second day of training, I didn’t notice anything had changed. Yes, a finish loop was added on Wednesday, but again there was a very light dusting of snow. I won’t say the track is in perfect condition, but it can’t be called terrible either. You can compete, but in some places, I repeat, a thin layer of snow.
– Do you have any questions about the location of the scenes?
We are athletes, our job is to run. The less organizational issues concern us, the better. If you face it, you have to accept the situation, adapt. Even if the athlete says so, I don’t think it will happen overnight. You can talk, but whether that will change anything is a question.
— This season is special, what does that mean to you?
– I think it means exactly the same as all the previous ones. The only thing is that this season we decided to go the other way and approach the power component side. They still haven’t let me go in the hard work, we decided to experiment. Let’s see how this will affect other conditions somewhere after mid-January.
– Do you plan to skip some races?
– Before the departure to Khanty, we had a plan, now we have another. Previously, it was planned that I would miss something, but since some starts have not taken place, in addition, it is not yet known how many races will not take place, there is already a shortage in the number of starts. . On the trajectory of the power component that we have chosen, it turns out that there is a lack of speed. It’s hard to say how this will play out in my condition now. But now, in all the races before the New Year, I will start.
“My husband’s words do not apply to me, but I will always support him”
– Did you manage to get away from Khanty’s icy sprint?
– The severe frosts adjust the physical condition, but it would be wrong to say that we have moved away from the frosts, because the cold continues to persist. Until it’s +15 outside (laughing). It only remains to get used to it.
– However, after that day, there were no more competitions between women.
Yes, but there were formations, even if they were short. In addition, we chose the hottest time of the day, which was around one or two in the afternoon. Well, or they replaced work on the ski slope with a gym or a shooting range.
Was last Thursday’s race the coldest of your career?
“There have been stories where the temperature has dropped even lower. At qualifying starts on the “Izhevsk Rifle” you need to start with despair. Of course, we didn’t run at -30, but we started at -25. The distance has been reduced, but this, of course, does not lead to any good in terms of health.
Was the cancellation and postponement of the last races the right decision?
It is not for me to argue here whether this is right or not. But it’s good for the athlete’s health that they canceled it. We are not immortal (laughs). Our immune system works in a special way, a possible outing at the start in such frosts would not end well.
We spoke with the coach, our whole group said they wouldn’t start (in pursuit) if the temperature drops below -20 degrees. The season has just started, if we look to the future, it is better to be careful.
– Was Yuri Mikhailovich strongly opposed to holding competitions?
– Yes. He spoke with the analytical service, called Moscow to weigh the pros and cons.
– There was also a discussion on your Telegram channel, which you lead with your husband Mikhail. He disagreed with the position of Mikhail Viktorovich Shashilov, who insisted on holding the contest.
To be honest, it’s just a misunderstanding. I don’t see any conflict at all.
– Sometimes Mikhail speaks harshly in Telegram.
– It seems to me that it is normal for a person to want to express his opinion and not be silent about it. Why not express? If I want to say something, of course, I won’t shout it very loudly, but if there is something to say, I will say it. We each have our opinion, the decision of what we want to say – why not? I don’t see any problem.
– Were there any complaints in your direction after Mikhail’s words?
What my husband says, my husband says. This does not apply to me at all. In any case, I will always support my husband, because he is my family, my support. I can tell him if he’s wrong, but he has his own opinion.
“Maybe I could have thought about switching to cross-country skiing before”
– How do you think the composition of the Russian squad will change when they return to the World Cup?
– I think it’s a lot. Training in the men’s team, I see that we have strong and growing juniors. They are really strong, they can easily compete at international level. Maybe the current situation will benefit them, because they will be able to compete with our best biathletes.
– Do you still plan to participate in the stages of the World Cup?
– I would like. I guess I haven’t exploited my full potential. We cannot decide why it happens that in the preparatory season I show one result, and in winter another. Why can’t I switch to skiing? Unfortunately, we have a winter sport, not a summer sport.
– After joining the Kaminsky group, did you manage to understand why it’s one thing in summer and another in winter?
“Unfortunately, there is more than one reason. I ask myself this question: why can’t I show my good skiing with a rifle on my back? When I weigh 50 kg, my rifle weighs 4 kg 100 g, the guys, with their weight of 70-80 kg, run with a rifle of 3.5 kg If you do a percentage: what am I carrying on my back, and what are they carrying? Such is the difference.
When there is no rifle behind me, I show a ski at the level of our best athletes. How many years I raced, how many years I studied and tried to find the reason (laughs).
– So maybe you need to go skiing? Have you ever had such a thought?
– There are always thoughts, but I live in biathlon, I’ve been here all my life, I really, really love my sport, well, at this age, it’s kind of wrong to switch to ski. Yes, I love the classics, but it’s not the age to think about transitions. We have formed a big friendly family in biathlon, where we know each other. It’s a family, it’s hard to change… Probably not now. If earlier, then maybe.
I always live positive no matter what is going on in my life. I always look for the pros first, then the cons. I used to think, “Here I run ‘for juniors’, and then you realize that for many years you’ve been running ‘for women’. Time passes very quickly. It is certainly not worth expressing dissatisfaction with your life. Anything goes.
Do you think about the end of your career?
– I’ll probably leave this question in my head (laughing). Until I want to talk…
– But are you planning only for the season or beyond?
– Probably, I can only speak about this season. I wanted to work with a new coach, take all the knowledge he has. Accept new experiences to move forward. And the projects… To compete with the strongest and represent your region with honour.
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
