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Two-time European weightlifting champion Olga KOROBKA: “I can’t imagine a husband who would carry me in his arms...”

At the recent World Championships in Thailand, the Ukrainian weightlifter took three bronze medals
Olya was born in Bobrovitsa, Chernigov region. He's been lifting weights since he was nine years old!

Many sports fans are skeptical about competitions where women compete in seemingly purely “male” sports: they thrash each other in the ring, engage in wrestling matches, lift weights, play football and hockey... They say that this is not feminine case. But such views seem to be a thing of the past... In April 2007, the world press reported that the Ukrainian team distinguished itself at the European Weightlifting Championships in Strasbourg, winning four gold medals. The real heroine was 21-year-old weightlifter Olga Korobka, who not only took three golds, but also set a new European record, which had stood for seven years. Olya was born in Bobrovitsa, Chernigov region. He's been lifting weights since he was nine years old! Now she, a two-time absolute champion and European record holder, is recognized as the strongest woman on the continent. Height - 185 centimeters, weight - 167 kilograms. And tell me, please, where, besides weightlifting, a woman with such an impressive build could shine so much? To talk with Olga, I went to the Olimpiyskaya training base in Konche-Zaspa, where the Ukrainian athlete was preparing for the World Championships. It was lunch. I looked into the dining room and immediately noticed her: she towered above everyone, like an iceberg in the ocean. To my surprise, I didn’t wait long, about 15 minutes. Olya came out after the meal peaceful and satisfied. Apparently the lunch was delicious.

“IF SOMETHING DOESN’T WORK OUT, I’LL TURN UP AND CRY. I TRY NOT TO SEE ANYONE"

— How was your day before lunch?

- Well, how? I can't say anything new. We have a monotonous sports life: every day you get up, do exercises, have breakfast - and go to the gym. Today there was one training session, it ended at 12 o'clock. At one o'clock we went for lunch...

-What did they treat you to?

— Red borscht with pampushki, buckwheat with krucheniki, cabbage salad and compote. I’m not picky when it comes to food, I don’t go overboard - I eat what they give me and as much as I want. I love everything! And when my mother cooks, I don’t order any special dishes. And I rarely have to cook myself.

— Why did you get up from the table so quickly?

— You get tired after training and want to quickly go to your room to sleep.

— Do you pass out immediately?

“On the contrary, sometimes you overtrain so much that you can’t sleep.” You just lie down and relax. You are thinking about something pleasant.

- For example?

— At the age of 17, I went to the World Championships for adults and became third. I couldn't believe I had a medal. It was so unexpected! And here, at the Olympic base, when I can’t sleep, I lie and imagine how I’m standing on the podium. The Ukrainian flag is raised and the anthem sounds. Everyone congratulates you, hugs you, kisses you.

-Who kisses first?

— Head coach Vasily Grigorievich Kulak, his assistants Alexander Vladimirovich Rykov and Yuri Pavlovich Kuchinov. All this passes before my eyes. I smile, happy, and gradually fall asleep.

— Don’t you get tired of training?

— Probably every athlete has moments when nothing is nice. You almost scream: “Leave me alone! I want to be alone!". You are tempted to pack your things and go home, but then you realize: there is no point in this. Plow so much and suddenly give up everything? After all, in a year - the Olympic Games in Beijing. This is a chance, and we must take advantage of it. And again you set yourself up to go forward and only forward!

- Does it bring you to tears?

“Sometimes, if something doesn’t work out, I turn away and cry.” I try not to let anyone see. It seems that if I complain, they won’t understand me. Although coach Vasily Grigorievich is a responsive person. If any problems arise, I can always take him aside to calmly “indulge” him. Once a month, on weekends, he lets me go to Bobrovitsa to visit my parents. I leave on Saturday and return on Sunday.

— Do you have your own apartment?

- One-room. In Chernigov. They gave it to me after the World Championships, where I took third place. Then, for the first time in my life, I received a monetary reward - about three thousand hryvnia. It was a lot of money for me. And they set my salary - about a thousand. This was already good, because there was no need to drag it out from the parents.

— What did you spend this money on?

“I used them to renovate the apartment and buy furniture.” What else did you buy? Oh, to be honest, I don’t remember anymore. And now sponsors from the sports club ISD (Industrial Union of Donbass) help me. I am very grateful to them.

- Who were you born so strong into?

— I took after my grandfather, my mother’s father. He was tall and well built. He loved us very much - me and his older brother, and always said with pride: “These are my grandchildren!” My birth weight was 4100 - more than my brother's, but this surprised no one.

— Why did you choose weightlifting?

— In our city, other sections simply did not work. There was a famous basement where European weightlifting champion Vita Rudenko, who is five years older than me, trained. Me and my friend came there and looked. It was interesting: how does this girl lift such weights? We approached the coach, he said: “Try it.” We started training, but my friend had already finished training, and I...

— Who was your first coach?

- Nikolai Nikolaevich Molchenko. He paid me more attention than others, rewarding me with candy if I lifted the most. I was still little, I wanted to go for a walk, run with other children... It happened that I missed training. Then he came to our house and told me to continue studying, that I had a future. He came up with all sorts of games to get people interested, he was great at this.

When I was in third grade, Nikolai Nikolaevich took me to my first competition in Nizhyn. There I lifted 17 kilograms in the clean and jerk, and 10 in the snatch. I received a bronze medal and a gift. At the age of 13 she fulfilled the standard of a master of sports, and at 14 she became an international master of sports. I was invited to the team.

— When did you start to stand out in height and weight among your peers?

- Since the eighth grade. When I graduated from school, I weighed 110 kilograms.

- Were you teased?

- Only at the beginning: “Oh, how healthy she is!” Everyone understood: if you seriously engage in weightlifting, you must have weight, you need to pump up your arms and legs. I was always in shape, I ran and jumped a lot - that is, it was not very noticeable that I was so fat. And now I don’t really care who looks at it or what they say. Sport is a part of my life, and I do it not only for myself, but also for my country.

