Svetlana Ishmuratova: “I never considered Polkhovsky to be my coach. Two-time Olympic champion Svetlana Ishmuratova: “A torn elastic band from my pants introduced me to my husband. What are your parents’ names?”

Love and perseverance are the two forces that brought Olympic gold to the Honored Master of Sports of Russia Svetlana Ishmuratova.

The best of the Russian biathletes was born on April 20, 1972 in a Buryat-Tatar family, in the South Ural Zlatoust, Chelyabinsk region. Love for her father, Irek Musalimovich, helped the little sickly girl not only stand on skis, but also spend hours training with him on the slopes, skiing downhill, increasing the pace. For insurance, the father tied his daughter to himself with a rope so that the girl would not get stuck in the snow. Perseverance is a quality that was instilled in Svetlana by her first sports teacher, ski master Irek Ishmuratov, and has always helped her in her champion career. Not falling at the finish line, meeting defeat or victory with dignity - this is the life credo of the famous biathlete.

By the end of elementary school, Svetlana forgot about her illnesses. In the 4th grade, she won her first victory under the guidance of school mentor R.S. Akhmetgarayeva. And in 1991 she comes first in the junior race at the USSR Championship. In the 90s, Ishmuratova became one of the country's leading skiers.

Svetlana does not give up her studies either, she graduates from the College of Trade in Zlatoust, and in 1999 from the Ural State Academy of Physical Education and Sports.

The rapid ascent of a promising skier to the sporting Olympus does not please everyone. in 1996, Ishmuratova’s enemies managed to accuse her of doping, Svetlana was disqualified for 2 years. After some time, the charges were dropped, and the mistake regarding the leading biathlete was publicly admitted.

Svetlana did not lose her qualifications and in 1997 she won the sprint at the Russian Biathlon Championship. She then made the Olympic team in Nagano. In 1998, the first gold was won at the world championship in Hochfilzen.

Being a versatile athlete, in 1999 Ishmuratova took part in the Summer Biathlon World Championships, became a gold medalist in the relay race and sprint cross, and won silver in the pursuit race. In 2004, at the Russian Summer Championship, Svetlana, based on the results of the individual race, again received a silver medal.

Participating in the Small World Cup in 2000, the already famous biathlete achieves second prize in the sprint. In 2003, she won silver in the mass start.

In 2001, she achieved the title of world champion in biathlon in the relay; participation in the Olympics continued in 2002 in Salt Lake City, where Ishmuratova won a bronze medal in the relay.

At the 2003 World Championships, Svetlana achieved gold in the relay, as well as silver and bronze. In the same year, at the European Championships, she won a bronze medal.

The 2004 World Championship brings relay silver; at the European biathlon championship competition in 2005, Ishmuratova rises to second place in the sprint and achieves champion gold in the relay and individual races. In the same 2005, at the Small World Cup, she took third place in the individual racing standings. In total, Svetlana’s championship collection includes 13 silver awards and 9 bronze ones.

Ishmuratova won her main gold at the Olympics in Turin in 2006 thanks to unbending perseverance, sober sportsmanship and love for the Motherland, when the coach reminded that the whole country was rooting for the athlete. This is where the main breakthrough occurred, and the result was individual Olympic gold. The second gold medal was won in the relay race.

The life of an outstanding biathlete after the Olympic triumph is no less interesting and varied. Svetlana is a loving wife and caring mother of her son Misha, who was born in April 2007. Ishmuratova is an active participant in the social and sports life of the Chelyabinsk region and Russia. In February 2007, she was awarded the Order of Honor for her contribution to sporting achievements. In the same year, she became a member of the Legislative Assembly in Zlatoust, and in early December 2007 - a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation from the United Russia party.

To the best of her ability and ability, the biathlon Olympic winner took part in preparations for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Svetlana Ishmuratova remains in the ranks, helps the young generation in word and deed, and contributes to the development of biathlon in Russia as an Olympic discipline.

Two-time Olympic champion in biathlon, deputy head of CSKA for work with personnel, colonel, in a pre-New Year conversation with special correspondent of the RIA Novosti agency Oleg Bogatov, spoke about her culinary preferences, how athletes celebrate the holiday far from their homeland, about their love for dogs and desire to find a furry friend in the New Year.

