"Sports are sports, but relationships between people should be human"

Russian short-track cyclist Ivan Posashkov won the Olympic quota for the Milan Games at a distance of 1000 m, but the ISU regulations are so prescribed that he will also run there for half a mile, the quota for which was received by another of our athletes, Daniil Nikolaev. For Posashkov, the World Cup qualifiers marked his debut on the adult international stage, and without the right to make mistakes or even get sick, not to mention injuries. In a conversation with Izvestia and Sport-Express, Ivan told how he perceived the cup series and how the level of the international short track differs from the Russian one.

"Apparently, there was one rejection, but I don't know the reasons."

— In the spring of 2025, you learned that you were included in the list of neutrals. Did you expect this?

— We had six guys apply, as there are only three personal distances. Three were the main ones, three were the reserve ones, just like the skaters. Since the two main ones were allowed, apparently, one refusal came. I don't know the reasons for the refusal.

— Do you agree with the choice that was made by the TFR in terms of the distance you were announced for?

— Yes, I agree. And last year I came third in the 1000 m at the championships, and I'm actually better at running this distance.

— Is the 500 m distance too short for you?

— In the short track, this is the shortest sprint, where explosive power is needed. Unfortunately, I don't have much of it. At 1000 m, the start may not be so fast anymore, but in the current realities of the international arena, you still need to run the entire distance very quickly. 1500 is our stayer's distance, you can start it more calmly, and endurance and stayer qualities are already starting to play a role there.

— But now you will have to run two distances at the Olympics. Did you prepare a one-and-a-half course knowing that you would only need to run a thousand at the World Cup qualifiers?

— The training system was planned by my coach Andrey Maksimov, and it does not depend on what distance you are preparing for. In any case, this is functional support, support for the aerobic threshold and the development of aerobic qualities. And, accordingly, sprint support. Without all these components, it is difficult to run any short-track distance.

"Every race goes to the maximum"

— You went to the World Cups without the right to make mistakes, despite the fact that short track is an extremely force majeure sport. Were you shaking?

— Yes, and for me this is the first international adult season. Everything was new, and it was necessary to understand the differences with the short track in Russia.: There's a tighter fight and a different level in terms of tactics. Even if we compare it with the international arena four years ago, the time to complete the race is about the same, but the speed at the finish line is much higher. And you had to get used to it. I felt that every race, starting with the preliminaries, is a race to the maximum. Stars, dark horses — no one can be discounted, because every race goes to the maximum.

— You've run in your skates, that's it, you're free. In the short track, there is a series of races in one day, while, as you just said, each time at the maximum. How was the recovery? Did you make it?

— I had time. This is the specifics of our sport, we prepare for it, usually it's a bike race or light recovery running. It was even easier at the World Cups, because I ran one distance there, and I had more rest. At Russian starts, when you run all three, it can be only about 15 minutes. In the international arena, they are stretching it, working for the media component, playing with the audience. Anyway, that was the case in the days when I ran my 1000 m distance.

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— Was there a moment when you realized that you had figured out the speed and density of the fight on the international stage, that you had adapted?

— You always have to wait for a surprise in the short track, every race happens in a completely different way. The outcome can be completely unpredictable. Before the start, you have a certain "layout" of the race, you imagine it speculatively and try to predict how the race will turn out. Then, after the start, you stick to your plan, and then you start improvising.

— What was the situation with the blades? How much did I take, did I have to use spare parts?

— One pair is the main one, two are spare, all of them with the same sharpening oval and bend, they just change if necessary. Thank God, I didn't have any accidents, I didn't break the blades. Luggage with blades flew everywhere without delays and losses.

"Every start is a pleasure for an athlete"

— Did you understand exactly how you need to perform in order to qualify for the Olympics?

— I tried to focus on my inner state before the competition. This is a serious start, on an international level. I tried to enjoy all these starts and work on myself.

— Did you enjoy it?

- yes. Every start is a pleasure for an athlete.

— Someone will say that every start for an athlete is, first of all, a tremendous stress, and the pleasure is after the start, when the endorphins cover, because it's over.

— In any case, we are training for the sake of competition. And the competitions are of a slightly different format and scale. And it's a thrill. Therefore, I tried to focus on the competition, and not on other information.

— Did you manage to ignore the discussions and comments that the team does not have prizes, that some strange "consolation" races began to sound in the news about your selection?

— I have a family, a team, and coaches whose opinions mean more to me than the statements of strangers.

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— It wasn't immediately clear to everyone that it didn't matter how many quotas Russian boys and girls earned, but one man and one woman would go to the Olympics. Did you understand that right away?

- no. I didn't understand at all, I was in some ignorance. I only found out in December, but I didn't draw any conclusions. I was waiting for an official statement.

— Then there was a misunderstanding about who would choose between you and Nikolayev. It was said that the Russian Skating Union would do this. But it all turned out to be automatic: Whoever scored the most points goes.

— I understood roughly what was written in these ISU documents, but I was still waiting for official reports.

— Potentially, this situation could create a toxic atmosphere in the team. Two people have earned quotas, but only one person will go. How did it work out for you?

- Everything was fine, in a friendly atmosphere. Sports are sports, but still, relationships between people should always be human.

— Have you been told when you are flying to Italy?

— We don't know anything yet.

— Which escort team will go with you?

— I don't know anything about it yet. Alyona Krylova and I are currently in different cities, and too little time has passed since the IOC announced our names. I think all these issues are being resolved right now.