Dmitry Mityakin

Olympic champion — about the results of the past season and a lot of negativity around the national team.

Svetlana Ishmuratova is from the golden composition of the Russian national team, which was a trendsetter in women's biathlon at the beginning of the century. Svetlana has only three classic relay world champion titles, and there is also gold in the Olympic relay and personal awards. It's all as if from another life, from the one when we didn't consider one World Championship bronze a satisfactory result. Ishmuratova assessed the current biathlon realities in an interview with SE.

— Impressions from last season, of course, are not very good, — Ishmuratova said. — I didn't see the coordinated work of athletes and coaches. Some accusations from both sides, criticism. There should be, in my opinion, mutual respect. When the work goes well, there is no criticism — the coach believes in the athlete, and vice versa. If you want to get a result, all disagreements are resolved among themselves, without taking the trash out of the hut, and never thrown out. And then,

The girls have no one to single out

— Who left you a pleasant impression for the season?

— I don't even know. Probably Eduard Latypov, he is now well-known and performed well. I want to pay tribute to Sasha Loginov, who started despite the grief in the family. I understand him perfectly, I lost my father myself last year, and it was as if I was turned off from life for a while. And Sasha, despite everything, found the strength to compete. And he could have quit, said that he had a misfortune, and that was it. The girls have no one to single out. Very unstable performances that speak of unpreparedness.

— Now many athletes go to self-training. What is your opinion about her?

— Only those who are really ready can do this. Working alone is twice as difficult as training in a team. There is a leader there anyway at the moment, he ran in training, the others followed him. They try to keep up, step over themselves. When you are alone, there is no person who would motivate you — by running fast or something else. Need

— Who is capable of this in the national team now?

— I would single out one Loginov. I would have met him halfway. The rest — not yet, they are not ready.

— Not so long ago, Alexander Legkov, speaking on this topic, also noted that there is a great lack of sparring in self-training. And at the same time, he said that during his time in the ski team, the system with several groups from different coaches worked very well.

— Yes, it creates competition within the team. This is correct, and I completely agree with Sasha. In those years when I was performing, the internal competition really spurred us on. The coaches did not know who to put in the relay: you could choose any of the six or seven biathletes and win. It was impossible to get sick, relax, discipline was at the highest level. And now the coaches have another problem: who will run? Because no one really can.

We need to respect each other

— Some say that the national team's staff changes too often. Do you agree?

— This is really a problem. A coach cannot open up in one year. An athlete is first of all a person, today he runs, tomorrow he does not. To understand the ward, to reveal his physical abilities and talents, it takes several years.

— Valery Polkhovsky is leaving the team, and it is unclear what will happen next with the post of head coach.

— And why do we need a head coach at all if he starts interfering in the workflow? It won't do any good. That's the problem. Senior coaches are responsible for shooting, physical training, and so on. They have their own system, it's not just that let's run today, tomorrow we'll ride on roller skates. It's like in a chain, all the links are interconnected. And then another person starts to get in and say — don't do that, but do it this way. I think that the position of head coach is actually not needed. Then why do we have the president of the federation, the executive director? Gets

— By the way, Yuri Kaminsky joined the team from cross-country skiing, what does he do? After all, the training in skiing and biathlon is different.

— Yes, it is different. But, for example, my coach, Valentin Nikolaevich Zadonsky, also came from skiing. And I owe him for the rest of my life, because it was he who made me an Olympic champion. I cooked, taught, educated. The point is not only to give loads. Valentin Nikolaevich constantly repeated: "Think with your head what you are doing and how. Not just went out and ran, but understanding why it was necessary, why exactly at this pace. You should know this better than the coach himself, because I will never get into your skin so that I can feel all the sensations." It is necessary to analyze, to pass through yourself, to think whether this training has been beneficial or not.

— How do you see the next season?

— If they let them prepare properly, they will not pull either the guys or the coaches, if there are no disruptions to the training camps, then the team should align. And there will be no such spado

Natalia Nepryaeva has had a fantastic season. In January, a 26-year-old Russian woman became our first skier to win the Tour de Ski. In February, she won three medals at the Olympic Games in Beijing — bronze in the team sprint with Yulia Stupak, silver in skiathlon and gold in the relay. Finally, in March, Yuri Borodavko's ward prematurely guaranteed victory in the overall World Cup standings. And this despite the fact that the Russian national team was forced to skip the last three stages. Throughout the golden season, Nepryaeva did not give big interviews. To fix this, we met in Rybinsk. After the Deminsky Marathon. Where she won another victory — at 50 km.

Popularity

— What do you want most now?

— To rest after the "fifty kopecks". And if globally — continue to run races. I feel quite well. Plus, there is some incredible support in Russia. You feel: they love you here. It adds motivation. I'm already performing for fun. Although I don't want to lose in Russia either.

— Is the atmosphere at the Deminsky Marathon a shock? They didn't give you a pass. Spontaneous photo shoots for an hour.

— It's insanely pleasant! That's cool! But at the same time it is very difficult. I was actually not given a pass in Rybinsk. I couldn't even cross normally. Go to the start! To the dining room! I try not to refuse, but sometimes I have to. You can understand me too: I need to have at least some time for myself, for training. Here I am running to the start, and people are slowing down: "Can I take a picture?" And what should I do, quit the race — and take pictures with everyone? This is also wrong. Not all people understand this, someone is offended. As a result, you have to be torn between your interests and the fans who are my

— Are you comfortable in the new realities? Or is it better to be like five years ago, when even victories were not particularly noticed?

— Periods. That's when I want to do a workout or tune in to a race, I want no one to recognize me. And the rest of the time — yes, it's cool. I am happy for our sport, for myself. How can you not want this?

Before the Tour de Ski, everything was going topsy—turvy

- Lately, have you ever caught yourself thinking: "Damn, how did I do it?"? You have a golden hat-trick: "Tour de Ski", Olympic victory and "Globe".