- Svetlana Irekovna, judging by the infrequent publications, you don’t really favor journalists?

No, that's not the point. I don’t like to show off my personal life; everyone should have their own field of protection.

- You grew up in the city of “Russian steel” - Zlatoust. How does it remain in your memory?

As a child, this was my favorite city. My father took me to factory, workshop, and city competitions. Zlatoust was then a city of sports. It seemed to me that everyone was playing sports. I love Zlatoust - the city where my parents still live, who met here and found their destiny. Every time I come to my small homeland with excitement and tenderness.

“Because of me, dad went without awards”

Previously, everyone competed in different age groups - and sometimes dad started in the morning, and then we waited a very long time for the award ceremony - dad often took prizes. And I was very little and sometimes whined: “Dad, let’s go home, I’m tired.” And we left without dad’s prize, without waiting to honor the winners.

"The most expensive gift is the first"

- But did you wait for your first prize?

Yes, it was and remains the most expensive. It was a prize for third place in the city ski championship, and I competed with girls who were a year older. We ran two kilometers using my favorite classic run.

After the competition, the organizers set up a table with prizes, and first the winners chose a gift, then those who took second place. And when my turn came, either out of joy or out of modesty, I took what lay closest to me. It was a coniferous branch, and on it was a bird made from a cone. And to this day, for me, this bird is the most important reward that my parents keep.

New Year's wish - to escape home from the hospital

- Remember your childhood New Year's wishes?

As a child, I never made wishes - because I knew that they would not come true if I didn’t make an effort. I can’t say that I had a difficult childhood, but due to pneumonia, I spent a lot of time - up to four times a year - in hospitals. And then the main desire was to simply get out of the four walls of the hospital room.

In this situation, I kept thinking about my parents. There was a great desire to be close to them, so that they would protect and regret.

Since childhood, when I made wishes, I understood that I needed to fulfill them myself. Once, when I went on an excursion to the factory, I saw what a huge machine my dad was working on, and in what harsh, harmful conditions, without air conditioning, my mother was working as a painter.

Our conscience simply did not allow us to ask our parents for something extra, looking at their hard work. I have always been very grateful to them for everything they did for my sister and me.

Then, when I got to big cities through sports - Chelyabinsk, Moscow, I understood: everything would work out if I did it myself.

- What sports did your dad compete in?

You know, my dad was, as they say, a “multi-skilled person,” a master of sports of the USSR - he loved to run, jump, play, and especially cross-country skiing. This versatility of the sport interested him very much. He has a gold GTO badge, bright and beautiful. I loved looking at it so much, and I really wanted to deserve the same one. This was a sign of the fifth (highest) level of the GTO. I'm very proud of my dad.

New Year's witchcraft from dad

- New Year for each of us means tangerines, firecrackers...

Yes, that is right. My dad always conjured apples and tangerines for me in an amazing way. And I believed him, even when I was already at school. He did some mysterious things in his huge turner's palms, and then asked him to simply blow into his closed palms. And suddenly an apple or an orange appeared out of nowhere. Dad for me is a real witchcraft for the New Year.

Santa Claus cannot be different!

- When did you lose faith in Santa Claus?

Probably back in kindergarten, around four years old. At the matinee I saw Santa Claus and was disappointed: how is it possible, he should have red pants and felt boots, but I see trousers and boots. This doesn’t happen, and he can’t come with different faces? One has a white beard, and the other has a blue beard. Faith in Santa Claus disappeared immediately and forever (with a smile).

Holiday - when everyone is at one table

- What is your ideal New Year?

Next to you there must be your closest people, your family and your friends, who will gather together when the Christmas tree is lit and sparkling in the room. When everyone is at the table, happily anticipating the New Year, when closer to midnight they listen to the words of the President of Russia, and then go out together for a walk on the street.

Jellied meat on New Year's Eve - always!

- What dishes must be on your holiday table?

Oh, of course, jellied meat. I always cook it on New Year’s Eve.

- What is the recipe for jellied meat from Svetlana Ishmuratova?

The main thing is that the meat is not rubbed through a meat grinder, but that it is cut into small pieces, so that later you feel that it is real meat - with garlic and seasonings!

