Three-time winner of the Olympic Games, 5-time world champion Yulia Efimova in the final day of the Swimming Championship of Russia, held in Moscow, predictably won gold at a distance of 50 meters Breaststroke and added silver in Complex Swimming 200m. In an interview with the ROC Information Service, the athlete summed up her performance at the Olympic sports complex.
– Everyone is used to me winning everywhere. Therefore, you ask why I didn’t win the Breaststroke 200m. I spoiled my fans! In fact, the Russian championship was a working start. I was soon after the illness. By the end I warmed up a little. There are not much good results, but it is clear that am gathering speed.
– Do you regret that the tournament is over, and you just started to enjoy the thing?
– If the championship continued for another couple of days, I would have shown better results. Despite some fatigue, I am cheerful, I am satisfied with my performance, especially with the Сomplex, as I improved my personal record for almost a second today. In fact, Complex 200m is a secondary distance for me, but a professional athlete never goes to the start, just to swim. Everyone wants to win. Unfortunately, at some point, I missed this discipline a little. Now I am trying to catch up.
In addition, today I won the 50m. And in the relay I made my debut: for the first time in my career I performed in this kind of program at the Championship of Russia. As a result, I took the fourth place (Efimova performed for the Moscow region team).
– What else will you remember this championship for?
– In the morning before the preliminary swim there was an incident – my swimsuit was torn. Fortunately, I had an other one and I had time to change.
– Sergei Chepik was recommended by the Presidium of the all-Russian Swimming Federation to the post of head coach of the national team today. How close do you and Sergei Chepik know each other?
– Honestly, I do not know him very good. We have not discussed working issues yet. We just said Hello. While my dad has been communicating with Sergei Chepik for a long time.
– What are your immediate plans?
– I will rest for a week. Then I will have different meetings and business in Moscow. And then, I will prepare for the European Championship in Glasgow.
