In the sports world, the name of biathlete Anna Bogaliy is known to everyone. And no wonder, because she is a multiple Olympic champion and master of sports. During her sports biography, Anna Bogaliy has repeatedly proven that sport is truly her life. However, like any woman, she always put family at the forefront, believing that nothing in life could be more important than family and children. Naturally, a woman with such a position in life cannot be lonely. Anna Bogaliy's husband Andrey Levunin— support and support for the athlete in such an important endeavor as the education of a young generation of athletes.
In the photo - Anna Bogaliy and Andrey Levunin
In the biography of Anna Bogaliy, this is not the first marriage. A few years ago, in 2012, the main man in the athlete’s life was her military husband Maxim Titovets. It seemed that their marriage was serious and forever. He became the first man not from the world of sports to win the heart of a biathlete. Having overcome his shyness, the man began to beautifully look after his beloved girl, presenting her with flowers and sending romantic SMS. The newlyweds had a beautiful wedding twice - in Novosibirsk and in Murmansk, the hometown of the newly-made husband. Family everyday life followed. Anna Bogaliy said in an interview that every morning she happily got up to cook breakfast for her beloved husband. Together they often went skiing or biking.
In the photo - Anna Bogaliy and her first husband Maxim Titovets
Even frequent separations associated with training camps, training and competitions were not a threat to their cloudless happiness, since there are such means of communication as mobile phones and the Internet. In 2009, Anna Bogaliy became the mother of a beautiful son, Maksimka. The athlete recovered unusually quickly after childbirth and returned to biathlon. And in 2012, she suddenly announced that she was going to end her career in order to pay more attention to her family and son. In the same year, for unknown reasons, the marriage of Anna Bogaliy and Maxim Titovets broke up.
In the photo - Anna Bogaliy with her son
The biathlete's new husband is a businessman. However, by the nature of his activity (he is the director of a chain of stores selling ski equipment), Andrei Levunin is closely connected with sports. The couple met two and a half years ago at the Anna Bogaliy Cup children's biathlon competition. Working together on this and similar sporting events seems to have brought them closer together. Seven months after the start of a romantic relationship, Anna Bogaliy and her chosen one decided to get married. Since this event in their lives is exclusively personal, the couple decided to spend this day the way they both liked. Instead of a magnificent celebration and tiring photo shoots, the athlete and her husband Andrei Levunin actively relaxed on Lake Onega - they fished, cooked fish soup, and also visited the island of Kizhi. By the way, the 36-year-old biathlete always dreamed of having three children. Perhaps soon there will be news in the press that there will be an addition to the family.
Russian biathlete, Honored Master of Sports of Russia, two-time Olympic champion in the relay (2006, 2010), Anna Ivanovna Bogaliy born on June 12, 1979 in the village of Vozhega, Vologda region. She graduated from two higher educational institutions: the Lesgaft State Academy of Physical Culture in St. Petersburg with a degree in physical education and sports, and the Siberian State University of Transport in Novosibirsk with a degree in economics and enterprise management.
Little Anya was introduced to skiing in kindergarten. The girl really enjoyed riding, and on winter evenings she happily “drove” around the yard. Anna got into biathlon thanks to a classmate with whom she went to sign up for the section together. As Anna herself says: “Many girls from the class studied with me in the section, but they somehow came, and then, after working out a little, they left.” But she stayed. She started biathlon at the age of 12, in February 1991. The junior age was very fruitful: gold in the team race at the 1998 Youth World Championships in Minsk and silver in the relay at the 1999 World Championships; At the end of the 1999/2000 season, having won the Russian Cup, she joined the adult national team.
First coach V.S. Shchukin. The first international start was the 2000/2001 season. Participant in three Winter Olympic Games: Salt Lake City (USA) 2002, Turin (Italy) 2006, Vancouver (Canada) 2010. She prepared for her three Olympics under the guidance of the Honored Trainer of Russia Valery Nikolaevich Polkhovsky. Two-time Olympic champion in relay, three-time World Champion, silver and bronze medalist of the World Championships. Most of all, Anna likes the routes with a lot of climbs, difficult distances, where you need to work throughout the entire race. Favorite places are Anholz (Italy), Oberhof (Germany), Osrbli (Slovakia). In Russia, favorite racing places are Murmansk, Novosibirsk, Tyumen.
