Russian cross-country skiing team. Strength training of the distance group of the Russian national cross-country skiing team. Senior coach - Akimov Danil Borisovich
I’m sure everyone has seen Maya Guseinova’s film about the strength training of our skiers, led by Alksandr Legkov. It's not new. There are two parts. The work is intense, the guys are plowing.
But what’s interesting is that there are several views on such strength training. Yes, it seems to us amateurs that these are the most advanced ideas, you need to boldly copy them and you will be stronger than ever. But there are comments from experts. They are not nearly as welcoming. Read below two comments on what we saw.
Here are Vasily Parnyakov’s comments to this video:
The second part of the strength training of the distance group of the Russian cross-country skiing team takes place in the classic jim (immediately after training in the gym). But for wide sections of the Russian sports environment it is completely revolutionary.
All the exercises themselves are common and familiar - bench press, overhead rows, pull-ups while lying on your stomach, squats with a barbell and dips. All exercises are done - attention (!) - with MAXIMUM weights.
Next - and this is where the revolution is buried - after each exercise with weights, athletes do exercises for the same muscle group without weights and at MAXIMUM speed (or, in the case of jumping, with maximum explosion). This has a deep physiological meaning - an instant conversion of force into speed. Pay special attention to the exercise with the ball. It is extremely important to throw the ball quickly and with emphasis. Quickly pick it up and “drive” it into the floor again. Rhythm and speed.
My favorite moment was jumping up the stairs. Probably because I jumped a lot when I ran middle distances. Here, without a doubt, the best is Ilya Chernousov - such an explosion that long jumpers will be jealous!
The video clearly shows a crowded gym, which I talked about in my comments to the first part of the skier strength training video. In such conditions, it is difficult to strictly follow the time schedule and the correct sequence of exercises. But the guys are making the most of what is possible, and Oleg Perevozchikov and Isabelle Knaute are trying to separate the flow of athletes as competently as possible. So hopefully everything is under control.
Everything is beautiful, the guys worked hard. HOWEVER! Here are the comments of Sergei Strukov (physical rehabilitation specialist, expert at the FPA Association of Fitness Professionals, author of the book “Fundamentals of Fitness Training”):
I watched the video and was upset. Although I’m not a ski expert, you can’t build strength training like that.
Ideally, strength training should be unidirectional, that is, between one type and another, you need to take at least a 4-hour break. When combining explosive movements and actual power movements with low angular velocities in the joints, it is better to perform explosive ones first.
But this does not exclude the formation of classes in so-called blocks, which, with the simplest approach, give 4 options for combining the load:
1) Explosive to the top - power to the top
2) Explosive to the bottom - power to the bottom
3) Power to the bottom - explosive to the top (against the background of some general fatigue)
4) Power to the top - explosive to the bottom (against the background of some general fatigue)
Please note that these are examples of the simplest combination, although it is advisable to save time and effort, as well as to increase the effectiveness of the training process, to plan loads individually in more complex combinations, using a series of exercises as “blocks” from which classes are built. For example:
1) Series of jumps
2) Plyometric push-up series
3) Squat series
4) Series of rods
Supersets for these types of strength work are not justified. They are usually used in muscle hypertrophy exercises and are mainly suitable for training relatively small muscles in simple movements.
It is a serious mistake to use half-squats as the main strength movement. This type of squats poorly develops the leg muscles, creates muscle imbalances and, most importantly, unnecessarily overloads the spine. I believe that skiers can train without doing half-squats altogether. Regarding the execution technique: you can’t look at these workouts without tears. The guys are plowing - well done! But they win not because of, but in spite of, their training.
I would like to add on my own behalf. Have you noticed that all our skiers look pumped up? Look, everyone has relief, their arms are like legs. And look at the Norgs or the Swedes. They don’t have such terrain, but they ski just as well.
Maybe we're doing extra work in the gym?
Alexander Sedov 26.02.2018, 08:27
Alexander Bolshunov (left) and Andrey Larkov (right) received medals for the ski marathon at the closing ceremony of the Games
ReutersThe Russian ski team became one of the brightest impressions at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. A record eight awards, a strong team, a strong federation president and a sea of positive emotions - this is a brief summary of the performance of Russian skiers at this Olympics.
