The director of the Center of the Olympic preparation of judo of Chelyabinsk region well a sign with history of holding the World Cups. Moreover, itself not so long ago participated in similar competitions. In 2007 in Brazil he became the bronze prize-winner.

It was close to a medal and at the Olympic Games-2008 in Beijing, having stopped in a step from a pedestal. Ivan Pershin remembers two key moments in the career, doesn't consider that it is necessary to train only for the sake of the Olympic Games and expresses confidence that at the South Ural judo bright future.

- Ivan Vasilyevich, you once spoke at the World Cup and is successful – became the bronze prize-winner in 2007 in Brazil. From memory these events weren't erased yet?

- No, certainly. But here the last World Cup in Brazil-2013 took place in a bit different format – in day is played on one set of awards at men and women. As a result of competition take place in faster mode and come to an end a bit earlier. In my time, I remember, competitions lasted for all day – the first fights began in eight mornings, and the last came to an end after midnight. Besides, the format of carrying out and consolatory tournament was changed. Now those who lost in fight for an exit in a semi-final participate in it only. And on ChW-2007 I passed three consolatory duels.

Certainly, it was very difficult to sustain such loadings. I, for example, had the first meeting early in the morning, and only at o'clock in the morning I stood on a pedestal. It is interesting that I was very fine prepared for the World Cup, was in a tremendous physical form, and strong fatigue didn't feel. But next day it was squeezed out as a lemon. It was so heavy that face muscles hurt, couldn't even smile.

- Many consider that it is more difficult to win in the World Cup, than at the Olympic Games. You share this point of view?

- No, I so don't think. The Olympic Games — it is the main start in career for each athlete, it prepares four years for them. In the World Cup not the strongest rivals sometimes come across. And at the Olympic Games 32 strongest judoists who have taken place rigid system of selection participate in each weight. There very equal structure, and can win against any. Besides, and responsibility huge, psychologically not easy to sustain pressure of such competitions.

- At the Olympic Games-2008 in Beijing you took the fifth place. Your trainer Vyacheslav Shishkin somehow admitted that you very hard transferred relative failure.

- Actually, it is a little not so. Now I can endure it in this occasion and regret that, probably, made something not so. And then it was necessary to forget somewhat quicker this tournament, to move further. Sports are sports, in it there are winners and lost. Probably, somewhere I didn't finish. And if after each failure to droop, dig in itself, you won't achieve serious progress.

- Upon return home you told the phrase which everything was remembered by much: "The Olympic motto - for losers. On the Olympic Games it is necessary to go only behind winning". Time changed your opinion?

- No, I and now consider, and I think that many will agree with me that it is necessary to set for itself the maximum tasks always. Athletes seek to get not simply on the Olympic Games, they want to win a medal. And if it isn't present, so this unsuccessful performance. All Russian national team performed at those Olympic Games on judo unsuccessfully. The team didn't win any medal, two athletes took the fifth places. Probably, any mistakes in preparation for Games were made. In unsuccessful performance are guilty not only judoists, but a trainer's staff.

- But as everything changed four years later – at the Olympic Games in London Russian men's national team won three gold medals, having bypassed on this indicator of all, including ancestors of judo – Japanese.

- Yes, in London Russian national team "broke through". Never earlier at domestic judo was such progress. At once three gold! And this with the fact that since 1996 when Russia after collapse of the USSR acted as already independent team, it had no gold award in judo. And now we have very strong team which by right is considered one of the best in the world.

- With what you connect it?

- With arrival to a position of the head coach of the national team Ezio Gamby. With its emergence intrigues in team disappeared, pressure upon a trainer's staff left from regional managers who sought to include in team of the representatives. Gamby have contract, desire to show good result, both all these political disagreements and its intrigues don't interest.

It is visible that he is the expert of high level. He achieved much in judo as the athlete, became the Olympic champion. This solid experience helped it to prove as the trainer. It changed preparation system, athletes began to spend more time on collecting, the big group of children of the next reserve was connected to trainings. The team began a thicket to go abroad, get necessary experience and practice. In this competitive environment also there is growth of results and skill at judoists.

Certainly, it demanded serious financial injections in judo. They came after the Olympic Games-2008 and as we see, all this bears fruit.

- There is no regret, what you acted during other era and didn't find that moment when our judoists are engaged under the leadership of Ezio Gamby?

- I trained at the Italian expert about two years, but already in the twilight of the career. But regrets aren't present any. As it turned out – so it turned out. In principle, I am happy with the sports career. Perhaps, for hundred percent because it was possible and to reach the bigger. Sports are only a stage in human life. Sooner or later, but it is necessary to leave, find from it itself in other branch, to gain new knowledge, to set for itself new tasks, to study and develop.

- Your many contemporaries still act. Whether it was possible to hold on still any time in judo, and to leave it a bit later?

- Any time I still could act. And quietly I transferred loadings. But I felt that I can't fight at high level any more. Besides, in my weight there was a perspective guy, our fellow countryman, Kirill Denisov – the young and talented athlete who now proves to be and proves that can fight for the highest places at any competitions. It was already heavy to compete, and just like that to train in the national team is a loss of time. If there are no chances to get on the Olympic Games – why themselves to torment? I didn't see sense farther to train.

