21. 3. 2013

Behind the track: Olga Kalina “The best results are still ahead of me”


The next generation…
Yes, for sure. She represents the next generation of Russian biathletes. Young talented and waiting for her chance. I can imagine you are reading this intro 2 or 3 years later and you are nodding your head just to say: You were right man!
But forget the future for now. Just enjoy reading these lines. Enjoy our talk.
Meet Olga Kalina. Exclusively for Biathlonum. 


- First I was going in for track-and-field athletics, it was from 1st till 3rd form at school. Then Elena Vaygina, my first coach came to our school and she invited children to the ski club. My sister joined it first and later she started to entice me there. I didn’t know what to choose and ultimately I’ve chosen skiing. Then another coach came to our school Vladimir Vaygin, a husband of Elena Vaygina, he was a biathlon trainer and he had been a biathlete before. So since 2007 I’ve been doing biathlon! Unfortunately Vladimir Vaygin died in 2010 and I was thinking about leaving biathlon because I knew that no one could replace him. But his brother Konstantin Vaygin came to help us and our work goes on!

- What I like on biathlon is its complexity and that this sport requires self-control and you can’t relax! I like to endure complexities. Maybe I’m a masochist, but I really like it!


- I want to prove to myself that I can do it, that I’m not weaker or worse than the other athletes, that´s my motivation for the races. First of all I set certain goals, define what I have to cope with. My sister makes me stronger. I want her to be proud of me! I want to take part in biathlon competitions together with my sister to show everyone who we are and that our work is not in vain!

- I enjoyed Junior World Championships in general. I saw the competition among biathletes, I watched the way they ski and shoot. There were more positives than negatives. Unfortunately I was unlucky with my shooting and I can’t say that I was nervous, maybe I just wanted to show more than I could and as a result I wasn’t able to do even what I could do easily! But all the best is still ahead!


- Of course every sportsman dreams about Olympics but I'm not looking so far. I’m a realist! I would start with World Cup if only there was an opportunity for young athletes to try themselves there so that they could get some experience and confidence!

- My idol is my sister, but I’ve never told her that. I’ve always dreamt to ski like she does, I admire the way she copes with difficulties, the way she endures loadings on the trainings and during the races. She’s a real fighter!

- I like biathlon complex in Ufa, the track and a shooting range, we spend there a lot of time! I like Pokljuka in Slovenia as well. There are all the necessary things that we need for training so we can work with pleasure!


- I use to lie in the bed and watch TV after races, or maybe I use to go shopping to buy something sweet and tasty, I like sweet and tasty things very much. I also use to go to bed early in the evening and have a good sleep.

- If I was asked to become a face of any fashion brand I think I would agree, though it depends on what I’d have to advertise. I think it wouldn’t interfere my career or reputation.

- Most of all I might be described by the music I listen to, I like it very much! I always like trying something new. It depends on my mood. I can just sit and draw something or weave Baubles* for example (*a kind of handmade bracelets). Now I try to learn English because I understand that it’s very important nowadays! Also I may just lie in a bed and watch cartoons, there’s no the only activity that I like the most.

Olga with her idol - her sister Anastasia

- My friends can easily make me smile after bad race. They support me and start looking for some positive sides of the race. And of course my family, if they tell me: “Olia, anyway, you’re the best” - this would make me smile and not to be upset.

- I love summer, enjoying trainings during this period.

- I like travelling. I like going to training camps and competitions. When I come back home to have some rest I can’t stay there for long, I want to leave! I have no idea what would I do at home all the time, maybe I could go crazy. 


- I celebrate my successes with my family and friends. We like to remember everything we had to go through and what it led for. Also I can spend time in a noisy company laughing and chatting with everyone. Athletes are humans too and they need some rest.


 - If I wasn´t biathlete, maybe I’d get a psychological education. I enjoy studying people, I enjoy communication, learning something new! Though I could join any theatre circle. Now it’s hard to talk about it because I’ve chosen another way of life.