— How do you endure grievances?

“It can be unpleasant, of course, but I’m quick-witted—I can’t hold a grudge for long.” If I see that a person smiles in your eyes, but he himself is hiding bad things against you, I try to distance myself from him and not have any contacts.

— Did your parents dissuade you from weightlifting?

“Mother didn’t object, but father didn’t live with us then.” He left the family when I was nine years old, but is now back with us.

- Have you and your mother forgiven him?

- But of course! Father is father. I believe that everyone makes mistakes in life, and we have no right to judge anyone. We must be able to forgive.

— When did you feel independent, independent from your parents?

— When the first money I earned appeared. Being with my mom and dad until I was 20 years old—I never experienced that. At the age of 14, I kind of left the family. Experience has appeared, thinking has become adult. I already understood that in life I had to fight for myself, try not to depend on anyone.

“FOR ME WEIGHTLIFTING IS LIGHTWEIGHTS. AND ATHLETICS IS WEIGHTFUL"

— What do you say to someone who is convinced that lifting weights is an unfeminine activity?

- It's OK! I think, for example, that trampolining is more suitable for women. And men jump too, and no one pays attention to it. Everyone has their own hobby.

— Are you probably tired of lifting iron all the time?

— For me, weightlifting is easy. You come up, once you pick it up - and that’s it, you rest. But athletics, in my opinion, is a very difficult sport. There you have to jump, run, take kilometers and all that stuff...

— When you come to your parents, do you have to lift weights?

- Now no one burdens me with housework at home, I do practically nothing. And as a child, I went to the village to dig potatoes and carried sacks. For me, a barbell of 50 kilograms is not weight. You just get comfortable with it and know the technique. But lifting a bag of sugar is already difficult - it’s awkward to grasp, although the weight is the same.

— Do bullies and molesters pass you by?

- Yes, I’m actually a calm, non-conflict person. And I have never encountered anything like this.

— Did the chairs break under you?

- Only once - in the Dominican Republic, where the World Championships took place last year. After the competition we went to the pool. There were plastic trestle chairs there. I lightly sat down on one, and my legs immediately spread out in all directions. There were athletes from different countries around, and I felt so uncomfortable...

- It happens to everyone! What was the most unpleasant thing in your life?

— Performance at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. I then took seventh place among 14 participants. For me it was a failure. I showed good results before the Olympics, and if I could repeat them, I would have a medal in my pocket. But nothing worked out for me. I was mentally unprepared.

I was 18 years old then. We arrived a week before the competition. It’s hot outside, your rivals are in front of your eyes. Great competition, great responsibility - you understand that everyone expects results from you. All this made itself felt. The very name of the Olympic Games was already overwhelming. I approached the barbell and didn’t know what to do with it. The coaches told me something, instructed me, but I almost didn’t hear them, their voices came from somewhere deep, although they were standing nearby. I was at a loss and forgot about the technique.

I was able to lift 167 kilograms in the clean and jerk and if I had lifted the weight, I would have brought bronze to the team. There was a pounding in my head: a goal had been set for me, they were counting on me. This also got in the way. The approach failed. She also received an injury. Very unpleasant memories! Mentally broken.

- For how long?

- Almost six months. It was terribly disappointing that, after working so hard in training, spending so much effort, I achieved nothing. Some two hours of competition - and everything went to dust! I lost the desire to train or do anything at all. I did not appear in the hall. I wanted to quit weightlifting altogether and find some kind of work for myself. All the time I delved into myself and realized: it was not the coaches who were to blame, but myself.

— What have you been doing all this time?

— I went to Alushta for two weeks. There was no feeling that I had rested. It’s very difficult to overcome myself, but I gathered my thoughts, thought and decided: I will persist, I will not give up! Before the New Year, I arrived at the base and started training. I started with 50 kilograms, gradually increasing the weight. I went to the World Junior Championships in Korea and won a gold medal there. This was encouraging. Everything gradually returned to normal. Now I’m preparing for the new Olympics, but I don’t want to reassure anyone. I'm just training.

— Do you have competitors in Europe?

- Not yet. My main rivals are Chinese, Korean, and American. At the world championships you try to use every approach, there is a one-on-one fight. And at the European Championships, after other athletes have finished the competition, you are already the first and do not make any special efforts to achieve a better result. If you didn’t lift the weight, don’t be upset.

— In China, where the Olympics will be held, the support for their athletes will be crazy...

— What do Chinese women take? Are they as big as you?

- I would not say. Their champion, weighing 110 kilograms, pushes 180. This is a mystery to me, I don’t know how this can be.

- Do you believe in omens?

- No, I'm baptized. There is a church not far from the base. Before big competitions, coach Vasily Grigorievich and I go there, light candles, and draw sacred water. Before going on the platform, I spray it on the weightlifting bars and on the shoes I’m wearing.

“WHEN I FINISH MY SPORTS CAREER, I WILL LOSE 50 KILOGRAMS”

— I wonder when you lift weights, don’t your chest get in the way?

“So we’re holding a barbell around our necks.” You might think that the chin gets in the way. But it’s all removed.

— Women have their own physiology. If “critical days” fall during competitions, how is this transferred?

“There is a doctor on the team who specifically monitors this and writes everything down. When we have a training cycle, he tells the coach who to reduce the load. And before the competition, you can take pills that lead to a delay or, conversely, to make it happen earlier. But I have no problems with this: as it is, so be it. When I take medicine, my back starts to hurt a lot.

— And this doesn’t affect your performances?

- I have no. But every athlete has her own body.

— Do you manage to find time for your personal life?