Ideal - pork and beef legs, as well as a good piece of meat with veins. I cook it all separately, and then combine it together, with peppers, with carrots, and pour it into molds - so that everything is beautiful. With horseradish, with mustard - it's just wow!

I’ll continue the culinary theme - what else must be on Svetlana Ishmuratova’s New Year’s table, besides jellied meat?

Of course, salads: Olivier salad, vinaigrette, herring under a fur coat. These three salads should be on the table. Be sure to bake - sweet pies. Dumplings - depending on the situation, because lately I've been baking a whole duck or goose. However, the problem arises of how to then put all this deliciousness into the refrigerator (laughs).

- But this is already the second problem?

But on January 1 and 2, you don’t have to think about what to eat. Of course, it seems to me that after the New Year, everyone spends the entire week eating up everything that was prepared for the New Year. But December 30 and 31 are the hardest days for table hostesses (laughs).

New Year abroad - with bread, lard, cucumbers

- How did you, as an athlete, celebrate the New Year in Europe?

When someone came to us from Russia to compete in Europe, we were especially happy with our products: black Borodino bread, lard, lightly salted cucumbers, fish, red caviar. And when all this is on the table, my mouth is watering (smiles). From abroad on the New Year's table - only sausage and fruit, tangerines and oranges. And vodka should have been on the table - cold, with a tear, champagne and wine. More like an attribute of our New Year.

- How did our biathletes celebrate the New Year abroad?

We usually gathered in the same room at the hotel on New Year's Eve. By the way, foreigners were very interested - what are these mysterious Russians doing there, what kind of holiday are they celebrating? Some of the guys dressed up as Santa Claus, some of the girls dressed up as Snow Maiden, and we held various competitions and sweepstakes. But still, the coolest thing for me is celebrating the New Year at home. Only then do you understand how expensive it is - you understand the significance of meeting with loved ones.

- Speaking about celebrating the New Year abroad: were the coaches of the Russian national team part of the company of athletes?

First, we congratulated each other, and then the coaches left to celebrate and left us alone, allowing the athletes not to feel constrained. But they carefully warned us: guys, tomorrow, January 1, in the afternoon of training, it is advisable not to overdo it (at the table - ed.). And we also understood everything perfectly, because we usually already had the World Cup starts on January 3-4. And the state of a hangover was unfamiliar to us. A little on New Year's Eve, but no more.

- Did foreign athletes join your table?

Foreigners? Certainly. We are Russian people like that - if someone is nearby, then he must definitely join us. Foreigners came to our table: on the one hand, with interest, and on the other, with pleasure. Moreover, from teams from different countries.

Gifts from a common bag

- What kind of gifts did athletes give for the New Year then?

We prepared gifts in advance and before the New Year we put everything in one bag and then pulled it out. Some received a soft toy, and others a box of chocolates. And no one was offended, because first of all, a sign of attention is important.

- Were there any extreme situations during the New Year celebrations?

Yes, but in younger years, when we performed at the junior level. For example, we are at a sports center leaving the store, having purchased something for the holiday table, when suddenly our coach suddenly appears. And we rush in different directions. I had to instantly fall into the snow; there was no other way to escape. The coach will look: everything is fine, the regime does not seem to be broken - and leaves. Well, then we looked for oranges and apples, thrown into the snow in the confusion.

"I was relaxing while knitting"

- You differed from many athletes in that you knitted during your rest hours.

Yes, I knitted, and sometimes I gave what I had knitted to our children - some with socks, some with mittens. By the way, speaking of knitting, I was especially good at socks: it’s easy to knit them in a day (laughs).

“I will never reach my mother’s level in knitting”

- Maybe you have a family knitting recipe?

Yes, there is, my mother knows him. She explains it to me, but I just can’t get the gist of it. Because here’s the mystery: when I sit next to her and look at her, I understand everything. And as soon as I leave, I don’t know how to do it! For me, knitting socks is not a problem. There are many interesting things about knitting - I look at different options on the Internet, but it seems that only my mother gets signature socks.

“We knitted the racing caps ourselves”

- Did you knit hats for performances at competitions then?