From 5 to 25 years old she lived in the city of Murmansk. On September 9, 2004, Anna got married. The wedding took place during a training camp in Novosibirsk, where her husband Maxim Titovets is from. The whole team walked at the wedding, and Olga Zaitseva was the witness. My son Maxim is 5 years old.
When Anna came to biathlon, her idol was Elena Golovina, winner of the 1989 World Cup, ten-time world champion. What he values in people, above all, is the ability to go to the end, despite any difficulties. Hobbies and interests: reading, music, embroidery, dancing. Loves various cereals (except semolina), especially buckwheat dishes. Favorite fruits are watermelon and apples.
I like water with lemon and honey. Favorite music: Spleen, Picnic, DJ Tiesto, BI-2, ATV, Nautilus, as well as calm melodic music, including Enigma. Favorite book is “Two Captains” by V. Kaverin. Favorite skis from the Fisher brand.
She finished her biathlon career in August 2012, at the age of 33. Currently lives in the city of Novosibirsk.
Sports club – Lokomotiv. Conducted 179 races in World Cups. She was awarded the Order of Friendship and the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd degree. In 2012, the name of Anna Bogaliy-Titovets was given to a children's and youth sports school in her home village of Vozhega.
Two-time Olympic champion, three-time world champion in biathlon Russian Anna Bogaliy-Titovets.
Russian biathlete, two-time Olympic champion, Honored Master of Sports of Russia Anna Ivanovna Bogaliy-Titovets was born on June 12, 1979 in the village of Vozhega, Vologda Region.
Graduated from the St. Petersburg State Academy of Physical Culture named after. P. F. Lesgaft (now the National State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Health named after P. F. Lesgaft), specialist in physical culture and sports.
She began participating in biathlon in 1991. He plays for the Lokomotiv club (West Siberian Railway) and the city of Novosibirsk.
In 1998, Anna Bogaliy won a bronze medal in the individual race and a gold medal in the relay at the European Youth Championships in Minsk, as well as a gold medal in the team race at the World Junior Championships. A year later, the biathlete added several more medals of various denominations to her collection, won at the continental and world championships among juniors.
In the 1999/2000 season, Bogaliy won the Russian Cup and won the right to play for the main team at the World Cup stages.
In 2000, she joined the Russian women's biathlon team.
In the first season of 2000/2001, Anna became a world champion, winning a gold medal as part of the relay team at the World Championships in Pokljuka (Slovenia).
In the 2001/2002 season she made her debut in the World Cup.
The 2003/2004 season turned out to be the most successful for Bogali. At the World Championships in Oberhof, Germany, Anna won two silver medals (in the relay and sprint) and one bronze medal (in the individual race) and finished the season in fifth place in the overall standings.
In the 2004/2005 season, several more World Championship medals appeared in the Russian biathlete's treasury - at competitions in Hochfilzen (Austria), the Russians won gold in the relay race, and in Khanty-Mansiysk, the mixed Russian team, for which Anna ran, came second.
At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin (Italy), Anna Bogaliy-Titovets won a gold medal in the relay.
After the 2007 World Championships, the athlete did not compete at the World Cup stages. I missed the 2008/2009 season due to the birth of a child.
In May 2009, Anna Bogaliy-Titovets decided to return to professional sports and compete for a place in the Russian team at the Olympics in Vancouver (Canada).
At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics as part of the women's relay team.
Personal achievements
Participant in three Olympic Games - 2002 in Salt Lake City, 2006 in Turin and 2010 in Vancouver. Two-time Olympic champion in relay (2006, 2010).
Participant in eight world championships (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 (Hochfilzen), 2005 (Khanty-Mansiysk), 2006, 2007, 2011). Three-time world champion - in the relay (2001, 2005) and mixed relay (2006), silver medalist in the sprint (2004), relay (2004), mixed relay (2005), bronze medalist in the pursuit (2004).
