"It's hard to train and live without faith"
Russian athletes have been under sanctions for the longest time. Back in 2016, due to doping scandals, they began to be intensively checked for the presence of prohibited substances in the body. From that moment on, admission to international startups became a rarity, and after February 2022, there was no talk about it at all. In an interview with Izvestia, multiple Russian champion, champion of the BRICS 2024 Games in Kazan in pole vault Polina Knoroz assessed the chances of athletes being disbanded, spoke about the difficulties with motivation without international competitions and about the atmosphere at the recent Russian Winter tournament, where she became the first in her discipline.
— In recent months, various rumors have periodically appeared about the admission situation, recently even The New York Times published an insider that members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) expressed their willingness to welcome the full return of Russian athletes to participate in major competitions.
— I will jump for joy if it turns out to be true. It will make sense to enter the sector. It's difficult now, because without international starts there is no motivation and no competition.
— Do you believe that this will affect all our athletes and the return of athletes will not be particularly delayed, as it has been happening for 10 years?
— Yes, I do. Because without faith, in principle, it is very difficult to train and live. Therefore, we must hope for the best. Otherwise, why all this? So I always hope for the best. If you didn't have any hope, then why perform and train at all? Therefore, of course, there is always a hope and desire that sooner or later I will get back on the international stage. We keep ourselves in shape and wait.
— Have you been following the performances of pole vaulters at international competitions such as the Diamond League stages in recent years? Are you trying it on yourself, comparing their willingness with your own?
— Of course, I tried it on. Not just the Diamond League. I also mentally put on the World Cup medal last year (laughs). I sat, watched, and thought, "Cool, but I'm performing in Kazan at this time!" Of course, I try all this on myself, I compare my performances with those who participate in international competitions. It's just a shame that you're not there.
— How hard will it be to compete there when you return to the international arena?
— I can't say. It will be 100% difficult, because this experience of international competitions has been forgotten, there is a different atmosphere there. But I think we can do it.
— Does the atmosphere affect?
— It will be very unnerving. The adrenaline will rise very much there. If I can handle him, I'll be successful. This applies not only to me, but to any athlete. If you know how to control your adrenaline, then that's cool, that's great — you can channel it in the right direction. If not, then you will be eaten in the international arena.
— The stands were full at the Russian Winter. Even if it was a small indoor stadium, was the atmosphere at least partially reminiscent of what happens at big starts?
— Yes, the atmosphere was great. I was really worried that I couldn't be seen from the stands behind the TV cameraman. I ask everyone to clap, but no one claps for me because I can't be seen (laughs).
— Was there a special atmosphere from the fact that several foreign athletes who competed at last year's World Championships and other international competitions participated in this "Russian Winter", even if not in your discipline?
— Yes, it gave some sense of an international tournament. Visiting athletes are very exciting. It is a pity that this was not in the "pole". But in general, when you see out of the corner of your eye that not only ours are participating in other sectors or on treadmills, it gave the effect of novelty.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
