"Everything has to come together to show such seconds"

The Russian athletics winter season, which took place indoors from January to the first week of March, has ended. The last two launches took place in Moscow. Last week there was the Russian championship, and this week there is the final of the "Snow Queen" series. Artyom Makarenko, the best Russian athlete in this discipline in recent years, won the Russian Championship in the 60 m hurdles. Last summer, he won the BRICS Games in Kazan and the Russian Championship in Yekaterinburg in the 110 m hurdles.

But at the final of the Snow Queen, the 27-year-old athlete was left without medals due to health problems on the eve of the start. In an interview with Izvestia, Makarenko summed up the results of the past winter season, assessed the level of competition in the country, explained the problems with motivation in previous years, and also spoke about the possibility of an early return to the international arena and commented on the crisis of the main Russian hurdling star, 2015 world champion Sergey Shubenkov.

"Almost all the races I went to, I ran fast"

— Was the illness the reason that you didn't get into the top three on the finale of the "Snow Queen" series?

— Yes, I got very sick. The day before the race, I was lying with a temperature of 38.5 degrees. In the morning I was already deciding whether to go to the start. At that moment, it became a little easier, so in the end I ran the distance. But it's been very difficult in recent days, so there's no chance of winning anything at all.

— Considering your condition, you still performed well.

— Then it would be better not to go at all and not to perform. But, as usual, you think that everything will be fine. However, miracles do not happen, unfortunately.

— Will you withdraw from the start next time under such circumstances?

— Hurry up... Again, this is the final. The money is at stake. And it seems to be just one run. Therefore, it is possible... In general, no (smiles).

— Are you generally satisfied with the end of the winter season?

— It turned out great, I think. The density of results has increased. Around 7.55 seconds. I ran fast in almost all the races I went to. I'm happy with that. Unfortunately, the ending failed — literally a week was not enough for the body to endure.

— Are you satisfied with the time you showed during the winter season?

— The plans for this winter season were grandiose — to get closer to the national record (7.44 seconds. — Izvestia), try to change the 7.50 at least, feel the sensations from this. Unfortunately, everything is nearby, but it is not possible to achieve the goal.

"Sebastian Coe reminds me of the character Okhlobystin from DMB

World champion Sergey Shubenkov — about the IOC presidential candidate and his failures in the last winter CR

— Can you call your results last winter optimal?

— In general, yes. I am pleased with the density of these results. That I have achieved this result more than once. Each start is 7.52 seconds; 7.56; 7.54; 7.55. Before that, I had a personal best of 7.55. The second result is 7.62. Since then, I've generally added a lot to the quality. And, probably, from this quality we can expect some kind of breakthrough until seconds after 7.40. But it takes a day and a place for everything to come together. Unfortunately, a lot of factors influence the achievement of such results. And everything has to come together to show such seconds.

— What influences and what should converge?

— I don't know. It's one thing when you just run tight and fast, but you have results that only a few participants show in the season. Moreover, the guys who are more successful in our discipline due to their characteristics toughen me up in a certain sense. That is, we need a high density of results among the participants. Perhaps there are not enough new emotions, new pictures, new competitions, a new arena. This is one of the points.

— Do you mean returning to the international arena? Or are you talking about the variety of internal starts?

"Both." If we talk about the internal calendar, then here everything revolves in the same place. Some playpens, some faces — probably, all this is coming. In such realities, it's hard to find the maximum spark.

— In this sense, there are no changes for the better at all?

—Why not?" Last year, for the second summer in a row, we ran on Nikolskaya Street in Moscow — a good race was organized. But this is summer, and the 60 m hurdles are unusual for this time of year. It was cool in terms of the show, but from a sporting point of view, it's hard to say anything about it. As it is, I would like to have more starts both in summer and winter. To see some new colors. And, of course, a return to international competitions would be very welcome.

— What are the goals for the summer season?

— You can also realize yourself at least in terms of the density of results, as it turned out in the winter. At the 110 m hurdles in the summer, it takes about 13.3 seconds to get close to running smoothly. And you can expect your own personal best from this.

"Age doesn't make us faster"

— Do you have an explanation for what is happening with Sergey Shubenkov, who has not been showing very good results in recent seasons?

— Yes, he's an old man, what can I say... The old man (smiles). He was born in 1991, and I was born in 1997. Unfortunately, age doesn't make us faster.

— Are you gradually pushing him off the top?

"I'm not doing that." Rather, he pushes himself off (laughs).

— Will he be able to get in shape by the summer season? Should I be afraid of him?

- no. Let's be objective (smiles).

— Do you follow the statements of international sports officials regarding the possibility of disbanding Russians?

— I don't think about it from the word "at all". I don't read these statements — I don't care so much now that in general ... 10 years have already passed since the suspension of Russian athletes. After 10 years, should I watch and listen to who's saying what?

— But you entered international competitions in a neutral status.

— Well, it was for a couple of years, in 2019-2020. It was only partially possible to get there.

"Our launches have become interesting both in terms of finances and in terms of results"

— You said that 10 years have passed since the suspension of athletes. But at the same time, the sanctions against the VFLA, which were due to doping allegations, expired in 2023. In other words, you are not currently competing on the international stage on the same basis as the rest of the Russian athletes banned after February 2022.

— Yes, we can go to the competitions globally now, if the organizers don't mind. Then you can show up and perform. Another question is whether the organizers are against it. And whether they'll declare you. A lot depends on the organizer, on the host party. Let's say the World Athletics Winter Championships will be held in China in March. Maybe it would be easier to show up there. There's probably no chance of going to Europe.

— Do you follow the hurdlers' competitions at the Olympic Games and World Championships? Do you have any idea how long it will take to reach the leadership level when you return to the international arena?

"I don't know. Compared to the few international startups I've participated in, it felt as cool as possible. And there were really good emotions that led to the result. It's going to take a certain amount of time to get back to that now. Everything should be gradual, and not so that they call you and tell you that you can go. It's already the height of the season, and you need to urgently change your entire schedule. This was the case with almost all international starts, when admission came in the middle of the season, and before that there was an unclear state — whether you would go or not. I want to know everything in advance and systematically prepare for the main launches.

Valuable seconds: how was the Russian Indoor Athletics Championship?

Almost all the favorites confirmed their level, but Ivanyuk was left without a victory, and Shubenkov without a medal.

— How much do you need to know in advance that you will go?

— If the winter season runs from January to the end of March, then in October we begin preparations. And in a good way, you should already understand what plans to make for you, how to train. It's the same with summer — next year's calendar is usually known in October and November. And at this time you should know what you are preparing for.

— To what extent have the internal starts in recent years allowed us to maintain our level?

— Last year, I managed to get up a bit in psychology. But the years 2021-2022 were as decadent as possible. Probably, there was no desire at all. Then I switched to hurdles (Makarenko used to compete in the all-around. — Izvestia). And somehow I managed to find new goals and motivations for myself and continue to train.

— Why was there no desire before?

— I don't know! I'm just bored with it all. We had quite poor seasons at that time. Three starts in summer, three in winter. You've been preparing for a whole year to compete again at the Russian Championships in Cheboksary or at the Russian Cup in Sochi. It's all the same—it's kind of boring. And in 2023-2024, there were more starts, and prizes appeared. Basically, now our starts have become interesting both in terms of finances and in terms of results — in some disciplines, but not in all. But it got better. It's a pity that all this didn't happen before. It would have saved me a couple of years (laughs).