Currently, Kirill is preparing for upcoming competitions, working as a coach, and studying at the Medical Academy. In his busy schedule, the famous athlete found time for a meeting to answer our questions.
- Kirill, how long have you been swimming?
- Yes, I started this sport when I was in the third grade, at the age of eight. My parents brought me to swimming to improve my health, and that’s how my career began. Before that, I tried my hand at artistic gymnastics but realized it wasn't my sport. Initially, I trained in a general group, then coach Andrey Vavilov appeared and invited me to participate in training with a promising group. I agreed. I achieved my first victories and results with him. It so happened that my first coach left coaching, and I moved to Yevgeny Khudyakov, who believed in me and helped me achieve the title of Master of Sports of the Kyrgyz Republic. I earned the title of international class Master of Sports at a competition in the UAE at the World Championship in my age group in the 100-meter breaststroke. After that, I was selected for the Olympic team and began training under the head coach Yevgeny Petrashov.
- At what stage can we say that an athlete transitions from amateur to professional sports?
- For this, it is necessary to compare when I trained just once a day for an hour and a half – that was at the amateur level. But when you seriously engage in sports, training lasts for seven hours and takes place twice a day. Such training is the key to success. And it is essential to introduce a child to swimming as early as possible so that they begin to get used to the water. It will be much easier for them later, as long as the child enjoys it.
- What are your current sports achievements?
- I am a record holder in the short pool (25 meters) in the 50-meter breaststroke (28.07 seconds), and in the "Olympic" long 50-meter pool in the 50-meter breaststroke, I set a record of 28.97 seconds, as well as in the 100 meters breaststroke (1 minute 3.85 seconds).
I have participated in various international tournaments, but I took part in the Asian competitions for the first time and won international awards. Recently in Munich, I also won a bronze medal. At the World Championship in Barcelona, among a large number of participants, I managed to make it into the top 50 strongest swimmers in the world. I was 47th in the world, and now I am second in Asia.
- After finishing your swimming career, do you plan to dedicate yourself to coaching?
- Coaching is my hobby. Currently, I am studying in my third year at KGMA to become a dentist, and later I plan to work in this specialty. My parents are doctors, and I decided not to break family traditions.
- What attracts you to swimming?
- I just live for this sport; there have been times when I had to miss training due to illness. It was very hard for me emotionally; I really wanted to be in the pool and feel the water again. Swimming provides excellent physical conditioning and great shape. Not long ago, it was believed that running was recommended for all muscle groups, but recently scientists have proven that swimming is the best sport for the body.
- Please tell us about the competitions themselves…
- There were a huge number of participants, and athletes from various countries competed, with very strong athletes representing China and Indonesia. All of Asia presented its best swimmers. Indeed, these competitions were long-awaited for us. The Asian Championship had not been held for four years; we trained and prepared for this start, working through the entire program with the coaching staff. The competitions took place in a 50-meter pool with ten lanes on the university campus. This is not my first championship; I participated in the Asian Championship in Indonesia in 2011, where I was ninth three times and never made it to the finals. I was eagerly waiting for this medal, and I managed to win it on the very first day of the competition; it was an explosion of emotions. The next day, I became third in the 100-meter distance. Currently, I have started preparing for the World Championship, which will take place in 2016. There is a lot of work to do on myself and many tournaments ahead; now I set myself the goal of bringing home a gold medal from the Asian Championship.
- Many people are saying that swimming in our country is going through tough times right now…
- In fact, I would like to note that previously, preparation for competitions was done at our own expense, and we even bought our own vitamins. Now much has changed, and the federation pays for the preparation. There are wonderful athletes on the team who represent our country with dignity. Some of them are still training in swimming schools, while others are in the Olympic team. Swimming in Kyrgyzstan has a future; I am sure of it! We have quite talented athletes on the team, and if we provide even better conditions, there will be even more awards.
We wish Kirill good luck and look forward to new awards earned at various international tournaments!
