Photo: noc-ukr.org

After talking with the head coach of the national team of Ukraine, the correspondent “SE” to find out what changes have occurred in the team after the Olympics and preparations for the home European championship.

On Monday at the capital sports Center “Liko” started the Open Cup of Ukraine in which in addition to the masters tournament are also involved divers from Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, Holland, Hungary and Finland.

Note that in the early days of the competition in Kiev, has twice managed to climb on the podium Oleg Kolodiy and Sofia Lescun. With the amount of 332 together they won silver in the team tournament, losing 2.6 points to the guests from Belarus Vadim Capture and Alena Chaulking.

15-year-old Lugansk resident was also second in individual jumps from a tower, ahead 8.8 points Dutch Selina von Duin, 15,25 and losing three years older compatriot Valeria Lyulko, set in the Kiev tournament record 309,10. Kolodiy, in turn, to silver in the team added gold in the mixed doubles on the trampoline with Anastasia Nedobega (287,82).

For the organizers, this tournament kind of rehearsal before the European championship, which is June 12-18 will be in Kiev. For athletes – the start of a new Olympic cycle, in which the Ukrainian team enters immediately without two of their perennial leaders.

About who left the team and the reasons why you missed the beginning of the competition in Kiev, Ilya Kvasha, who will be his new partner in sync, as well as about the prospects of leading Ukrainian diver in the water at the Euros and Tokyo 2020, said “SE” head coach of Ukraine Tamara Tokmacheva.

FOR THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP ALREADY ENTERED 23 COUNTRIES

– Three athletes of the main team, including Ilya Kvasha, only on Tuesday came from the stage of the World series, which took place in the canadian Windsor, explains the lack of leaders on the Ukrainian Cup coach Tamara TokmachevaHis participation in the competition will depend on his health after the flight.

But we planned performance of Elijah on meter springboard. Even if it is not an Olympic shell, but it is always comfortable it feels. Youth team, in turn, also just returned from a very strong international tournament in Germany. Here each athlete has their challenges. Our main goal was to attract more countries for the Cup of Ukraine. Turned six. The Swedes and the Swiss, who also had to participate, for whatever reason, to fly could not. Let’s face it, foreigners are still afraid to go to Ukraine.

But one thing usual tournament, another championship. To date, the application for participation have already filed 23 countries. Therefore, it is very important to pre-test the system that will work on the European championship. For example, to avoid interruptions with the advent of the assessments on the scoreboard, etc. Cup of Ukraine – a great opportunity to do it.

– This season Ukrainian divers did not win any medals on the stages of the World series of FINA, perhaps, almost for the first time since its inception (2007). Ukrainian fans should start to worry?

– Let’s start with the fact that the World series invite athletes who were the Top 6 (at the last world Cup or the Olympics – Approx. A. S.). This time managed only Ilya Kvasha and synchronous pair on the tower Maxim Dolgov and Alexander horshkovozov. But the latter was injured. We had either to opt out of participation in the series or to find a replacement. Chose the second option. In a couple of Debt has put quite the young athlete, no experience of international competitions Eugene Naumenko. To win the medals in this kind in this part we couldn’t initially, did not let difficulty and quality of execution of jumps.

Debt, I remember in their debut year on the stages of the World series of FINA (2014) immediately began to rise on a pedestal in sync with Alexander Cooper. In fact, by the age of seventeen he already had a competitive program, will collect it over the next couple of years Naumenko?

At least, we will do everything for this. Debt still was a little older when I started to perform on stages the World series. Naumenko today, only moved into the group “A”. He’s only 15. Boy he’s capable of, and I think with proper liner of the trainer, and he is from Zaporozhye and working with him Irina Zhuravleva, anything is possible. But in General, with regard to synchrony in the tower, we still expect that I will recover after the injury Sasha Horshkovozov. He was supposed to be here at the Cup of Ukraine. Last Friday it seems to have all jumps were able to collect. But he again pulled back, had instead of the competition to go for an MRI. Waiting to see what the doctors say.

– Speaking of the World series, several times close to the podium, however, was not able to climb on it the leader of the Russian team Ilya Kvasha. However, with each step he was gaining points, and in the end, in Windsor scored the amount 476,65. Can we expect that he will reach the level of 500 points for the European championship?

