Head coach of the Russian women’s biathlon team Mikhail Shachilov spoke to about the role Tamara Derbusheva in his training group and his attitude towards experienced athletes.
Shashilov’s group includes Irina Kazakevich, Tamara Derbusheva, Anastasia Shevchenko, Natalia Shevchenko, Anastasia Batmanova, Yulia Scheller, Kira Dyuzheva and Anna Grukhvina.
– The oldest in your group is Tamara Derbusheva, 27 years old. Is the absence of more experienced athletes linked to your orientation: “The main objective is the 2026 Olympics”?
– 100 per cent.
– So age is a determining factor, given the three years preceding Cortina d’Ampezzo?
– I mean what I met more than once. Veterans are great guys. But they are focused on themselves and do little to rally the team. They don’t care who is near and, perhaps, reaching out to them, they are always by their side, they gravitate towards husbands and personal trainers. This is not a reason to deny them the right to a job, before Beijing 2022 for example, something had to be put up with for the result, but objectively the situation is as follows. In this sense, Derbusheva is the glue that holds the band together. Educated, educated, shows the level, goes to the national team. She is our team captain and head of communications. Girls can always come see her and talk heart to heart.
Personally spoken with experienced and titled. “Leave something behind the country,” he said, “teach somebody. You don’t train for weeks and then go to the control race and win. What are young people doing? Young people are beginning to act, losing hope of reaching out to older people. Heard in response: “Are we obligated to do this – to teach?” These people don’t really interest me. They get medals for the country, but they do it for themselves,” Shashilov told .
Shashilov’s squad held their first pre-season training camp in Belarus, with a focus on shooting practice. In the next few days, biathletes are waiting for a medical examination and departure for the second training event in Sochi.
Source : MatchTV
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