Participant in two European Championships - 2003 in Forni Avoltri (Italy) and 2005 in Novosibirsk (Russia). Two-time European champion in relay (2003, 2005).
The best result in the overall World Cup standings was fifth place (2003/2004), in the individual race standings she was second (2003/2004) and third (2002/2003), and second in the mass start standings (2003/2004).
Champion of Russia 2010 in the relay race as part of the team of the Siberian Federal District. At the 2011 Russian Championships in the Tyumen region, she won silver in the mass start and bronze in the sprint. At the Russian Summer Biathlon Championships 2011 in Ufa, she became the champion of Russia in the pursuit and relay race, silver medalist in the sprint and mass start.
In 2012, the name of Anna Bogaliy-Titovets was given to a children's and youth sports school in her home village of Vozhega.
Anna Bogaliy-Titovets is married; on February 12, 2009, Anna and her husband Maxim Titovets had a son, Maxim.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
My ancestral place is the village of Antsiferovskaya (about 30 km from the village of Vozhega, Vologda region); my grandmother was born there, and my mother was born directly in the village, which is about 200 km from Vologda towards Arkhangelsk. I was born on June 12, 1979, also in this village. I try to come there as often as possible.
Until she was 5 years old, she lived there with her grandparents. We can say that the whole family, all relatives participated in my upbringing!
Later, when we moved from the Vologda region for family reasons, I constantly spent the whole summer there. My parents divorced when I was one and a half years old, so I don’t know my dad and have never communicated.
From 1984 until September 2004 I lived in the glorious city of Murmansk. In 1985, my mother got married and we started a real family! I got a dad, and my mom and I have a man and a support in the family. I don’t know the word stepfather! I am very lucky to have such a Dad now! I am very grateful to my parents for my upbringing.
In September 1987, brother Roman was born, and by that time I had entered second grade. Now my parents live in Murmansk and work. Ordinary people were involved in sports only at school. My mother had a 3rd adult level in skiing. That is, I don’t have sports roots in my family.
My brother is now graduating from college and is a 2nd category mechanic; he plans to continue studying auto mechanics. He worked with his dad from an early age on European-quality renovation of offices and apartments. Now he still goes to the gym to “swing”. Since childhood, he went to Dolina Uyuta with me to train (in the biathlon section), and now he skis for his own pleasure. You can say - for yourself, for general development.
- How were your school years? Was there a ski section at your school?
In my early school years (up to 6th grade), I was interested in everything. I went to various sections and clubs: dancing, macrame, chess, zoological. I was interested and fascinated by everything! But it turned out that all the hobbies were superficial and did not last long.
I was introduced to skiing in kindergarten during physical education classes, and then at school. I really enjoyed riding, and on winter evenings I would “drive” in the yard by myself, alone. I loved it!!! My dad bought me the first semi-plastic skis in a store after a well-finished six months. There was no ski section at the secondary school, and I lived 10 minutes from Dolina Uyuta.
I studied quite well. Of the subjects, I loved algebra, geometry, geography, biology, etc. In my opinion, it’s easier to write what I didn’t like. Russian and French were not so easy for me - I didn’t like them, but everything else was terribly interesting to me! I loved studying! When I went to competitions in high school, I missed 1-2 weeks, sometimes even three. But when I returned, I quickly caught up with the entire school curriculum.
- How did you come to biathlon?
On February 21, 1991, I came to the Biathlon section for the first time to see coach Vladimir Semenovich Shchukin. A classmate brought me. She told us at school: “Girls! My mother has a friend at work, and he invites everyone to the “Valley of Comfort” to the biathlon section. If you want, let’s go tomorrow and have a look.” At home I told my mother about this. She answered me that you wanted to sign up for cross-country skiing (since I liked skiing, I was thinking about signing up for the section), and then suddenly for biathlon. But if you are interested, then try it! Mom said so, apparently, she thought that I would soon get tired of it too. But I really liked it right away. And I spent the whole holiday in the “Valley” from morning to evening! Just in March, the “Festival of the North” takes place - it’s so cool and interesting, and besides, the weather is sunny with a slight frost - just how I like it! It was probably at that time that I fell so hopelessly in love with our Murmansk “Valley” and skiing!!! After all, children's biathlon is the same as cross-country skiing, with the only difference being that we shot once a week. But little by little - 10-15 shots (from a box in a shooting range). We walked a lot and skied. We just walked, because at 11 years old you don’t need any other preparation - the main thing is that you like it!