Bleeding team
The Russian cross-country skiing team found itself in an extremely difficult situation before the start of the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
Many leading sportsmen and women were not invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to compete. Moreover, among them was our main Olympic hope in skiing, world champion, winner of last year’s Tour de Ski, Sergei Ustyugov.
Immediately before the Games, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lifted the temporary suspensions and lifetime bans from participation in the Olympics from eight Russian cross-country skiers.
Alexander Legkov, Evgeny Belov, Maxim Vylegzhanin, Alexey Petukhov, Nikita Kryukov, Alexander Bessmertnykh, Evgenia Shapovalova and Natalya Matveeva were allowed to participate in international tournaments.
Their Olympic results at the Sochi Games in 2014 were also returned, which allowed the Russian team to return several medals, including Legkov’s gold.
But the IOC still did not invite the acquitted athletes to the Olympics in Pyeongchang, and their appeal to CAS yielded nothing, since the Court of Arbitration for Sport recognized the right of the International Olympic Committee to be guided by its own criteria for invitations to the main competition of the four years, to which the Olympic Committee signed in December Russia (OCR).
Talented generation
As a result, a bloodless young team flew to the Olympic Games in South Korea, from which no one in Russia expected any feats.
On the one hand, without leaders, which, of course, are Ustyugov, Kryukov, Legkov, Gleb Retivykh and other non-invited athletes, our team has really lost a lot in class.
But on the other hand, the young generation of Russian skiers is indeed very talented, and they have confirmed this already in the current season in the World Cup.
For example, Alexander Bolshunov came to the Games, being in fifth place in the overall World Cup standings and second in the junior standings after the enchanting Johannes Kläbo.
Alexey Chervotkin and Denis Spitsov take third and fourth place in the junior World Cup standings, respectively, and have already proven themselves in races at the stages of the fight for the Crystal Globe.
For women, Natalya Nepryaeva, Anastasia Sedova and Yulia Belorukova occupy the first three places in the overall standings in the junior standings. So Russia still had someone to count on at the Olympics.
Bright team
But the main thing is that the ski team flew to Pyeongchang, united by one goal, and was there as one fist, as an example for all our teams and the envy of our ill-wishers.
There are a huge number of different training groups in the Russian team, but this does not prevent the guys from truly being one team at competitions. With a capital letter.
Moreover, the athletes not invited by the International Olympic Committee constantly supported their teammates from Russia - through communication on social networks and by phone, and they fought for themselves and “those guys” (and girls).
All these are not empty words, but the reality of the Russian Olympic ski team.
And, of course, none of this would have happened without the personality of the President of the Russian Ski Racing Federation (FLGR) Elena Vyalbe.
Three-time Olympic champion and five-time World Cup winner, and now a sports functionary, in two Olympic weeks became, perhaps, the main person in Russian sports.
But Vyalbe carried out the work for a very long time. She ran for the post of president of the federation back in 2004, and won the vote only in 2010.
And since then she has been systematically working to create a well-functioning system and a combat-ready team in the Russian national team.
As a result, the situation has come to the point that in place of one suspended star skier, the Russian team always has almost a couple of talents who can potentially reach the same high level and are able to show quite decent results now.
Vyalbe did not receive an invitation to travel to Pyeongchang from the IOC as an official of the Russian delegation, which did not prevent her from being with the team. She simply bought tickets to the competition and supported her players from the stands from the front row.
Perhaps, if the Minister of Sports in Russia were elected by popular vote and Vyalbe put forward her candidacy, right now she would not have a single competitor.
Record Olympics
As a result, the Russian cross-country skiing team held a unique Olympics, setting its own record at the Games in history!
Never before have Russian skiers won eight medals at one Olympic Games.
It’s just a bit of a pity that there wasn’t a single gold one among them. Our team won three silver awards and five bronze ones. But several times we were really close to gold, especially in the men's marathon.
