Anna Rizatdinova: The new generation of Ukrainians has an extraordinary level of patriotism.
Anna Rizatdinova shared her journey in sports, the toughest moments in her career, personal life, political ambitions, and the future of Ukrainian rhythmic gymnastics in a comprehensive interview with RBC-Ukraine.
Rhythmic gymnast Anna Rizatdinova is one of the most accomplished athletes in Ukraine. She is a world champion, an Olympic medalist, and a role model for many young athletes. Even her colleagues refer to Rizatdinova as the "Iron Lady" due to her diligence, determination, and principles.
Anna was born in Simferopol and consistently emphasizes that her Crimean roots are an essential part of her identity and success story. She believes that the peninsula, occupied by Russia, will return to Ukraine in the near future, allowing hundreds of thousands of people, like herself, who were forced to leave their homes after 2014, to return to their homeland.
Currently, the star is successfully developing her own Academy of Gymnastics in Kyiv, sharing her experience and inspiring a new generation of Ukrainian gymnasts. She is raising her son on her own, appearing on various shows, and engaging in public activities.
In the interview with RBC-Ukraine, Rizatdinova discussed her youth and professional path, her academy, issues in Ukrainian sports, and shared her ambitions, beauty secrets, and why her heart is still free.
– I would like to start with a discussion about your rhythmic gymnastics academy. Are you planning to expand its activities, perhaps by creating branches in other cities or even countries?
– Initially, after its opening, I really wanted to expand across Ukraine by establishing new branches, but later I realized that this is not just a sports hall with design, equipment, style, and so on. You can't sell it as a franchise. Everything here is tied to me. I am the face of the academy, which is why children come to learn with their parents. That's why I understand that for the academy to function well and yield results, we need to focus on Kyiv.
Currently, we have three small locations and one large one. I often have to manage them because almost every month new challenges arise. First, we need to find a hall with a very high ceiling, a bomb shelter, and also ensure the presence of a generator and constant electricity... Things are constantly happening, and decisions must be made to ensure the halls are warm, there are available rental hours, and all children can attend classes despite the constant rise in prices for everything.
– What are your ambitious goals for it?
– We always have ambitious plans. For example, one of our main goals now is to show a high level at the championships of Ukraine and Kyiv. At the same time, for me, the most important thing is that this is not just a result for the sake of a result, because I know the other side. I understand how ambitions can break children and how crucial it is to care for their mental health.
So, perhaps some processes will not move too quickly, but my team and I will be confident that the children are happy and in a good mental state. This is very important for us.
– You mentioned that when you trained, you had no time for personal life, and that Albina Nikolaevna Deryugina was very strict... Were there specific moments when you seriously considered quitting gymnastics?
– I often wanted to quit gymnastics and end my professional career. But I understand and understood that this is part of the process; otherwise, it couldn't be. After all, I had gymnastics 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And it seems that because my focus and entire life revolved around this sport, it overwhelmed me. I had a very ambitious goal. And due to the lack of any relief or opportunity to switch to other areas of life, not-so-good processes occurred. But you must understand that this is a part of the journey that everyone must go through who embarks on it.
Anna Rizatdinova in childhood (photo provided by the gymnast)
– What elements from the Deryugina school, of which you are a graduate, do you use in your academy, and what have you categorically rejected?
– I am a bearer of this school, which I take great pride in, as it has enabled us to master a large number of extremely complex elements perfectly. Now, we strive to pass this experience and unique knowledge on to the next generations.
What have I rejected? Not so much rejected, but I use a slightly different approach with children. Given my journey, I understand what it means to be a coach and what you feel, and what it means to be a gymnast and what that person feels.
In other words, we are changing teaching approaches and adapting to new generations of children. What was once the norm now needs to change, transforming into new rules. Therefore, we are changing our attitude.
– By the way, many athletes recall that coaches (in various sports) used to be strict and had high demands, and this helped them achieve the heights they have. Don't you think that nowadays mentors are too "coddling" with athletes, and as a result, the modern generation is not giving their all and does not feel a sense of responsibility for the outcome in front of fans and the country?
– As I mentioned, the generation has indeed changed, so the approach must be 100% different with children. But I cannot say that the results and achievements have diminished. I see new outstanding athletes, a young and very talented generation. Yes, I agree that there are indeed very few fans, but there are truly talented athletes.
As the recent Olympics have shown, even in the conditions of war, we have achieved excellent results. And if we talk about fanaticism, we need to show and tell more about sports.
For example, in my childhood, I definitely saw role models: Lilia Podkopayeva, Yekaterina Serebrianskaya, and Anna Bessonova. I grew up with these examples. Therefore, I believe we should tell more stories about the success journeys of athletes. I would love for children and teenagers to aspire to be not only bloggers but also athletes.
– What issues require decisive and immediate changes in Ukrainian rhythmic gymnastics and sports in general?
– First of all, Ukraine always aims for high achievements in international competitions. Always. This means that the Ukrainian rhythmic gymnastics team is always in the top 5-8. However, we are severely lacking large, spacious halls for both seniors and juniors to train in. Irina Ivanovna Deryugina has repeatedly spoken about this issue.
Perhaps this is the only thing I can highlight. Everything else depends on the athletes themselves. If they do not spare themselves and give their all in the hall every day, then I believe everything will be fine.
– Do you think young athletes who left for abroad will return to Ukraine? Who should instill this patriotism in them, and what should be the motivation? Because it's one thing to invite a football player who plays in England to perform once or twice a month for the national team - and then back to London. It's another thing for him to live and train here in Ukraine.
– Many children, for example, those who practiced rhythmic gymnastics in Ukraine and moved to Germany, have lost their form because rhythmic gymnastics is not very developed in small towns or villages there. However, there are young people who have started learning the language (or have already learned it) and plan to enroll in universities there and build their future lives. But I'm confident that there will be teenagers who will return. Because I know for sure that not every girl and not every boy can find themselves abroad. This is a very complex question.
Regarding patriotism, I am confident that the new generation - those who have experienced the war and the full-scale invasion - have overwhelming patriotism. I am sure they always express and affirm, even while living abroad, that Ukraine is always in their hearts. Anna Rizatdinova (photo provided by the gymnast)
– What is the main problem in the mentality of young Ukrainian athletes that you would highlight?
– In my opinion, the main problem, no matter how harsh it may sound, is self-pity. They are very rarely ready to work in the hall until the last drop of sweat.
In our time, we held training sessions on Sundays and were not afraid to wake up even earlier than necessary to do a run before the first training session, and then hold a second training.
I don't know what it's related to, but not too many are ready for that now. I would recommend to young athletes, while they still have time, whether it’s gymnastics or swimming - it doesn’t matter: dedicate 100% of your life to this sport, and you will see what achievements you are capable of!
– What moment in your professional sports career was the hardest, and how did you overcome it?
– It was the Olympics in London (Summer Olympics