— If you are preparing for such important competitions as the Olympic Games, it is better not to be distracted by your personal life. All my energy goes into training. We don’t go to the city, we are constantly at the base. I love a quiet life, but I don’t like traveling. But it’s nice if you have free time and don’t have to prepare for anything, you can go to a disco with your friends. Still, sometimes I want to dance and unwind.

-Can you dance?

- Well, like everyone else... I don’t know how to rock and roll, nor can I waltz. Mostly modern rhythms, fast.

— And what nightclub can I see you in?

- At home, in Bobrovitsa. There is no disco here at the base.

— What drinks are allowed?

— Red wine, some cocktails. Beer - no, vodka - no. I try to look decent.

— What kind of music do you listen to?

- Various - chanson, Ukrainian, and foreign. I don't care.

— Can you highlight any of our singers?

— Do you like to go shopping?

- Yes. Especially in specialized ones, where I can choose something for myself. It's not that easy with my figure. It's very rare that something suits me. Mostly I buy things for myself in Kyiv, at the Bogatyr store on Lesi Ukrainka Boulevard.

— What dresses do you wear?

— I don’t wear dresses. I don’t have them in my wardrobe, and I don’t have any tops either. (laughs). There is only a skirt, and that one is from the uniform - sewn for the Olympics. I only wore it once, and never again. I only wear pantsuits, mostly sports ones.

— What if it’s a presentation?

- I'll put on my trousers.

— Do you go to the beach without hesitation?

“I used to be more shy, now I’m less shy.” In general, I like to gurgle in the water and swim far. When we were in Koktebel, the girls were surprised: “Olya, how can you swim so far?”

— How much weight can you lose if you want?

— 45-50 kilograms easily. After my failure at the Olympics, my weight began to drop sharply on its own; I lost six kilograms on my own, but I began to feel dizzy. Therefore, I do not advise you to suddenly lose weight. I don’t believe in pills or tea for weight loss. You need to run, go to the gym, exercise yourself physically so that the skin does not hang, in order to be toned. This is what I will do when I finish my sports career. In the meantime, I need my weight. If I start losing weight, my muscle mass will suffer.

- So, sports take up almost all your time, and you don’t even look at men...

- Why don’t I look? Our team has men's and women's teams. We communicate as friends, as brothers and sisters. I believe that this is how it should be. Helping each other.

- Does anyone have an intimate relationship?

- We don’t have that.

- Here you are watching TV, and on the screen the men are cool, successful, handsome... Is no one touching your feelings?

- Of course, there are people I like, but I don’t really... I just don’t bother myself with it.

— What should an ideal husband be like in your opinion?

- How he will look externally is not so important. The main thing is that he appreciates me and treats me normally. So that there is mutual understanding between us.

- And to cook and wash. After all, athletes have no time to do this?

- Yes Yes Yes! But it’s hard for me to imagine myself as a wife. If I have a family, I will have to give up weightlifting right away. We have athletes who give birth to children and then return to sports. And my opinion: if you already have a child, you need to be with him, and not travel around to training camps and competitions.

-Can you imagine a husband who would carry you in his arms?

- I can not (laughs).

-Will you wear it?

- And then what will he start to think about himself? (laughs)? No, a person cannot relax.

—Where do you study?

— In absentia — at the Lviv Agrarian University, I entered the second year. My future profession is land surveyor. Her trainer recommended her to me. We were invited there and we agreed. Of course, there is little time to study, but I still pick up my textbooks when I come home. You don’t always understand what you read, and there’s no one to explain it to. It's not easy to understand.

— Do you see yourself as a coach in the future?

“I wouldn’t want to be one, I think it’s very hard work.” But in life there are all sorts of upheavals, I won’t think ahead.

—What weather do you like?

— I love rain, especially thunderstorms when it starts to get dark. And in winter I like to watch the shaggy, fluffy snow falling against the background of the street lights. And you start thinking about the New Year. This is the only holiday for me that I can spend with my family: with my parents, with my brother, with his wife and niece. And so you even have to celebrate your birthdays at training camps and competitions. But I'm already used to it.

HEAD COACH VASILY GRIGORIEVICH KULAK: “OLYA DOESN’T FIT IN ONE SEAT ON THE PLANE, AND I LEAVE MINE TO HER”

— When I first saw Olya at the training camp, she was a fairly large girl (weighed 115 kilograms), and, frankly speaking, no one thought that she would become an outstanding world-class athlete. Her personal children's coach Nikolai Molchenko suggested working together, and we have been cooperating with him for more than five years.

Olya is the only athlete in the world who is not weighed. It usually weighs 160-167 kilograms, and the scales are designed for 150. There was such a case in the Dominican Republic. It was necessary to note how much it weighs, and without thinking, for some reason I wrote: 152. This information was spread everywhere. We're flying home. At the airport, the worried mother asks the first question: “What’s wrong with Olya? She left with a weight of 167, and now she has 152? She got sick?". I barely convinced her that this misunderstanding was my fault.

There is an inconvenience on the plane: Olga does not fit in one seat. Therefore, if all the seats are occupied, I give her mine, and I sit in the aisle on the floor, at her feet. Previously, she was embarrassed that everyone was paying attention to her figure, she felt discomfort, but now she has overcome this complex.

At competitions in Europe, where she is much ahead of her rivals, Olya does not want to give her all. There is a huge barbell in front of her, and she is perplexed: “Why should I go to it, since I’m already a champion?” We have to come up with some tricks. We cannot be complacent, because competition at the global level is very high. Thank God that we have such a strong athlete, and we hope that everything will be fine at the Beijing Olympics.

When she loses heart, I tell her: “Olya, if your mother sees you not lifting the barbell, won’t you be ashamed?” She is immediately transformed: Olya’s mother is sacred.

Participation of ZMS Valentina Popova in the World, European and Olympic Games.