Of course, there were no others at that time. Even on sale. We all knitted on knitting needles, and even when “cockerels” appeared on sale, remember - there is still nothing more beautiful than a hat knitted with your own hands. And with our drawings, curlicues, bears, hares, Olympic rings - we knitted for ourselves the way we wanted it. And we had an amazing person on the team - Nonna Abakumova, whom we all looked up to. She knitted sweaters from tiny threads, and when you later look at this work of art, you don’t believe it: is it definitely not machine knitted? Nonna knitted this by hand. Jewelry work. At that time everything was in short supply. When someone was about to throw away some woolen item, you looked and thought: there are such beautiful threads, you can use them! You unravel a discarded item, wind the threads on different spools - it was a very exciting process.

- What do you like more now - accepting gifts or giving them?

I prefer to give. The last days of December are very difficult for me - I need to manage to combine all the meetings with trips and congratulations. When you give gifts and see a person’s sincere joy, you yourself are charged with positive energy.

Love for dogs is for life

- Svetlana Irekovna, the Year of the Dog is coming - what do you have to do with this year?

Dogs... I had a very good dog. After the 2006 Olympic Games, my dad and I wanted to get a dog. And then we went to the market. We saw two puppies in the box - cute, pretty, a boy and a girl. We liked one - I didn’t understand then how big Caucasians grow up! I had 1,500 rubles with me, and the seller asked for 1,700. Moreover, he began to tell us about purebred, that a girl is more expensive, and I answer: I need a dog, a friend, not a breed. We bought a boy. Then it turned out that the puppy had a defect - the lower jaw was smaller than the upper. And yet this dog lived with us for 15 years and grew huge! Dick was the boss in the yard. He just said “woof” - and all the dogs ran to the side. Dick's fur was simply gorgeous - his mother combed it as best she could and then knitted gorgeous fluffy socks and mittens. Moreover, Dick respected only me and his father. It would seem that I just bought him and brought him home, then immediately left for training camp, but he remembered me. I just enter the yard, call: “Dick!”, and he flies towards me. My mother fed him, and caressed him, and scratched him, but he only accepted his father and me. Maybe I remembered it then, the first time. I love dogs very much. And now my parents have two dogs - ordinary mongrels, very smart and nimble, and my friendship with dogs continues. My mother picked them up on the street, and now they live with their parents.

- Will you celebrate the New Year in Moscow or Zlatoust?

Of course, I would like to get out to my parents; for me, like for most people in our country, the New Year is a family holiday.

- What are your parents' names?

Dad - Irek Musalimovich, mother - Zinaida Vatkheevna. Dad is now 76 years old, and mom is 77. They are very respected in our city. Dad is a sports veteran, and mom is an activist, involved in the public life of the city.

The main dream is a big lazy cat

You said that as a child you didn’t make wishes for the New Year, realizing that you had to achieve everything yourself. Are you still making a wish now?

And now I really want a cat (laughs). So big, fluffy and lazy, whom you pet and squeeze, but he doesn’t care - he lies there, doesn’t resist, doesn’t let go of his claws.

- So make a wish!

Making a wish is not a problem, but who will do it? After all, I spend a lot of time on business trips...

- What did your son Misha wish for on the eve of 2018?

My son always has desires, and they never end (with a smile). And it doesn’t matter what holiday it is - birthday or New Year. Sometimes he says: Mom, let’s give me this for my birthday. And a week later he comes up with: Mom, let’s make an amendment to the gift. A child’s desires are endless, but I try to ensure that they are justified, and gifts act as certain incentives, taking into account his age. I like that he gets it right. Yes, sometimes he also wants some expensive gift, but he realizes that his mother is not a Rockefeller. I really like this quality in him. I give my son gifts, but I don’t spoil him... although no, I spoil him, of course (laughs).

- Does your son believe in Santa Claus at the age of 10?

Probably not anymore. When he went to kindergarten, he immediately said: “Mom, I don’t believe in Santa Claus, he gives us some nonsense, let me tell you right away what I need (with a smile).”

With faith and optimism

The year 2017 was very difficult for our athletes. I'm talking about the disqualification of the Russian Olympic team and... Do you have any expectation that the next one will be better for Russian sports? And where can Russian athletes and fans find optimism?

