– How long have you been skiing?

 

– Since I was 6. In childhood, I would make every attempt to persuade mom to sign me up for athletics but there were no relevant clubs in Rubtsovsk. However, there was a coach in skiing who I started to take classes from. At first, it wasn't free from failures, but they only ended up stimulating me for achieving better results. I can clearly remember my first regional competitions when I was 8: I did really badly–I finished among those in the second dozen and got very upset. A year later I took part in the same competitions and won. Even though there were a couple of embarrassing episodes–during the individual second race I arrived first but later got disqualified because I had failed to go up the hill in the right way. I've taken particular care of the technical side since that race.

 

– When did the childhood hobby start turning into something bigger, into the professional sport?

 

– At around 13 or 14. Despite the fact that mom wasn't enthusiastic about it at the time, I grew professionally and started showing good results. So at 13, I won the championship of Russia.

 

– You mother was into skiing too. Why didn't she approve of your choice?

 

– Children need sports for healthy growth, and professional sport is a demanding activity that requires a lot of sacrifices. She supported me and was genuinely happy whenever I had success but she prioritised studies. Mom knew and understood well enough what it was like to live the life of a professional athlete. You are always away in training camps–with this sort of lifestyle, it's hard to guarantee a decent studying process. When at 18 I got into the national team of Russia, she finally put up with the idea of her daughter being a professional skier and spending a great deal of her life in training camps and at competitions. Now she is supportive in every way and would even often ask me if she can come to wherever my competitions are, but I won't let her because it will make me too anxious to know that she's at the stands looking at me.

 

– Is it hard to live at such a pace?

 

– I spend about 10 months away in training camps and at competitions, but you get used to it over time. Last year I left home for half a year. It was emotionally hard–I didn't even manage to come back home for New Year.

 

– What attracted you to this sport then?

 

– This love for skiing was nurtured by my first coach. I was a very active child who needed to be doing something all the time, and skiing catered for this need completely. First of all, it entailed constant training where I had to run and move. Secondly, it involved regular 10-day trips to training camps in summers and winters. I have really pleasant memories of us playing lapta (a Russian bat and ball game) and volleyball. I loved it all a lot at that time. I think it would be right to say that skiing helped to direct my energy in the right way.

 

– What do you do in your free time?

 

– In case I have a few days off between competitions, I go home and spend this time with my family. Of course, I also see my friends, go to the cinema, but it doesn't happen too often because the training process never interrupts between competitions. In the summer, for instance, we have two training sessions a day–one in the morning and another in the evening–that's why I nearly live with my skis on. On the other hand, I enjoy this sort of lifestyle because whenever I happen to have a couple of relatively uneventful days I can't wait to go and run somewhere. I can't sit still. In my training camps, I relax by doing some embroidery. It helps me distract and recharge the batteries, especially on the eve of important races.

 

– Which university are you studying at?

 

– I'm now studying in Kazan, at the Russian International Academy for Tourism at the faculty of Cyclic Sports. I chose this rather narrow specialization because the knowledge I get there is closely related to what I do professionally. In April, we have both summer and winter exams, and the rest of the time we get distance education. It's very convenient because a lot of students are combining sports careers with their studies, or work and studies, and some are even getting two degrees simultaneously.

 

– You won 2 bronze and 1 gold medals at the Winter Universiade Krasnoyarsk 2019. What kind of impressions and emotions an athlete has after such victories?

 

– Taking part in the Games at home in front of your fellow citizens means double responsibility, and winning such competitions feels really special. When I win some medals, I'm overfilled with joy but at the same time, I realize how much effort and time I've invested in getting such a result.

 

– Which of the races seemed particularly challenging in Krasnoyarsk?

 

– I had to start off first in the relay race and be a sort of trailblazer for the rest. However, I did manage to break away from them by a safe margin, getting 2 seconds ahead of the Finnish skier and 40 seconds ahead of the third place. The first individual race wasn't too easy either because I had felt a bit unwell right before the competitions so I failed to fully prepare for the start.

 

– What can you say about your rivals at the Winter Universiade 2019?

 

– The Italians proved to be strong as usual. We often compete with them at World Cups where they perform really decently. Speaking of our traditional opponents, it's Norway. National teams of the Czech Republic and Finland are strong too.

 

– Do you think winter sports and skiing disciplines are currently on the rise?

 

– Yes, they are. It became especially evident after the Olympics in Korea where our athletes did quite well. Since then there has been a lot of attention around winter sports. I'm very happy that people who aren't related to sport in any way are taking more interest and keeping track of competitions because we do have athletes who demonstrate outstanding results.

 

– How would you estimate the Krasnoyarsk skiing course?

 

– The course is good and rather hard. The uphill runs aren't particularly steep but the quick downhill stretches give too little time to restore the energy. Running a long race on such a course will, first of all, challenge you as a professional athlete.

 

– What impressed you personally at the Winter Universiade 2019?

 

– The scale of it. It turned out to be a high-profile event, which is great because international sports competitions serve as a springboard for a lot of spheres of life. I really like the way the embankment had been improved in Krasnoyarsk. The Universiade Village gave me a feeling of comfort, it was secure and you could turn to volunteers about any kind of matter. I haven't experienced this sort of preparation and attitude pretty much anywhere.

 

– What are your plans for the future?

 

– I'd like to take a long-awaited break that is about to start soon. As for long-term plans, I want to make it to the Winter Olympic Games in 2022. I hope I'll manage.