However, the current Olympic Games have been extremely successful for our ski team. Think about it: the ski team won almost half of the 17 medals of the entire Russian Olympic team in Pyeongchang!
Chronicle of success
The cross-country skiing program in Pyeongchang 2018 included twelve disciplines. The first of these was the women's skiathlon, in which three Russian athletes were in the top 20, and Natalya Nepryaeva finished eighth.
The next day, the star of the previously little-known 21-year-old Denis Spitsov lit up the men's skiathlon, finishing fourth behind the Norwegian trio, 12 seconds behind the winner.
As it turned out, this was just the beginning. After a day of rest from cross-country skiing, sprint competitions for men and women took place in Pyeongchang. Both there and there the Russian team won bronze medals. First, Yulia Belorukova won the medal, and then Alexander Bolshunov took third place. And it was Nepryaeva who remained in the most offensive fourth position.
On the seventh day of the Games, Anastasia Sedova (8th) and Anna Nechaevskaya (10th) finished in the top ten in the women's 10-kilometer race, and the next day Spitsov won bronze in the men's 15-kilometer race.
The women's team consisting of Nepryaeva, Belorukova, Sedova and Nechaevskaya won bronze, losing only to the Norwegians and Swedes.
Well, the men’s four were completely “lucky” during their relay by 40 seconds to the formidable Norwegians, but Alexey Chervotkin, who had suffered from bronchitis before the Olympics, was unable to maintain the advantage. However, silver for him, Andrey Larkov, Bolshunov and Spitsov is actually an excellent result. The appetite just came while eating.
After that, Spitsov and Bolshunov won silver in the men's team sprint, avenging their defeat in the final to Belorukova and Nepryaeva, who were tired and remained only eighth.
Well, a beautiful conclusion to the Olympics for men was the grandmaster 50-kilometer marathon, in which Bolshunov’s silver, given his condition and the course of the race, was no longer perceived as a victory, but as a defeat.
Yes, the Russian, who overtook everyone along the course, missed the experienced and persistent Finn Iivo Niskanen in the last kilometer, who changed his skis in time. Bolshunov himself was very upset, but it is unlikely that before the Olympics he would have assessed his results with sadness if he had been told that he would take four medals in South Korea!
However, there is no point in being sad for the fans either, because bronze went to another Russian. Larkov snatched this medal by winning the fight against two Norwegians led by Martin Jonsrud Sundby and Canadian Alex Harvey.
On the last day of the Olympics in the women's marathon, the best of ours, Anastasia Sedova, became only 11th, but there was practically no chance of a medal there initially.
As a result, only one team managed to win more awards in cross-country skiing in South Korea than the Russian team. Norway has 13 medals. The Swedes won five medals, and all other teams in total scraped together the same eight medals that the Russians won!
You can find other news and materials on the page in Pyeongchang, as well as in the groups of the sports department on social networks
Today, April 25, 2019, a meeting of the Presidium of the Russian Ski Racing Federation was held in Moscow, at which athletes - candidates for the Russian cross-country skiing team for the 2019/2020 sports season were approved. Trainer Perevozchikov O.O., Akimov D.B.
1. Sergey Ardashev (Udmurt Republic), born in 1998.
2. Alexander Bessmertnykh (Moscow region/Kemerovo region), born in 1986.
3. Kirill Kilivnyuk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), born in 1998.
4. Andrey Larkov (Republic of Tatarstan), born in 1989.
5. Melnichenko Andrey (Krasnoyarsk region) born in 1992
6. Yaroslav Rybochkin (Republic of Tatarstan), born in 1998.
7. Ilya Semikov (Komi Republic) born 1993
8. Timashov Anton (Moscow region), born in 1996.
9. Yakimushkin Ivan (Tyumen region) born 1996
Coach Kramer M., Turyshev S.A.
