An Interview with Viktoria Komova

Translation of Vika's Interview to the newspaper "Moscow news": 

World Champion and one of the contenders for the Olympics title 17-year-old Viktoria Komova spoke with the newspaper “Moscow news” about her preparations for London 2012 and how tough this year has actually been for her.

-Vika, you have grown a lot lately, does it have any effect on your technique?
-Yes, after the World Championship I have grown and I require more power during workouts. On bars by the giants I have occasionally hit the lower bar – we had to adjust the technique to improve this.
- You have missed the Russian Championship this season; during the Euros you have performed not all events, are you ready for the All-Around in London?
- In London I plan to perform all four events. For the European Championship I have not managed to put together routines on all events. A month before the Euros my ankle has been operated, then I had a month rest and have not trained, the doctors would not allow that. But I had to go through the surgery. And I have tried to fully recover by the Olympics.
- Which event do you prefer?
-Bars. I love this feeling of flight. Layout flight, dismount flight, “throw a cap” – we call a flight from the lower to the upper bar. I really love all those flights.
- What do you think you will feel on entering the podium in London?
- I am not used to not winning the meets. And hope very much that I will do all my best. I also think about the next Olympic cycle – I will get more experience and the rules will change.
-Who is the leader in your team?
- Aliya Mustafina. She is the reigning Russian Champion. But we do not compete inside the team. ON training sessions we do not watch each other, but outside the gym we are friends. 
- During your 12-years-carear were there any hard times?
- Well, 5 years ago. I haven’t made any progress. I didn’t want to do anything. I kept asking myself, why am I doing this? My coaches just explained to me that all teenagers have the same problems.
- What did you not want most of all?
- To be in the gym all the time. I wanted to go out, be with my friends, who have spent a lot of time together and kept asking me, if I am coming or not. And I had to go to the gym for a workout.
- But now your friends probably envy you and say, that you must be very happy?
- Well, yes. I have everything I want. I earn my living. I get my salary and scholarship. My friends envy me, as I do not have to go to school. Though I keep saying to them, that having several-hours-a-day workouts is not easy either. 
- How can you get away from it all?
- On week-ends we go shopping with the girls, we buy stuff we will probably never need anyway, go to the cinema… just get distracted from everyday routine. Sometimes we go to the lake Krugloe, which is here next to the sport facilities. Just to sit on the bank and dream…
- About what?
- I want to buy an apartment, actually a house. In my home town Voronezh.
- You come from Voronezh, so you could actually be diving?
- If it were not gymnastics, then most probably diving. We have very good diving coaches and athletes in Voronezh. Dmitrij Sautin, for example. I have seen him a couple of times. But we have not been introduced, and I am too shy to approach him – he is so well-known.