– Ilya, it was hard to fight for the top spot in the World series. Difficulty at present, it is not high enough, so getting to the finals in his case already a victory. On the other hand, his program is stable, it jumps for many years. And if you raise the quality of performance, then it can go to 500. Previously, he such as jumping already close to this amount of points. Let’s hope I can do it at home the European championship. It is not huge. Although to compete in the fight for medals in the springboard event three meters it will be very hard. In Kiev will arrive the Olympic champion of London Russian Ilya Zakharov, silver and bronze medals in Rio on this shell Englishman Jack Luo and Patrick Hausding from Germany.

– Kvasha and had periodically in qualifying jumped “three and a half turns forward,” but this season he began to make it in the finals too. How do you think he needs to go back to the more expensive spiral jump, or plus two tenths in the ratio of the difficulty of weather will do?

– If classroom performance is not critical. The fact that Ilya got the error in the screws. And the show failed screw jump, really appropriate down to two-tenths lower, but the jump is stable “three and a half forward” and get a high score.

– Kvasha, even before Rio has said that he intends to continue his career until the next Olympic games. Do you think he has enough strength and health in order to be competitive in Tokyo 2020?

Nobody knows enough or not. It is a sport and sports are difficult, with unpredictable injuries. The fact that Ilya hardworking and motivated athlete, Yes! And today he is working to raise the complexity factor. “Three-and-a-half ago,” he has no plans to jump, because for him it is both in terms of physical and technical very difficult jump. But “two and a half with three screws” will try.

I’m really sorry that he did not, immediately after the Olympics in London, as did the representatives of great Britain. Yes, they for some time lost, but gathered a full set of medals at the Olympic games in Rio, in particular, became the Champions in sync on the ramp (the Lo Jack and Chris Mears – Approx. A. S.) they had the most difficult program, as well as his time in Beijing Ilya Kvasha Aleksey Prigotovil. I like the head coach made a bet on high rate before those Games. It worked for us then, it worked for the British now in Rio.

THE NEW COUPLE AND BABY BOOM

– What is the future of our leading synchronous pair on the springboard Kvasha / Horshkovozov brought medals from the last three European Championships (silver – 2015, bronze – 2014, 2016)?

– And Gorshkovozov to date the situation is unclear for medical reasons, as I said earlier. He had six months of training in full. I wish Sasha made the championship of Europe at least in sync on the tower with the Debt. Because they pair, quite competitive. They recall, was higher than the Russian Duo at the Olympics in Rio. So will try to keep Gorshkovozov in sync on the tower for the team event, because he’s a high-class athlete who can perform jumps nine points. On the trampoline we are now preparing a new pair of Kvasha / deck. The program they jump the same: “four and a half forward, three and a half by itself, three and a half Averbakh” and yet “three and a half forward.” If Ilya make awarehouse screws, then go for them. This is the jump that he was removed from the individual programs on the stages of the World series.

– During the ceremony “Heroes of sports year”, the country learned that in the interesting position is the leader of our women’s national team, Yulia Prokopchuk. And that means the fans will not be able to see it on the home championship. Was there still some personnel changes in the Ukrainian national team after Rio?

– Lena Fedorova we, too, are also preparing to become a mother. And this baby boom will certainly affect the team. Before Rio, we had to reshape the team due to departure of some athletes, in particular the Alexandra Cooper in Russia. Now we have to do this due to the fact that the girls went on maternity leave. Moreover, it was like snow on the head. Because they said they are going to continue to jump. We plan on results for this season was based on the fact that they still remain.

– Female age not to say, but since we are talking about sports, let me say that Fedorova and Prokopchuk’s 30. Jumping in the water a few examples when athletes after thirty would have continued to be successful.

When I asked Yulia Prokopchuk, what her next plans, “wait, wait,’ she answered, about to have a baby and then we’ll see”. So let’s wait. Known cases when after the decree in the sport has returned. In General, we certainly didn’t count on the age of the athletes for the entire cycle, but was really hoping for their help in the first season after the Olympics. It would be great if the same Prokopchuk still a year or two supported the team, while young girls is a little stronger. Because if there’s one athlete we have in the group “A” – Valeria Lyulko, the second in “B”. This Sofia Lescun. She is only 15. Lyulko has already collected the same program as was Prokopchuk. But to replace Julia in adult competitions and of course, it will be difficult. Because again, not enough experience.

