“After giving birth, I felt like I was hit by a train.” A candid interview with Fatkulina about her comeback

After Beijing, Fatkulina left to join her family. Her daughter Olivia was born, but Olga did not stay at home for long – she returned to competitions. Motivation was added by the Spartakiad of the strongest from my native Chelyabinsk and the desire to pump myself up emotionally in the atmosphere of competitions. We talked about this and much more in the interview.

— Olya, do you remember your first day at Ural Lightning?

— Yes, we participated in the opening, skated with flags, spent half a day there. They also gave us equipment at the time! At that time, I was already 14 years old, already good at skating and showing little hope. I already had a certain authority, for example I could sit in a good seat.

— Before Ural Flash, where did you train?

— At Spartak, there is an open stadium and a forest around it.

– Can you imagine yourself in such conditions now?

— In general, I sometimes feel nostalgic for that time, for the luxury of our stadium. There were these mounds all around, you could climb up and easily watch how the skaters skated. Sometimes you also want to ride on ice, but it’s only for a few minutes, because it’s still very cold.

— Were you immediately introduced to skating?

– Yes. There were no other options. The coach came to the school and recruited the kids into the group. At first, it was not even clear whether we were really in the speed skating section or not, because we played football and ran relay races, and then, two years later, a serious program began. It became difficult.

— Did you want to try another sport?

— Maybe in athletics. I loved playing football, but what kind of football?

— How are things in Chelyabinsk now? Do many children attend the speed skating section?

— There are quite a few small ones. Then at the age of 13 they start leaving school and when it comes to going to university, 90% of them complete it. I always wonder why no one appeared in Chelyabinsk after me? For so many years, no one has replaced me so that I can leave peacefully, believing in this next star. But the generation is different – they understand: why such hard work for such money? Or there is simply more interest in other sports – figure skating, running. Perhaps it would be better to send children there.

— Have you ever wanted to quit sport?

— There was such a moment when I was 15. The injuries started, my knees were torn apart. The doctors said: “Olya, that’s enough, let’s finish it, because with such a wound you cannot do physical exercise, not only professional sports. I basically missed an entire year. I trained, but the load was on one leg. I still have a 1 cm difference in my leg muscles.

Another thing: when I was a teenager, my friends were jealous that I chose speed skating and not them. It also made me want to quit. But the Ural Lightning school always straightened my mind. They called and said: “Olya, come back, we are waiting for you.” Then I myself realized that I could only succeed as a speed skater.

– Why didn’t you leave after the birth of your child?

— I was interested in returning after childbirth, I have the example of Katya Lobysheva and Sveta Kaykan. They came back – and they did it well.

After giving birth, I felt like a train had run over. I walked around and thought: how can women give birth, and even more than one?! I also serve in the Russian Guard. That’s why I don’t want to leave. This year I was given a captain, and I liked it so much: captain Olga Fatkulina. It was possible to receive this title a long time ago – and now it has happened. This stimulated me. To continue following this path, you must run.

— How do you live after the birth of your child? Have you hired a nanny?

— I can manage because the ice rink is nearby. You can literally see the “Ural lightning” from the window. My husband is amazing, he helps me a lot. I’ve built a routine: my daughter’s first nap is during my workout. If he wakes up suddenly, they come to my rink. Then we walk and go home. It’s hard, of course. I was always afraid that I couldn’t combine things like this. There was a possibility of giving birth after the Sochi Games, but I was so scared that I couldn’t handle it. Now I am more mature, calmer in my soul and lighter. I don’t want to take a nanny – it’s a stranger, someone else’s energy. And this is the first child, I want to spend more time with her, feel everything, lisp.

— Do you now remember your laughing statements about the end of your career because of legs that were too big?

— My muscles fell asleep during the non-training period. That’s right, the butt is gone too – I was already a little outraged by that! But the legs were skinny! And as soon as I started training, all my “banks” came back. Oh my God no !

I’m still the same, even if today I would hardly let such a thing slip to journalists. I just want those who are younger to not have a complex because of it. I also see a trend: our girls, who are now starting to sprint at a good level, don’t have such long legs. Or the charges are not the same. On the international scene, all the girls have big feet.

— Will you send your daughter to go speed skating? Or your least favorite hockey?

“Let her choose, but I wouldn’t want her to take up speed skating. » Something more feminine… But sport has to be there, it’s a discipline, it’s a diet. Let’s see how it goes. Maybe he will really take up skating: he will call me and tell me how cool it is in Thialf, and I myself will remember how I used to race there.

— In general, why send children to speed skating?

– It’s a multifunctional look. In preparation – skating, rollerblading, running, weight training and cycling. Helps establish balance in the brain and body.

— Do you want to become a coach?

– Maybe.

– Kind?

— Kind, but demanding. I notice that I am becoming kinder. Previously, I could say rude things during a master class, but now I react more gently.

— If speed skating hadn’t existed in your life, where would you be now?

“I don’t know where they would look for me now.” Judging by those close to her, she would be selling something. I’m glad I managed to find myself in the sport.

— Did you want to go somewhere, to change your sporting citizenship?

“How much I trained, how much I ran, I had no such thoughts. But I’m so patriotic that I couldn’t even move from Chelyabinsk to Moscow! I am attracted to Chelyabinsk.

— When you learned that the guys moved to other teams, that Sergei Klevchenya would work with Kazakhstan, were you surprised?

“I was surprised, I called him and asked him. But I take this very calmly. Everyone makes their own choice. And those who condemn the fact that athletes go without an anthem and perform without a flag simply don’t understand what they are talking about. It’s crazy to me, to be honest. We live in a free country. Everyone should have a choice. It’s sad that we’re losing athletes and coaches, but that’s life.