“My friends did everything to get me to my dream.” What does Olympic freestyle champion Alla Zuper do today

More than 12 years ago, freestyler Alla Zuper won a gold medal at the Sochi Olympics, and then performed on the international stage for another eight years. What the famous athlete is doing now, the correspondent of the Minsk-Novosti agency learned.

- Alla Petrovna, you have repeatedly wanted to finish your career. What was the reason?

- After each injury, these thoughts come. I had both knees operated on and my shoulder blade was broken twice. Any high-end athlete who gets seriously injured doubts whether to pursue a career. At the same time, when you think about how many years you gave to the sport and how much effort you, your entourage, the team, the state invested in it, you understand that you need to move on. There were other reasons. She got pregnant in 2012. Then, too, there was a desire to finish his career, because at the Olympics it was not possible to climb the pedestal. But inside, there was a worm of regret that it could not be fully realized.

Did the coaching staff convince you to continue?

- Yeah. There were several unknowns in this equation. My daughter was only 8-9 months old. Who will look after her when I have one or two training sessions a day, camp trips? How do you keep up with household chores? I talked to my husband and he convinced me to go back to the sport. He dealt with many issues himself. In addition, grandmothers and great-grandmothers came to the rescue. At first, it was difficult to organize your day. However, thanks to my team of assistants, everything worked out. In short, loved ones did everything to get me to my dreams. The efforts were not in vain – the Games in Sochi brought me a long-awaited medal. And gold!

I remember after that Olympics you said it was a beautiful point in your career. But it's a comma again.

- Thoughts of leaving. In 2015, a son was born in our family. The Belarusian national team was waiting for me, and after the rest I was eager to jump again, try my luck at the Games in Pyeongchang. The mechanism for the care of children, as well as household chores, was adjusted. The 2018 Olympics were in good shape. In the decisive attempt in the superfinal, performing the most difficult jump, took risks. A mark on the landing - and an insulting fourth place. It motivated me to prepare for the next major start of the four years, which would have been my seventh. However, a year before the 2022 Games, I suffered a severe injury – a ruptured Achilles tendon. There was a long recovery ahead. I realized that fate sends a sign - it's time to finish my career. And in 2022, she did.

- Did you know what you were going to do next?

- I have been offered to stay in the national freestyle team as an administrator coach. I gladly accepted it. Yes, the work duties include a lot of paperwork, organizational work, but I work in my favorite sport, with people I know. Most importantly, I spend a lot of time with my family. I didn’t want to coach children or adults, otherwise I would have lost more work than when I was an athlete.

The athlete worked out the training - and home. And the mentor remains to think out for each ward a plan for the next lesson, prepare documents for fees, applications for competitions and so on.

- You opened a sports center for children in Minsk.

- The project was invented with my husband. On the example of my children, I see how important it is to pay attention to health and physical fitness from an early age. Now the younger generation is reluctant to go to sports sections, spends most of their free time at computers and gadgets. I want Belarus to always remain a sporting country. Children who lead an active lifestyle grow up healthier and more purposeful. My mission is to help them develop their skills in sports.

Did you get your children involved in sports?

Daughter Elizabeth was engaged in freestyle. However, at that time I often performed at competitions, went to training camps, and my husband did not have enough time to take her to training. Lisa started to fall behind her peers, so she left. Later she was sent to badminton, which she is fond of now. My son Timothy has been playing hockey for five years. In addition, the whole family skiing. Similar attacks happen on badminton courts. My daughter beats everyone, but at the same time she gives us lessons. It's a great pastime.

- You passed the standards of the state sports and health complex "Ready for Labor and Defense". So you're still in shape?

- The first time I tried to participate was a few years ago. Then to earn dozens in all exercises did not work. I thought I could handle the shuttle race without any problems, but I lost. The long jump did not perform well either. This year I was preparing – I went to the gym, used a treadmill, worked on the jump. As a result, she passed everything on “excellent”, received a gold badge. I had never imagined that so many amateur competitions were held in the country, including for employees of sports organizations.

- Do you participate in them?

