Kruglov ends career
Four-time champion Nikolay Kruglov, unexpectedly announced his retirement. Sports.ru talked to the ex-captain, and learned that led him to such a controversial decision, found what he was going to do in the near future, and, of course, asked about the "dark" history of the Olympic relay race.
- Now I wonder just how to complete the season. I wonder for a long time.
- I wanted to, perhaps, to conclude on a positive note: to win an Olympic medal?
- Of course. But did not work - hence, not destiny.
- You are still young. Do you think that's so easy to be able to leave professional biathlon?
- Time will - we shall see. Now it seems that I can.
- And can we stop the rifle, and back to skiing?
- No. You know, the biggest problem is that I did not cut through the athlete. I'm not saying that's bad, but I have such a vital position. Around always very interesting. While I do not see the problems that go away from the sport.
- What would you like to do?
- I am interested in sports management, business - not necessarily his. We must watch and evaluate their capabilities. I could say that I am interested to fly into space, although it is not, of course ...
- How would you evaluate their readiness for the Olympics? There was a feeling that we came to the peak form ...
- In general, I was ready for 100 per cent. The ideal form. So well did not feel very long time - the last few years. I run all distances. Preparing for it for these games, more for me, nothing mattered. There are, as they say, starts for me - the world championships and Olympics. Everything else happens every year, and many times.
I have long said that this season will be the last. It is logical to not participate in the remaining stages of the World Cup. I am satisfied with my performance in Vancouver. Did all that depended on me. There has been a disappointing fall. Sorry, but that no one is immune. What is not running a sprint, pursuit and relay race, it's not my decision, and upset stupid.
- What is actually happened with your rifle in the individual race?
- I fell on one curve, and the blow tore Belt. Nothing criminal. With this rifle I was four years, and the first time such bad luck.
- How do you rate the performance of the team as a whole?
- Compared with Turin, we were a little better. As the women's team was confident - especially at a medal in the relay. Now the women's biathlon, frankly, there is almost no competition.
- Why not work with Relay? Announcer First Channel Cyril Nabutov told that you refused to run ad hoc estimations before the race, where he "was playing" part ...
- It's not true. I do not know where that information went. No special training was not. Was the usual workout, which won the Victor Vasiliev, not Shipulin or round. It would be logical to put it in the Vassiliev. But the decision will not comment on the coaches. This is a long history.
- It was organized food in Whistler? They say you are fed almost fast-foods ...
- The most delicious that we ate - semi-finished products from McDonald's. Although, of course, we all have different tastes. Canadian dining room - large tent, where there were, to say the contrary tables, paper plates, cups and plastic appliances. Food lukewarm coffee almost immediately cooled.
- Skiers complained doping officers who arrived at six in the morning. You are not tortured?
- I talked with Sasha cars. He confirmed ... I was lucky - do not take tests even once. I do not know how well rebounded. Maybe because we have called one of the latter.
- How you met at home by relatives and friends?
- Good. But, frankly, still do not understand what is happening. Some kind of complete prostration. Sometimes I sit with someone talking and you catch yourself thinking that you do not understand what they mean.
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