Although in General the change of generations is a natural process and it is now experiencing many of the teams. In Italy, for example, finished Tania Cagnotto and Francesca Dallape. Last, as far as I know, is also expecting a child. Already changed synchronous pair on the tower, the Canadians, because retired roseline Fillon.

– Speaking of those who could take the baton from Prokopchuk, you didn’t mention Anna Krasnoshlyk – Vice-champion of the Youth Olympic games-2014 on the trampoline and participating in the Games in Rio in the tower. She did some experience already.

– Krasnoshlyk in the team. But she injured her knee, so the Cup will not be speaking, and will prepare for the championship of Ukraine which will take place 15-21 may, and will be for our athletes, the main qualifier for the European championship. Anya, by the way, is in terms of the complexity of the program, and she’s working on it. Rather worked up until the knee injury. In sync on the tower Krasnoshlyk will continue to play with Vlada Tatsenko, with which they recall, won a silver medal at the European championship in 2016. Their opponents – young Liskun and Lyulko. They now raised the difficulty will jump to the program, even harder than Krasnoshlyk and Tatsenko.

Interesting battle expected in women and in synchronous jumps from a springboard. Vic Caesar will jump with Anna Pysmenska and Anastasia Nedobega with a young athlete Diana Shelestyuk, winner of the European games in Baku.Let’s see who will be convincing in the end and will defend the right to represent the country at the European championship.

COOPER LOST TWO YEARS, AND MAYBE AN OLYMPIC MEDAL

– This season on the stages of the World series FINA won their first after the transition to the Russian team of international awards your former student Alexander Cooper. What impression have you got him jumping, it looks better, worse or remained at the same level?

I can’t say that he was better. But if it is to gain the amount that he gained more by being here, it’s a very good result. Let me remind you, he had over 540. That the athlete was in shape, he needs all the time to compete. Cooper is also moving two years have not played anywhere except in the Championships of Russia. But I’m sure he has a show, knowing his capability, character, and inner core. Such of the Ukrainian national team athletes have is that Ilya Kvasha.

Cooper himself came up to me at competitions, and we had a long conversation about what he then sees himself, and how his life has developed. He married and happily married. Sasha in General has always been very family boy now and his parents and grandmother are also in Russia.

Only, when we spoke with him, I asked him: “did You see how much scored silver and bronze medalists in Rio?” (532,70 Mexican German Sanchez, 525,25 – American David Boudia – Approx. A. S.) Yeah, fight for first place with the Chinese Chen Asanam it was hard, but for the second or third – is quite real. Of course Sasha and myself wish that had been lost for so long.

– Cooper is the only Ukrainian diver, who moved to Russia?

– Of the athletes of the core team – Yes, Junior – no. Left Vadim Neverovski, Philip Tkachenko. A number of players, particularly promising Nikita Rudenko returned to Lugansk. The school there continued to operate her pupils are out of the competition at the Championships and club competitions in Russia.

– Tamara, in the last two Olympic cycles, men have mastered such difficult jumps as “four and a half forward and bent under him in the group” and “two and a half with three screws.” What is the probability that we will see in the four elements with an even higher ratio for four points, if so, whose version?

– I think I just have a greater number of athletes will perform the above jumps. Because even girls do a “four and a half forward in the group”. Something even more unique? I do not know.

I’m sorry that “four and a half tuck under itself” fell out. Even the Mexicans Ivan Garcia and German Sanchez, who thanks to this jump became the silver medalists in London, he stopped to jump. Technically very difficult jump and run it on a good estimate is problematic.

Then there are athletes that will begin to turn five turns were not yet born?

– I think that will be born, there is no limit to human possibilities and that every year proves the program are improved, the jumps become more complicated.

– Can be born of such athletes in youth sports school “Triumph”, which works here in the pool “Liko” in Kiev?

We all do this. The President of the national Federation Igor Lisov really wants to show athletes that the capital could be proud of as well as Yulia Prokopchuk, who grew up on the basis of CSKA. The new school is only three years old, but she is already champion of Ukraine in his age group (eight to nine years). However, that the athlete could perform at international official competitions, it must be 14. So I have at least another five years to wait.

Anna SAVCHIK, Sport-Express in Ukraine