"The World Cup gold didn't even have time to celebrate"
Russian pentathletes have triumphantly returned to the international stage. Egor Gromadsky became the new star of our team, taking gold medals at the main starts of the season. At the European Championships in Istanbul, he won the individual tournament with a world record, and at the World Championships in Guiyang, together with Peter Borshchev and Andrey Bobrov, he won the team championship. Egor also won silver medals in relay and individual competitions in China. Gromadsky told about how it was in an interview with Izvestia and Sport-Express.
"My teammates were almost crying during the award ceremony"
— The other day, the Cup of the Union State was held, where you and Victoria Sazonova became the second. How would you rate this tournament?
— Physically it was fine, the form is good. But psychologically, due to the large number of starts, it was difficult to adjust to each type. Probably, on a ten-point scale, they performed at seven or eight.
— Have you accumulated fatigue from the starts?
— Yes, of course. Due to the fact that he also ran the relay race in Turkey and China, he made eight starts in a month. That's why it was hard.
— This season has brought you a personal European champion title, a world team title, and a world record. Could there have been any suggestion before the start of the season that something like this might happen?
— No, I couldn't even imagine. We were allowed in only in February. We went to the World Cup stages, where I didn't even always get to the finals. But I usually get in shape in the summer. During the European Championship, after the semi-finals, I already realized that I was ready to fight for gold.
— At the same time, you did not plan to compete at the European Championships at all, but instead go to the Spartakiad.
— Yes, there was such a conversation, because the starts intersected. I was worried that there are only two weeks between the European Championships and the World Championships, and the start of the Games takes place on the same day. I thought it would be hard to perform in Guiyang after Istanbul. For example, the Czech, who won the World Cup, withdrew in Istanbul after the semi-finals.
— If you had done the same and saved your energy, could you have moved the Czech from the first place in Guiyang?
- no. I think the first place at the European Championships brought more confidence. That's why it was easier to compete at the World Championships.
— Before the European Championships, the International Union of Modern Pentathlon made adjustments to its decision: the flag returned to Istanbul, and not to Guiyang, as originally planned. Have you felt any pressure about this?
— It didn't affect me for the better or for the worse. Because even at the World Cup stages, everyone knew where we were from.
— What does it feel like to be the first Russian pentathlete in five years to have the national anthem played at major international competitions?
— At that moment, yes, emotions were off the charts. My teammates almost cried during the award ceremony. It was strong.
"My age was at its peak at the 2024 Olympics in Paris"
— How have you spent these years outside of international competitions? Was there always a motivation to go to training?
— Despite the fact that we competed with Belarusians, motivation, of course, was not always enough. We haven't performed for a year, two, three… Many have already started to finish. When you've been competing in the same competitions for four years, it makes itself felt.
— Have you ever thought about finishing?
— There was such a thing. Qualification for Los Angeles 2028 begins next year. Therefore, if we had not been allowed in now, then everything could have been different. But everything is fine now. There was motivation and a desire to perform at the top level.
— Before your suspension, you were one of the leaders of the world junior pentathlon: you won medals at the Youth Olympics, world and European championships. They weren't ready for Tokyo 2020 yet, but there was clearly a goal for the 2024 Games in Paris. How did you feel about missing the French Olympics?
— It's hard, of course. Ahmed El Gendi (gold) and Giorgio Malan (bronze) were among the top three at these Games. They were both my age, and they performed with both of them. It turns out that Paris had the highest age peak. When you watch competitions and see this, it's not easy to accept it.
— During the suspension period, there were significant changes in the rules: an obstacle course was installed instead of equestrian sports. Have you adapted to this quickly?
- yes. I happen to be capable of streaking. I was more afraid because the body is predisposed to injury. When I started studying, I went a little overboard, which caused my shoulder to hurt for two months. I was worried about it. But in terms of skills, I quickly grasped everything.
— Did these changes benefit you?
