The Olympic champion of Athens, who had never before won the world championships, returned from Zagreb with two gold medals. Galkina won the highest title in shooting from a small-caliber rifle from three positions from a distance of 50 meters. In the same exercise, she became the best in team competitions. Another medal - team "bronze" - knocked out in shooting from an air rifle from a distance of 10 meters. Although the efficiency of our team leader in Croatia could be great. At least, the head coach of the Russian delegation Oleg Lapkin is sure of this. Galkina herself told Tatyana Milevskaya, a newspaper correspondent, that she did not consider her speech unsuccessful.
- It is clear that they expected two personal medals from me. In shooting from an air rifle from 10 meters, I was second in Athens. But before the trip to Zagreb, I felt that I didn’t really succeed in training, but it turned out even worse in the championship. According to the results of the first series, you could immediately say goodbye to the final. Allowed so many losses that would be enough for the whole championship. I will not complain about the heat and other external circumstances, because everyone was in the same conditions, and the cause must be sought in itself.
And the failure to shoot with a small-caliber rifle from a distance of 50 meters while lying didn’t upset me, since this exercise is not Olympic and I didn’t prepare specifically for it.
- In the finals, a gold medal almost swam away from you. Saved only the mistakes of Sylvia Rich Men from Poland. Have you followed her results?
- Not. I tried to process the target as accurately as possible - the shooting was offset from the center, and I had to figure it out on the go. But mastery lies in the ability to survive at a critical moment, is not it?
- This World Cup was the third for you. What did the previous ones remember?
- At my first championship in 1998, I performed in only one exercise - shooting from an air rifle. Become the fourth. Another in my place would be upset, but I was very happy. If I don’t confuse anything, I got into the final with the eighth amount and climbed to fourth place. For a debutant, this is a success! Four years later, in Lahti, I was declared in three exercises. But I didn’t make it to the finals, but the team we took third place, and this somehow mitigated my disappointment.
- Today you didn’t think at all ...
- I regularly participated in the stages of the World Cup, and when you are in a good competitive rhythm, you perceive every tournament in a working manner, without fuss and special ambitions. However, I’m cunning. You always think about medals.
- The Russian team in Zagreb swayed slowly. Did you feel general depression?
- Not. We all cheered for each other. When Marina Bobkova missed the medal in the last shot, both I and all the Russians sitting on the podium approached her, cheered up. Although she would have understood us without words, we all have been in such situations.
- Last year you did not participate in the stages of the World Cup. Have a rest?
- I decided to make my schedule easier - after all, the Olympics took a lot of energy. But she really could not afford to relax. She participated in two European small arms and airgun shooting championships and accepted the invitation to the World Cup finals. As the winner of the 2004 Cup, I had carte blanche there.
- At what point did you feel that the Olympic fatigue has passed?
- It is impossible to clearly identify this moment. After the Games, my husband, Evgeny Aleinikov, and our entire rifle team went to rest in Egypt. True, it was not possible to stay there for a long time - the guys remained, and I returned to Moscow to give interviews and attend receptions. Championship position obliged.
- Some athletes complained that after the Olympics the authorities did not fulfill all their promises ...
“I can't say that.” All rewards have been paid to me. We had an apartment, a car was bought. It remained only to slowly train, and in between to devote time to study. My husband and I study law at the Russian University for the Humanities. Fortunately, the university building near our house in Domodedovo is located. This is my second higher education, the first is technical.
- It seems that a break in your performances has benefited you.
- The stages of the World Cup passed quite stably, twice I was the third - in pneumatics and in small caliber. Then the Russian competitions began. At the national championship, I was in the top three in my exercises and was able to calmly prepare for the world championship.
- Do you somehow change the mode of your training over time?
- The foundation is always the same. We are engaged in general physical training as needed. It is not required for shooters. I have enough roller skating and swimming. And I don’t need a psychologist yet. I noticed that the longer you compete, the calmer you feel at the firing line. So this time, the check had to be arranged more for the suit, and not for me.
- I.e?
- Recently introduced new standards for the rigidity of suits. Previously, politics was too loyal - some athletes were literally taken to the frontier, like robots with stiff arms and legs. Now this is unacceptable. The suit is checked not only before, but also after the competition. If you have a lot, please, bring a suit for testing. A load is laid on it, under which the material bends. And if the deflection curve does not fit into the standard, you are disqualified. Such cases have already happened. Anything can affect the stiffness of the suit - for example, the fact that the athlete is sweating. Therefore, you have to choose a suit very carefully.
- Succeeded?
- I even put it in the refrigerator - to check how he reacts to frost. Manufacturers did not let me down.
- Do you have a habit of calling home on the eve of a performance?
- Although my husband and shooter, but I have my own coach. Eugene is not so actively involved in shooting and decided not to participate in the selection for the World Cup. But still wants to keep abreast of all the news. I told them them by phone from Zagreb.
- By the way, the World Cup was broadcast live only on the Internet. Do you think it is necessary to change this state of affairs?
- Of course! I will never believe skeptics who claim that the shooting world championship will not find its audience. Millions of people watch the Olympic Rifle Tournament, and really, which, like the Olympics, takes place every four years, really will not? Here is another example of the popularity of this sport: usually before the World Cup stage in Germany, a national championship is held. A huge number of shooters take part in it, who then fill the stands during the cup competitions. Who will turn their tongue after this to say that the shooting is not interesting to the public?