The off-season for biathletes is always very short: there is a difference of about a month between the last starts and the first training camp. Despite this, Natalya Gerbulova managed to climb the Avachinskaya Sopka volcano in Kamchatka, relax in Cuba and reunite with her family at home.
In an interview with , the biathlete recalled how her ascent of the volcano could have turned into a tragedy, explained why she now prefers to relax at home rather than dancing in a club, and also explained why it was becoming expensive to break the diet of their team.
“As I climbed the volcano this year, I thought about how to survive in general”
How did you spend your vacation and did you have time to relax?
– I already have trouble remembering when I rested (laughs). The vacation was great: during this time I managed to visit two different parts of the planet – Kamchatka and Cuba. I felt all the delights of this world.
— Is Kamchatka a place of power?
“Yes, one of my places of power. It is felt the same way here – on Seminsky. I think these places are very cool to recharge and connect with nature.
How long does this charge last?
– It depends on what you think, but Kamchatka is probably enough for a year. Every time I go there, I experience this place in a new way. Kamchatka is very cool, but it’s also far and expensive.
– Just the end of the next season can take place in Kamchatka. Would you be satisfied with that?
– Yes of course. I would be happy if they organized competitions, because there is a pretty good complex there. The only question is how the athletes are going to get there, because, I repeat, it is long and expensive.
— Your last trip to Kamchatka was accompanied by a trip to the volcano. Do you have it every time?
– I rode twice, and each time it was completely different. The first time we were girls, the weather was nice, we listened to music, we walked and we got high. The same year, I thought about how to survive. It’s good that there were people with me who helped me do that, who calmed me down when the panic set in. Well, everything is fine: I’m alive, I’m here, everything is fine (laughs).
Do you exaggerate when you talk about survival?
– Indeed, there was a moment when I thought that was it: my arm was going to break and I was going down the slope. I was afraid. If in my place there was a girl with less strong hands, I think it would be hard for her.
Do you remember this story with fear?
– More humor. I would like to tell you who is going to do this: never climb mountains or volcanoes in bad weather! Look at the forecast, then your path will be wonderful and wonderful.
– Have you climbed with people who understand that?
– No (laughs).
– Wow.
– I rode with a man who himself lives in Kamchatka, his name is Vladimir. He’s climbed the volcano several times, so he pretty much knew how to properly build a path. But when everything was covered in snow, when the bad visibility set in, it became difficult. Timur Mukhambetov was also with us, who actually pulled me out of the mouth of the volcano, and then he pulled himself out (laughs).
This time our round trip took about 13 hours, the year before the girls and I did the trip in 5 hours. Can you imagine what it’s like to go 13 hours without food? Yes, we took sandwiches with us, but it was tough.
Did your parents worry a lot about you?
– At that time, I was still filming a few moments in the telegram channel. Of course, I shot when everything was still fine. If I published the whole tin, it would be very funny (laughs). But my mother immediately told me that I was crazy, because I went out at night. We wanted to meet dawn, but didn’t reach the summit until 12:00 p.m.
“You said it before, you can’t lie on the beach for more than three days. Was it the same in Cuba?
– When I was in Kamchatka near the Pacific Ocean, I even cried, splashing my bad emotions. There is strength there. Off the Atlantic Ocean – relax and unwind (laughs). In Cuba, I ran in the morning and in the evening doing two training sessions. Well, what else is there to do? There’s nothing to do but eat, lie down and train, like here on Seminsky (laughs).
“They say another place of power for you is family.
Yes, I had goosebumps. I send my greetings to all my family. I am very grateful to my parents that we have such a relationship. Warmer feelings than for my mother, my father and my brother, I have few feelings for anyone.
– Since you have a biathlon family – everything is only about this?
“Now, probably not. I have coaches, a team. When we get home, we can talk about everything. For example, on how my younger brother studies – the only person in our family who is not related to sports, he studies medicine. At one point, my father also wanted to be a doctor, but at the last moment he changed his mind. As a result, he became a well-deserved coach of Russia, I hope his brother will achieve no less success in medicine.