1. Evgeniy Belov (Tyumen region), born in 1990.
2. Andrey Krasnov (St. Petersburg), born in 1994.
3. Artem Maltsev (Nizhny Novgorod region/Republic of Mordovia), born in 1993.
4. Zealous Gleb (Tyumen region) born in 1991
5. Ustyugov Sergey (KhMAO-Yugra), born in 1992.
6. Kirillov Ivan (KhMAO-Yugra), born in 1996.
7. Yulia Belorukova (Komi Republic), born in 1995.
8. Alisa Zhambalova (Republic of Buryatia), born in 1994.
9. Yana Kirpichenko (Altai Territory/Krasnoyarsk Territory) born in 1996.
10. Nechaevskaya Anna (Republic of Tatarstan) born 1991
11. Sedova Anastasia (Nizhny Novgorod region/Republic of Mordovia) born in 1995
12. Soboleva Elena (Novosibirsk region/Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug), born in 1992.
Coach Borodavko Yu.V., Zhmurko A.V.
1. Bolshunov Alexander (Tyumen region), born in 1996.
2. Andrey Sobakarev (Novosibirsk region), born in 1996.
3. Denis Spitsov (Tyumen region), born in 1996.
4. Terentyev Alexander (Arkhangelsk region/Nenets Autonomous Okrug) born in 1999
5. Alexey Chervotkin (Moscow), born 1995.
6. Durkina Lydia (St. Petersburg) born 1997
7. Zherebyatyeva Anna (Tyumen region), born in 1997.
8. Istomina Maria (Perm region) born in 1997
9. Natalya Nepryaeva (Moscow region/Tver region), born in 1995.
Coach E.V. Sorin, A.V. Nutrikhin
1. Vechkanov Vladislav (Chelyabinsk region), born in 1997.
2. Ivan Gorbunov (Krasnoyarsk Territory), born in 1999.
3. Ilya Poroshkin (Komi Republic), born in 1995.
4. Denis Filimonov (Udmurt Republic), born in 1999.
5. Aleshina Tatyana (Tyumen region), born in 1994.
6. Bayazitova Aida (Moscow) born in 1998
7. Golovan Diana (Republic of Khakassia) born in 1994
8. Anna Grukhvina (Tyumen region), born in 1999.
9. Nina Dubotolkina (Moscow), born in 1998.
10. Olga Kucheruk (Tyumen region), born in 1997.
11. Matsokina Khristina (Republic of Tatarstan) born in 1998
12. Smirnova Ekaterina (Tyumen region/Mari El) born in 1996
Self-preparation:
1. Maxim Vylegzhanin (Udmurt Republic), born in 1982.
2. Andrey Parfenov (Tyumen region), born in 1987.
3. Dotsenko Anastasia (Republic of Tatarstan) born in 1986
4. Natalya Matveeva (Moscow/Ryazan region), born in 1986.
5. Yulia Chekaleva (Vologda region/Republic of Tatarstan), born in 1984.
6. Evgenia Shapovalova (KhMAO-Yugra), born in 1986.
Junior squad:
Senior coach Timofeev V.D.
Juniors 17-20 years old: Coach A.A. Kravchenko, S.S. Dergunov
1. Vasiliev Artem (Moscow/Primorsky Territory) born in 2000
2. Sergey Volkov (Moscow region), born in 2001.
3. Zhul Dmitry (Krasnoyarsk region) born in 2000
4. Andrey Kuznetsov (Yaroslavl region), born in 2000.
5. Artem Maksimov (Chelyabinsk region), born in 2001.
6. Soloviev Pavel (Perm region), born in 2001.
7. Ilya Tikhonenko (Novosibirsk region), born in 2001.
8. Ilya Tregubov (Moscow/Orenburg region), born in 2002.
Juniors 17-20 years old: Coach A.V. Gelmanov, E.V. Nemtinov
1. Alena Baranova (Tomsk region), born in 2001.
2. Evtyagina Ekaterina (Moscow/Orenburg region), born in 2001.
3. Olga Zholudeva (Republic of Karelia), born in 2002.
4. Kristina Kuskova (Moscow region), born in 2000.
5. Ekaterina Meged (Novosibirsk region), born in 2001.
6. Mekryukova Natalia (Tyumen region), born in 2000.
7. Veronica Stepanova (Kamchatka Territory), born in 2001.
8. Faleeva Anastasia (Moscow), born in 2000.
The Presidium of the Russian Ski Racing Federation (FLGR) on Tuesday, April 24, approved four groups as part of the national team, which will operate under the leadership of Markus Kramer, Oleg Perevozchikov, Yuri Borodavko and Egor Sorin.
