We still remember her joy at Darya’s bronze medal in Vancouver four years ago and Dasha’s messages to her family and other supporters via the surrounding television cameras. Having just crossed the finish line, she immediately wanted to communicate with those hundreds of kilometres away. Unsurprisingly, Larisa has been inundated with congratulations, receiving calls from Nyagan, Khanty-Mansiysk, Sochi, Moscow, Gomel, Brest and every other part of the country.Catching a moment in this whirlpool of warm words, we shared our own heartfelt congratulations on this epic moment in Belarusian sporting history.
Larisa Alexeevna, don’t you regret watching such an exciting and important race only on TV?
Not at all. From the very beginning, we agreed with Dasha that it was better for me to stay at home. Moreover, in Sochi, we had our own representative: her brother Nikita. He always keeps us informed of what’s going on.
Were you concerned about Dasha’s performance at the Olympiad after her rather unsuccessful sprint?
No! We were all convinced that Dasha would win, as she deserved a gold medal more than anyone else: foremost, because of her hard work to reach the highest level. Dasha also managed to put aside her nerves, despite a tough struggle in the pursuit race, as was noticeable.
This must have been to your merit… Did you manage to give verbal support to your daughter after the first race?
Of course, we spoke, but not very much and not about sport. It wasn’t necessary to advise her, as she knows what she can do and what needs to be improved. The most important thing is not to cause her anxiety. Dasha understands that we are always behind her, giving constant support.
It seemed that, after Vancouver, where Darya claimed bronze, she was keen to seek ‘revenge’ in Sochi...
Dasha’s bronze medal four year ago was also a great achievement. Of course, she wanted to become an Olympic champion, having set this bar for herself not just in Vancouver but for her entire career. Few achieve this goal but everyone aims for it; Dasha was no exception.
The pursuit race was only the second in the Olympic biathlon programme but many called the Games in Sochi ‘Dasha’s Olympiad’. Did you think she could calm her nerves and repeat her success?
Of course, she’s endured the burden of expectations for some time, which isn’t easy. However, her nerves disappeared in Sochi, leading to her success as an Olympic champion! This achievement will affect all her future races. Of course, we shouldn’t try to predict the future but Dasha has proven that she can win at the highest level and do so beautifully. You’ve seen it yourselves: although her rivals were strong, she was the best. No one doubts this. I hope that she’ll succeed in future races and bring us reason for joy.
By Dmitry Komashko