Now I understand what I was missing. Since I'm a Gemini, I constantly need movement, and I really loved being outdoors! Whenever possible, I ran to training. She could come at 9 am, drive 5 km, and run to school, when there were no 2-3 lessons in the morning and she had to go to school by 10 o’clock. And then she went, like everyone else, to go for a drive after lunch, it was different... They shot from a box in the younger age group at a large target, like on a stand. I did very well.
Further, in the middle group, where they already shoot from a prone position and at a small target, and shooting from a “standing” position is introduced, successes in shooting were variable. At this time, as a rule, everyone shoots quite unstable. She was a pretty good skier and managed to win back her fine. I think I just had a predisposition for skiing, but just a predisposition. Everything else is training and more training! Hard work, the desire to be the first, the best. Win! From the class, many girls studied with me in the section, but they somehow came, and then, after studying a little, they left.
I studied with Vladimir Semenovich Shchukin until March 10, 1993. Since he was retiring, all the girls who trained with me were thinking about which coach to go and train with next. I went to Pyotr Alexandrovich Podshivalov. I trained with him until September of this year. It was he who prepared me as an athlete, raised me, and educated me! There was no special talent, so that everything would be easy for me.
- What were the first biathlon competitions like? How many girls did biathlon back then?
My first competition was summer biathlon. I ran it in September along the ski slope in the “Valley of Comfort”. In “Dolina” there is also a roller ski track approximately 2-2.5 km long, it runs in the area of the “69 - Parallel” hotel and the press center, but then we ran with our feet. In our middle group there was a lot of competition, since there were many talented girls, I didn’t even get any prizes.
- When did you feel that you could fight and win?
I don’t remember exactly the first victory. I know that it was at home, in Murmansk, when I took places in the top three at regional and city competitions, when I studied for the last year in the junior group in 1992-1993. I shared third place there with one girl, we showed the same result.
Judging by TV, it seemed to me that you somehow got into the national team suddenly or am I mistaken? Did you join the main team much earlier than Olga Zaitseva?
You are wrong. I've come a long way. At first she was on the national team of the Murmansk region, then she joined the junior team, where she spent two years. These are 97-98 and 98-99. In December 1997 - January 1998, I performed well in the qualifying competitions (I completed the Master of Sports) and was included in the team to participate in the European Championships in Minsk and the World Championships in America. The first serious medals were won there. At Europe: bronze in the individual race and gold in the relay. At the World - gold in the team race (by the way - it was the last in history).
The following year I was selected number 1 for the team. At Europe in Izhevsk, I was also 3rd in the individual race, and we were second in the relay. At the World (in Pokljuka, Slovenia) there were 2 in the relay. I was very proud that I compete for Russia (in the junior team), since I think that we have the best country!!! So all the first impressions of playing for the team are only positive. I clearly felt a huge responsibility and was worried about how I would perform.
My first year with the main group (women) went pretty well. At the end of the 1999-2000 season, I won the Russian Cup and joined the national team. I completed the MSMC at the World Cup stages in December 2000. We took 3rd place in the relay race. I was given ZMS for gold at the World Championships in 2001.
By the way, MSMK and ZMS were presented to me together at the closing of the “Festival of the North” in March 2002. I got into the main team about a season earlier than Olga Zaitseva, although she was already in training before me. Apparently I shot Olga a little better then.
- Do athletes have additional responsibilities in the team, something from a series of social loads?
Somehow it happened by itself that I began to organize gifts for birthdays - I collect money and buy a gift and everything like that. At first there were three of us, but somehow I approached everything more responsibly, and everything transferred to me.
Many people have the impression that at the 2002 Olympic Games many good biathletes were not able to fully express themselves. What are your impressions of these competitions?
There were only unpleasant impressions left from the Olympics! As for racing, it was terribly hard to run. So, in general, from the attitude, from everything. I don’t even know how to describe it more precisely.