Composition of the Russian cross-country skiing team for the 2018/2019 season
Men
Trainer Perevozchikov O.O., Akimov D.B.
1. Alexander Bessmertnykh (Moscow region/Kemerovo region), born in 1986.
2. Vylegzhanin Maxim (Udmurt Republic) born in 1982
3. Andrey Larkov (Republic of Tatarstan), born in 1989.
4. Andrey Melnichenko (Krasnoyarsk Territory), born in 1992.
5. Rybochkin Yaroslav (Republic of Tatarstan) born in 1998
6. Ilya Semikov (Komi Republic) born 1993
7. Yakimushkin Ivan (Tyumen region), born in 1996.
1. Evgeniy Belov (Tyumen region), born in 1990.
2. Andrey Krasnov (St. Petersburg), born in 1994.
3. Artem Maltsev (Nizhny Novgorod region/Republic of Mordovia), born in 1993.
4. Zealous Gleb (Tyumen region) born in 1991
5. Ustyugov Sergey (KhMAO-Yugra) born in 1992
6. Kirillov Ivan (Moscow) born 1996
1. Bolshunov Alexander (Tyumen region/Bryansk region) born in 1996
2. Vechkanov Vladislav (Chelyabinsk region), born in 1997.
3. Egor Kazarinov (Republic of Tatarstan) born in 1997
4. Andrey Sobakarev (Novosibirsk region), born in 1996.
5. Spitsov Denis (Tyumen region), born in 1996.
6. Alexey Chervotkin (Moscow), born in 1995.
1. Sergey Ardashev (Udmurt Republic), born in 1998.
2. Vitsenko Alexey (Komi Republic) born in 1990
3. Kirill Kilivnyuk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), born in 1998.
4. Ilya Poroshkin (Komi Republic), born in 1995.
Self-preparation
1. Volzhentsev Stanislav (Komi Republic) born in 1985
2. Panzhinsky Alexander (Moscow) born in 1989
3. Petukhov A.E. (Moscow/Murmansk region) born 1983
Women
Coach Kramer M., Turyshev S.A.
1. Yulia Belorukova (Komi Republic), born in 1995.
2. Alisa Zhambalova (Republic of Buryatia), born in 1995.
3. Kirpichenko Yana (Altai Territory/Krasnoyarsk Territory) born in 1996
4. Natalya Matveeva (Moscow/Ryazan region), born in 1986.
5. Soboleva Elena (Novosibirsk region/Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug) born in 1992
6. Evgenia Shapovalova (KhMAO-Yugra), born in 1986.
Coach Borodavko Yu.V., Zhmurko A.V.
1. Durkina Lydia (St. Petersburg) born in 1997
2. Zherebyatyeva Anna (Tyumen region), born in 1997.
3. Istomina Maria (Perm region) born in 1997
4. Natalya Nepryaeva (Moscow region/Tver region), born in 1995.
Coach E.V. Sorin, N.V. Pankratov
1. Aleshina Tatyana (Tyumen region), born in 1994.
2. Bayazitova Aida (Moscow), born in 1998.
3. Kalsina Polina (KhMAO-Yugra), born in 1989.
4. Matsokina Khristina (Magadan region), born in 1998.
5. Polina Nekrasova (St. Petersburg), born in 1998.
6. Nechaevskaya Anna (Republic of Tatarstan) born 1991
Self-preparation
1. Maria Gushchina (KhMAO-Yugra), born in 1989.
2. Anastasia Dotsenko (Republic of Tatarstan), born in 1986.
3. Anastasia Sedova (Nizhny Novgorod region/Republic of Mordovia), born in 1995.
4. Chekaleva Yulia (Vologda region/Republic of Tatarstan) born in 1984
Junior squad(Senior coach Timofeev V.D.)
