"They cheered for us so much that tears welled up in our eyes"

It has been a long time since the Russian team in a game sport was honored in the building of the relevant ministry. The reason for this was given by the water polo players: as soon as they returned to the international arena, they confidently passed the second division of the World Cup and beat China in an intense final — 18:17, winning a ticket to the elite division for next year. In addition, in July, the Russian national team will compete in the superfinal of the tournament, which will be held in Sydney, Australia.

Daria Savchenko, a 20-year-old athlete from Khanty-Mansiysk, became the heroine of the decisive match. Four seconds before the final siren, she took responsibility and, with a throw from the center of the pool, sent the ball right into the corner of the goal, bringing Russia the gold medals of the tournament. In an interview with Izvestia and Sport-Express, Savchenko spoke about the events in Malta.

"These are the most important four seconds of life"

— Daria, thank you for the goal. How did it all work out?

— Four seconds to go, the coach takes a timeout. The setup was completely different compared to what happened (laughs). We talked about giving a pass to the captain [Ekaterina Prokofieva]. But three men took the captain. I look at the gate and see that the corner is slightly ajar. Four seconds. So I decided to swim a little closer and punch. On the ball, in a sense. But there was no doubt about it.

— Do you often get this kind of thing in training?

"Not at all. Goalkeepers usually take such shots. But from a long distance, as a rule, they hit just from the water, because such balls are less easy to take. I was lucky to get there. If I hadn't got there, I think they would have complained to me (smiles).

— The most important four seconds of life, it turns out?

— Well, in my case, probably, yes.

— What did you think?

— Yes, Russia! We're back. Hurray! We are finally on the international stage and we have won against everyone.

"I see a scratch on your neck." Did the Chinese women do their best?

"They are." A tough fight underwater is a common situation for us. After every match, I come out with three such scratches and abrasions.

— It's not so easy to Google information about you. Can you tell me how you got to the point where you score crucial goals for the Russian national team?

— I'm from Khanty-Mansiysk. There's a water polo school there, it's very good, and the coaches are strong. You train, you give yourself to the cause, and here I am. My best friend was studying, and I followed her. My girlfriend dropped out, but I stayed. But I really wanted to study, it wasn't through tears.

— What's the buzz?

— In principle, I like team sports, and it turned out well in childhood.

— In general, Khanty-Mansiysk is better known for winter for half a year and biathlon ...

— I love winter! But I had no desire to ski or be a biathlete.

Introductory polo: Russian women entered the elite division of the World Cup

The national team won an international trophy in team sports for the first time in five years.

"We have good salaries"

— How was the team greeted in Malta? Were you happy, or rather "we played well without you"?

— First of all, there were a lot of fans there. It was incredibly pleasant to hear them, it turned out to be very loud. They were rooting for us so much that tears welled up in our eyes. They were definitely happy that we were back on the international stage. Rivals... I don't think they're that happy, but to be honest, we didn't ask them. But the hands were shaking, the palms were clapping, everything was great.

We asked the fans where they came from (laughs). Some have been living there for a long time, and some have come to work. And there were those who came on vacation, and coincidentally, we were there too, came to cheer.

— Did you have time to lie down on the beach?

— We had free days, went shopping, went to Valletta, looked at Malta. It's really a beautiful place.

— Did you notice more attention to yourself on social media after the victory?

— Yes, yes, more people are subscribing, there is interest, and thank you to people for this. Of course, we really want to popularize our sport so that it is at the level of football and hockey. We'll slowly get to that, I think! Moreover, we are the first team to be admitted, so there is more attention to us. This is a chance.

— Is it possible to earn money by water polo?

— Yes, we have good salaries! It is quite possible. Not like football players, of course, because they have fabulous money. But there's enough to live on. And I understand that even for this victory there will be prizes.

— But for the popularization of water polo, it is better that others are not allowed.

— Well, no, of course not (laughs)! It would be great if everyone was allowed in.