Optimism must be maintained in any situation - it is impossible to live without faith and hope. I want us to work on our mistakes, we need to prepare our lawyers, be able to competently build our line of defense for our athletes. We need to increase our representation in the International Olympic Committee and international federations, and carry out global work on the mistakes in our sports system.

- What would you wish to our athletes who are now under strong pressure?

I wish the guys one thing - to approach the Olympic Games in Korea at the peak of their physical shape.

- What is your own optimism based on, and how do you manage to maintain it?

I look at CSKA employees and understand that, in addition to athletes, there are many different specialists who ensure the victories of our club. And if I give up, what will the rest of us do? This cannot be allowed, and every morning I tell myself: I must continue to do my job well. And then everything will work out for us. We must believe in our athletes and ensure worthy representation on the world sports stage.

- Question “on the path”: do you prefer an artificial Christmas tree or a natural one?

Artificial. Because it’s a pity for trees that grew for many years, and then they were cut down and used for just seven to ten days. And then they threw it in the trash. Let's save nature!

South Ural biathlete Svetlana Ishmuratova has long been considered unlucky. A brilliant athlete, an excellent skier and a reliable shooter. During her career, she took thirteen second places in stages and nine more third places. But there was never a victory. Until the very last season. At the 2006 Olympics, Svetlana Ishmuratova took two gold medals at once and called it a day - she left the sport.

Why did dad tie Sveta to himself with a rope when he was a child? How did she have to miss to win gold? And what compotes did the champion learn to cook?

- 7 years have passed since the Olympic victory. Do you still remember what the champion thinks about 5 seconds before the start?
- Of course I remember! When I started in Turin, I already decided that this - the third Olympics - would be my last. After it, I put my skis in a corner and don’t stand on them anymore. I made this tough decision then. And when I went to the start line, the words of my husband Igor were spinning in my head, he always inspired me: “Svetlana, let’s win the Olympics and relax! You can do it." And I always waved it off: “It’s easy to say, win!” And then at the start the thought flashed through my mind: “Maybe I really can win? But this is my last chance!”

- And it worked out!
- Yes, but when I ran this “tag”, in the last meters I had one desire - just not to fall. I was running after an illness, had the flu, and had little time to recover. And the track was also at a high level - it always grips harder there.

- But you can’t tell about it by your finish. The athletes who came after you literally fell off their feet.
- And then I immediately leaned on the sticks and resisted. To be honest, this is unacceptable for me. I wouldn't respect myself. To act out such a tragedy! That you are suffocating, you have given up your last strength. We train so much, prepare so much. It’s also clear when people run a marathon. The body is cunning, it will never be completely exhausted on the track, it will still leave a “stash” for itself. I then crossed this red line and hung on sticks. I remember that everyone shouted at me to leave the zone. And I couldn’t leave until I caught my breath and the fog in my head cleared. What also probably worked was what I was taught from childhood: snow is cold, don’t sit on it, don’t eat it! And my dad really liked the fact that everyone was falling, and I was standing.

- Does your dad’s opinion mean a lot to you?
- Yes, it was he who put me on skis at the age of 5. My dad is a master of sports in cross-country skiing. He fulfilled the standard in the army, never took part in the section, there simply wasn’t one in his village. As a child, he took me riding with him. It would seem, why? I’m a frail child, I never left the hospital with pneumonia, but here it’s cold and I’m out on the street. My dad believed that playing sports would help me. On the contrary, my mother was worried about me. To go skiing, we scrubbed the entire apartment. For this, my mother let us go. Dad was doing his 20-30 kilometers, and at that moment I was riding down the hill. She quickly got tired, and by the time her father returned, she turned into an icy lump of snow and tears. What kind of clothes were there before? There was nothing in the stores... My mittens turned into ice “sinkers”. I remember on the way back my dad tied me to him with a rope. You know, this is how they take a dog out on a leash, and he did the same for me. But for the sake of dad, I was ready to endure everything.

- Were you afraid of losing in the forest?
- Maybe. And so, he was driving ahead, and I was there, if I fell, I fell. After a while he put me on my feet and we drove on. By that time I couldn’t really move, I even spoke with difficulty, I could only blink my eyes. He put a carrot in my mouth to at least somehow support me, and we rode like that to the tram. I was already warming up on the tram. At home, sometimes when I undressed in the hallway, I no longer had the strength to take off my shoes, and I fell asleep right in the hallway.

