Togliatti hammer thrower Sofya Palkina this summer became the strongest in the youth championship of the planet in athletics. The tournament was held in the Colombian city of Cali, where a pupil of Togliatti sports school No. 3 " Athletics»In hammer throw showed the result of 67.82 meters. Now Sophia is 17 years old, and behind her there are already a lot of "large-sized" awards. She is a student of the School Olympic reserve, however, she does not get to the next Olympics in Rio de Janeiro by age, but she hopes and makes every effort so that the next Olympics will not go without her participation.

Now Sofya is at a training camp in the Krasnodar Territory, but before leaving, our correspondent managed to meet with the young athlete and talked about her sports path, travel impressions and support resources.

- When did you notice this extraordinary sport?

- I have been in sports since I was ten - then I started doing athletics, and began to practice hammer throwing at the age of 12. They gave me a try to start the hammer, and I was interested in this technique, I liked it. Considering that my complexion is rather big, I was offered the core to push at city competitions. They took him to the coach, but he himself specializes in the hammer, since he himself was metal. After I literally smashed the cannonball a little bit, he began to show me how to throw a hammer. Somehow it all dragged on, it began to work out. When the mood is bad, sometimes I throw it out on the thorns. This, of course, is not a hobby, but something with which you can show yourself if you have nice results... That is, declare yourself a measure. When you come to the gym, you start doing exercises, something superfluous leaves your head. It's somehow easier. You try not to think, you start working with iron, and somehow it becomes easier.

- Who was your mentor in this field and do you have any idols?

- Actually, I came to athletics to Shikunov Igor Vladimirovich. He taught physical education at our school, and many guys even then went to him for training. I also decided to try, since it was free time... Liked. Then, when she began to engage in hammering, she moved on to Vladimir Aleksandrovich Bykov. The coach always helps me a lot, for which I am grateful. Idols? Probably, Olympic champion Tatiana Lysenko. She does it somehow easily, beautifully. She achieved such results, despite the fact that she is from a large family. Has risen from the bottom to the top. A very interesting personality, with great technique, I would like to grow up to her.

- Do sports accompany your whole life? Your friends are also athletes or do you communicate with by different people?

- How do others react when they find out that you are engaged in such an atypical sport for a girl?

- There is a stereotype that it is very difficult and not at all female look sports. People think that this is not athletics, but heavy. Many do not know what the hammer looks like in general. And who knows, they understand and do not express any bewilderment. When the results started, everyone didn’t care what I was doing. The first place is not important in what, the main thing is in sports. Of course, there is still a specific reaction. If a stranger asks what I am doing, then he is very surprised when he hears the answer. They usually ask how much the hammer weighs and how far I throw it. For athletes under eighteen years old, the weight of the hammer is three kilograms, and after eighteen athletes are already throwing four kilograms. I already threw four kilograms last year on official competitions, although I'm still only in next year turns eighteen.

- Your sports career on top of that, it also allows you to travel. Share your impressions: where have you been and where did you like the most?

- I was in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Holland, Belarus, Colombia, Brazil. The trip to Holland for the Youth Olympic Festival impressed me the most. Reception was at the highest level... Europe is very good people... It was very beautiful in Azerbaijan, in Baku. In Colombia, there were a lot of people in a huge stadium. It's just that I have never seen anything like this in Russia. Even in huge stadiums, we usually have quite a few people. And there was full stadium in the evening, under the spotlights, with a powerful sound. You don't hear anyone, there is a shout, and this atmosphere is just unusual. Athletes are always treated very well everywhere.

- Who is supporting you here in Russia?

- The coach is constantly supportive. Friends we train with. Well, parents, of course. Mom and grandmother and grandfather are always supportive. Mom calls, worries. She didn’t understand why I needed these training sessions before, but she saw that her daughter was interested, and then she understood how it looked from the inside. And she began to support me.

- How does your life differ from a sports fan or an unsportsmanlike person?

- Well, after training I want to sleep, so I go to bed early. When I started to play sports, my grades decreased, but I still finished the ninth grade with only five grades. At school, I was forgiven a lot for what I did not have time to do. Because you come home from school, eat and run to training. You do not have time to do everything and you just cut yourself out. Now it is easier for me, I have a free visiting schedule. They give me assignments, and I hand them over. In principle, it is not very difficult now. Plus, I travel around the country, to other countries. And that's why, probably, I didn't get into bad companies. I do not know how my peers live now, and I cannot compare. I also communicate mainly with athletes.