Juniors 19–20: Coach A.A. Kravchenko, S.S. Dergunov
1. Artem Vasiliev (Primorsky Territory), born in 2000.
2. Yegoshin Yaroslav (Tyumen region), born in 1999.
3. Andrey Kuznetsov (Yaroslavl region), born in 2000.
4. Andrey Nekrasov (Komi Republic), born in 1999.
5. Seleznev Ivan (Udmurt Republic) born in 2000
6. Soloviev Pavel (Perm region), born in 2001.
7. Terentyev Alexander (Arkhangelsk region/Nenets Autonomous Okrug) born in 1999
8. Denis Filimonov (Udmurt Republic), born in 1999.
Juniors 19–20: Coach A.V. Gelmanov, E.V. Nemtinov
1. Alena Baranova (Tomsk region), born in 2001.
2. Grukhvina Anna (Tyumen region), born in 1999.
3. Kristina Kuskova (Chuvash Republic), born in 2000.
4. Meged Ekaterina (Novosibirsk region), born in 2001.
5. Mekryukova Natalya (Tyumen region), born in 2000.
6. Ekaterina Oshchepkova (Perm region), born in 2000.
7. Faleeva Anastasia (Moscow), born in 2000.
8. Shalaboda Elizaveta (Moscow/Primorsky Territory) born in 1999
PYEONGCHANG, February 25 - RIA Novosti, Sergey Smyshlyaev. The Russian cross-country skiing team did not win gold at the event, but leaves Pyeongchang with eight medals.
Before the start of the Olympic tournament in Pyeongchang, hardly anyone could even dream of such a result. Considering the fact that, by decision of the IOC, a number of national team leaders did not come to South Korea, including Sergei Ustyugov, Maxim Vylegzhanin, Alexander Legkov, Natalya Matveeva and Yulia Chekaleva, it was difficult to expect a scattering of medals from the national team.
“I thought that I could compete for higher places, because I was moving closer, but there is something to work on. I felt quite good. But everything was somehow jerky: some parts were too heavy for me, and some... sometimes it was easier, in some places it seemed to me that my rivals were quieter," Nepryaeva told reporters. “At some parts of the distance I ran easier, others were harder. I am not disappointed with the eighth place, this is a satisfactory result. But I think that I can be higher."
The men's skiathlon did not start in the most pleasant way for the Russians: already in the first meters of the distance, together with the Norwegian Simen Hegstad Kruger, they fell into the rubble. And if the latter was unable to return to the fight, Spitsov showed real fighting qualities. At the same time, he stopped one step away from the podium, which was occupied by the Norwegians: Kruger and Hans Christer Holund.
“To be honest, I didn’t understand (what happened at the start). Kruger fell, Andrei Larkov followed him, we followed each other, and I didn’t have time to react. Of course, it had an impact, we had to play so much, we were the last to leave the start, but It’s good that the pace was average. It’s good that we managed to close this gap. It wasn’t so hard psychologically. On the third lap I lost contact, saw that the group was moving away, and thought that the outcome of the race was decided, but I still fought until the last,” Spitsov told reporters.
Bronze double
Based on the results of the skiathlon, it was clear that Belorukova, to put it mildly, was dissatisfied with her result, and this sportive anger greatly helped her in the subsequent sprint in the classical style. The Russian, in the company of her compatriot Nepryaeva, reached the final, where she lost only to the Swede and Norwegian Maiken Kaspersen Falle. Thus, Belorukova, having recovered from serious health problems, began the medal run of Russian skiers in Pyeongchang.
"There is a feeling of absolute happiness. There is no and cannot be any regret that the medal could have been different. I went through a lot for this medal. I don’t want to say it again. Today I knew that there would be a medal. There were feelings. That year (at the World Championships) in Lahti, I also knew from the very morning that there would be a medal,” Belorukova told reporters.
In the men's sprint, her endeavors were supported by Alexander Bolshunov, whose participation in this race was not initially planned due to a recent illness. But in the end, the future hero of the Games changed his tickets and flew to South Korea ahead of schedule, starting the sprint and winning bronze.