— Both types are suitable for me. I gained experience on horseback and began to perform well, although I also had difficulties at the beginning. Now everyone has learned how to pass the obstacle course at international competitions, and the gaps are not as big as before.
— Have your personal gold and world record at the European Championships changed anything in your plans and goals?
— Added more motivation and confidence. But I didn't notice any drastic changes.
— Did you feel at the World Championships that there was more resistance from competitors in fencing?
— Yes, I noticed. They don't talk about it, of course, but it feels like they perceive you as a direct competitor. At the European Championships, no one really knew us, but at the World Championships it felt like they were getting serious about us.
— Has there been more responsibility after Istanbul?
— I try not to think about it and ignore it.
"We didn't expect to be able to catch up with Egypt in the World Cup finals"
— We secured the medals in the team competition in advance, as only we, Egypt and France reached the final with the full squad. Was this fact reassuring?
- no. After the European Championships, I wanted a personal World Cup medal because it is more appreciated. On the other hand, it was nice to have the medal in my pocket anyway.
— Are you upset about your personal silver?
- no. Because it was already hard in fencing for the third day in a row, and in the laser wound too. I was running fourth or fifth in the race, but I gave up on the last lap and came in second. That's why I was 100% satisfied with the silver.
— Before the finals, did you somehow set each other up to fight for gold in the team championship with Peter Borshchev and Andrey Bobrov?
— We talked about not being heroic and trying to avoid technical mistakes. As a result, everyone passed the obstacle course well, and the guys showed themselves better than me in shooting. It played a role. Before the combine, we were 54 seconds behind Egypt, where running is also not easy. We didn't even expect to be able to catch up with them.
— What did they say to each other after the finish?
— They thanked me for doing everything to the maximum of their capabilities. Everyone was very happy.
— Did you celebrate the victory?
— While we were waiting for the doping test, we had dinner, packed our things, we should have already gone to the airport. The flight was difficult, almost a day on the way. That's why we didn't even have time to celebrate.
— You have received congratulations on your victory from the President of the country. How did you find out about the telegram?
— They sent it to us from the federation. It was a pleasure. Many relatives have forwarded this information. A large number of people congratulated me.
— If you look at the medal table of the World Cup, you can see Belarus in the first place, Russia in the second. Doesn't this mean that the level of modern pentathlon has dropped, because two teams immediately broke into the top after so many years of isolation? In many sports, it is difficult for our teams to return to the international stage, even where we were leaders.
— It seems to me that this is due to the fact that Russia and Belarus have always been among the leading countries in the pentathlon. Thanks to sparring with each other during the suspension, we remained at a good level. This was confirmed at the World Cup.
— Do you consider yourself the leader of the world modern pentathlon?
— Probably, yes. After all, he took first and second places at the two most important starts of the season, plus he broke the world record. This means that I am definitely one of the leaders.
"The first priority for the season is to get an Olympic license"
— You have tattoos in prominent places. Have you thought about stuffing yourself in honor of such a successful season?
— I'm still thinking about what exactly to stuff. Now, in the offseason, when there will be no training in the pool, I may do something, but I don't know what else.
— Maybe we should fill in "1606" in honor of the world record?
— As an option. That's a good idea, by the way.
— Are the current tattoos somehow related to sports?
- no. I have two tattoos now: the guardian angel and George the Victorious, because Egor in Christianity is a variant of the name George.
— Do you have any other competitions left this season?
— We're going to have the Lesnev Cup Final in Minsk, but I'm not going there anymore.
— What are your vacation plans?
— I'm flying to Japan for two weeks. I've always wanted to go there. After the trip, I will start preparing for the new season.
— What are the tasks for the new season?
— Get an Olympic license, which will be awarded at the European Championships. To do this, as far as I remember, it is necessary to get into the top 8 in individual competitions. This is probably the first priority, so that in the Olympic year we can safely prepare for the Games.
— What needs to be done in these two years to compete for medals in Los Angeles?
— There is something to improve in all types. Because at the Olympics, everyone will be in perfect shape, both physically and mentally.
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