A gala evening devoted to summing up the results of the university's winter season among cross-country skiers was held at Volga Region University.
As part of the summing-up, students of Volga Region University watched the Russian film "White Snow" about the fate and victories of the legendary skier Elena Vyalbe, and immediately afterwards were able to talk to the great athlete in person. Answering the questions of the students, the President of the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation and assistant professor of the Department of Theory and Methodology of Cross-Country Skiing of the Volga Region University touched upon a number of important and burning issues. Young skiers and coaches were interested both in the film itself and in the life of a professional sportsman and employment:
It is known that you were involved in the development of the script and filming, how was this activity new and previously unfamiliar to you?
- Everything in the film is true. It took us longer to write the script than to shoot it. Cinematography is a real magic. It was very interesting for me.
There are a lot of future coaches among our students, is it possible to employ everyone?
- If a person wants to work as a coach, he will find an opportunity for that. We have a lot of sports schools. In Tatarstan, there are no problems with finding a job for a cross-country skiing coach - your region has seen a real boom in the sport.
Is it possible to successfully combine a sports career and family life?
- Despite the fact that I had a child early on, I was able to stay in the sport. If you have a goal, you have to sacrifice something to achieve it. All athletes sacrifice school as a child, later on it can be family and relationships with loved ones.
Do athletes from remote parts of the country have any chance?
- After the collapse of the Soviet Union, we had a period of stagnation. For instance, there was no contact with the Far East for a long time. But now, all you need is to come to a competition or two once a season and show your worth. If a child has talent, we will definitely pay attention to him or her.
The most striking moment of the film is when you picked up the Russian flag at the finish line of the relay race in Trondheim in 1997. Was there any fear that this could affect the result or have other consequences?
- Before the shooting of the film I didn't think about where that flag came from - I still don't know who the person I took it from was and how it got into the clean zone. But as soon as I saw it I wanted to grab it. I felt they were catching up with me, but I realised I would rather be second than let my country's flag out of my hands...
After chatting with the legendary athlete, the summing-up evening continued in the concert hall. Elena Vyalbe, Minister of Sport of the Republic of Tatarstan Vladimir Leonov, Rector of the Volga Region University Rafis Burganov and Eduard Galeev, member of the Presidium of the Ski Racing Federation of Russia, were the guests of honour at the award ceremony.
"I consider the Volga Region Sports University my home, even though I didn't graduate from it. It is an amazing 'alma mater' for many current and future champions," the Minister of Sport shared in his welcoming speech. - The success of the students in cross-country skiing is a natural result of the hard work of their coaches, students and the department of skiing at Volga Region University.
Among the outstanding alumni and students of the university are members of the national team of Russia and eight regions of the country. Among them are Olympic silver and bronze medallist Andrey Larkov, Olympic participants Khristina Matsokina, Liliya Vasilyeva and Ilya Semikov, as well as Kirill Vichuzhanin, winner of the World Winter Universiade, world championship medallists Yaroslav Rybochkin and Denis Filimonov, world championship winner Yana Kirpichenko and world championship winner Sergey Ardashev.
Cross-country skiers from Volga Region University took part in competitions organised by the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation throughout the year. Among them are the Russian Championship, Russian Cup, Russian Under-23 Championship, Federal District Championship and All-Russian competitions. The national team of the Republic of Tatarstan won the Cup of Russia, medals of the Championship of Russia, as well as won in the complex event among Russian regions.
In the season that ended, the university's cross-country skiing team took second place at the All-Russian University Cross-Country Skiing Competition in Zainsk. Khristina Matsokina, Olga Zholudeva, Milena Gabusheva, Polina Lobastova, Marina Baryshnikova, Vladislav Afanasyev, Yaroslav Rybochkin, Viktor Semenov, Vladimir Lekomtsev and Kirill Kochegarov won medals in the individual competition.
I am very pleased to be here today in this higher education establishment, which is a true "temple of knowledge" for me", Elena Vyalbe summed up the results of the evening. - I am grateful to each of you gathered here for your love of our amazing sport, and I really want you to find a goal not only in sport, but in life in general. Whether you become a coach or go into another field, you will always remember that you are skiers forever. And that thought will be a reason to be proud.