- Now to you address on a name middle name. And you remember how foreign journalists nicknamed you "Russian Pershing"?

- Yes, it was after the European championship in which I won a gold medal. In the judo world all of us are very amicable, often with each other we communicate, we joke. There is a lot of competitions, often you see the colleagues. Here they also had a new reason for jokes, often to me so addressed.

- Who was your basic rival?

- Perhaps, Georgian Irakli Tsirekidze. Throughout the career of time I lost to four it. And at the most responsible and inopportune moment. For example, in the World Cup-2007 he became a champion, and I the bronze prize-winner. And at the Olympic Games-2008 it blocked me a way to a medal: I lost to it in a semi-final. For some reason I couldn't try to it keys in any way, duels developed all the time for me unsuccessfully. That loss in Beijing - especially offensive.

- You told, what not for hundred percent are satisfied how there was a career. And that didn't suffice for full satisfaction?

- There were moments when it was possible to achieve the bigger. For example, in the same World Cup-2007 in Brazil. I approached to this tournament in the magnificent form best in my sports career. For an exit in a semi-final I won against the Italian, but I lost concentration and I conceded. Certainly, upsets also that couldn't become the prize-winner of the Olympic Games. And after all in Beijing-2008 for me everything could develop differently. Unfortunately, it wasn't succeeded to come to form peak to these competitions. All preparation for them was crumpled because to the last didn't know – whether I will go to Beijing. Though for the country I won the license in a year prior to the Olympic Games and the rating necessary gathered, that is satisfied all conditions of selection. About the participation I learned almost a month before Games. Delayed list announcement to the last. One athletes purposefully prepared for the Olympic Games, brought itself to it on form peak, and I had to go on unnecessary competitions, to spend the forces. And it couldn't but be reflected, eventually, in performance in Beijing.

- In the World Cup in Rio-2013 it was strange to see thin tribunes. When you acted in Brazil in the 2007th was also?

- Not full of a tribune were only in the morning block, and on final duels of empty seats not to find. I remember, in 2007 there was a notice. Though the hall rather big, contains nearly 12 thousand audience. There and on "Grand Slam" tournaments always there are a lot of fans.

- Euro-2012 in Chelyabinsk when on tribunes there was a large number of the audience all day, from morning to evening is remembered.

- Yes, but to you it isn't necessary to forget that competitions of such level in Chelyabinsk still were never held. Therefore there is nothing surprising that round them there was a big agiotage.

- Means, and in the World Cup-2014 which in nearly half a year will take place in Chelyabinsk, we also can expect the notice?

- I don't doubt it at all. After all the World Cup is a tournament 10 times more, than the European championship. To us there will arrive the strongest judoists of a planet. To hold such tournament is a great honor and responsibility not only for Chelyabinsk, but also all Russia.

- Russian national team prepared for the European championship-2012 in the Center of the Olympic preparation in Chelyabinsk. The base will be involved by preparation for a world championship? What do mentors of a national team speak about TsOPE?

- The national team carries annually out at us collecting and, I don't doubt that the best judoists of the country will arrive to us again. Our training base conforms to the highest standards. It, probably, concedes in some moments to the Tyumen – there the Center of the Olympic preparation of absolutely other level and an orientation. But is at us and the pluses. Nearby there are two comfortable and good hotels of high level that is very convenient for athletes – all within walking distance. Besides, we have the modern and well equipped gym. So the trainer's staff of Russian national team didn't state discontent to us. On the contrary, I thanked for that good conditions for trainings offered and quickly resolved household issues.

- The material base of the Center of the Olympic preparation really conforms to high standards. That, in your opinion, doesn't suffice to it?

- It would be desirable to create the good recovery center on the basis of TsOPA. This aspect in modern sports should pay much attention. After trainings the organism has to be restored, the bath, a massage office is for this purpose necessary. We will try to resolve this issue in the near future.

- To a position of the director of TsOPA already got used? You like your work? In what its main difficulties?

- Yes, everything is normal, I don't experience any difficulties. The kind of activity didn't exchange. I remained in judo, anywhere it didn't leave. Now I pass on all the experience to younger generation. To those athletes who already fight or will fight at high level. Work is pleasant to me, we have a good and harmonious collective which one year works here not. It wouldn't be desirable to maleficiate, but at us everything goes according to the plan, and we didn't meet yet unsoluble difficulties. Pleases, as our athletes show good results, there is a perspective youth. We now pay to youthful judo special attention. To us it is important that there was a good reserve, the continuity of generations remained. It will allow us to avoid failures in the future.

- What objectives would be to be achieved as the director of TsOPA?

- There is a wish to keep and increase achievements of the South Ural judo. And for this purpose it is necessary to keep continuity of generations. We had the first Olympic champion - Mansur Isayev. It is clear that it is difficult to train constantly new champions, but it is necessary to aspire that from each Olympic Games we had medallists. All necessary for this purpose is. In Russian national team our two fellow countrymen work. In Chelyabinsk there is a good and perspective team of athletes and trainers. They study, develop. Worthy change which already well proves to be on championships of the world and Europe in different age grows also. Judoists at us talented, to them we will help to open the potential. It is our priority.

Vitaly VIZAULIN

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