'It was my dream. It became a reality' Ksenia Afanasyeva speaks

Many, many thanks to Lupita who has provided the following transcription of the Expert.ru interview with Ksenia Afanasyeva.

Ksenia is very shy, but speaks with great honesty of her competitive style, and with compassion and affection about her friends and team-mates. She gives a refreshing insider view of the world of international gymnastics that does not comply with the cheesy Make It or Break It stereotype.

Ksenia says that her aim is to perform beautiful gymnastics, and that she wants to compete at next year's Olympics. She already does the former, and I very much hope she succeeds at the latter, for her maturity, expression and as a good team leader.

Here is Lupita's translation in full:

Q – Have you got used to the title of “one of the best gymnasts in the world”?
A- Not yet.
Q- But you became one of them in the Floor final in Japan at the World Championships.
When you travelled there, did you expect to win gold?
A- No, I didn’t expect it. It was my dream, it became a reality and I still can’t believe it.
Q- How did you feel before competing? Did you feel nervous? Did you feel a sense of responsibility? Initially you weren’t going to take part in the finals. Viktoria Komova was replaced by the coaches. Did you feel responsible for yourself and for her?
A-Even if Viktoria Komova hadn’t been replaced, I would’ve taken part because, apart from Vika, three other girls couldn’t participate due to injuries. So I would have competed anyhow. I felt extremely nervous when I started. Then when I saw the score of the previous gymnasts, I realized I couldn’t do anything because in the previous competitions I had got lower scores than them. I was the last to compete, and I only wanted to perform a beautiful routine that would be as good as the other gymnasts’. And in a way, I succeeded.
Q- So you realized that you had nothing to lose. I suppose this helped you…
A- Probably. I don’t know for sure. I was standing before the routine and I only thought about performing a beautiful routine and nothing else.
Q-And when you went back to your coach did you realize that you had perhaps won first place?
A. No. I didn’t realize. I told my coach that they wouldn’t give me the best score, but I should be among the three medallists.
Q-As far as I know, this is your first medal at a Worlds Championships, at this level you had never come first. You were third, fourth, eighth. What is the main rival for a gymnast when preparing for a competition? Laziness? What do you have to struggle with? With yourself? With laziness? Perhaps with your coach?
A. With myself. Not my coach. My coach always helps. Sometimes we disagree, but we never fall out.
Q-There was a big scandal with the scores given by the judges to the Russian team. How did the team react? Did you need to ignore it and continue competing?
A-I think that the gymnasts weren’t affected by this. This was dealt with by our coaches and officials. We gymnasts didn’t talk about it.
Q.There was the feeling that this team was very united. Yet you are rivals...
A. No, we’re a team. We don’t go up against each other. No. We are a team, we support each other. There’re young new gymnasts in our team. I’m the oldest. There are small disputes, but no big rivalry in our team.
Q.Do you feel responsible for the good atmosphere in the team?
A. A little bit. Even in individual competitions we support each other. Our sport is like a big family.
Q. With the coaches?
A.I can’t say what happens between the coaches. With the gymnasts we are like a family.
Q. Do coaches use the same method with all of you? What do you prefer, discipline or dialogue? Talking things over?
A. I prefer dialogue. I can’t stand a rigorous approach. Sometimes you aren’t in the mood for training. Then the coach makes you do it.
Q.We don’t see what happens behind the scenes of the competition. There’s a strong rivalry between gymnasts from different teams, perhaps it’s like in the movie “Black Swan”. Everyone wants to do something to the rival to make them fail...
A. I haven’t watched the movie. No, this doesn’t happen. Gymnasts aren’t bitchy to each other. Sometimes the rivals give us looks, like a challenge...
Q. Don’t you have time for movies? Do you prefer other activitities?
A.I enjoy movies and I often go to the cinema. But during competition, when we train together for a big competition, I seldom go.
Q. And now, after the World Championships?
A. I go to the movies.
Q. I noticed that someone called you after your performance. Who was it who was so anxious to talk to you?
A. My friend, Ksenia Semyonova.
Q. What is the world of artistic gymnastics like? We watch the European Championships, the World Championships. You told me there are also “commercial” tournaments. Are there many and are they important to you? Tournaments where you can earn money?
A. I don’t know how many there are because the head coach establishes the list of competitions. He distributes those competitions between us.
Q. Do you train the same for commercial tournaments as for major events?
A. In a serious and responsible way, but it’s not the same.
Q. You became World Champion in Floor. Is anything going to change for you?
A.No. It will mean more responsibility for me.
Q. Why?
A. I know that I perform without making mistakes. I have a reputation, although still not a big one.
Q. And you have to defend your title... Do you always feel nervous before a performance? I noticed when you go up on the podium, you are concentrating very hard. Thousands of people are watching you and you’ve got to perform without mistakes to get the highest score. Do you always feel nervous?
A. I do. Enormously. At any competition. Even if I compete in Tula where there is a cup, at the Olympics or at the World Championships. I always feel the same nerves. Over time I’ve learned to overcome them. Not always, but this time I managed.
Q. You don’t have a universal method to stop your knees from knocking, to overcome the fear?
A.Perhaps, but it’s inside me.
Q.Do you enjoy watching your performances afterwards?
A. No.
Q.Why?
A.I don’t know. I am self-critical and I don’t like watching myself. I feel that everything is bad, not like it should be.
Q. And the coaches don’t make you? They don’t tell you “Ksenya, let’s look at the mistakes”...
A. No, we don’t examine our competitions. We analyze them without watching videos or photos. We do it from what we remember...
Q. Could we say that at every competition we learn something or improve? What did you learn in Japan?
A. You always have to be ready. You cannot relax before the end of the competition.
Q.You won your gold medal on the last day. It was important for you not to relax.
A. I didn’t expect to participate, although my coach told me “don’t relax, you might perform in the Floor final”. I said no. It’s over. Two hours before the finals, they told me: “You are on”.
Q. Has your victory given you self-assurance for the next competitions, for the next World Championships?
A. Yes... Before this final I had negative feelings. I wanted to quit the sport. This exercise opened my eyes. It gave me strength. I will try. I will train.
Q. What is your aim?
A.The Olympics, like any sportsperson.
Q. Gold for the team and gold in Floor for you?
A. That would be excellent.
Q. Each of us wants to be the best. You’ve been working hard for a long time.
A. I’ve always been afraid. I’m my first rival.
Q. You’re going to the Olympics as team captain. Are you ready for that?
A. Yes, I always help the younger girls. I try to be at their level.