— There was definitely no such thing that I myself was blown away by what was happening. I was preparing for this. And, I'm not afraid of this word, I was delirious with such results. Now, after the goals are realized, something like this is in my head: "Yes! Yes, baby! I did it."

— I remember well how I came to the World Cup stage in Lillehammer in early December — and nothing worked out for you at that part of the season.

— It was. The first three or four stages were tumbling. Up to the "Tour de Ski". I didn't even qualify in sprints! I sat after the race and just wondered: "Why is that? We have done such a job ..." Yuri Viktorovich reassured. He said that we accelerate at the expense of racing. I kind of subconsciously understood this, but the results made me very nervous. Well, not in shape yet. But not that much!

— In Norway, even a wart is not enough

— Has the multi-day event become a turning point in the season?

— Absolutely. And I was sick there.

— You even wanted to shoot.

- yes! I thought: well, where to? My throat hurt. Sanya Legkov also influenced. As usual, I started to remember: "Yes, I had that too.".. And he has such an approach to all stories. (Laughs.) Whatever you tell me, this happened once in his career. In general, he cheered me up. I went to the classic race with absolute indifference. What will happen will happen. And then I start and I understand: it's fine. I run on: yes, it's generally good! I was surprised myself how, despite my illness, I won races. As Yuri Viktorovich said, due to the races, the form began to come.

Beijing

— Olympic Games. Were you released immediately after skiathlon? After all, at least personal silver was in his pocket.

— Indeed, my soul has become much calmer. The main goal after that was the relay race. Each of the four of us especially counted on her. We all understood that this was the most important race of the season. Or maybe not in season.

Although I tuned in to everything. And here on the cutting of classics, probably even too much. Burned out. I couldn't cope with my nerves and emotions. And that fourth place — it took away a lot of emotions. I was absolutely devastated for several days.

— Did you expect to win in the cutting?

— At least a medal.

— The relay race in Beijing is the most exciting thing in your career in terms of emotions?

— We became Olympic champions — of course! It was something incredible. Yes, everything was clear from our behavior at the finish. Although I was happy about my personal medal to tears.

— What happened at the marathon? You still haven't told me why you got off.

— Actually, I was just burned out. I ran all the races. That's it! The body gave the last emotional outburst to the team sprint. Then — everything. After that, there was nothing left in me. Now I understand: it would be more correct to tell the coaches right away — and it's better to put another girl. On the other hand, I wanted to take a chance. What if it goes? Before the skiathlon, I also felt bad, but I was able to show the result. These are mountains, difficult weather, everything is so unpredictable there. As a result, it did not come from the word "at all".

— Didn't it seem strange that the men were reduced from 50 to 28 km with pennies, and you, despite the similar weather, were left with 30?

— Oh, and that's how it usually happens. Unfortunately.

It was really unsafe in Norway

— You have said more than once that you are very upset about the end of the World Cup. Do I understand correctly that you are especially upset about your sister? Daria , after winning the World Youth Championship , was supposed to perform in D

— Yeah.

— Demino, with his warm welcome and positive emotions, greatly blocked everything. Already here we discussed what was happening with the guys and came to the conclusion that even if we were allowed to go to the start, it would not be safe.

- why?

— Because of the behavior of some local scumbags.

"What did they do?"

— They approached the hotel almost with threats. They were shouting something. You think, "Get out of here, huh?" Well, it was really scary. And imagine — Holmenkollen. There's always a live corridor of fans. From drunken fans! And Drammen is an urban sprint. Even if we were allowed to escape, hardly anyone would take the risk. I emphasize that not everyone behaves inappropriately. Most are normal people. But even if three out of a hundred had started something, the consequences could have been extremely unpleasant. We met really angry and aggressive people.

— Did it start in Norway or in Finland?

— There were unpleasant moments in Finland, too. You look out of the window from the hotel — and there are some m circling

A large crystal globe

— Would you be very upset if you didn't win the World Cup because of missing three stages?

— Honestly? Sure. Very. As soon as we were suspended, I had all my thoughts about it. This uncertainty was unnerving. Everything depended on whether there would be a World Cup final.

— It's good that the FIS are buggers. We couldn't find a place for him.

— I would not say that they are stupid. In such a short time, it is really difficult to find a place where it would be possible to organize everything from scratch. People start preparing for a year. And on the contrary, I want to thank FIS. They were in favor of our admission to the last. It's just that under the pressure of other countries, they don't have much choice anymore.

— Are you thinking about the next season? After all, there is still a complete fog.

— A difficult question. It's hard to talk because everything changes very quickly. For now, I'm concentrating on getting through this season with good emotions. Then we'll start preparing for the next one. Almost certainly in Russia. And for me it's even a plus. I like it here. Ma

February 7 is Viktor Maygurov's birthday. What is not a reason to find out with what eyes the two-time Olympic medalist, three-time world champion, and now the president of the Russian Biathlon Union looks at the sport he has chosen, and what paths led him to this sport.

– Viktor Viktorovich, what is the phenomenon of the popularity of biathlon?

– In unpredictability. It seems that there are leaders, but often there is a joker who can turn everything around.

– What is its main difficulty?

– In the ratio of physical readiness and psychological stability. No matter how strong you are functionally, shooting is of great importance. Many people are able to shoot in a calm state, shooting under load, at a high pulse is another sport. And when you represent a country in a relay race or, as we say, "shoot for a medal," coping with psychological pressure is top class.

– There is an opinion that our biathletes are clamped psychologically, the result dominates them, while their rivals go to the race with a smile. Do you agree with this?

– The mentality is changing. In Soviet times, if our national team did not carry a gold medal from the Olympics, the coach understood that it was time for him to go out. Now no one needs to be additionally motivated. On the other hand, I don't think foreigners

– Part of your life is connected with Khanty-Mansiysk. Few can say that they are familiar with this region. What is he famous for?

