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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Volodymyr BRYNZAK: "Dreaming of the cosmos without rockets is senseless but possible"

29 May, 1999 - 00:00

By Oleksandr HONCHARUK, The Day

Ukrainian biathletes ended the season in a major key as Olena Zubrylova
won three gold medals at the world championships, placing second in the
world cup. Her compatriot Petrova found herself in the world's top ten.
The Day met with Volodymyr Brynzak, President of the Ukrainian Biathlon
Federation.

The Day: Did you expect such spectacular performance? How
do you explain it?

V. B.: We had lacked stability for a long time. Unlike Germany
whose athletes remained title-holders even when worse came to worst, our
biathletes experienced continuous ups and downs, victories and shattering
fiascoes. Besides, each new season saw one or another shootout. This winter
showed that Zubrylova had come through a certain psychological stage. Now
is the turn of our other girls, for they will be under a double strain
this season, their rivals being hot on their trail.

The Day: As President of the federation, what do you think
you have personally achieved?

V. B.: I have put together a team. The athletes, coaches, and
founders are all now working toward the same goal. We have reached a qualitatively
new level precisely because we have managed to keep to our plans and schedules,
training sessions, and appearances in competitions. Now we are stable and
confident. We have the confidence and security to yield positive results.
And now you can see that we have medals.

The Day: In other words, we have a combat-ready biathlon unit.
How about reinforcements? I mean locating and training young talent? Do
you have the required conditions?

V. B.: Regrettably, I have to say no to the last one. We have
fanatics, local trainers. With their indefatigable selfless efforts they
prospect and now and then strike gold. But it lacks a regular basis. In
this sense we are far behind Germany where 8-9 hopefuls appear every season
and where the national coaches can always have - and make - replacements.

The Day: But we also have hopefuls, don't we?

V. B.: Yes, there are a couple of girls that could well replace
veterans.

The Day: And finally, what is the main task of the day?

V. B.: To keep ourselves together for the next three years to
the Olympics. We don't have a wide range of choices on whom to send, and
for this reason the main thing is to deploy our forces. Let the girls rest,
preparing for one or maybe two starts each season. Well, and then we'll
see.

 

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