The Olympics are like a fairy tale that you have believed in since childhood. And after the Olympics, all dreams were shattered, that fairy tale was gone... A fairy tale in which the Olympics is a fair fight and the dream of every boy and girl! Where sport rules, and sport is EVERYTHING!!!
Let's talk about your rifles. When you started doing biathlon, were you immediately given a rifle? What kind of rifle do you have now, are you happy with everything about it?
We had a group of about twenty girls, and the coaches had about 10 rifles. About six months later, I was assigned an Izhevsk BI-6 rifle. Then I got a BI-7-2 rifle, and now a BI-7-4 with an Anschutz barrel, a kind of hybrid. This year it is planned to buy me a complete Anschutz. The geometry of the current stock suits me; I’ve been running with it for four seasons now, only building up the handle.
- How do you like the new relay rule about the optional laying out of additional cartridges?
Olga and I bought a special holder for six cartridges in Ruhpolding and use it both in training and in racing. I love. This season I ran three relay races when I didn’t take any extra ammunition with me at all.
It is known that there are many athletes who can shoot cleanly faster than 20 seconds. Do you have a personal record for shooting time?
In our sport, records are not set. If fast and clean shooting is at competitions, then I understand that. In general, we have such pioneers who shoot for seventeen seconds. When I win a race, I usually shoot not very fast and not very slow, just average in time.
If you look at the shooting statistics, our team has a slightly longer shooting time than some teams. What could this be connected with?
Perhaps we started working on the rate of fire a little late. Then it also depends on weather conditions, it’s all individual. The total mass works at the turn of 30-35 seconds. Sometimes the time reaches a minute and there is a feeling that you need to run.
- Do you do a lot of pure shooting exercises?
In June, we spend about 1.5 hours shooting in the morning during training, work a lot in the evening while idle and use the computer. Basic training takes place in the morning, then usually there is a 1.5-2 hour training session on roller skates. It turns out that we train all day.
- Where did you receive your higher education?
Until the 3rd year I studied at the St. Petersburg branch of the State Academy of Physical Culture named after. Lesgafta in the city of Monchegorsk (130 km from Murmansk). There we passed the sessions until the first half of the 3rd year, and then our entire branch was transferred to St. Petersburg. And in the spring I transferred to the correspondence faculty.
I remember how I wrote one coursework between training sessions at the skating rink in Kirovsk. It was like this: after exercise and breakfast before training, then after the second training and until lights out, I wrote everything. My friend Olya Kudryashova lived in the room with me, and she and I also studied together. So they each wrote their own work. And on the day off, the coach took us to the institute (100 km away) so that the teacher could look at it, give instructions on the progress of work, or allow us to type. In 2004, I received a diploma of higher education from St. Petersburg State Academy of Physical Culture named after. Lesgaft with a degree in Physical Culture and Sports.
- I heard that you entered the university. When do you have time to start your second education?
In September 2004, I entered the Faculty of Economics and Enterprise Management at the Siberian State University of Transport. I went to university in October, when I lived in Novosibirsk. Unfortunately, I have temporarily suspended my studies due to a heavy workload. Even while I was in Novosibirsk now, I had to do completely different things, I changed my last name. Since last week, I now have a double surname - Bogaliy-Titovets. Now I'm busy changing all the documents. I need to change permissions, send new data to the IBU.
- Why did you choose economics as your second degree? What are your plans for the future?
In connection with the move to my husband in Novosibirsk, my personal trainer and the club for which I play have changed. Now I am coached by Alexander Petrovich Nikiforov, Lokomotiv club (until the end of 2004 I played for the Dynamo club). Perhaps I will somehow be connected with him in the future. Maybe I will work on the railway, or perhaps I will be involved in sports. Maxim told me that as long as you like it, run. As soon as I get tired of it, I'll stop. I believe that you can always make money, you just need to want it and do what you love.
- Are you satisfied with the current financial situation?
Our team is fully provided for. Everything is fine. Now they don’t tell me to go to the Governor to ask for money for training and weapons.
- Will you run a marathon at the “Festival of the North”?