– You can tell a lot about Ugra. My first acquaintance happened in 1994, when I was invited to play for this region. At that time in Khanty-Mansiysk there were only one or two stone buildings, wooden sidewalks and not a single traffic light. As modern as this city has become now, it became thanks to biathlon and the first governor of Khanty-Mansiysk, Alexander Vasilyevich Filipenko. In the early 1990s, IBU President Anders Besseberg was invited to the site of the biathlon stadium - there was nothing there then. And Filipenko told him: "Anders, we are building a world-class center, and you give us the right to hold an international competition." They struck hands, and each kept his word. At first it was youth competitions, then came the World Cup stages and two World championships in 2003 and 2011.

Foreigners began to pronounce the word "Khanty-Mansiysk" thanks to biathlon,

– What do you choose between downhill skiing and snowboarding?

– I am friends with downhill skiing, but in order to get high, you need to stand on them confidently. When we were still juniors – this is the 88th, 89th, 90th year - all the first training camps of the season began in the Elbrus region. There, at the beginning of May, we had ski training. Well, how were you? "Here are the skis for you! Here are the shoes! Here's the lift! Here's a mountain – go for a ride!" (laughs). So I learned the basics of alpine skiing, then I got up on them when I had the opportunity. I have been flying freeride to Kamchatka for the last 17 years and this is a separate story. These are unprepared trails, volcanoes, wildlife, helicopters and incomparable impressions. Having visited many places in the world, I fell in love with Kamchatka and return there again and again. This is an amazing place for those who love an active lifestyle.

– How do you assess the performance of the Russian national team in the season that has begun?

– In short, this is the best season in the last 3-4 years (approx. – the conversation took place in December 2021 during the "Izhevsk wines

At the age of 29, Evgeny Belov is a veteran of the team. You probably know him, among other things, from the painful history with the suspension: in the fall of 2017, the IOC found Belov guilty of violating anti-doping rules in Sochi 2014, annulled the results and suspended him from the Olympics for life. A few months later, Yevgeny won an appeal to the CAS, all charges against him were dropped.

It's time to learn something about Belov's principles and views on life. Salomon, having become an official partner of the Russian Ski Racing Federation, has done this.

I can do more.

• My parents are masters of sports in cross–country skiing. They spent most of their lives working at a sports school. Recently, my mother retired, and my father moved from the position of director to coaching, although in fact he combined both all his life. I think it makes no sense to explain why I got on skis when I still had a nipple in my mouth.

• All parents love to teach, to lecture. Mine are no exception. It's not out of spite, they want to do better. It used to be like this: you miss a workout or break the regime – and at the dinner table you listen to mom and dad, who tell you how to do it, and how not to. Now that time is gone, and they have switched: I get more advice on life, not on sports.

• My wife Alexandra is a very active person, she can't sit still for a long time. Therefore, separation is hard for us. I'm busy training, and she's looking for new hobbies at home. She is also an athlete, a skier – however, she has already finished. But when we meet, the first thing we do is go to the forest together to train.

• I am a superstitious person so much that these superstitions do not interfere with my life. But I will bypass a black cat running across the road.

"I wouldn't shake hands with a person who took doping." Alexander Bolshunov's Gold Hunting Season

• What did this dramatic story teach me when I was first accused of doping and then acquitted? No one who has fallen under the ice rink is able to influence his fate. I remember sitting in court. And some athletes could not stand it and began to make excuses with tears in their eyes for what they had not done. But they didn't believe them. It was terrible to watch and realize that there is no justice.

• We are not actors, but athletes – we can't just give out some emotion to the public.

• It happens in life: no matter what you do, it's all for nothing, nothing depends on you, your life is going downhill, and you can't influence it in any way.

• What is the power, brother? In truth!

• I'm from the Urals. And this means that I have a Ural character. What is it? Resilience, the ability to get out of the most difficult situation without losing face and composure.

• You need to turn into a robot to win. You need to fully immerse yourself in the work. There is no way without it. Professional athletes sacrifice a part of their lives. If you turn off the robot, you will not achieve the highest goals.

• On the highway, I run for loved ones. Before the start, they call, send SMS with words of support. When you run, you think about these words and messages. This is my patriotism.

• Why do we need top-level sports, why arrange expensive Olympiads? And why should we be the first to fly into space?! Such questions arise because people have a lot of poverty in Russia. We would live well, there would be no such questions.

"We know what country we live in: today you are the king, tomorrow you are looking for a trifle for bread." The philosophy of the top skier of the Immortals

• Goosebumps always run through the body when the anthem of Russia is played at competitions. And this is our drug: you want to experience similar sensations again and again, once again to be at such a peak of pleasure.

• If we have the opportunity to learn from foreign coaches, then why not use it. Peter the Great brought a lot of people and things from Europe to Russia, including foreign specialists. However, we do not scold him for this – on the contrary

I don't run to take revenge if someone offended me during the race. On the other hand, I want to be angrier as an athlete. I try to change. Although it's hard. I think sometimes I'm too soft on the track.

• They say Martin Sundby hangs photos of Russian skiers, his competitors in his room – this is how he gets himself into the fight. I am pushed by self-esteem. I think, "Well, I can't be weaker!" It makes me angry that I'm being beaten, and this anger is my main motivator.

• Are technologies driving people and the human spirit out of sports? I don't think this is such a serious problem for ski racing. The equipment of the athletes is now about the same. This means that the winner is not the one who is better equipped, but the one who has prepared himself and his head better.

• As long as I have ambitions and unrealized dreams, I only think about sports. I don't want to be sprayed.

"You won't become an Olympic champion if you're stupid." 34-year-old coach steers in skiing

• Now I have such a borderline age, when most athletes can no longer compete with the young. Therefore, it is necessary to fully open up. Then there may simply not be a chance.

• You have to keep running as long as you are able to compete. Or if you benefit the team or the country by passing on experience to young athletes – so that there is no gap between generations.

