Skier Anastasia Prokofieva told she expected a good finish from Veronica Stepanova in the 15 km race as part of the Russian Cup in Syktyvkar, but still tried to compete with a more titled rival.
Race won Natalya Nepryaeva , which showed the result of 25 minutes 28.9 seconds. Second place went to Stepanova, at 25.3 seconds, completing the top three Prokofiev (+27.0).
– Thank God there is a feeling of the body. I like it already, despite a small loss for Natalia. Even though I even beat Veronica in the last two kilometers, I understood that she would end well. I tried to keep second position, but it didn’t work. Today Stepanova is stronger than me, but we will work. There is something to look for, – said Prokofieva “”.
– In Kirovo-Chepetsk, after winning the medal, you pointed out that you were not in good shape yet. How are things going now?
– Better now. There, I was happy with second place, but I didn’t feel good during the race. Maybe you wanted a different state of health that day. Today everything was much better. I was even able to walk the first kilometers alongside the leaders and give them a few seconds.
– It turns out that with proper preparation for the future, you can already count on more?
We discussed everything with the coach. Everything is going as it should. In a good hour it’s said (laughs). Now the main thing is health, because in January you really need to take care of yourself.
– What are your objectives for the last race of the stage?
Skiathlon is my favorite. I think the condition will be good. The main thing is that everything is without any nuances. Since there is still a change of shoes from classic to skate. I hope my skis are better and slippery (laughs). The goal is to be in the top three. I hope I can do it, if nothing interferes with me. But let’s not plan. Yet we don’t know what will happen tomorrow. We rejoice today, put it in a piggy bank and move on!
– We often hear men on skis joking among themselves. Do the girls have something similar in your group, for example?
– Well no. In fact, we all communicate well in the same team. Just today I walked into the locker room and said, “Veronica, you’re a freak! She didn’t even give me hope! There was an eight-second delay two kilometers from the finish line, but she still won them back – well, well done! I always knew she could give the finish line. She is strong, of course.
Prokofieva and Stepanova train together in Yegor Sorin’s group.
The women’s 15 km skiathlon will be held in Syktyvkar on January 15.
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.