87.5 kg 115 kg 202.5 kg up to 63 kg 100 kg 115 215 95 kg 117.5 kg 212.5 kg 105 kg 127.5 kg 232.5 kg 3 up to 63 kg 102.5 kg 125 kg 227.5 107.5 kg 127.5 kg 235 kg 115 kg 142.5 kg 257.5 kg up to 69 kg 112.5 kg 140 kg 252.5 kg up to 69 kg 115 kg 142.5 kg 257.5 kg up to 69 kg 110 kg 135 kg 245 kg 117.5 kg 140 kg 257.5 kg up to 75 kg 120 kg 145 kg 265 kg 117.5 kg 142.5 kg 260 kg

Year, Month	Competition	Place carrying out	Weight category	Jerk	Push	Sum biathlon	Place
1998 April	Europe championship	Riesa (Germany)	up to 63 kg	2
2002 November	World Championship	Lahti (Finland)	3
1999 April	Europe championship	A Coruña (Spain)	up to 63 kg	1
1999 November	World Championship	Piraeus(Greece)	up to 63 kg
2000 April	Europe championship	Sofia(Bulgaria)	1
2000 September	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia)	up to 63 kg	2
2001 April	Europe championship	Trencin (Slovakia)	up to 63 kg	105 kg	125	230	1
2001 November	World Championship	Antalya(Türkiye)	up to 69 kg	1
2002 April	Europe championship	Antalya(Türkiye)	1
2002 November	World Championship	Warsaw Poland)	2
2003 April	Europe championship	Lataki(Greece)	1
2003 November	World Championship	Vancouver (Canada)	up to 69 kg	3
2004 August	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece)	3
2005 April	Europe championship	Sofia (Bulgaria)	up to 75 kg	2

2001. September. Goodwill Games. Brisbane (Australia). Weight up to 69 kg.

The weightlifting competition in the weight category up to 69 kg ended in Brisbane with the triumph of Russian Valentina Popova. Popova set three world records - in each of the individual exercises and in the combined event, thus earning three gold medals and a monetary reward of 81 thousand dollars (25 thousand for each record and 2 thousand for each victory).

Popova set the record in the snatch (113.5 kg) in the second approach. Thus, she exceeded by one kilogram the achievement of Erzsebet Markus from Hungary, shown by her at the Olympics in Sydney. In the second exercise, the clean and jerk, Popova first successfully lifted 132.5 kg, which already ensured her victory in the sum of disciplines, and then asked to add another 11 kg.

“By that time I had already won. My goal was to set a world record, and I was not going to waste my energy,” Popova would later say.

Valentina conquered the 143.5 kg barbell on her first try. Thus, the record of the Chinese woman Sun Tianni, set in November 1999 in Athens, was surpassed by 0.5 kg. Having set her second record, Popova enthusiastically raised her hands and kissed the barbell.

According to Popova, she is now going to fight for victory at the World Championships, which will take place in November in Turkey.

Born on September 25, 1972 in the city of Bratsk, Irkutsk region. Graduated from the Voronezh State Institute of Physical Culture (1994).
Master of Sports in sports acrobatics (1990), Candidate Master of Sports in artistic gymnastics (1983), Honored Master of Sports in weightlifting (1999).
Winner of silver (Sidey 2000) and bronze (Athens 2004) Olympic medals, 4-time world champion, 15-time European champion, absolute world and European champion. She set 27 Russian records, 6 world records, 26 European records. Winner of the Goodwill Games (2001).

It was Popova who became the first world champion in the history of Russian women's barbell. In 2001, she was named the best weightlifter in the world and the best athlete in Russia. Three times recognized as the best weightlifter in Europe (2000-2003). For a number of years she was named the best athlete in the Voronezh region.
Since 1994, she played for VFSO Dynamo (Voronezh).
Major of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
She was awarded the Order of Friendship, the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 1st degree, and the medal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Valor in Service.

NO AWARD CEREMONY YET
CAN'T COST WITHOUT THE CHINESE

The result of the performance at the World Championships by the winner of the European championship in the 63 kg category, Valentina Popova from Voronezh, did not become a sensation - both Valentina’s personal trainer and husband Sergei, and the national team’s coaches were counting on a medal. The only thing that could not be predicted was what exact result would be needed to win. At the previous World Championships, 225 kg was enough for gold.

The first thing that caught your eye when the women began performing in group A was the many unsuccessful attempts, especially in the snatch: approximately 60 percent of attempts were defective. The representatives of China (the national records of weightlifters in this country in almost all categories overlap the world records), Taiwan and... India stood out favorably. For example, Karnam Malleswari had more than serious intentions of fighting for medals in both exercises, and therefore in the all-around. By the way, this athlete was brought to the platform by Olympic champion Leonid Taranenko.

Some of our coaches were afraid that Valentina Popova would “burn out” and would not be able to withstand the nervous anticipation. And at the same time they noted her very good shape.

Popova started with 100 kg in the snatch, although the entry protocol stated 95. The second attempt turned out to be spoiled: Valentina did not jerk the apparatus quite accurately, the bar followed an uncomfortable trajectory, and it was no longer possible to cope with it. But the third approach was successful again - 105.

Popova started the clean and jerk with 125. All three approaches were successful. The last one is 127.5 kg. Bronze.

“I started with artistic gymnastics,” Valentina said after the performance. — Then I went into acrobatics, performing in doubles. But either the partner gets sick, or gains weight, or personal plans diverge from training plans. In general, I left there too. In order not to lose physical shape, I began to slowly train in the gym with a barbell. And then my husband and I decided to work seriously. By the way, this happened after the birth of my daughter.

— I know that you are almost always at training camps and sometimes take your daughter with you. Does it make your work easier or, on the contrary, create problems?

- You can’t say that right away. Psychologically, it’s easier for me when my daughter is nearby. Thanks to Sergei, he completely frees me from everyday problems. I don't wash, I don't do any housework. I'm just training.