• It is hard for a professional athlete to live without regular physical activity, it is almost unbearable – this is an internal need of the body.

• I'm not so stellar that people pay a lot of attention to me. I like silence more.

• If I had a lot of money, I would open a sports center and help sports schools to improve the lives of young athletes.

• I wish I could be happier. Now it's about seventy percent of the possible. In short, I still have reserves.

The story of the opening of the "Tour de Ski" — Alice Zhambalova.

In addition to the triumph of Alexander Bolshunov and the return of Yulia Stupak at the multi-day Tour de Ski, another significant event for Russia took place. It seems that a new extra-class skier has appeared in our country. The 12th place in the overall standings of the "Tour" (and the fourth among Russians) was taken by Alice Zhambalova.

Zhambalova already got into the top 10 in distance races four times during the "Tour". And in principle, if not for the frankly disastrous sprint (she was 53rd and 44th there), she could have stood much higher in the overall standings.

So far, there have been no such significant successes in Alice's career. And Zhambalova has an interesting biography, she comes from a frankly non—ski region - Buryatia, from a village with a population of only about four thousand inhabitants. Think about it: a tiny village against the powerful Tyumen and Khanty-Mansiysk, which support their athletes. How did Zhambalova manage to break through?!. What is behind her success on the "Tour", Alice herself told "SE".

I'm at home only a month a year

I am from Buryatia, from the small village of Sagan-Nur. Our region is absolutely not skiing, we have never had much success. At most, someone grew up to the level of All-Russian competitions, and then went to study. I come from a sports family, mom is my first coach, and dad is the second. But if it wasn't for the support of the village, nothing would have worked out for me.

They helped me with literally everything: with the purchase of equipment, trips to competitions. I didn't feel deprived of anything. And this is crazy luck, words cannot express how grateful I am. Without this support, I would not be able to compete with skiers from Khanty-Mansiysk, Tyumen, Udmurtia, and other large regions...

When I come home, I do not refuse anyone: to come to school for a lesson, to hold a master class at the ski base, to chat with the kids. It's hard, because I'm at home only a month a year. Sagan-Nur is very far away, it is unrealistic to go there during the season or even during the preparation period between training camps. When you're finally on vacation and you get home

I took an English tutor myself and learned the language

I have been training with Markus Kramer for the third year. Before Pyeongchang, I was in Danil Akimov's group, which was subsequently disbanded. We were scattered in other groups, and Elena Valeryevna (Vyalbe. — Approx. "SE") decided that it was better to give me to Marcus.

Honestly, I knew it would be hard. It is always difficult for me to get used to a new coach, to a new regime and methodology. It was the same before in the junior national team, and with Akimov. But with Marcus, the first years were especially difficult. Among other things, there was a problem of the language barrier.

I joined a group with a school level of English. That is, I understood the training task in general, but I could not describe my well-being or ask any specific question. Therefore, I started looking for a teacher through the Internet. This was also not easy: one did not fit into my schedule, the other did not fit the methodology. I didn't want mechanical memorization. And only on the third attempt I found "my" tutor: it's easy for me with him

Bolshunov is closed only with strangers

We have known Sasha Bolshunov and Denis Spitsov for a long time, since the junior team. We qualified for the Pyeongchang Olympics together when we were just starting to perform as adults. I was very happy then for Sasha that he was able to pass the Olympic Games so coolly. And for the other guys, too. They are simple guys, no one turns up their noses.

Sasha behaves with restraint only with strangers. In the team, he is quite open and sociable. There was, however, a period when it closed down a bit. Apparently, he felt responsible that the result went and he is now a clear leader. But Anya (Bolshunov's girlfriend Anna Zherebyatyeva. — Approx. "SE") pulled him out of this state. And now he is perfectly communicating with everyone, as it was with juniors.

Even those who said that there was no need to go to the Olympics without a flag rejoiced at the medals of Pyeongchang

It's not the first time for me to perform in a neutral status — I participated in the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. I know that a neutral flag is bad. I want your flag to rise after the victories and the anthem to sound. But it's good that we can participate in competitions at least like this.

Before Pyeongchang, the situation was much more nervous than it is now. Many journalists and public figures said: why are you going to perform without a flag, it would be better to refuse! It was very oppressive and instilled internal doubts. I thought, "Maybe I'm really doing something wrong?"

But when our athletes began to climb the podium in Pyeongchang, absolutely everyone was happy. Including those people who said that it was not necessary to go without a flag. Therefore, there is no pressure now before the World Cup, it is obvious to everyone that we need to go. And if we manage to get a medal, everyone will sing our anthem in front of the TV. It doesn't matter that at the ceremony

It is important for me to get into the relay

Initially, at the World Championships, I relied on classical cutting and skiathlon. But after the "Tour", Marcus said to tune in to the next stages of the World Cup, and if everything goes well there, then almost the entire program. Except only sprints, of course.

It will be important for me to get into the relay. There were five of us in Pyeongchang, and I was the fifth, that is, the only one who did not run. But now my condition is completely different. If everything works out and the increase in results continues, then I will greatly help the relay. I will do everything for this.

Master of Sports of international class in cross-country skiing.

Born on August 20, 1973 in Vorkuta.

Graduated from Vorkuta Secondary School No. 23., SPTU No. 12, Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports of Syktyvkar State University.

From the age of 8 to 14, Andrey tried himself in various sports sections (boxing, weightlifting, volleyball, Greco-Roman wrestling, swimming, chess), after which he joined the skiing section to a young coach Sergey Anatolyevich Kryuchkov.

The first big victory was won by Andrey in 1990, when he won 10 km of the Labor Reserves CS in Syktyvkar. Then there was a transition to the category of men, where he made every effort to join the Russian national team.

At the World Championships, Nutrikhin showed the following results: 18th place at a distance of 30 km skating (1997 Trondheim, Norway), 4th place in the 50 km speed skating race (2001).

