Table Tennis Federation
Interview with Vladimir Samsonov
Vladimir Samsonov returned to Belarus after the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro to take part in the match for the table tennis team. Sport.tut.by met the eighth racket of the world at the airport and found out that Samsonov had not yet left pain in the ribs.
On September 27, the national table tennis team will hold the first qualification match of the team Euro 2017. In it, Belarusians will resist Israeli. The meeting, which will be the first for Vladimir Samsonov for the national team after the Olympics, will take place at 19.00 in RTSOP for table tennis.
Recall that in Rio-2016 Samsonov stopped a step away from the pedestal. In a duel for bronze, a 40-year-old athlete lost to Japanese Jun Mizutani with a score of 1: 4. The fourth place is the best result of Vladimir at six olympiads in which he took part.
In Minsk, Vladimir Samsonov, devoted to his sport and country, flew on the eve of the meeting with the Israelis, September 26. Athlete's father Viktor Vladimirovich was the first to be hugged home.
“It is very nice to be in Minsk again,” said Sport.tut.by Volodya to correspondents. – I flew normally – without a delay in the flight and problems with the luggage. I fly a lot, and therefore I encounter periodically with such inconvenience. As for baggage, I always drive the most important things in manual luggage.
– By the way, what is included in this list?
– Costume, sneakers in which I play, several pairs of socks, shorts. Rackets? I never put them in luggage at all.
– What does the current visit to Belarus mean to you? Is this an opportunity to meet with fans and thank for support during the Olympics? Or is the result in the match with Israeli more important?
– Let's see how the match will take shape. I think that my team partners are strong enough to beat the Israeli team without me. Therefore, first of all, I want to thank the fans for support at a meeting.
They always provided me with support, but during the Olympics in Rio it was simply huge. Many Belarusian Olympians, the medical staff of our team, sports officials came to my matches. It was very pleasant to speak, knowing that both here, and at home they sincerely worry about me.
– You flew just the day before the game. Is this a normal practice?
– No, but this time it turned out that way.
– How soon did you manage to heal the sore, the injury that you received during the match with Dmitry Ovcharov at the Olympics?
– Let's just say, over the past six years, this was not the first time that I had problems with the ribs – cracks. Usually, recovery after such damage takes three to four weeks. This time everything is a little different. X -ray and MRI showed inflammation in the thoracic region. That is, it is a bruise – not a fracture, but this is good.
On the other hand, more than four weeks have passed since the match with Ovcharov, and there is still pain.I can say with confidence that this is the most serious injury in my entire career. It was unfortunate that this happened at such an important moment for me, when I should have been in the best shape.
How much more time do you need to get better?
– I do not know. In principle, I can play, which was shown by those few tournaments after Rio 2016 in which I took part. The pain is tolerable. However, I control my physical condition and if the discomfort worsens, I try not to load this muscle group.
– Why do you prefer to play the idea of a good heal?
The table tennis season has begun. I had agreements to play in several competitions and play for the national team. In addition, if you do not play, then it is very, very difficult to return to the previous level.
Do you mean rating?
– Not. Missing a few tournaments will not affect my position in the list of the best tennis players in the world. I'm only talking about the physical form.
– In the third round of the Chinese Open Championship, you lost to the world No. 1 and Rio 2016 champion Ma Long. Is it possible to compare the heat of this match with the Olympic?
– I didn’t train much after the Olympics, Ma Long didn’t either. So it didn’t work out to play well, although, of course, none of us wanted to concede.
– How did you mentally recover after the physical and emotional costs in Rio?
– After the Olympics, I spent about four weeks with my family in Granada. We decided not to go anywhere, but to stay in Spain. This is the best vacation ever.
How did your family welcome you?
As usual, warm and welcoming. I asked my wife to cook pizza, I really love this dish in her performance.
— How long will you stay in Minsk?
– Until Thursday, because the World Cup stage in Germany will be held this week. In the meantime, the plan is this: on Tuesday I have training and a match for the national team, and the rest of the time I will try to devote to family and friends. That is, it is unlikely to be forays into the city. Most likely, we will be at home and our sister will visit us. I think she will bring homemade whites with her. I love everything my sister cooks.
– Is it already known how many fights you will play in the match with Israel?
– One or two. The draw before the match will answer this question.
Note that the company Vladimir Samsonov in the match against the Israelis will be Pavel Platonov (172nd in the world ranking), Alexander Khanin (266th) and Gleb Shamruk (376th). Three players entered the roster of opponents. These are Ben Ari Omri (262nd), Tauber Michael (367th) and Simon Matton (510th).
The Belarusian public association Table Tennis Federation invites sports fans to attend the meeting. Entrance to it will be free.