"There is no option for us to give up": Pavel Petrusevich on Titans, sumo and 30 seconds to win

Pavel “Panda” Petrusevich is a sumoist, a fighter of Greco-Roman style and Cossack wrestling, originally from Alushta. In the fourth season of the show “Titans” on TNT, he was among 111 athletes selected by AI from all over the country, and recently he took bronze at the Russian Sumo Championships in Sochi. In an interview, Pavel explains how the atmosphere of the Titans differs from the profile competitions, why sumo needs a balance of composure and sports rage, how to cope with the excitement before an important start and what helps the athlete not to give up on the way to the goal.

“Titans” on TNT is such a large-scale project that it seems as if every athlete dreams of getting there. Tell us about your impressions of participating in the show?

The scale, the huge pavilions - it's really amazing. When you see it with your own eyes and not on TV, it feels very different. The video does not convey the emotions you feel when you hear the voice of the AI live and this gong.

Participants share that they have even more emotions before the tests on the project than at the competitions. Do you share that view?

No, before the profile competitions I worry much more because there I have responsibility for my achievements and medals. In the Titans, everyone is equal and does what they say. In sumo, I go out alone, for myself, and the responsibility feels sharper.

Do you have professional advice for people who are worried about an important competition, task, business: when you can’t get ready, and you should?

One day I read that I need to remember something good. Or ask yourself: Why can’t I do it, why am I afraid? As long as you sort things out in your head, you let things go. It helps me.

Artificial intelligence selects 111 best athletes from all over the country. What was it like when you found out you were in this place?

My friend and I collected furniture at home. A text message comes, I look and I don't understand. I read it three times, show it to my friend, and we were stunned. After such news is not up to the interior: you need to celebrate, call relatives and friends, say that very soon they will see me on one of the best federal channels.

Which of the four stars impressed you the most and why?

I am glad that I met Vitaly Laletin - he is the strongest armwrestler in the world. He was in the second season of the show, and then showed excellent results. Alexey Laptev, Olympian, bobsledder - the soul of the company.

Was there a lot of competition this season?

Yes, the competition is very strong, because all decent guys come there - do not protect corn (laughs).

And which participants, in your opinion, were more: those who came for victory, or those who would like to test their capabilities and compete with the best?

I think almost everyone came for the victory, after all, 10 million rubles are at stake. A prize like this is worth fighting for. Moreover, as the practice of the previous three seasons showed, not eminent athletes and not Olympic champions won, but ordinary athletes - a climber, a physical education teacher, a GTO athlete.

Did your sports skills help you during the test?

According to my physical data (height and weight) on the project I passed as a weightlifter. My weight only prevents me from hanging and can affect my stamina if I have to run endlessly or squat. But my strength is explosive power. Sumo is a fleeting sport, the fight lasts 30 seconds, but to win you need to turn on from the very beginning to the maximum.

How important is it to control your emotions in sumo? Is it more important to be cool or, on the contrary, to be angry?

There has to be a balance. Coolness is necessary, but without sports rage you cannot win. In the ring, you are like two buffaloes: if you are calm and the opponent is aggressive, aggression will take its toll. Although they say that if the opponent is seized by emotions, and you have a cold head, then you control the situation. But sumo is a struggle: we grab hold of each other, and sometimes the rage awakening in you gives explosive power to win. The fight is short, you need to engage as much as possible.

What recent victories can we congratulate you on?

Recently, the Russian Sumo Championship was held in Sochi, where I took bronze.

You are engaged in several sports: in addition to sumo and Greco-Roman wrestling, you also have Cossack wrestling. What is she like?

This is a traditional form of wrestling, like kuresh. We perform in Cossack shirts with kushaks. It is a sport with elements of folk engagement and shows to show Cossack traditions.

What is the hardest thing about your sports?

Sumo is a very dynamic and fast fight, it is not boring. If in the classic Greco-Roman wrestling, the duel is given 6 minutes, then in sumo - only 30 seconds. Maybe less depends on the competitors. The hardest thing for me is waiting for me to leave. Competitions can start at 9:00 a.m. and you won't be out until 17:00.

What was the most memorable performance in your career?

I once participated in the European Cup in Chekhov. My coach told me to slap a rival zuppari. I didn't listen because it's not always customary to punch in the face, it's more like traditional Japanese sumo. And the opponent, at that time the world champion, did everything as I was told - and I lost, and he came in third place.

Why in sports do you not give up and go to the end?

Athletes often go their way on character, on the inner self. There is no such thing as “surrender.”.