In 1998, as a member of the Russian national team, Andrey took part in the XVI Winter Olympic Games in Nagano (Japan) and took 15th place at a distance of 50 km skating.

A.Nutrikhin is a multiple champion of Russia in the 4x10 km relay race (1996-2002) and in the 70 km super marathon race (2000).

Since 2007, he switched to coaching. Currently he works in the same team with the famous skier, Honored Master of Sports, Olympic champion Vasily Pavlovich Rochev.

In the life of Andrey Nutrikhin, two main hobbies get along peacefully – sports and music. Famous skier, participant of the XVIII Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan, master of sports of international class, head coach of the Komi national ski racing team. He plays classical and bass guitar, sings and composes songs, performs both solo and in various collectives: as part of the rock band "Region 11", in the folk choir "Gorenka", and also recently in the duet "Meeting" with the soloist of the Republican Opera and Ballet Theater Nadezhda Batalova. Isn't it a kind of business card? We talked with Andrey Nutrikhin about his path in sports, love of music, children and childhood spent in Vorkuta.

– Once, at an open lesson for schoolchildren, you said that you had been looking for yourself in sports for a long time, humorously recalled visiting the wrestling section, where you were "constantly thrown like some kind of bag."

– Indeed, I tried a lot of sections as a child, and I also remember boxing... how I got knocked out. That's probably why I didn't stay there. I realized that martial arts is not my thing. There were also swimming, aircraft modeling and ship modeling circles, go-karting. The fact is that we had a magnificent Pioneer Palace in Vorkuta, where all this was in one place. I went from one section to anot

her and gradually came to ski racing, where my friends called me, as it often happens with any boy. It was somewhere in the seventh grade.

– Figuratively speaking, Andrey Nutrikhin skied from Vorkuta to Nagano. After all, you studied with Sergey Anatolyevich Kryuchkov, from whom Larisa Novoselskaya, who became the European champion in biathlon, also started her sports career.

– Yes, we trained together in the same group. She is also from Vorkuta, but then she entered the Smolensk Academy of Physical Culture. Now I recommend all our athletes to go there, because they treat ski racers well there. For example, Yulia Belorukova also studies there, Natalia Nepryaeva, Yana Kirpichenko. These are all members of the Russian national team. Larisa Novoselskaya started with cross-country skiing, but during her studies in Smolensk she made a choice in favor of biathlon.

My first coach Sergey Anatolyevich Kryuchkov now works in the Smolensk region, he is from there. We often contact him. In general, I was lucky in the sense that cool specialists were engaged with me – both at school and in the ski racing section. I got a good overall physical development. Our physical education teacher was wonderful. Excellent coaches, young and energetic, worked with me in ski racing, and I still maintain relations with them. The fact is that at a young age, a person does not have a little idea how his development in sports takes place. But it all starts with a physical education teacher who notices some abilities, with the first coach, with the fact that they communicate together. The physical education teacher at the vocational school Elena Albertovna Miller also supported me, she saw that I was an athlete who could go further and show results. Then there was the coach of the national team of the central council of the sports society "Labor Reserves" Vladimir Danilovich Timofeev, who now works as a senior coach of the youth national team of Russia, and we also continue to cooperate with him. Well, in the end, coach Yuri Viktorovich Borodavko once in 1995 attracted me as a candidate for the Russian national team. Sometimes we don't even understand and forget that all these people, seeing talent in an athlete, carefully transfer it from "hand to hand" to each other, thus bringing it to the international arena. This is how the system was built in the Soviet Union, and this is how it works now.

– But your path to the big sport was difficult, and one day you seemed to want to give up everything, follow in your father's footsteps – to work as a welder…

– By the way, I do not regret the acquired skills of a manual welder in Vorkuta SPTU No. 12. There I learned to understand what a welding arc is, a welding bath, I learned to distinguish metal from slag, I remember all these terms. And I'm always interested when I encounter welding somewhere, I always want to try to cook. I have already done some useful things for myself, for example, in a metalwork garage.

There was no desire to quit skiing, but there was a turning point, which happened just during practice at a vocational school. Then I had some kind of spring apathy, accumulated debts on credits. And then it turned out that you need to go to Syktyvkar for competitions. I told the coach that I wasn't ready, I hadn't trained for a few weeks after all, but he insisted. As a result, then at the competitions in the Ezhvinsky district I won the race, which became a key one in my career. It was a ten-kilometer freestyle race. After the victory, Vladimir Danilovich Timofeev came up to me and asked if I was ready to train as part of the junior national team. After returning to Vorkuta and passing all the tests, at the end of May he went to a gathering as part of the central council of "Labor Reserves". There were a lot of fees, departure every month. We traveled not only to Russia, but also to Lithuania, visited Ukrainian Sumy and Ivano-Frankivsk. There were good ski training centers there.

Then sports societies began to fade, and national teams of regions began to form. I was included in the Komi national team. Vasily Pavlovich Rochev and Nina Petrovna Rochev noticed me and took me to their group. Nikolai Nikolaevich Volkov also coached at that time, unfortunately, he died last October. Under the leadership of Vasily Pavlovich, literally two years later, the results went up, and in 1995 I was enrolled as a candidate for the Russian national team, and the following year I was already in the main squad.

Of course, my progress was helped by the results, because there is no other way in sports. We, the skiers, do not have such judges who can overestimate or underestimate the score. Everything is objective and clear: whoever is faster wins. Despite the fact that this sport is not very popular now, everything is fair in it. The most strict judge is essentially a chronometer, you can't fool time.

– How did you react to the fact that Inna Kostyuchenko moved from the Komi ski racing team to the Belarusian biathlon team in the summer?

– As the head coach, of course, I am against it. But I honestly admit, when she came to me and said that they were paying for tickets to and from home, making dual citizenship, arranging accommodation and temporary residence, that she was signing a contract, and she was already being declared for the IBU Cup and the Universiade to be held in Krasnoyarsk, that is, she was already a one-hundred-percent participant in these competitions Then I just humanly can't forbid her. And legally, too, it is impossible to prohibit, because here she is essentially a mid-level skier, we could not guarantee such prospects for her. Therefore, of course, she has the right to choose the best.