Quote:
Vladimir Bykov, hammer throw coach:
- Sophia is a purposeful and sane person. Can set goals and achieve them. In my opinion, the perspective in it was initially visible. The man felt and understood what he was doing. Even at first, even without knowing all the nuances, she showed a distinctive ability.

photo from the personal archive of Sophia Palkina

Vladimir Sakhmeev, "Freedom Square"

June 9 at the championship in Cheboksary Sophia Palkina, who turned 16 shortly before the start all-Russian tournament, immediately made it clear to all rivals who is the boss in this sector. In the first attempt, her hammer flew 59 m 18 cm. Having thwarted the second attempt, the pupil Vladimir Bykov then three more times sent the projectile to the mark of 59 m 89 cm, demonstrating tremendous stability and throw range. Her main competitor and silver medalist - Natalia Pospelova from Sverdlovsk region lagged behind by almost two meters, sending a projectile at 57 m 93 cm. So the pupil of the Togliatti specialized children's and youth sports school of the Olympic reserve (SDYUSSHOR No. 3 "Athletics"), the master of sports of Russia (this title was awarded to her this year) not only brought gold medal in the piggy bank of the national team Samara region, but also confirmed the regularity of her last year's record - 64 meters 39 centimeters.

Her appearance at the Russian Championship in 2013 shocked her rivals: the hammer thrower from Togliatti, known only to experts, immediately set the highest achievement among juniors. And then, a few months later, she repeated this success twice more.

“In 2014, Sophia has already broken two Russian records, became a prize-winner of major international competitions - the III Youth Eurasian Games. Although not even a year has passed since her first serious achievement, ”said the deputy director for teaching and educational work of the Sports School No. 3“ Athletics ” Julia Boyarshinova.

The future champion was noticed in a physical education lesson

The future winner of the Russian championship was noticed by the coaches of the Sports School # 3 at physical education lessons in her native gymnasium # 38, where she easily performed all the standards and tests. And they offered to be like training in the athletics section. At a running training session, she was noticed by the famous Togliatti throwing coach Vladimir Bykov. He invited the girl to try herself in a new discipline - hammer throw.

“The coach saw that running results are given to Sofya very easily, and he became interested in how the girl's sports talent would be revealed in a fundamentally different track and field athletics discipline,” says Yulia Boyarshinova. - Sophia agreed to try. And the first victories were not long in coming. "

Sophia herself is pleased with her achievements in the throwing sector. But she admits that now her life is continuous travel, flights, training, competition. There is almost no time left for the usual joys that any 16-year-old has.

"Totally agree recent times I have visited Kazakhstan, Moscow, Azerbaijan, Penza, Cheboksary, - the girl lists. - Regular training imperceptibly turns into preparation for intermediate competitions, and then performances at all-Russian and international tournaments... Rest, and again trainings and tournaments. But such a rhythm of life is a matter of habit, and this is how all athletes who want to take to win their main award in life - the Olympic medal - live. I understand that in order to achieve real recognition at the world level, you need to go through this vicious circle an infinite number of times. And I'm ready for this. "

Togliatti athlete about her first international start during the VFLA disqualification period

Sophia Palkina, a 19-year-old hammer thrower from Togliatti, became the first of the provincial athletes to receive World Federation athletics permission to compete at international starts and has already performed at them.

Last week she won silver in the European Under-23 Throwing Cup. National Federation athletics was disqualified back in 2015, and on November 26, 2017, the IAAF Council did not reinstate the ARAF due to the failure to meet a number of criteria road map... But nevertheless, since last year Russian athletes given the fulfillment of a number of conditions, they got a chance to speak in the international arena. Sophia Palkina was among the first such athletes who received admission to the starts in the status of a neutral athlete. What is it like to perform as an independent athlete? How did her rivals receive her after a two-year absence from the hammer throw sector? And how can ARAF disqualification affect further development Russian athletics? Palkina herself told about this in an interview with "SO".

You have already applied to the International Association athletics federations(IAAF) to participate in international competitions according to a simplified scheme.

Yes, last year I received admission as a neutral athlete, but they gave it very late - all my starts have already passed.

- This time everything was on time. And what is it like to return to the sector after two years of absence?

The amendment is two and a half. It was interesting (smiles). I followed the performances of my competitors, their ratings. Therefore, of course, it was exciting, and I was worried. But when I entered the sector, I quickly gathered myself and somehow felt all right, saw all the rivals.

- Has anything changed in the sector during your absence?

Nothing significant happened. I knew that the Hungarian River Dyurats is the leader, and if I showed my result, I could compete for the first place. After all, my personal result in the season is 69.13 meters, and Dyuraz threw 69 meters.

- But you passed the Polish woman Katarzyna Furmanek, who became the third and threw 65.15 meters.