“Valya had a very hard time leaving the sport,” Sergei entered the conversation. “They simply took her partner away from her and sent her to junior competitions. This was in '93. The barbell became a pure hobby - one workout per day, no more than five per week. The results were also consistent. Well, after winning the Russian Championship-97, it was already a shame to retreat.

— What do you see as your wife’s strengths as an athlete?

— She is very stable psychologically. From start to start he gains experience and shape. Maintains weight normally. He trains at 66, and loses 3 extra kilos quite easily before the start - he “dries out”, practically without losing strength. In training, she quite confidently pushed 130 kg and pulled 110. But competitions are a completely different matter. Flights and climate change rarely pass without leaving a trace.

— Did Valentina often surprise you at competitions?

- I think no. She is very stable. And she always shows the result she is ready for. This is a very big advantage in our sport.

— What guided you when choosing tactics?

- Real opportunities. The first approach is 100 kg to ease the nerves, the second is reliable, the weight that Valya takes consistently. Alas, it didn’t work out a bit. But I'm still happy. Five successful attempts is a very good ratio.

- What are you more satisfied with - the place you occupied or the result?

- The result. We prepared very seriously. But I just couldn’t imagine that it would take such a crazy amount of money to win. I was almost sure that 232 kg would be enough. Of course, there has been a lot of progress in women’s weightlifting over the year. On the other hand, it’s not surprising, because next year is the Olympic year. So now let’s go home, rest, heal minor injuries and get back to work.

— Doesn’t such great physical activity spoil a woman’s character?

- Things happen. Sport means constant adrenaline in the blood and aggressiveness. Especially on the eve of the competition. Then I try to remain silent somewhere, to give in on something. What can you do, all weightlifters are explosive people. Even if they are women.

The battle for the opportunity to perform in Sydney was really serious in Athens. On the limit. By the way, according to the rules, no country will have the right to bring a full women’s team to Australia, even if it includes all the world champions and record holders. They say that this is the only way the International Weightlifting Federation sees a chance to prevent Chinese athletes from attacking the barbell, especially in the lightweight categories. What can you do if their phenomenal achievements in many sports are perceived by the public without much enthusiasm. In the meantime, we have to put up with the fact that not a single award ceremony has been held in Athens without representatives of this country.

POPOVA IS THE BEST IN SOFIA. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SYDNEY?

GOLDEN HOPE

Valentina Popova took her victory in Sofia with restraint. A year ago, her husband Sergei, who has been training his wife for many years, said: “Valya always shows the result she is ready for.” This is actually why, not seeing worthy rivals, on the day of the final the couple were calm to the point of indecency. Popova’s performance illustrated the concept of “one-goal game.” When, after the award ceremony, I asked the champion if she was tempted to break her own European records, Valentina shook her head negatively. “This is a stage of preparation for the Games in Sydney. No more".

According to Sergei’s preliminary calculations, an amount of about 245 kg should be enough to win the Games in the 63 kg category - Popova should achieve this result by September. If you use common sense, the conclusion suggests itself that there may not be a Chinese woman at this weight. In Sydney, only 4 weightlifters are allowed per country, but there are more favorites in other weights in China. Moreover, Meiying Xiong, who defeated Popova in Athens, never became the champion there, losing to Chen Yu Ling from Taiwan. And she is already old, much older than Valentina, and is unlikely to be able to add much to her world record (240.0). So Popova certainly has a chance to become the first Olympic champion in the history of barbells. But I can’t get out of my head another statement from Sergei in Athens, where his wife was third: “I simply could not imagine that such a crazy amount would be needed to win...”.

CHINESE BARS ARE CAST FROM GOLD

On September 19, Russian weightlifters opened their account of their Sydney medals. Valentina Popova won silver

They say that when establishing a quota for participating countries in the Olympic weightlifting tournament, according to which each nation has the right to present a maximum of 4 athletes at the Games, the leaders of the international federation were guided by one thing: to prevent the dominance of Chinese weightlifters on the platform. It’s better not to even try to imagine what would have happened if the Chinese had competed in all categories. It’s a fact: a foreign journalist will never be able to get into the Chinese Championship in his life. This event is closed. And it should be entertaining. If only because, according to experts, the country’s records in all weights are much higher than the world’s. Well, among the official world record holders, Chinese women appear in 15 out of 21 disciplines.

Valentina Popova was initially unlucky: in the 63 kg category, where the Russian European champion competes, she had to fight with the Chinese. And not at all with Chen Yanjin, whose name was in the first line of the world rankings, but with a completely different one, unknown even to specialists.

Attempts to find out something about her using the Olympic computer dossier were also unsuccessful: the printout showed only the name, date of birth, gender, height and weight of the athlete.

How can we not recall the second feature of the Chinese championships: nearly a hundred athletes in each category take part in them, and the density of results is such that any weightlifter from the top ten can enter international competitions. Then watch the game with one goal.

Despite this, last November at the World Championships in Athens, Popova and her husband and coach Sergei said: “We will fight for gold in Sydney.” Then Valentina remained third. According to Sergei, they simply miscalculated. We decided that a result of 232.5 kg would be quite enough for victory. We were preparing to show it, we carefully planned the initial weights and all the approaches. The implementation was also error-free - not a single puncture. But China's Meiying Xiong and Yu Ling Chen from Taiwan started their fight with heavier weights. And they successfully continued it when Popova no longer had any approaches left.

In Sydney, the European champion was already ready to compete with the Chinese Chen Xiaomin on equal terms. In training I pushed 145 kg - 5 kg more than the official world record. The weights in the snatch were also record high. However, yesterday things went a little wrong for her from the very beginning: Valentina failed to lift the barbell in the first approach by 102.5.