– Do we have long-term employment contracts for skiers?

– Yes, we have such a system, basically it is implemented point-by-point with leading athletes, they have individual contracts in which everything is clearly spelled out, and they, at least to this day, are fully respected. As for other skiers who are a little lower in the class, the management and coaching council, in accordance with the rating of the athlete, try to consider his candidacy for a bet at the Sports Training Center of the national teams of the Republic (TSSPSK), so that when he arrives from his district, say, from Izhemsky or Ust-Tsilemsky, he will have there was at least some certain small amount for existence.

Cross-country skiing. Pyeongchang (Korea). XXIII Olympic Winter Games. Women. 4 x 5 km relay race

1. Norway (Ingvild Ostberg, Astrid Jacobsen, Ragnhil Haga, Marit Bjoergen) – 51.24,3.

2. Sweden (Anna Hogh, Charlotte Kalla, Ebba Andersson, Stina Nilsson) – lag 2.0

3. RUSSIA (Natalia NEPRYAEVA, Yulia BELORUKOVA, Anastasia SEDOVA, Anna NECHAEVSKAYA) – 43.3

4. Finland (Aino Kaisa Saarinen, Kerttu Niskanen, Rita Lisa Roponen, Krista Parmakoski) – 1.02,6

5. USA (Sophie Caldwell, Sadie Bjornsen, Kikkan Randall, Jessica Diggins) – 1.20,5

6. Germany (Stephanie Beler, Katharina Hennig, Victoria Karl, Sandra Ringwald) – 1.49,4

The decision to put Anna Nechaevskaya on the final stage of the relay was bold and, as it turned out later, the most correct. Before the Pyeongchang Games, 26-year-old Nechaevskaya's best achievement was 14th place at one of the stages of this year's Tour de Ski. Just two weeks before the start of the Games, she became the 34th in the skating mass start - that is, in a race that is just the most similar to the relay stage. And just two years ago, Nechaevskaya was sent home from the national team for hopelessness. Then she performed at the stages of the Cup of Russia, without having her own coach or even a service person nearby.

Already in Pyeongchang, Nechaevskaya made a mini-breakthrough, rising to tenth place in the skating "cutting". But even the best cup result in her entire career still seemed like an insufficient reason to trust Anna with the finish. There is, after all, a much more experienced and titled Anastasia Sedova, or the bronze medalist of the sprint Games Yulia Belorukova, finally.

But Vyalbe and the coaches decided to take a chance. Our only chance for a medal was to arrive at the fourth stage in the group of leaders. And it is desirable to break it in such a way that as few teams as possible remain behind. It is extremely difficult to catch up in the women's relay, where the stage is only 5 km. That's why Vyalbe decided to detach all the best for the first three stages. And then to hope for Nechaevskaya – was not! In the end, what difference does it make if we finish fourth or tenth?

Debutante Nechaevskaya coped with her task perfectly. She did not chase the Swede and Norwegian, who rolled forward in the fight for gold, but she did not let the Finnish woman running behind her get close to her. "Hold on, hold on!" Elena Vyalbe whispered to her from the stands, clenching her fists. "Hold on!" a young man who had specially arrived in Pyeongchang shouted at the top of his voice. And Anna withstood, rolling out to the finish line third, in proud solitude. Our most beautiful ski finish of these Games. It's a pity that the flag could not be taken.

THEY SHOUTED AT ME TO GRAB THE MEDAL WITH MY TEETH

– How did you feel when you were told that you were running the last stage of the relay? – Nechayevskaya's question.

– I was in shock. I'm not a sprinter, it's hard for me in the final showdowns, so I usually run the third stages in relays. She asked: "Maybe it's not worth it? Why are you throwing me under the knives?" But they explained to me that the girls should make a start so that it would be easier for me. They said that she should run her race, not fuss. When I saw who I was going to run with at my stage, of course, I got nervous. There are such monsters there!

– Did you know that our team is in the lead after the first two stages?

- I didn't really see it, because I had already started warming up. And I tried not to look on purpose, so as not to waste emotions. In general, initially I asked the girls, most importantly, not to let the Finnish team get close. They had a sprinter running at the last stage (Krista Parmakoski. – Note "SE"), it would be extremely difficult for me to fight with her at the finish. I needed a groundwork, and I got it.

– That is, you did not initially dream of winning over Sweden and Norway?

– I wanted to, of course, but so far it's very difficult. At first, I didn't plan to let them go and fell in behind Stina Nilsson. But then Norwegian Marit Bjoergen started walking around us, Nilsson followed her, and I couldn't do anything at the exit of the climb. The coaches, in principle, immediately warned me not to rush anywhere on the first ascent. There is a very insidious part of the distance, you can "get drunk" so that then you can barely walk at all. So I decided to work to my best and not chase anyone.

– Did it feel like we had few coaches here and there was no one to drive you around the track?

– I didn't pay attention to it. The roar of the stands, the support of the audience – it was so great! They shouted at me along the highway: "You're ours! Fight to the end! Grab this medal with your teeth!" Thank you very much to our service team, which has been preparing skis for us excellently throughout the Olympics.

THERE WAS A BEAR WALKING NEAR THE HOUSE

– Before this Olympics, your best result at the World Cup was 14th place. Did you expect such a breakthrough from yourself?

– Of course not. I didn't make any plans about the Olympics at all. This year is very difficult for me, I shed so many tears... I don't want to talk about it now. There are personal reasons and sports-related reasons, all mixed up. Maybe it wasn't worth paying attention to much, but I'm a girl. You save up-you save up everything in yourself, and then emotions spill out. At that moment, I didn't understand at all what to do next, where to go, with whom to work next. Thanks to my mom and my boyfriend Nikita, who convinced me that everything would be fine.