“Before, I loved dancing in clubs. Now when I get home I just want to lay down and eat.
— I heard that you often organize events outside of training for your company.
– Oh, lately, I have not had the strength to do that at all, but yes, I try to rally everyone. For example, to surprise someone on their birthday. But our whole team is friendly, everyone tries to help each other in some way, so we can all be organizers.
– Do you like going out?
– I loved madly, now I don’t love anymore, I just don’t have the strength anymore. I want to spend energy on my loved ones, and not on everything.
Have you reconsidered your opinions?
– Well, where to hang out at 28?
– Yes why not? People 40 and over can spend half the night on the dance floor.
– Well no, I don’t have the energy for that anymore (laughs).
Can we talk about a party? How were they?
– Well, yes, I went to clubs just to dance (laughs). I always like to dance, but that’s all, of course, out of season. I like to sing karaoke songs. But now, coming home for a week, I get high that you can just lay down and eat (laughs). You really like being at home.
– Did the guys roll at such parties?
– Oh no. I was so active that it seems they were afraid of me. In the clubs, I never spoke to any of the guys. Walk up to someone and say, “Oh, buy me a cocktail,” no, it wasn’t.
— Recently in the “Match! Biathlon and ski” your musical playlist has been published. Varied choice. I was surprised, no doubt, by the presence of the group “Korol i Shut”.
“The king and the jester is my soul in general. In fact, I started listening to them recently, my cousin is a big fan. This kind of music loads me a lot, I can listen to it before training.
– That is, under the “sorcerer’s doll” you fly to train?
Yes, yes, it’s fire.
– If you have the choice: dance or sing a song in karaoke, what will you choose?
– Karaoke. By the way, I want to go to singing lessons. And yet, have you heard how Edik Latypov sings?
We only know how he cuts his hair.
– He doesn’t just cut his hair, he also dances and sings. Talent in every way!
Under what circumstances did he sing?
– Well, recently I went to visit him, he asked me if I liked Meladze. Well, Meladze started singing (laughs).
— Before the interview, you talked about your passion for knitting. Has this hobby been with you for a long time?
“It always has been. It is captivating and captivating. When we were 19, I used to knit Edik’s mittens, but I don’t think he wore them (laughs). By the way, speaking of haircuts, he seems ready to cut not only boys, but also girls. I wanted to, but I didn’t dare (laughs). Edik, hello!
“Mowing has become expensive. For violation of the regime, we throw money “
– After the story with the salary rates, you wrote a message of gratitude, although it was not about you in any way. Why did you do it?
– I just said thank you to our beloved Dmitry Guberniev for covering all this. Well, excuse me, for example, doesn’t Larisa or Lisa deserve salaries? We all worried about them. It’s good that everything turned out well in the end.
– I heard that in your team for certain violations of the regime or the companion in training, you need to throw money, which you then play with each other, for example, in shooting.
Yes, we have a few rules to follow: come to practice on time, be in the hall before lights out on time, don’t swear, throw away your watch on time. Mowing, of course, has become expensive (laughs). And then this amount is played either in shooting or in a control training session. Matt sometimes slips. For the whole period, I gave three thousand (laughs). So what?
– What made you leave?
– Well, somewhere you hurt your finger – well, how can you not say our favorite Russian word (laughs)?!
– A team pool is normal practice. It’s common in football.
Yes, that’s where it comes from. This approach makes you more disciplined, which gives rise to your result.
– In connection with recent events – what is your goal in biathlon? Now that the Olympics seem out of reach, many athletes may be willing to give up that dream just to avoid disappointment.
– My goal is to reach the 2026 Olympics. I hope everything will be fine. I believe in not giving up on a dream, you have to go to work. My goal is to improve myself every day, and for that I try to do my best!
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.