The President of the Russian Weightlifting Federation, ex-world champion Vyacheslav Klokov, hastened to reassure the journalists on the podium: they say that Popova tends to miss her first attempt and there is nothing tragic about it. As if confirming his words, the athlete rehabilitated herself by taking this weight, and then 107.5. But the chance to proceed to the second exercise with a higher result was still missed.

We probably shouldn’t blame anyone for the fact that silver did not become gold. In the end, all the coaches understood in their hearts that with a Chinese woman among the participants, second place was a more than worthy result. But there was still a possibility, albeit only theoretical, that the incredible would happen. This happened when the Chinese woman failed her second attempt in the clean and jerk - 135 kg. If the Russian woman had submitted to this weight, she would have taken the lead with equal amounts due to her own lower weight. And it is far from a fact that her opponent would not have flinched in the final
approach.

But it’s not for nothing that big sport denies the subjunctive mood: Valentina didn’t take the weight. Her final appearance on the platform did not bring her success either. Seeing this, Chen Xiaomin did not even bother to appear in public for the third time. The 242.2 kg gained was quite enough for triumph.

“You can’t jump above your head,” Sergei Popov said sadly, going out into the common room. “We are preparing in too unequal conditions.” Everything really went well in training. But we usually work with Valentina, whose weight is 68 - 69 kg. Before weighing, I had to lose 7 kg. So the strength is gone. So I simply have no right to blame my wife for anything.

On the way home from the press center through the Olympic Park at night, after all the evening’s natural failures in the pool and the ridiculous defeat of the women’s team in the gymnasium, I remembered how in 1992, in Olympic Barcelona, ​​one experienced photojournalist explained to his younger colleague: “It’s not that difficult to photograph man with a gold medal around his neck. These champions are a dime a dozen. Now, if he won in some incredible conditions or in some exotic sport, then it’s a different matter...”

I wonder what he would say now?

Valentina Popova:
AM I THE FIRST RUSSIAN WORLD CHAMPION IN THE BAR?
I CAN'T GET IT IN THE HEAD!

What is more significant - Olympic silver or World Championship gold? Most will not hesitate to choose the first award. And yet, sometimes the gold of world championships is more significant than any other awards. When it is the first. Not just for you. In general - for the country.

Popova seriously expected to fight for the championship title back in 1999, at the pre-Olympic world championship in Athens. I was sure that the result of 232.5 kg would be more than enough for victory. But this amount was only enough for bronze. Valentina also dreamed of the highest award in Olympic Sydney. And again she missed the chance, becoming a silver medalist.

And finally - victory! Moreover, with two world records, including a total of 257.5 kg. The 2001 world champion did not need to perform six approaches to the apparatus. Five was enough. Including in order to prove to the whole world: even in the hardest, non-female sport, you can win easily and beautifully.

We managed to get through to the hotel where the Russian weightlifters live only yesterday early in the morning. And I was immediately lucky: the husband and coach of the first Russian world champion, Sergei Popov, was at the reception desk. “Valya is feeding her daughter,” he said, responding to congratulations. “But in 15 minutes you can safely call our number.”

— At the previous World Championships, your wife competed in a lighter category. And she lost. Were you afraid that the competition in the 69 kg weight would be so high that you would not be able to fight for gold again?

“The transition, on the contrary, made our life much easier. Even at the Olympic Games, I noticed that the results of the winners in the 63 and 69 kg categories are quite comparable. And I thought: why torture yourself, gain weight (and in Sydney, Valentin had to lose seven kilos before the start), when you can simply move up one category higher. And I was sure that Valya would be the best in the new category.

— How did you start the season after the Games in Sydney?

“We didn’t get any rest.” Although the wife was not in the best moral state.

— Despite the Olympic silver medal?

“We don’t know how to be happy about second place.” Therefore, the result was perceived unambiguously - as a defeat. But oddly enough, this was precisely what became a powerful incentive to continue performing. In addition, we immediately received an invitation to the Goodwill Games, where we could earn good money. This, as you understand, in such a non-commercial form as a barbell, is important. Preparations for the performance in Brisbane began immediately.

- On the contrary, natural. This is exactly what we were preparing for. If I had seen that for some reason I couldn’t get into the required shape, I would have refused to perform altogether.

- What happened then?

“An emotional decline began, and it was not easy to overcome it. I even thought that we wouldn’t be able to get out of this hole by the start of the World Cup. But three weeks before the start, the results suddenly began to increase.

— While Valya was performing in the 63 kg category, did you, as a coach, follow what was happening in the heavier weight category?

- Certainly. I understood that only Chinese women could turn out to be dangerous rivals. The category, speaking between us, was not strong. Now I’m very glad that I managed to fulfill my plan. And the main thing is to gain confidence. I can officially declare: Valya has grown to such a level that she can break world records in every performance.

— What was the most difficult thing in Antalya?

— We performed as planned: the first approach in the snatch was 107.5 kg, then 112.5, despite the fact that everyone else finished the exercise at 110. Valya became the leader, but went for the third attempt. Set a world record - 115 kg. Considering that my wife was stronger in the clean and jerk than anyone else, it immediately became obvious that catching up with her was an impossible task. To do this, the Hungarian would have to lift 5 kg more, and Sveta Khabirova - 7.5. In the second exercise, Valya pushed 135 kg in the first attempt and then 142.5. Set a second world record - in total. We abandoned the third approach. If necessary, my wife, I’m sure, would have taken both 144 kg and 147. But there was no need to strain. We are not paid for records.

— Did you bring your daughter to Turkey as a talisman?

- Were forced to. She flatly refuses to stay home without us.

— Doesn’t the child create additional troubles during competitions?

— Valya takes this calmly. She is a real fighter. And if she’s ready to perform, it’s impossible to stop her.

... After finishing the conversation with Sergei, I dialed the number of the world champion.

— How difficult was it for you to decide to stay in the sport for another four years?

