Hi Irina! Is women’s Armwrestling less popular? What do you think?

Irina: I can’t agree, that women’s Armwrestling is less popular than men’s one! We train in the same way men do, we put a lot of effort and win gold medals! We compete according to the same regulations and I think, it’s really unfair to diminish women’s Armwrestling! Sometimes our, women’s duels are even more spectacular than men’s duels!

What are you impressions of the A1 tournament?

Irina: I’m really satisfied with the participation in A1! Such high level tournaments gathered the best armwrestlers of our planet! For me personally it was a very important contest as I fought in the open class for the title of the strongest armwrestler!

Are you satisfied with your start?

Irina: Yes, I’m very satisfied with my start!

Forgive me this question, but… was that the highest prize money in your career?

Irina: It truly was the highest prize I’ve ever won!

Yes, but just after the tournament the organizers announced on their webpage that next year they don’t plan women’s class. What do you think of that in context of my previous question?

Irina: I’m of course very disappointed with the information that there will be no women’s class on the next A1 2013! In my opinion it’s not good! I think a good idea could be conducting one open women class, which would enable gathering all world most famous players. It would be a very spectacular event for sure!

I do agree, maybe the organizer will take our opinions into account. Irina, how often do you beat men on arm? Not at the gym, but just like that.

Irina: I often fight with men just like that. When men get to know that I’m the World Champion, a desire to fight with me appears at once. They don’t understand, a woman can beat a man, even when she’s a World Champion! They are always very self-confident and they always think they’ll beat me.

Do you always win?

Irina: Yes, I do! Almost always. They are very disappointed then. No man, who’s not a professional armwrestler, managed to beat me.

It must look funny, mustn’t it?

Irina: It’s great to look at him being unable to believe what happened and asking himself a question – what happened?

What’s the reason for that?

Irina: They just don’t understand Armwrestling is a real sports discipline, demanding a special preparation. And the truth is that strength and well built body is nothing when you can’t fight.

I must admit that when I was younger and stronger I also lost with a filigree player, and it was unbelievable for me. Irina, tell me, why you chose Armwrestling? For fun, fame, money?

Irina: I train Armwrestling for fun, health and a bit for popularity. I can easily omit one point form what you’ve mentioned – money. Unfortunately I don’t earn on this sport, excluding such tournaments as Russian Open A1, which are organize rather rarely. There’s no money in women’s Armwrestling! Many people ask me why I do that, why I train for so many year, I won everything that was to win, and I still have nothing.

What do you say then?

Irina: I say, that it would be great to do what you like and get money for it, but it’s not the most important thing for me. I really am an armwrestling fan! It’s a pleasure for me to train and win new medals. And the most important is that me and my family are proud of that I’m respected, and that’s the most important in my opinion.

What do you do when you’re not dealing with sport, apart from Armwrestling? Are you a very busy person?

Irina: As well as training I also try to take care of my occupational development. I have three graduation diplomas, the last one I got a few months ago and I’m a parliamentary specialist by profession. I’m also socially active, currentlyI’m a depute of the youth parliament of the Republic of South Osetii-Alanii, and more precisely the head of the social contacts and information policy committee. I’m really interested in politics and that’s what I’d like to deal with in the future.

I won’t be (for now) as king you about politics, but maybe sometimes… Irina, what do you think of the future of our sport?

Irina: Armwrestling is a great and spectacular sport, combining many human abilities – strength, endurance, rapidity and tactics. My one and only dream is to see Armwrestling among Olympic disciplines, as I think it deserves it!

I’m not such an optimist, a you are in this field. But, let’s hope you’re right! Tell our readers how your normal day looks like.

Irina: Each of my days is different, but I go to work almost every day, spend some time with my family. I train 2-3 times a week, as my injuries prevent me from doing it more often. Before more important tournaments I try to train every day, a month earlier.

Is music important for you?

Irina: Music is an important part of my life, it gives my strength to live and enables to achieve further goals. I listen to different kinds of music: pop, chanson, rap., depending on my mood. The most important is that music could hit your soul!  

Tell me something about your family.

Irina: My family is my beloved mum, dad, elder sister and younger brother. My family is very sporty, my sister is a European Champion in judo, my brother used to train wrestling and now he’s training Armwrestling with me, he’s already training with proper weights and I hope him to come with or without me to tournaments.

So your parents must have a great contribution in your career, mustn’t they?

Irina: I’m very great ful to my parents, who decided to make me take up sport when I was young. I used to train artistic gymnastic form the age of 5 to 12. Then there were some other disciplines and in the age of 14 I got in armwrestling. My elder sister, who trained there took me to the gym, and I fall in love with this sport form almost the first training. I’ve been training armwrestling for 12 years. And I can say – IT’S MY LIFE!

Thank you for this conversation and I’ll tell you that in spite of the political correctness, I prefer to talk to beautiful women than crewcut men, whom I usually talk to. So once more thank you, in the name of armpower.net readers!

PeSzy