- You can write a manual on raising a champion...
- Everything was passed down to me from my dad - he is a sports fan. He worked as a carousel turner. His machine was huge, some parts weighed more than a ton. And, imagine, after standing for the entire shift, he ran home, quickly changed clothes and went out for cross-country. When I grew up, he took me with him. It was always a joy for me to be with my dad. But he had one bad habit - to increase the pace all the time. It was hard for me. At first she squeaked, tried to convince her that she needed to slow down, that it might hurt her side, she whined. Dad didn't care. He added and added.

- Did you have to catch up?
- Well, of course. It was a shame to fall behind.

- Did your dad say that you should become a champion?
- We always watched the Olympic Games with him as children. And he, figuratively speaking, poked my nose at the TV and said: “Look, what a technique! Look how wide their stride is! Look how they push! And you? Go imitate in front of the mirror, see how you push?” And, of course, I wanted to be as fast as them, because my dad admires them. But it was hard to believe that I could really do it. My mother and I often walked past the hospital, and all the doctors greeted us: “Oh, Sveta, isn’t she really sick? How she has grown! As a child, my dad even kidnapped me from the hospital. He came to visit me, and I was all blue, I had already been stabbed beyond belief. I said only one word: “Home!” Dad couldn't stand it, wrapped me in a blanket and dragged me away. And then he wrote a receipt to the doctors.

- When did you realize that you were still stronger than the others?
- In fourth grade. But I never behaved like a queen, I was just active. True, with age, this self-confidence disappeared somewhere. I started traveling to other cities for competitions, and I started losing. I realized that I need to work even more. But at that moment, when it was impossible to get good skis and lubricants, you had to put up with the fact that you were running faster than the other girl, but in fact you were losing to her on skis.

- Did your parents buy the equipment themselves?
- Yes, everything was very expensive. Once, I remember, my dad bought me ELAN skis for 125 rubles. I was just flying, I felt so happy. I stroked and hugged these skis. Spinning in front of the mirror. I have to see how I will look on them! I was really tormented by the question of whether I was like those running around on TV.

- How did you win on bad skis? Were there any tricks?
- The coach advised us to “read” the track and push off harder with our feet. At that time, all the tracks were full of bumps and slides, like a washboard. You must try to push off from the bump, and the ski will never slip. And if our team had at least one ski that was “running”, and if the numbers of the participants under which they started allowed, we ran on one pair in turn. I remember that Sasha Kravchenko from Katav-Ivanovsk and I swapped skis. And that was okay. There has always been mutual assistance.

- You also ran the Olympic “tag” according to your strategy?
- Actually, I first had to rework all my sports diaries. My coach Valentin Ivanovich Zadonsky always said: “Think with your head - it works for you. How to do it? How to save energy? By taking one step, you create a foundation for the second.” Then I decided to go into self-training and train the way I needed. In October we skated together with Olga Medvedtseva. It was an unforgettable 10 days in Ergaki.

- Why are they so memorable?
- There was no snow anywhere in Russia in September, but there was snow there. Ergaki is a place in the Krasnoyarsk region. Yura Borodavko's group trained there - 20 guys. Yura, by the way, is also my fellow countryman from Zlatoust. He was then the senior men's coach national team Russia in cross-country skiing. Everything was just beginning there; there was no sports base yet. The track was prepared every day by the trainers themselves. For the sake of training, we, two girls (all other representatives of the male gender), had to endure difficult conditions: a diesel generator generated electricity, there was not enough of it, the toilet was on the street, there was no hot water, there was only one bathhouse for everyone. Olga, Igor and Valera Medvedtsev and I lived in a small room. We had a table, two chairs and two beds. All things were dried on lines. While Olya and I were training, Igor carried water to the bathhouse and held the defense so that no one would occupy it. It was fun and friendly!

- You once said that you deliberately missed at the shooting range in order to win? How so?
- She probably started thinking with her head! At one of the stages before the Olympics, we had race. And I decided to imagine how I would run in Turin. I realized that standing at the fourth milestone, knowing that everything had gone “zero” before, I couldn’t stand it psychologically. I begin to aim, worry, and a tremor appears. I missed the last shot, and suddenly it felt so easy. At that second I found the right solution: with a miss before the fourth milestone, I would be able to pass it to zero. I calculated everything and decided to “miss” on the third shooting. But not more than once.

