At the Russian Championship, Lasitskene did not hesitate to show weakness

When an Olympic champion and the only three-time high jump world champion in the history of athletics does not even make it to the top 5 domestic competitions, you can yell. How so: 1.86? With such a result, Maria Lasitskene became the sixth in the Russian Championship and the seventh in the “Queen of Russian Sports” stage (and the result of Belarusian athletes is also taken into account in it). Kristina Koroleva became the champion of Russia with a score of 1.91 cm. But Karina Demidik, the record holder of Belarus, took off the highest and won the “Queen of Sports” stage, and even fulfilled the Olympic standard – 1.97.

However, it is necessary to shout not from the result of the Olympic champion, but from her willpower: she does not hesitate to use the opportunities for performance and show herself weak. After all, she entered the sector after an injury, knowing what she was capable of.

And yet – you can be glad that, it seems, Maria managed to reconfigure herself to a positive wave during the rehabilitation period. After all, that sad appearance of the athlete in front of journalists in May remained in the memory for a long time. When an athlete of this level cries from impotence, because he does not see the future, these are common tears. Then Maria said that her international career was over, “everything has already been decided, no matter what we do, we are not expected anywhere.” Although she is not ready to end her career, she wants to jump.

And now – again entering the sector after the treatment of the injury. After just three technical training sessions. After the recovery, which took place without forcing, “to cure, and not urgently, urgently prepare for some kind of start.” Only with the thought that the treatment should make Achilles not bother while jumping.

“Everything is under control,” Maria herself says today. And this, judging by the mood, it is. And the result? “There are no miracles in high jump, we were ready for this. We didn’t consider options not to participate, it’s somehow boring to miss such a tournament. There was no practice for a very long time, I already forgot what it is: stands, jitters. And the star of world athletics, who has seen plenty of arenas and tournaments of various levels, also said: Chelyabinsk gathered a whole stadium for the Russian Championship, the fans – wow!

Now, having already officially started jumping after an injury, having missed the tournaments of the season, Maria does not intend to stop: “I don’t want to finish so quickly after such rehabilitation.” He says that he hopes to receive an invitation from the organizers of the final of the Queen of Russian Sports series of tournaments. In any case, they will prepare for the finals, and there, how the VFLA decides. “If it is interesting and profitable for the ARAF to have me play in the final of the Queen of Sports, I hope that they will introduce a wild card rule and I will be able to act as the current champion of the tournament.”

And to the question, which, alas, is already becoming stereotyped, for the sake of what in the current situation it is necessary to stay afloat, and even more so – to move forward, Lasitskene simply answers: we must prepare, remembering why all this is being done. “We must try to enjoy the training and competitive processes for the sake of the result, for the love of athletics. And, no matter how trite it may sound, to believe and hope.

Pole vaulter Timur Morgunov won in Chelyabinsk with 5.87 m. “It was as if I were performing abroad, seriously, there were such sensations. We’ve never had that.” And, like Maria Lasitskene, he confessed his love for the audience.

Having already won, Timur even tried to update his personal record, which, together with the victory, he set at the 2018 European Championship: exactly 6 meters. Until it worked out. But the silver medalist of the tournament Alexander Solovyov, who joined Morgunov, who has an Olympic standard (5.82) and bronze medalist Mikhail Shmykov (5.77), updated his personal records.

The appearance of the world champion in the 110 meters hurdles Sergei Shubenkov at the tournament in Chelyabinsk came as a surprise to many. In June, the athlete fell off his motorcycle and broke his collarbone. I received unflattering comments about my ride even from a personal trainer. He underwent surgery. The season seems to have ended for him.

And Shubenkov, with a titanium implanted somewhere in his hand, opened the season anew. Yes, he was left without gold, he became the third in the race, but still – the silver medalist of the Russian championship. (Belarusian Vitaly Parakhonko, who came running second, did not participate in the division of the medals of our championship.)

And Anatoly Kiselev won the race, who, for the run itself and unbridled joy after the victory, became the favorite of both journalists and spectators. The athlete showed a result (13.36), which this season, even before the injury, was not given even to Shubenkov. In fairness, and without detracting from the achievements of the new champion of Russia, during the race the wind was blowing at 2.6 m/s, while the standard was up to 2 m/s. There will be no personal record, but the wind did not blow away the winner’s dance in front of the cameras. And Shubenkov simply sent a colleague: “Fuck you, run at 13.36!”.

And Kiselyov had to jokingly make excuses: I’m not me, the result is not mine, I actually run at 13.55, but that’s how it happened. And also – it’s very nice to win against the venerable leader, it’s clear that he’s not in shape, but – what’s the difference after the victory! There is this happy moment, for the sake of it the athlete lives. The main thing is the path to success, even if no one remembers this success tomorrow.

Danil Lysenko in the high jump sector today is the undisputed leader. He won in Chelyabinsk already at a height of 2.27 m. But then he again went to take the Olympic standard, which he had already received twice in the season: 2.33 m. bar higher…

Ekaterina Koneva was also able to conquer both the Olympic standard and the stands. Already in the second attempt, she flew 14.79 meters (the standard for the Olympic Games is 14.55). She said that she was very well prepared for the Russian Championship, she jumped at the level of a personal record in training. “During the performance, I didn’t think about whether I could fulfill the Olympic standard. I just imagined the perfect jump in my head and tried to bring it to life.” Embodied, refused further attempts, also rejoiced at the moment. But I didn’t hide from bitterness: I don’t believe that this result will make it possible to perform at the Olympics in Paris.

The final of the series of tournaments “Queens of Russian Sports” will be held in Yekaterinburg from 17 to 19 August. And at the same time, the World Championships in Athletics will begin in Budapest. Again without our athletes.

The President of World Athletics Briton Sebastian Coe does not consider it possible even in a neutral status to allow our and Belarusian leaders to start. As he does not consider it necessary to hide his mood. By no means neutral. Even if it sometimes covers it with vague promises that the ban can be lifted at any moment: “it would be ridiculous to say no forever.”

The World Athletics Association restored the membership of the All-Russian Athletics Federation, but extended the suspension of athletes from Russia and Belarus from starts under the auspices of World Athletics due to the situation in Ukraine. Coe says he never doubted the correctness of this decision. “We did not focus on public opinion or what federations are going to do in other sports. Sorry, but I can’t be neutral.” An apology is hardly appropriate and can be accepted.