I won't run, I'll go. I will go with my husband one lap. The fact is that the day before the marathon I will be attending my wedding anniversary. After this, it will be problematic to complete the entire marathon.
- There is a phrase that if we are putting on a number, then we need to get there. Do you agree?
This is my principle at biathlon competitions. I never started just like that. If I went to the start, I fought. The only time I got off was in Izhevsk in 2000. It was severely frosty then, and my rifle barrel couldn’t hold it. I had a very large fine and the coaches told me to go. This was even 100m before the finish.
Very often, many people are interested in the situation in which people meet and families are created. Can you tell us about your meeting with Maxim?
I met Maxim in July 2003 at a training camp in Novosibirsk. Or rather, he saw me when I was training at the biathlon complex. I decided to come and meet you. He was very worried, shy, but he came over! We exchanged phone numbers. A few days later he arrived for a control training. We ran on roller skis. Then he took me to the airport. And until June of this year we did not see each other, but corresponded on the Internet. He wrote me amazing letters!!! It was so great to read them when you are away from home. He also supported me by SMS, regardless of whether my run was bad or good, Max always sent me something optimistic! But he wasn't pushy.
We met on June 7, 2004, when we arrived at the training camp in Novosibirsk. And we can say that he simply won me over... He gave me a real birthday!!! It was so great! I came from the first training session, and a surprise was waiting for me in the room. There were 25 red roses on the table and the whole room was covered in balloons and there was a teddy bear sitting on my bed with a heart shaped card with the number 25 on it! Then, every evening I came up with something interesting and exciting. So 2 weeks passed in June. I found it very interesting and incredibly easy to work with him. It feels like we've known each other all our lives. We had a lot in common, although we were doing different things “in life.”
Arriving home in Murmansk in June, I felt that I terribly missed communication with Maxim and on the same day when we called each other, I invited him - “Come visit me at the end of August, when I return from Bulgaria from the training camp.” ! He was able to change the timing of his vacation and even for my sake traveled 5 days on a train to experience all the charm of the road to the North. He just wanted to experience it.
All these 2 months before our meeting, we corresponded, called each other - in general, we were constantly “in touch” and got to know each other. We were in Murmansk for a week. Everything was great! Max really liked Murmansk and the polar nature. The next training camp we were supposed to be in Novosibirsk. We flew there together.
- When did you get married? How did everything go?
Everything somehow happened by itself and in Murmansk, before leaving, he proposed to me. But I didn’t give my consent the first time! ;-))). “Yes” I said already in Novosibirsk. It was September 2, 2004. This is how we first shocked my parents by calling them. After which we went to Maxim’s mother and told her this news. Just before lights out we arrived at the biathlon complex and told “Bunny” about this, that is, Olga Zaitseva. I asked her to be my witness. I had to persuade her, because she got scared and started saying that she couldn’t handle it. Then there was a crazy week of preparation for the wedding. After all, I was training, we were having a serious training camp.
Everything was great! Cool, wonderful and simply wonderful! Our parents became very good friends and now call each other regularly. Roman also became friends with Maxim. Yes! The story is just like a fairy tale, Max is a wonderful person! I'm glad we have a family! For me, FAMILY is everything!!! This is sacred, this is what is worth living for! This is how the “Novosibirsk Novel” turned out. The wedding was very fun. The whole team was there. The ransom began at 10 am and lasted 1 hour 10 minutes! The girls really tormented Max before registration!
Then we rode in a white limousine around the city. The weather was wonderful and sunny. At the restaurant, the toastmaster involved the entire team and other guests. Everyone took part in various competitions. The time from 16 to 23 flew by!
- Let's talk about your ski equipment. How did you end up using Rossignol?
Initially, like most, I was on Fischer skis. Now this bar is shaking. At a certain point, the Fischer brand stopped suiting me, I stopped feeling the performance of the skis. Thanks to Valery Nikolaevich Polkhovsky, they began to promote other brands of skis. Athletes began to try different skis and take what they liked. When there is a monopoly, nothing good comes of it. We were supplied with ski shafts, and as a rule, everyone got almost the same ones.
- Why is information about the quality of skis usually at the level of rumors?