- Is that how it all happened?
- After two “clean” milestones, I thought that I had done half of the plan, okay. Came up to the third one. Missed. And then I perked up and gave myself a clear instruction: “Now work like in training!” And I arrived at the fourth line completely calm and shot to zero. And at that moment I forbade myself to rejoice. After all, when you realize that you are going for a medal, you are overcome by the thirst for victory, and it is very dangerous to become overwhelmed by emotions. You simply can’t finish the rest of the three-kilometer route with heavy, long climbs. I tried to switch off, not to hear the squeals, screams, but to go at my own pace, as planned.

- When was the last time you reviewed your finish?
- A long time ago. Now I have a hard time rooting for the guys, when, for example, championships peace They’re going, I’m very tired.

- Are you mentally running with them?
- There is such a feeling, yes. Especially when they show a close-up and I see how the athlete works. During shooting, we try to breathe with our stomachs so that the shoulder girdle does not twitch. They take aim, I begin to do the same, holding my breath along with them. I see mistakes. And if there are mistakes, then I worry a lot about them.

- When you left biathlon, you admitted that you would miss the “adrenaline and shaking.” Feeling lacking?
- We really miss the sports atmosphere. When competitions happen, everyone around you is doing something. Someone is warming up, someone is preparing their skis - everyone is fussing and running. And when a person starts, he is amazingly transformed. In an instant, he becomes collected, compressed into a ball of energy. The 30 second countdown begins... First steps... And so, he went forward. This is not enough. There's not enough excitement. When a split second decides everything.

- Now what are you trying to replace these feelings with?
- I love coming to children's competitions. You are trying to explain something to the guys, teach them. Some people have the strength but are a little lacking in experience. You’re standing on the rise, he needs to catch up for a second, you shout at the top of your lungs: “Well, come on! Forward!". That's where I get caught up in the sports atmosphere.

- Your main fan is your husband Igor. You were confronted by an accident - an elastic band from your pants? How did you meet?
- The whole team has known Igor for 2 years, he went to almost all competitions. And I was so modest, with an iron upbringing, I didn’t look around. The girls told me that he is a pilot. Well, okay, I thought, this doesn’t concern me. And then one day I was walking along the corridor in the hotel, I saw a tall man standing, holding his pants, I thought he was Russian, some kind of maniac! He says to me: “My rubber band has burst, please help!” I’m a needlewoman: I always have threads and pins with me. I quickly made this rubber band and kicked him out of the room.

- But he came back.
- And he came with a box of Novosibirsk sweets. I was simply amazed. We have been abroad for 2 months already - and here are our Russian sweets! Okay, Natasha Guseva and I let him drink tea. And then it began. I come home from exercise and have a saucer of fresh berries on my bed. And this is in the month of February. But then I took it very calmly. I was still in such a bad mood. The peak of my form had passed, and the performance was not so great. And it immediately became fun with him. As a farewell, he left me his number. I threw this piece of paper and forgot.

- But you were the first to call then?
- Yes. We had stages in America. We have a flight early in the morning, we meet at the airport. All the girls are given rifles. They gave it to everyone, but not to me. Naturally, I couldn’t fly anywhere without her. It was left useless to anyone and with a non-lifting case containing 20 pairs of skis. I’m left and thinking, what should I do? You need to train somehow. I even started laughing at myself: “I’m sitting here like a fool, alone.” I laughed and I immediately remembered Igor. And I decided that I would go to Novosibirsk. There is a good biathlon base there, you can ask Igor to meet you.

- And they flew right away?
- Well, something had to be done. My plane arrived in Novosibirsk early in the morning. Igor met me there at the ramp and almost carried me to the car in his arms. And then at the base he solved all the problems for me. We were put in the best room. I started working on my cultural program. The first two days I held the line - room on the stick, “I’m not going anywhere, I’m in mourning!” But I had to give up. In the evening he took me somewhere, I thought to the cinema. And he brought me to the stadium to watch hockey. At first I couldn’t keep up with the puck. I watched Igor’s reaction. If people rejoice and clap, it means they scored!