- Insanely hard. Saved by moving to another category. Before this, I always had to “dry” my muscles - lift weights before the start. After this it is difficult to perform. Especially in the clean and jerk, where strength is paramount. After a serious workout, your legs quickly “sit down”. As soon as I started competing in the 69 kg category, I immediately realized: this is my weight.

— Sergei claims that at the World Championships you were not worried at all. Is this really true?

“Psychologically, I was very well prepared for the performance. That’s why I didn’t think about my rivals at all. I carried out my own plan. This attitude helps me a lot. You have to keep so much in your head to achieve the intended result that there is simply no time left for worry.

— In weightlifting, it’s common to be afraid of Chinese women. How did you perceive them?

“I didn’t really manage to compete with them.” The Chinese weightlifters did not compete in Brisbane, although they came to Australia, and in Antalya the Chinese woman faltered - she received a zero in the first exercise.

— Why did you prepare for the championship separately from the national team?

— Spent too much time at training camp last season. We wanted to stay at home longer, and the head coach met us halfway. She received treatment at home after the Goodwill Games. There my back really bothered me - I have an old problem with my spine, and in Brisbane the injury made itself very noticeable. It was easier here.

— What were you thinking about before the final approach?

- In any case, not about the fact that I’m almost a champion, although Seryozha said that I won immediately after I lifted 135 kg in the clean and jerk in the first attempt. I was only thinking about whether I could push more than one hundred and forty. And I still haven’t realized that I won. Everyone asks: “Do you understand that you are the very first Russian world champion in the barbell?” But I don't understand. I can't wrap my head around it!

58 - Internal news page

Svetlana Ulyanova from Nizhny Tagil today became the champion of Russia in the category up to 53 kg...

10:14 16.02.2005

European champion 2003 in weightlifting in the category up to 48 kg Svetlana Ulyanova from Nizhny Tagil today became the champion of Russia in the category up to 53 kg.

As reported by the panel of judges at the championship, which takes place in Nevinnomyssk, Stavropol Territory, Ulyanova won with a double-event total of 185 kg /80 plus 105/. The title athlete competed against Marina Guzhevnikova from Kemerovo, who scored the same amount in the biathlon, but lost in her own weight, eventually becoming the silver medalist of the Russian Championship.

Won the bronze medal Regina Mavlyutova from Ufa - 170 kg /75 plus 95/.

At the 2003 European Championships in Greece, Ulyanova excelled in the up to 48 kg category with a result of 175 kg /75 plus 100/, and at the 2004 European Championships in Kiev this result was no longer enough - the Bulgarian weightlifter won gold Isabela Dragneva- 180 /82.5 plus 97.5/. The athlete's transition to the next weight category is most likely temporary - there is still time before the April 2005 European Championships in Bulgaria to “shed” the extra pounds.

In the lightest category for women, up to 48 kg, she won gold today Rogneta Kardanova/G. Tyrnauz, Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria/ - 147.5 kg /65 plus 82.5/, "silver" - Iraida Tsybareva/St. Petersburg/ - 137.5 /62.5 plus 75 kg/, "bronze" - Ilzara Minieva/G. Ufa, Republic of Bashkiria/ - 130 /55 plus 75/, ITAR-TASS reports.

Oksana Slivenko: “The IOC asked to return “silver” - in response I expect “gold”

Against the background of various disqualifications of our athletes, pressure from international authorities throughout Russian sports and a review of the results of the Sochi Games, the awarding of the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics to Oksana Slivenko looked like some kind of anomaly. The reward has not yet found our heroine, but all official papers have been received.

Thus, Slivenko became the first Olympic champion in the history of domestic weightlifting.

Let us remind you that the Court of Arbitration for Sports rejected the appeal of Liu Chunhong, who beat Oksana in the 2008 home Games for the Chinese woman in the category up to 69 kg. After rechecking doping tests, the International Olympic Committee canceled the results of a number of weightlifters who competed at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Slivenko’s rival, Liu Chunhong, also fell under sanctions.

Rumors and conversations began a year ago, says Oksana. - Litigation began with the Chinese woman. In the fall, I learned that Chunhong’s appeal was rejected, and a few weeks ago I received an official document conferring “gold” on me. I didn’t believe it until recently and I still can’t get used to this thought. To become an Olympic champion nine years after the Games is, of course, somewhat strange. I'll get used to it. Still, the “gold” of the Olympics is a huge bonus for me, giving me new opportunities in life.

“NEEDLES” HAPPENED

Let's fast forward nine years to Beijing. The memories are not the most pleasant: Chunhun won gold against you by a huge margin. Even a non-specialist could understand why, and many years later these guesses were confirmed.

Even from the application forms we realized that it would be difficult to fight. Of course, such a huge gap over me from the Chinese woman alarmed me; she broke all the world records. It is clear that this is a home Olympics for China and that they are using all their “needs” to win. But what can you do about it? She treated her “silver” calmly. The second one is the second one.

Was the “gold” of the Olympics just not enough for you to consider your sports career over? Still, three awards of the highest dignity at world championships, and at the Games - only “silver”.

Yes, it wasn't enough. But I always adhered to the position: everything is for the better. Yes, in 2008 I was left with silver, in 2012 I didn’t make it to the Olympics in London at all. That's how it happened. But who knows: maybe then I would not have encountered a new direction in sports for myself, CrossFit, thanks to which I am preparing to return to big-time weightlifting. True, due to the current disqualification of the Russian Weightlifting Federation (FTAR), I will postpone my official return to the platform for a year. The goal is to get into the team for the 2020 Games. I will continue to train, but I don’t see any point in performing during this year. Not at that age to waste energy left and right.

- What’s the point of coming back to you now? You are an Olympic champion, you can rest on your laurels.

