More than 1,000 volunteers work right now at the
Masters tournament. Every
day they eagerly assist the athletes and spectators in everything they need
while their happy and smiley faces create an incredible atmosphere at the
competitons. Rezeda Apacheva, one of the Masters tournament volunteers, spoke
about her job and what motivates her to work as a volunteer.
–
What attracts you to working as a volunteer?
– I’ve
been volunteering since the 2013 Summer Universiade and you know it sort of has
grown into passion. I’ve taken a three-week leave right before the World
Championships and the Masters tournament. From the very beginning I’ve been
working with the FINA Family, attending the Opening Ceremony and every single
diving event.
– What
does a volunteer do during the Championships?
– The
main idea of being a volunteer is to create a festive atmosphere, an atmosphere
of hospitality. Volunteers are everywhere, they meet spectators in the street,
help them to pass security stations and show them the most convenient entrance.
On the premises, we usually show them around, help them locate their seats,
explain where the cafes and restrooms are, tell them about the upcoming events
and results, answer their questions, ensure the order on the stands and
encourage spectators to cheer for competitors. We dance and applaud. And what
is more important is that we do everything with happy smiles on our faces.
– Right
now competitions of the Masters tournament are underway. Is it inspiring to
work at this tournament as well?
– To be
honest, I did not expect it to be so much fun. First of all, there are so many
age groups; I mean the athletes from 25 till 100 years old are competing at the
Masters tournament. There are not only senior citizens and former champions,
there are also young athletes starting from 25 years old. The first day of
competitions was pretty calm and it seemed that the stands won’t be as full as
during the main event. However, today’s competitions proved the opposite. The
spectator turnout was incredible – so many people came to support oldtimers!
For instance, some mature athletes walk with a cane but as soon as they reach a
swimming pool and get into the water they transform and you can see that they
have a huge zest for life. Imagine the picture: one swimmer has already
finished a race pretty fast, whereas other competitor swims without haste and
spectators support him, applaud him and wait until he finishes the race. The
Masters tournament turned out to be a very significant event bringing a lot of
foreigners together and providing us with a multicultural communication.
– Do
you have time to interact with the athletes?
– The
most important thing is that our athletes sometimes become spectators. They
watch the competitions either before their start or afterwards. We communicate
with them before and after. They like the organisation of the event, our city.
All in all, they are very nice people.
– What
is the major motivation in your work?
– First
of all, I am a Masters athlete in the 45-50 age group. I have been doing sport
all my life, I went swimming professionally till I turned 17, since then I have
always kept fit and I still go swimming. Watching these people, I realise there
is something to strive for. Both my peers and people older than my mom’s age
are competing here. I have always thought when I become 70, what am I going to
do? Now I know I will participate in the Masters tournaments. I will be
training and catching up with other competitors for the European championships
next year, the Budapest 2017 World Championships. I will continue to follow the
life hythm I am leading now. What’s more I am highly motivated by the fact that
I’m part of this event, that I’ve poured my heart and my soul into its success.
It’s rewarding when I see the athletes and visitors smile me back.
– What
would you wish the athletes who are yet going to compete?
– The
most important thing is not the destination, but the journey. It’s great that
they come together and always stay strong. They don’t worry about their
health that might let them down, though they sometimes come out of the pool and
have their blood pressure tested. They have problems, but I wish them to have
enough energy to perform in all the competitions they have applied for. I wish they all victory!
Press Office of Organising Committee for 16th FINA
World Championships
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