- When did you finally thaw out?
“I was flying to a competition, and he told me boxes of candy on the plane: “You’ll give the girls everything.” Then I invited him to visit me in Zlatoust.

- Now what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you remember your hometown?
- In general, I love Chrysostom very much. It is located in the mountains and the view from any point is very beautiful. But, of course, what touches the heart most is home and home school. So many years spent there, so many friends. The school is located just opposite the house where my parents live. And every time I come to them, my heart skips a beat. Our class 4 "G" was very friendly. An excellent class teacher, Vera Viktorovna Golubkova, and a very good coach. Akhmetgarayev Rafis Saitovich was actually a wrestler, but he led us as a cross-country skiing section. Therefore, he also managed to teach us techniques at the same time.

- My son Misha is already 6 years old. Are you putting it on skis?
- We now live in Krasnogorsk - there is a very good ski complex here. There is a room for preparing skis and changing clothes. Misha started skiing for the first time at the age of 1 year 10 months at the Ski Track Russia" He was the smallest participant there and was given a prize - skis and poles. He liked it so much that he literally had to tear it away from the gifts afterwards.

-Are you enjoying skiing now?
- No. The last Olympic year was very difficult for me; I had to put everything on the line. And after the Games I was so psychologically exhausted that when I went to the competitions I simply cried. It's good that I had dark glasses - they saved me. Physically I could run, but psychologically I took every step through myself.

- What is the daily routine of the Olympic champion now?
- My parliamentary term ended, I did not receive any new proposals and returned to CSK as an athlete-instructor. If they invite you to sporting events, I try to be there. I keep in touch with Zlatoust, often call the head of Zhilin Vyacheslav, discuss the construction of a ski and biathlon complex. He’s great, he raised this issue and will undergo a state examination in September. On September 1, a sports ground will be opened in the courtyard of our house in Krasnogorsk; in winter it will be filled with ice. On September 3, at the suggestion of the Olympic Committee, I am flying to Sochi conduct an Olympic lesson. These lessons will have to be taught throughout the country. In the meantime, I’m on vacation, I’m always at the dacha, digging in the ground.

- Has Svetlana Ishmuratova really become a gardener?
“I myself would never have thought in my life that I would connect with the earth.” My sister Galina is the best housewife, in this she is an example for me. She will twist the jars - nothing will ever swell, everything is delicious. Last year I planted everything for the first time: cucumbers, berries, apple trees - now you can’t leave them. It’s so little to plant, you also have to save it so that no midges or pests eat them! I’m spinning jars of cucumbers, I tried to cook compotes for the first time! I like apples with chokeberry - it gives a pleasant taste and the color is so beautiful. And if you add a pear, it will be even better. Our cans don’t sit around for long, they’re drunk all at once. I myself am surprised that I have become so domestic and economical. And now I'm happy.

Svetlana Irekovna Ishmuratova(born April 20, 1972, Zlatoust, USSR) - Russian biathlete, Honored Master of Sports of Russia. Deputy Head of CSKA (FAI RF CSKA) since February 5, 2016. Lieutenant Colonel of the Russian Armed Forces.

Has Tatar-Bashkir origin.

Biography

At the 2006 Winter Olympics she won two gold medals in the individual race and relay. She also won a bronze medal in the relay at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Five-time world champion - in the relay (2001, 2003 and 2005), mixed relay (2005) and team race (1998). Winner of two silver medals (mass start, 2003, relay, 2004) and one bronze (pursuit, 2003). Two-time world champion in summer biathlon (1999).

The best result in the World Cup was 6th place in 2000 and 2006.

In 1996, she started once in the cross-country skiing World Cup.

On December 2, 2007, she was elected to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the fifth convocation from the United Russia party.

He has the military rank of lieutenant colonel of the Russian Armed Forces. By decision of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation in February 2016, she was appointed deputy head of CSKA (FAI RF CSKA) for work with personnel.

Statistics of performances in the World Cup

Awards and titles

• Order of Honor (February 22, 2007) - for great contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, high sporting achievements
• Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree (May 5, 2003) - for his great contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, high sporting achievements at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.