Athletes enter into a contract, it clearly states that you cannot publicly criticize the brand. If problems arise, they need to be resolved with a company representative on site. When something doesn’t suit me, I resolve all issues with servicemen and representatives. Why should I save up unnecessary skis, they need to be replaced immediately.
- How many pairs of skis do you have now? Are there classic skis?
This year I didn't even count. Now there is a constant updating of collections and models. I have about 15-17 pairs in stock, I don’t know exactly. All these skis go with me to competitions. Usually they are on the wall in the service room, I go up to the servicers and tell them which skis I need to prepare for the start. I brought two fighting pairs to Murmansk. All my skis are good, they don’t cost anything. I use all models F1, F2, F3, as well as S1 and S2, skis from different seasons. Ski sizes are 178 and 182. The S series is a new model of skis this year, they have a different last, so they are slightly different in handling and operation. They give me classic skis, and Pyleva has them too. We skate classics during the preparatory period and between starts. I usually skate with Olga Zaitseva, she is my classics coach (just kidding).
Some new skis have the NIS binding system. Have you tried changing the balance, is there any effect? Who prepares and rolls the skis?
I don't usually do this. Usually a service group works with the skis; they help roll the skis before the start. They tell us to try this or that option. Now I roll back the base (2-3 pairs), and they select the lubricant themselves and put it in without me. I believe that in biathlon we should not think about skiing. It’s established in the team (Polkhovsky said so) that if you skated and chose the best option, you won’t jump over your head. Concentrate on something else, work on the frontier. It’s better to tune in to zeroing in order to approach directly to the start. They will bring you skis and make them, you run. You can make your job easier if you do the shooting well. Biathlon is simply different from skiing.
- What kind of sticks do you have, what size? How often have you broken them?
I use Exel, they give me two pairs of poles for the season. The size of my skating poles is 152cm. I haven’t broken a stick for a long time, since 1999.
Do you like the new Rossignol ski boots? Do manufacturers take into account the wishes of athletes in the design?
Olga Pyleva and I like Rossignol boots, they work well and are very comfortable. I directly contact representatives at the stages, telling them about possible shortcomings. Then at the factory they make changes to the design and refine it.
- Do you contact Moscow managers regarding inventory or direct representatives?
I practically don’t communicate with Moscow managers, since I don’t see them. I usually communicate with direct representatives. I have an individual contract with the French.
- Do your height and weight indicators change significantly during the season?
Of course they change, but when I feel good, I almost never step on the scale.
There are very interesting questions about your diet. How are things with nutrition in everyday life and at competitions?
I'm a vegetarian. I don’t eat meat or fried food, I eat chicken. I don’t eat white bread, butter and all kinds of cakes, I practically don’t eat chocolate, pasta and potatoes. I eat porridge (rice, rolled oats, etc.) at any time, I eat black bread and low-fat dairy products (I like goat’s milk when I’m at my grandmother’s). When nutrition is poor at the stages of CM, I ate vegetables, salads, muesli, tea with honey. If the food is bad, then we go to stores and buy the necessary products ourselves.
-Who gave the idea to eat like this?
I read a lot of literature, in addition, personal observations. I started thinking about nutrition a long time ago. It often happened that I chose a product that was easily digestible, and the body recovered faster. I gave up fried food because it is heavy food. It turned out that I came home an hour before training and if I ate the same dumplings, then they left me during training. You also don’t eat meat at night.
- How does your husband eat?
He eats everything I have. Eats everything I eat and everything I don't eat. Maybe porridge with me in the morning. Mom boiled the beets, and Maxim peeled them. Then we made a salad and ate it together. I’ve already started eating bananas with him again. In 2001, at a training camp in Bulgaria, I ate too many bananas; I hadn’t eaten them for about four years, but now I started eating them again.
Do you use additional nutrition, nutritional supplements, amino acids? Do you eat eggs? How much time do you usually spend on porridge?