Yeah. For example, she acted in shooting from air weapons - a pistol and a rifle. At first they tried, sitting on a chair and with emphasis, and then, as professionals, standing. In the RCUP, internal tournaments are held in freestyle: we compete in bowling, table tennis, billiards, darts, swimming, cornhole (a game where fabric bags with sand are thrown into a hole on a raised wooden platform). - Author's note.

- Which species do you like best?

- I'm trying to get involved. Not bad at bowling and cornhole. I haven’t played table tennis before, but now it’s interesting. I also go to the pool twice a week.

During the competition, sports excitement wakes up. Before shooting, I feel the same excitement as I was on the slope before the jump.

- Are you recognized in the city now?

- Even 12 years after winning the medal, strangers come to Sochi and remember how worried and cheered for me when I competed at the Olympics. Some ask for a photo and an autograph, others just want to talk. These are pleasant stories that cheer me up and passers-by. As part of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus – I am a member of the Athletes’ Commission – I attend various events and meetings.

- Come to freestyle training in your native RCOP?

- Regularly. I watch how the guys work, I talk to the coaches. The whole process is of great interest to me. In our form, complexity is growing. For women, a few years ago, the system of evaluating triple flips changed - the ratio increased. Even if you touch the slope when you land, you'll still get a high score. The program of jumping is also complicated for men. Five years ago, a triple flip with five pirouettes jumped 1-2 people, and now everyone who reaches the superfinals (six participants) do it. Requirements for technique and purity of execution have increased.

- Were you afraid to jump?

- This is one of the most popular questions that I get asked in meetings with children, in work groups.

Fear is present during any attempt. You have to fight it, because every victory is a pleasure. The jump itself is influenced by various factors. For example, on a snow jump a lot depends on weather conditions: the wind blew in the back - the speed increases, in the face - decreases. We begin to compete in the morning, when the temperature is one, and the final is held in the afternoon - the sun is already warming, it becomes warmer. This affects the speed of skiing. I had enough during my career. The same rope jumping (a sport where they jump from a height with a rope) I will never try. In freestyle, I control the situation myself, and here something can go wrong.

- What's your favorite vacation option?

- I usually rest in June. In other summer months, the son has training and preparation. If possible, go to the sea. And we choose a passive rest without excursions and fuss. This is enough for a year, and on vacation you want peace, sun, warm sea. Every year for the weekend we go out with friends in nature with tents. Children also like this type of vacation. Swim in the river, cook kebabs, fish. Once rented a bath-barrel and steamed.

- Do you go to Dynamo Minsk hockey matches?

- When time permits, yes. At first, I was surprised that the fans were not only from our city, but also from district and regional centers. There's a lot to see in hockey. The atmosphere is difficult to describe in words. You have to come and feel it once. However, you still need to buy a ticket, which is not easy now. My son and coach sometimes go to games. I was interested in hockey and my daughter. If we don't go to the arena, she's watching TV.

- How do you distribute household responsibilities?

- Children are taught to wash dishes after eating. They are also responsible for ordering their rooms. My husband regularly cooks breakfast for everyone.

Cleaning is done by the one who is freer. Like kids vacuuming, I wash the floor. Lisa is fond of cooking, on weekends pleases her masterpieces. Together with a friend, they look for a recipe, and then prepare a dish. Of the latter - chicken in sour and sweet sauce. It was delicious. My daughter made a cake for her birthday. I admit, I've never tasted a better treat. This process brings her pleasure. I'm standing by the stove, too.

- Did you have to blush for the kids at the parents' meetings at school?

- Fortunately, no. Both are in high school. Lisa is independent and responsible. But Timothy needs to be motivated. The most effective method is bonuses in the form of small pocket money for grades from 8 to 10. It works. In her free time, she reads and goes for walks with her girlfriend. The son and his friends play football in the yard, races bicycles, scooters. My husband and I are happy to have such wonderful children.

For reference

A. Zuper is the winner of the Small Crystal Globe, as well as 28 medals of the World Cup stages, including 8 gold.

At the opening ceremony of the 2018 Olympics, A. Zuper was the flag bearer of the Belarusian national team. Before that, only men carried the flag at such processions.

Olympic medal A. Zuper became the first for Belarus in women’s freestyle.

Photo by Elizaveta Davidovskaya, provided by the interlocutor, NOC of Belarus and from the Internet