Yes, my 65.97 meters in the second attempt were further (smiles). However, when you prepare for 69 meters and throw 65 meters, you consider the result unsuccessful.

- Something went wrong?

Firstly, the pause in international starts affected. That is why in Portugal at this European Cup my coach and I set the task of simply performing and feeling the international start again.

- Remember all?

Yes. And perhaps this excitement ultimately affected, or maybe fatigue was added to it - after all, we have been sitting at the training camp for a long time.

How does it feel to be a Neutral Athletes or is the ANA an independent athlete? Some say status doesn't matter.

Well, since I became the second, no anthem was played in my honor (laughs), and if I won, then the anthem of the European Athletics Association would be played.

- But in your honor the anthem of Russia sounded on youth championship peace in Colombia.

Yes, and this is a completely different feeling.

- Can you describe what is wrong?

I'll try ... Of course, everyone knows where we are from and that we are neutral athletes from Russia. It's just that we ride either as a small team (now there were six athletes, three coaches and a representative), or one at a time. And this is not easy, I can tell you, when you stand on a pedestal in a neutral uniform, which should not contain colors, patterns or in any other way associated with the command uniform or the flag of a suspended federation, that is, ARAF. Although, to be honest, you are already getting used to this form and it even seems that other countries should also compete in the same, and their flags and uniforms already seem unusual. Do not know. She has not won international starts in ANA status yet. How I win, let's see how it feels. But for now, I’ll say that it’s not that. Unusual. After all, first of all, we are for ourselves - I mean the country, we are.

- How were ANA athletes from Russia received in general?

Calmly. But, of course, you feel the looks on you. True, you don't understand what kind of good they are or vice versa. You just know what they are watching. You understand that we have not played outside the country for a long time, we have not been seen, we do not wear the colors of the national team. Everything matters here. At the same time, many are quite friendly and openly say: "Hurray, we have finally arrived, otherwise the rivalry in the sector is not the same without Russia."

- Did you miss in the sector?

Yes. Especially our brothers - Belarusians. (Laughs)

- This saga with the restoration of the rights of the ARAF is being delayed indefinitely.

And this greatly affects our prospects. Here you need to understand that for the development of Russian athletics, the consequences of this can be much sadder than it seems. And now we are reaping the benefits. After all, under the admission to the starts at international level all categories fall into - from adults to children.

- And how does it affect?

In the youth and junior ages, in order to be competitive on the world stage, a large number of international starts are needed. This is necessary so that after moving to "youth" or "adults" they feel calm and confident and show good results. For example, I missed two and a half years in juniors. I didn’t have international starts in this age, although I “skated” until I was 18 years old and I have some kind of experience. But already our young men do not have it at all. It takes time and a lot to get it. Because international starts are not only a different level compared to all-Russian competitions, but in general they are completely different competitions, different emotions and sensations. This process is step-by-step and quite natural. You need to get used to this, you need to stop being afraid and try to make the performance just interesting and enjoyable. So that emotions do not go to experiences, but splashes out in the sector. Otherwise, no good result will be obtained.

- That is, the longer the ARAF disqualification lasts ...

-… the more sad the consequences will be. Even trite will become uninteresting to engage in athletics. What is the motivation? When they start to play sports, everyone has a certain, albeit distant, dream - a goal. For most athletes, this is the Olympics or even just go to international competitions and show how tough and strong you are. What if you can't do it? What interest can there be if a child has come to athletics, and he is told that he will not perform further than the All-Russian starts. What sporting future does he have?

- Are you satisfied with the winter starts?

I would like to perform better. Stability is lacking. Now we will leave for the training camp, we will work hard on the technique, set up the movements.

- There is a secret successful technique throw?

In general, the movement that needs to be done when trying is one, but everyone does it differently: each has its own body characteristics, the muscles are arranged differently. You just need to focus on your feelings, sensations. The ball moves freely, not freely ... I don't know how to explain it - you just need to feel it.

- How many throws do you make in one workout?

It is different when 15-20. You can 25 and much more. Each time, the tasks in the training are different. If you need to develop movements - more throws, and if the speed and strength - less, because you quickly get tired and the technique deteriorates

- For the first year you are performing for the "youth". Are your competitors the same age?

If we talk about the last European Cup, then both medalists are two years older than me. As for the Hungarian, we are with her Last year in one age category we compete - after the summer season she will go to the "adult".

- And you will remain out of competition in the "youth"?

No, why. There are girls who can throw far. It's just that it's such an age when you can tweak the technique a little, gain a little strength and speed and ... oops - start throwing far. Anyone can "shoot".

- What starts this year to root for you?

Country record holder among juniors in hammer throw with a score of 69.32 m