I very rarely go to the doctor when I can’t eat fish and chicken for a long time. I eat the white of an egg, but I don't like the yolk. My dad cooks a delicious omelet, when I come, I eat it. Everyone chooses the optimal nutrition option for themselves; an individual approach is needed. I cook porridge quite simply. I can make porridge in water, pour boiling water over the cereal and leave for a while. Whatever I like, I add to the porridge. I can add it to cooking, or I can just eat it. When I studied at the institute in Monchegorsk, my friend and I usually poured rolled oats into ordinary cups, poured boiling water over them, covered them with lids, and ate them in the morning. This is ordinary hostel food. We also poured buckwheat and went to run cross-country, then came back and ate.
- What drinks do you usually drink during training and competitions?
I usually use two fruit tea bags, sometimes I also add a sugar substitute. I can drink mineral water with added juice. I don't drink isotonic drinks. I drink green tea with lemon and milk.
- You are often away from your husband, how do you keep in touch? Is your husband coming to the competition?
We call each other on the phone every day. What can you do, this is our life. Maxim usually doesn’t come, unless it’s within the country. We went to the Russian Summer Biathlon Championships in Ufa together. There I was second in the sprint - this is our first joint family medal! Unfortunately, he is an ordinary person and works locally. These are athletes who travel everywhere.
- What do we have on our sports nose? Olympics? How do you like the Olympic track in Italy?
Our whole life is at hand, everything is still ahead. There may be more than one Olympics. The track is normal, good terrain, you need to be able to stand well on your feet in order to take turns on the descents. The height is felt, especially when you go up the 700-meter climb to the line.
Are you better at mountain stages or at low altitude? What did the training camp in Armenia give you? Did you take part in competitions there?
My main victories were great. After the training camp in Tsehkadzor, I won the KM stage. At the training camp, I did not participate in the cross-country skier competitions, because I think that I needed the work that lay ahead at the EKM. I did speed work with shooting, this was more important for me. The purpose of this gathering was to test the conditions for suitability in preparing athletes for the upcoming Olympic Games. We had a control training there.
- Many famous people and athletes are often photographed for magazines. How are you doing with this?
I was recently photographed for Cosmopolitan and Siberia magazines in Novosibirsk after the European Championships.
- It seemed to many that the European Championship was somewhat modest. Was that so?
The fact is that the CM stages were going on at the same time. The CM is a little higher in rank, everything is already prepared there. The level of the Women's European Championship was high, Svetlana Ishmuratova, Svetlana Chernousova, Oksana Khvostenko, Irina Malgina and other winners of the KM and KE stages participated there. I think there was also a financial issue.
- There is biathlon with archery. Have you tried yourself in it?
No, I only do pure biathlon, and only the winter version.
Many athletes now have heart rate monitors. Do you record the entire race and then analyze it? What is recorded in the device?
We record the entire race and give the heart rate monitors to a special person. In our team, Nikolai Stepanovich Zagursky is in charge of this. The device records the current pulse over time.
- What is your usual heart rate during the race?
In my entire observation history, my maximum heart rate was 195 beats/min. 192-193 most often occurs in competitions. It often happens that when I win a race, my heart rate is slightly lower. The average heart rate during the race can be 183-190. I control my approach to the line based on how I feel; I usually don’t look at the device. Before the start, I select the desired mode of approach to the line, depending on the conditions. Before a milestone, we practically don’t slow down our pulse.
- Do you manage to relax like ordinary people?
There is usually some time for rest from mid-April to June. My favorite vacation spot is my homeland - the village. Vozhega, Vologda region, where my beloved grandmother lives. There I relax to the fullest: I help with the housework, mow the grass, chop firewood, fetch water from the well, in general, it’s a very active vacation, and I don’t forget about training (jogging, etc.). In general, the main thing for me is not the place, but who to relax with! I love spending time with my family. I’ve been to Turkey 3 times - I also really liked it.
I like being in nature. Maxim and I dream of visiting many historical and geographical places of our GREAT country!!! Next year we plan to develop Lake Baikal.
- Please tell us about your hobbies, favorite books and music
I love reading, embroidering, dancing. From domestic music I prefer Spleen, Chicherina, BI-2, Nautilus. From imported Roxette. I like almost any melodic composition. My favorite book is “Two Captains”.
- Thank you very much for the conversation.