Movement is life. It is better to achieve something, to strive for something, than to sit still and consider that life is already a success. I just won’t be able to go to work anymore. I like to train and prepare.

- What is the fate of your Olympic silver?

They asked to return it, the medal had already gone to the right address.

- How did you part with the sweat and blood you earned?

Actually, thoughts creeped in: what if they don’t give me a gold medal in return and I’ll be left without a medal at all? But the official papers reassured us. They promised that my medal would arrive in Russia in the near future. True, the timing was not specified.

- The news about the first ever Olympic champion in weightlifting was somehow casual.

Some media outlets tried to quickly find out some details from me before the official announcement. But she didn’t comment because she didn’t have any documents on hand. And then I don’t consider myself a media person.

- The new status of Olympic champion will oblige.

So, I'll get used to it.

- Be that as it may, you are the first Russian Olympic champion in weightlifting.

The sensations are certainly pleasant, although this is not felt in everyday life.

- You're being modest.

We are all humble in weightlifting. We are not football players.

BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Talk about the possible exclusion of weightlifting from the Olympic Games program cannot add optimism.

The fact of the matter is that due to the difficult situation in our sport, it is difficult to think ahead. Therefore, I will continue to train, but as for performing at the official level - not earlier than in a year. Although if it weren’t for FTAR’s disqualification, I would have competed at the next championship in Moscow, and then in Russia.

- Who is your coach now?

Evgeniy Bogachev, a qualified specialist who is constantly learning. I will say more: he is a much more advanced coach than many who continue to work the old fashioned way. He conducts constant analysis, collecting various data on the athlete’s condition, taking into account which further preparation is based. This is both interesting and effective. His workouts are much more varied than in the classical barbell school. There are many more training exercises with different weights. We use horizontal bars, dumbbells, weights, balls. And such training variety is better digested by the body: if I had continued to train according to the old programs, I would have finished with sports a long time ago.

- Is this system the future?

If I succeed, then I can say this in the affirmative. For now, let's call this an experiment, a new vision of the training process in weightlifting. But I am sure that for many athletes this will be a kind of breath of fresh air.

You are now not only an active athlete and Olympic champion, but also an official. What did you manage to do as president of the Russian Multifunctional All-Around Federation?

This year is very significant for us: our direction was included in the official register of sports signed by the Minister of Sports Pavel Kolobkov. This is a big deal, because now we can hold the official national championship. Now we will be able to develop more effectively and find support in the regions. We are actively working on a documentary base so that people understand the rules, the procedure for assigning ranks, and training methods.

NEW FORMAT

- You are now the face of CrossFit, which is rapidly gaining momentum in popularity among young people.

I thank fate for giving me the chance to work with interesting people and look at sports differently. A new approach to training allowed me to “reboot” and learn how to practice using new methods. Which, at the same time, does not at all interfere with continuing training in the classic barbell, but, on the contrary, allows you to get into optimal shape and realize hidden reserves. At the same time, I no longer spend months at training camps, but lead an active, varied life, meet new people, and learn something new from them. I had much more freedom, I was liberated psychologically, which could not but affect my physical condition.

- What does your typical day look like?

I combine my main job with training. Considering that I now hold the position of President of the Russian Multifunctional All-Around Federation, the schedule is quite tough. You have to do a lot of paperwork and find time for your own training. In addition, I am on the CrossFit club team, with whom I do weightlifting.

I get up early and go to my first training session. Then I spend 3-4 hours in the office with papers. Then the second training session. All this year we have spent a lot of time working on the rules of CrossFit so that they are understandable to people and meet the standards of the Russian Ministry of Sports.

- So how many exercises are there in a multifunctional all-around?

More than thirty. Due to their huge number, it was not easy to explain to the Ministry of Sports how points were awarded and the winner was determined. The competition can last two days, and a winner is determined in each individual set of exercises. The system is not easy to understand, but we managed to convince high officials to recognize our sport.

- And what are the prospects for crossfit now?

Even the ministry did not understand why we were so persistent in seeking recognition. They said: you are doing well anyway. But for people who have been in sports for a long time, it is important to receive officially approved titles and ranks. Thanks to the new status, it has become easier to communicate with local authorities in the regions and negotiate competitions. And without this recognition, we were often treated as “Jolly Starts”. Now it’s easier to find a common language with everyone. This is important both for communication with potential sponsors and for the development of children's crossfit. After all, already accomplished athletes from the same athletics come to our sport. But it would be more correct to educate and instill a love for CrossFit from childhood.

- What sports do you usually come from to multifunctional all-around?

From track and field athletics, wrestling. CrossFit also gives a chance to realize the ambitions of a person who seems to have reached his ceiling, but does not want to leave the sport. In CrossFit, you don’t have to be the best in any one discipline. On the contrary, it is much more profitable to be moderately strong in everything. Then the chances of a final victory are much greater. You continue to improve in different directions, constantly improve your physical development and thereby extend your sports life.

- But you haven’t forgotten about weightlifting, despite your new hobby?

I always kept my shape at a certain level, especially without losing it and didn’t take long breaks. So the idea came up to return to weightlifting for real. The idea arose spontaneously, and was inspired by Sergei Eremin. I thought: why not try? If we think globally, then the Olympics are still three years away. There is time to prepare. Yes, this is exactly my goal: to get to the Olympics, otherwise it would simply be uninteresting. Nobody has done this before, it’s a kind of experiment: “reboot” through another sport - CrossFit, find these hidden reserves and come back. By the way, our heavyweight Alexey Lovchev is now trying to do the same. I know that he is now trying to take a lot of things into his training process from CrossFit. In general, we are preparing in a new format for ourselves.

FROM THE MK DOSSIER

Oksana Slivenko was born on December 20, 1986. Honored Master of Sports of Russia. Olympic champion (2008), three-time world champion. President of the Federation of Multifunctional All-Arounds.