Alina KABAEVA: “I took my place in Moscow”

At the 22nd European Championships in Moscow, Russian gymnasts won five medals - four gold and one silver. In group exercises, coach Valentina Ivanitskaya's wards earned three highest-quality awards in the all-around and two separate events - with ribbons and hoops and clubs. However, the main sensation of the current championship was the victory of the Russian Vera Sesina, who for the first time in her career won the title of absolute champion of the continent. The 20-year-old gymnast from Yekaterinburg was ahead of her main rival - Olympic champion, five-time absolute European champion Alina Kabaeva, who eventually became second. Ukrainian Anna Bessonova won the bronze medal. After the championship, the head coach of the Russians, Irina Viner, said that Sesina’s victory added to her headache: “I used to have two first numbers in the national team - Kabaeva and Chashchina, now there are three of them - Sesina, Kabaeva and Kapranova.” After the tournament, Vremya Novostei newspaper correspondent Olga ERMOLINA talked with the silver medalist of the championship, Alina KABAEVA.

— Alina, how would you comment on your performance at the European Championships?

- Nothing comes that easy. Everything is objective. Nothing bad happened. I swear that before I would have cried if I became second. I wouldn’t go out and talk to journalists, but now everything is different. A lot has changed in myself. Frankly speaking, I'm happy with my performance. This is not the main start in my life. There will be more world championships, Olympic games...

--Are you planning to perform at the Olympic Games in Beijing?

- Yes, I would like to compete there and become a two-time Olympic champion.

— Will this second place at the European Championship change anything in your preparation?

- After the championship, I will first rest, then train. I don’t think there is any need to radically change anything in preparation. I actually work a lot. And she has only herself to blame for what happened in Moscow. In fact, I’m happy that everything turned out so well that, having made a serious mistake, I ended up becoming second. I would be unhappy if I became a champion in such a situation. Although she did all the elements well, she took her place here in Moscow.

— Did you experience any new sensations at this championship?

- Of course, because this season I have new programs. I was one hundred percent ready. I did two types - with a ribbon and clubs - well, with a ball - not bad, but the jump rope let me down.

-- Is the loss of a jump rope the result of psychology or a technical failure?

-- Psychology. At some point I just relaxed, where I shouldn’t have. I messed up on my element, which I had been doing for eight years. I just thought it was easy and I’ll do it now. As a result, I dropped the item.

— It wasn’t the fans who disturbed you with their shouts?

- What are you saying, on the contrary, I adore the fans. They helped me a lot. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have returned to the sport at all.

- How do you assess your current form?

- I'm in good shape. Even better than it was before Athens. I am grateful to Irina Aleksandrovna Viner for putting up with me in the hall. She is an excellent psychologist and can always find the right words. She often repeats: “Forget memories of the future. You'll be fine." One thing I can say: I’m glad that I’m moving forward. There is nothing complicated about the new rules. The most important thing is that I don’t lag behind them, but keep pace.

— Do you have time left for all your projects, besides sports?

-- No.

— How are things going with the creation of a children’s school named after Kabaeva?

“I don’t want to talk about this topic yet, but, thank God, everything is moving forward.” I have never hidden the fact that I love working with children. I get very upset when dubious articles about me appear in the yellow press. And not because my name appears there, it’s just that children who are sick and worried about me can read it. I am an example for many, and this is a great happiness.

— Before the championship, Vera Sesina also called you her idol. Is it hard to be an idol for the athletes who train nearby?

- It’s both hard and pleasant. Don’t think that I praise myself, but I always support the athletes at all training sessions and tournaments. And you can never bribe them with fake smiles or false words. It is very difficult to deceive them. And the fact that they treat me this way is worth a lot. If we talk about Vera Sesina, she performed well in Moscow. She won and I'm happy for her. Vera worked very hard and tried. Me too, but she just had more strength.

— Earlier you talked about naming objects with some special words. After this tournament, what will you call the ill-fated jump rope?

- No way. It's all my fault.