Anna Kozina, FINA Media Committee Member
Team Russia grabbed eight out of nine gold medals in
synchro events at the FINA World Championships in Kazan. Russians made a spectacular and
striking finish, winning their combo routine with more than 98 points (98,300).
Even
some with technical problems, the sound equipment couldn’t kill the perfect
execution of a ballet theme “Don Quihote”, presented by the leaders. No, the
music didn’t stop them at all like it had already happened twice: during the
team routine at the Olympic Games in 2004 or in the team final at the
Universiade 2013 in Kazan. There was just some noise or crack in the dynamic
speakers.
Vlada
Chigireva, Svetlana Kolesnichenko, Aleksandra Patskevich, Alla Shishkina,
Anzhelika Timanina, Mikhaela Kalancha, Lilia Nizamova, Elena Prokofyeva, Maria Shurochkina
and Gelena Topilina came out of that tense situation with honour and topped the
podium.
China
placed second (96,2000). That was the sixth silver medal for the team,
considered the main rivals for Russian synchronized swimmers. Japan took the
bronze (93,8000) – the fourth one in their medal collection from Kazan.
What more it was raining cats and dogs during the
combo final but the temporary roof, constructed over the pool, performed its
mission. Svetlana
Kolesnichenko joked that Kazan is being sad and crying because the synchronised
program has come to an end.
Quotes
Gold
medallist Aleksandra Patskevich (RUS): “We are very satisfied with our
performance. We had 2 points advantage over team China. This programme is very
temperamental and impulsive and it is new. So we can keep it for the next
season. We are in shock, not because of the weather but because the underwater
speakerphone broke. We could only hear some crackling and not the music. The
weather did not bother us, though it was quite cold while waiting for the
start. We were confused at the beginning due to the technical problems. We
could not understand what had happened. But I did everything I could. I did my
best. This was the last competition day for us, and we tried hard. I can't say
that the combination is the easiest routine, as we have two more people in the
team, and it's much harder to exercise with ten in the team."
(on
winning eight medals): “As for me I think that we should take our ninth gold in
technical mixed duet. But – speaking about the victory of Bill May and his
partner - success is never blamed. We’ll try to become supreme champions in all
disciplines at the next Championships.”
Gold
medalist Mikhaela Kalancha (RUS): “We are so happy that the Championship is
over and we can finally celebrate our success. This tournament was so
long-lasting because of the mixed duet competitions included in the schedule.
We have been competing for ten days! But we have won eight out of nine gold
medals.”
Gold
medallist Svetlana KOLESNICHENKO (RUS): "I’m so happy I’ve performed here.
The day has come. We are satisfied and are going to have a much needed rest.
Again we got 10 points so we are closer to the maximum result of 100 points.
Now it’s vacation time. I will just lie in bed for a week, and then I will
probably go abroad, or I’ll stay in Russia, I don’t know. We can eat when we
are on vacations! I like to eat “Caesar” salad in every place I visit. But now
I want “khinkali” (traditional Georgian type of dumplings)."
Gold
medallist Maria Shurochkina (RUS): “Thank you to all of you who offered their
support and our coach in particular. We really appreciated the fans cheering
from the stadium, it gave us strength. It also inspires us to work with such
pros. Usually, I would take a few days off to realise what happened and then go
on vacation. This time I am going to the U.S., I already have my ticket!”
Gold
medallist Galena Topilina (RUS): «I would like to test another sport which
goes hands in hands with synchronised swimming. As it is my first time at a
World Championships, I look up at the elders’ behaviour in the team and I get
inspired. We have an amazing relationship all together."
Silver
medallist SUN Wenyan (CHN) comments on the choice of music for the performance
in the final:
"We decided to choose the music from "The Phantom of The Opera" because we love the film. While preparing the routine we watched it many times. In general, it is a very famous and popular film in China. We are satisfied with our result. This is the result of an enourmous effort.”
"We decided to choose the music from "The Phantom of The Opera" because we love the film. While preparing the routine we watched it many times. In general, it is a very famous and popular film in China. We are satisfied with our result. This is the result of an enourmous effort.”
Silver
medallist LI Xiaolu (CHN): "Our training takes a lot of effort, 8-9 hours
per day in the water! The Olympics is coming and we have very little time left.
We elaborate our programme with the coach and we try to be creative and
innovative”
Bronze
medallist Yukiko Inui (JPN): “We started from the bottom so we trained mentally
and physically to make it to the podium.”
Team Russia - Photo credit: Pasquale
Mesiano/Deepbluemedia
Team Russia: Vlada Chigireva, A. Patskevich, Alla
Shishkina, Anzhelika Timanina, S. Kolesnichenko, Elena Prokofyeva, Maria
Shurochkina & Gelena Topilina - gold medal in the syncro Final
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