“The temperature was almost forty, bed rest for ten days, a week in the hospital,” Bolshunov said after the final in Pyeongchang. “I lost a lot of weight, lost three or four kilograms. It really sucked. The decision (to go to Pyeongchang) was made in four days "before the sprint. I watched skiathlon in Seefeld, in Austria. And my coach and I decided at dinner that there are no medals lying around on the road. And either I go and fight, start with the sprint, or I don’t go to these competitions at all."
Spitsov's breakthrough
In the women's 10 km freestyle race, three Russian skiers finished in the top twenty: Anastasia Sedova showed the 8th result and became 10th, and Alisa Zhambalova finished 17th. In the men's 15 km race, Spitsov took revenge for the disappointing fourth place in skiathlon, taking bronze in a discipline that has never been considered a crown jewel for Russians.
“I dedicated my fourth place to my father. But fourth place is not a medal, and now I can dedicate this bronze medal to him. Thank him for bringing him into skiing, for instilling a love for skiing. I thank him for this very grateful. I think it would be fair to dedicate this medal to my father. The secret of the success of skiers? It was not for nothing that Seryoga () said: “They beat us, but we fly!” The more difficult the conditions, the better we perform,” Spitsov told reporters.
Next on the Olympic program were relay races, and in both of them skiers from Russia reached the podium. First, the women's team took another bronze, behind the Norwegians and Swedes, and then the men won silver, losing only to the Norwegian team.
“Of course, there is a feeling of satisfaction, because each of us was tuning in for this medal today,” said Nepryaeva. “And we understood that everything is real, that we can fight on equal terms with everyone. I am incredibly happy, this is my first award at the world "in the adult arena, and I hope that this is just the beginning. If they had told me that year that I would have an Olympic medal, I would not have believed it (smiles)."
The men's team, in fact, could have fought for gold, but the team member, who had joined the team two days earlier, did not conduct his stage in the most successful way. Like Bolshunov, he was in the hospital in January, but, unlike his teammate, he did not have time to fully recover.
“Still, there is an aftertaste,” Chervotkin told reporters after presenting the medal. “This race will most likely gnaw at me for a very long time, I’ll remember it for a long time anyway. Illness is not an excuse, whether you were sick or not, many people have such situations. That "Aleksandr () practically emerged victorious. It’s nice to receive a medal, it lasts a lifetime, and no one can take it away."
Not stopping there
On February 21, medals were played in the team sprint in Pyeongchang. Nepryaeva and Belorukova were unable to realize their potential this time, finishing only ninth, but Bolshunov and Spitsov did not plan to stop there, adding another silver to the team’s treasury. Unfortunately, the lack of experience did not allow us to fight for first place, which once again went to the Norwegian team.
“To be honest, everything was enough for gold, but a small tactical mistake by Denis - and several seconds were lost. When he stood behind the Frenchman (Maurice) Manifika, who stopped him, there was a gap that I tried to close, but Johannes () of this gap was enough to take gold,” Bolshunov told reporters.
But in the 50 km marathon in the classical style, the Russian himself made a childish mistake, which deprived him of the title of Olympic champion, which went to Finn Iivo Niskanen. Larkov closed the top three.
“I feel a sense of joy for a silver medal, for a wonderful race, but I’m also upset about the childhood mistake that Alexander made,” said Bolshunov’s coach Yuri Borodavko over the phone. “And it cost him a gold medal. We talked to him yesterday and decided that we definitely need to change skis before the last lap. Mandatory, because it's muddy. The skis were prepared for him, but for some reason he decided to make a break and leave. Although we said that it would be very difficult to leave, because fresh skis work much better."
The women's marathon ended with a fairly predictable victory for Bjørgen, who became an eight-time Olympic champion. Sedova became 11th, Zhambalova - 15th, and Nepryaeva - 24th.
Summing up the results of the Games in Pyeongchang, Vyalbe emphasized: “For me, the entire Olympics is a feeling of pride for my athletes, for our team. Despite the fact that Sanya had one foot on the gold podium today. But we saw that he apparently has "The liver was seized, but he showed that he is a fighter. They should have a great and good sports future. Congratulations to them and all of Russia."