– Just two years ago you were kicked out of the national team and you performed alone at the stages of the Russian Cup. And now you are an Olympic medalist. Some kind of fairy tale turns out...

– Then, too, there was a difficult period in my life. But in the same year I managed to win the Russian championship and return back to the team. Maybe such difficult moments harden me and make me even stronger?

– Who is your coach now?

– During the entire preparatory period, I trained with my personal trainer, Alexey Nikolaevich Zorin, with whom we have been working together since 2007. But since the end of December, I began to prepare for the Olympics with the coach of the Marcus Kramer group, Egor Sorin. I am very grateful to both of them for their support.

– You and Denis Spitsov are almost fellow countrymen, both from the Vologda region.

– He's Vozhegodsky, and I'm from Verkhovazhye, the village of Teply Ruchey, it's 200 km from Vologda. My parents still live there. Mom is also an athlete, she was a member of the USSR national ski team. But she never forced me to train, and Dad even said: "Better study, why do you need these skis!" But when the results appeared, of course, everyone began to support me.

– What is your village like?

– One-story wooden houses, mushrooms, berries, bears. Personally, I have not seen a bear, but they say he walked near the house.

MOM SAID SHE WAS STILL SHAKING

– How did the houses react to your medal? Before the press conference, you just had time to talk to your family by phone.

– Mom and Dad are crying! Mom said she was still shaking. They also say that during our race in the village there was not a single person on the streets, everyone was watching. Now the whole Upper Class is crying with me.

– How did it happen that your young man got to Pyeongchang?

– He just put me in front of the fact that he arrives here on February 13. However, he is not allowed to enter the Olympic village, we see each other in the entrance area or on neutral territory. But still, it's a huge support.

– Before the relay race, did you touch the Olympic medal that Yulia Belorukova won in the sprint for luck?

– When Yulia brought the medal, we immediately grouped around her and held it for good luck. Maybe it helped?

– You have an amazingly friendly team, there is no such thing in any other sport.

– Because the girls are very open and sociable. We don't have any anger or envy towards each other. We have fun together, we joke, we don't lose heart if something doesn't work out.

– You specialize in skating style. In biathlon, what was your countryman Spitsov's name?

– A year ago I was offered this option. They convinced me that with my skating there would be excellent chances, and I would learn to shoot quickly. But I was scared: suddenly it won't work out, and I won't be able to go back to skiing anymore.

– There have been many difficult moments in your career. How many times have you thought that maybe you should give up everything and do something else?

– I have such thoughts after every unsuccessful race. But literally half an hour passes, I cool down and begin to understand: "And where will I go without skis? This is my life, my everything."

Morilov N.S. - (11.08.1986 in Chusovaya, Perm region) Honored Master of Sports of Russia in Cross-country skiing (Perm, VS)

Bronze medalist of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver (Canada) in the team sprint.

Silver medalist of the 2007 World Championships in Sapporo (Japan) in the team sprint

Bronze medalist of the 2009 World Championships in Liberec (Czech Republic) in the individual sprint

Bronze medalist of the 2004 World Junior Championships in Stryn (Norway) in the 10km race and in the 4x10km relay

Silver medalist of the 2015 World Military Championship in Boden (Sweden)

Multiple winner and medalist of the World Cup stages from 2009 to 2013.

The title "Honored Master of Sports of Russia" was awarded on March 2, 2010.

Nikolay Sergeevich is a Russian skier, bronze medalist of the 2010 Olympic Games in the team sprint freestyle (together with Alexey Petukhov), two-time medalist of the World Championships.

Nikolay Morilov made his international debut in December 2003 in the Continental Cup. At the 2004 Junior World Championships in Stryn, Norway, he won two bronze medals: in the 10 km and in the relay. In December 2004, in Bern, Switzerland, he took part in the World Cup for the first time. He won two medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, in 2007 in Sapporo, a silver in the team sprint (with Vasily Rochev Jr.), and a bronze in Liberec in the individual sprint in 2009.

In the Olympic season -2010 in Dusseldorf, he won his first World Cup victory together with Alexey Petukhov in the sprint relay. In the same year in Rybinsk he won a personal victory in the sprint. And in the sprint relay (with Alexey Petukhov) they won again. Specialization — sprinter.

The first coach is Alevtina Anatolyevna (mother)

Coach — Yuri Mikhailovich Kaminsky

Sister Natalia Korosteleva is also a member of the Russian national cross-country skiing team, a bronze medalist at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games in the team sprint freestyle (together with Irina Khazova).

Awarded the Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree (March 5, 2010) — for his great contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, high sporting achievements at the Games of the XXI Olympiad 2010 in Vancouver

Nikolay Sergeyevich Morilov was born in 1986, his place of birth is the city of Perm. At the age of 18 (in 2004), he joined the national team of the Russian Federation in skiing, where he performs to this day. His participation in competitions has repeatedly brought victories to the Russian national team.

Nikolai Morilov came to skiing from early childhood. He began to make his first successes at school age, participating in city and district competitions. Nikolay's coaches saw great potential in him and therefore recommended him to participate in higher-level performances. Hard work and perseverance bore fruit - at the end of 2003, Nikolai made his debut in competitions for the continental cup, and in 2004 Morilov got into the Russian national ski team. Also in 2004 in Bern (Switzerland), Nikolai continued his series of victories, winning 2 races at different junior stages of the World Cup.

In 2007 in the city of Sapporo (Japan) together with Vasily Rochev (Jr.) Morilov won an honorable second place and received a silver medal for winning the team sprint race.

The very first coach of Nikolai was his mother, Alevtina Anatolyevna Morilova. It was she who noticed the makings of a future ski champion in a schoolboy, and helped him in everything. Together with his mother, Nikolai was also coached by his father, Sergey Gennadievich Morilov. Later, when Nikolai moved to the international level, Yuri Mikhailovich Kaminsky began to train him, who leads Nikolai to this day.

