The leader of the Russian national ski jumping team
Dmitry Vasiliev gave an interview to Sport Express.
The 29-year old sportsman is
a remarkable person. Not least because he became
the first ski jumper in the history who was suspended
for dopó using: in 2001 he was caught on furosemide,
medicine for weight cutting.
And this season Dmitry has already managed to be
the craze, having displayed very well at the oldest
European tournament – Four Hills Tour, where he
twice got to the pedestal.
Dmitry is currently number seven in the standings
of the World Cup but it is not his limit, he is
planning to get into the six best till the end of
the season. And now he prepares to the World Cup
that is to take place in the second half of February.
"On the coming World Cup I wish to win medal",
said Vasiliev. "I think I can fight for getting
onto the pedestal".
"The level of Russian ski jumpers is quite
different from that of Europeans. We have no good
equipment in Russia, so we train in Europe. At home
it is even dangerous to jump. All springhills are
very old and do not comply with the demands".
"I liked ski since I was a child, but never
liked to run. That is why I began to jump".
"There is a joke among ski jumpers that the
only mistake I made in my life was to start ski
jumping".
"In the national team we usually play football
or bandy. I am a big ice hockey fan, support Salavat
Yulaev".
"I have only one goal to display well at the
Olympics in Vancouver. If everything goes well further,
then I probably would like to participate in Sochi-2014".
"I am more popular in Europe than in Russia.
Somewhere in Germany or Austria people often recognize
me and ask for a photo or an autograph. And in Russia
– never".
"Russia is a very big country and people don’t
notice lots of sportsmen".
I" think that ski jumping will be more popular
in Russia if we would achieve good results, if our
sportsmen would constantly win medals; everything
will straighten out for itself".