In 2010, Nikolai Sergeevich Morilov successfully competed at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, replenishing the treasury of the Russian Federation national team with a bronze medal. He shared this prize-winning third place together with Alexey Petukhov, winning the race in the team sprint freestyle.

After this victory, Nikolai was waiting for a not too successful 2011-2012 season, after which he and his coach made a cardinal decision - to change the training from sprint to distance. This decision was due to the fact that Nikolai Morilov did not show outstanding results at the 2011 World Championships in Holmenkollen (Finland). In addition, Nikolai has already made training runs on the Sochi highway, and is ready to participate in the 2014 Olympics, thereby bringing his national team many more victories.

Interestingly, Nikolai Morilov's sister, Natalia Korosteleva, is also a famous skier, with an international name and significant successes. At the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, she also won a bronze medal, as did Nikolai. And it happened in one day, with a difference of half an hour.

Ekaterina YURIEVA

Born on June 11, 1983 in Tchaikovsky (Perm region).

She has competed in the World Cup since 2005, in 2007 she won

the individual race in Pokljuka.

The world champion in the individual race (2008).

In 2009-2010 she served a doping disqualification.

In 2014, she announced her retirement and received a

new disqualification for doping.

Triumph and crime

Ekaterina Yurieva first shone on the world stage in 2007. At the World Cup in Lahti, the athlete became the third in the sprint. And this bronze award marked the beginning of a series of brilliant results that made Yurieva the leader of the Russian national team and one of the best biathletes in the world. Until the end of the season, she climbed the podium twice more, and she began the next sports year for health, having collected a collection of gold and four silver awards at the end of three stages. But this was not the limit. Before the World Championships, Yurieva tried on the yellow jersey of the leader for the first time, and also performed triumphantly in Ostersund: gold in the individual race, silver in the pursuit, bronze in the mass start. And the fourth place in the relay! It was Yurieva who could have snatched an incredible medal when Akhatova's firing pin jammed.

Ekaterina pleased the fans not only on the track, but also outside it – everyone liked her openness, cheerfulness, and smile. More and more fans began to worry about Yurieva, her charm conquered people far beyond the borders of Russia.

But the whole positive image was destroyed overnight when Yurieva became a person involved in a big doping scandal along with Akhatova and Yaroshenko. Traces of erythropoietin were found in the athlete's blood, and therefore a logical disqualification for two years followed. Fans of biathletes built conspiracy theories in which Albina and Ekaterina could not be guilty, but neither the arbitration court nor the Swiss tribunal believed in them.

"Two years is not enough yet? I had more than enough. I admit, there were doubts about returning. But many friends and family wanted me to return to the sport. I'm starting everything from scratch, as an ordinary athlete," said Ekaterina, who resumed her sports career in December 2010, speaking at the IBU Cup and expressing a desire to perform at the 2014 Games.

Comrade Minister, sort it out!

The start of the 2013/14 Olympic season allowed Yurieva's fans to thoroughly hope that she would be able to perform at the home Olympics in Sochi. She looked great at the Ostersund stage: she became fourth in the individual race and seventh in the sprint. In Hochfilzen, the results, however, dropped sharply, and before the Olympics, Yurieva was sent to the IBU Cup altogether, leaving almost no chance. Considering that Ekaterina's competitors for a place in the national team did not shine, everything that was happening looked at least strange.

There was a wave of indignation among biathlon fans. Fans of Ekaterina even addressed an open letter to the Minister of Sports Vitaly Mutko, in which they asked to deal with ignoring Yurieva. "We ask you to take control of the current situation and do everything in your power so that the coaching staff of the Russian women's biathlon team will provide E. Yurieva with an opportunity for honest and transparent selection to the Olympic team in a face-to-face fight with other contenders, first of all E. Glazyrina, Ya. Romanova and E. Shumilova."

It is not known for certain whether the Minister of Sports understood the situation and got to the true reason for the withdrawal of the biathlete from the first team. But the main thing is that the coaching staff managed to figure it out and, in a sense, to insure themselves. Long before the Olympics, information appeared that the biathletes of the Russian national team would be convicted of doping. A week before the start of the Sochi Games, their names became known – Ekaterina Yurieva and Irina Starykh.

"This decision was not easy for me,"

And the conspiracy theory reappeared. Fans of Yurieva could not believe what was happening. The situation was aggravated by the fact that the athlete's mother was in intensive care after a stroke from this news. Fortunately, the doctors helped her, and she returned to normal life.

And Ekaterina's sports career was ruined. At the end of February 2014, immediately after the end of the Olympic Games in Sochi, the biathlete, without waiting for the end of the investigation of her doping history, announced her retirement. "On the eve of the Sochi Games, a number of tragic events happened in my personal and sports life, in particular, they hid from me that the main person in my life and my destiny, my mother, is in intensive care. When I found out about it, everything went by the wayside. Secrets, intrigues, goals and even a childhood dream – everything has become unimportant. This decision was not easy for me, so it took me quite a long time to part with my dream and understand that I need to move on," Yurieva wrote in a blog.

Catherine was lying? Partly yes. Because I couldn't help but know that the B sample would give a positive result for recombinant erythropoietin in a few days. Four months later it became known that Yurieva, as a repeat offender, was disqualified for eight years. But, apparently, this did not seem enough, and in 2015 the decision was revised - the term was extended to 12 years.

Love in spite of

Most recently, Yurieva, forgotten by the fans, came back to the forefront. She gave several interviews in which she not only and not so much talked about her activities after biathlon (Ekaterina makes fashionable clothes and organizes fitness tours), but also talked about modern biathlon: she analyzed the state of the Russian national team, the work of coaches and athletes. How ethical it is to give such interviews to a person who has been disqualified twice for doping is a big question. But there is interest. So, Yurieva, in spite of everything, is loved.