2024-01-16 11:33:31
Nikita Porshnev / Photo: © Dmitry Chelyapin / Match TV
Biathlon World Championship bronze medalist Nikita Porshnev told Match TV that he made the decision to retire spontaneously.
Last December, the 27-year-old athlete finished in last, 96th, place in the sprint race at the second stage of the Alfa-Bank Russian Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk. After that, he announced his retirement on Match TV, but later returned to competition.
— Did the decision to end your career come as a surprise to everyone, including the coach and family?
“After my statement, everyone was shocked, including my wife. I didn’t tell this to anyone, I just made it up in my head. In general, my wife did well, because she saw that I was not myself following the finish, so she tried to protect me from communicating with anyone. But at some point she lost sight of me, and a journalist caught my eye (laughs). I wanted the best, but it turned out as always. With this statement, I created problems not only for myself, but also for the team, coaches, management, because they all needed to explain further down the chain why Nikita Porshnev, who was preparing for the season with our money, was ending his career? I admit my mistake, and this will not happen in the future.
— How were the next days for you?
“They were held in a cozy and homely atmosphere. As soon as I arrived home, I immediately made an appointment with the doctor, where it turned out that I had sinusitis. I sat at home for a week and took antibiotics. Then he called the coach and said: “Everything I did was stupid. Excuse me”. I fell to my knees because I wanted to run with even greater desire and responsibility.
I love biathlon and I love my family, so I tried to do both here and there. When I had an extremely unsuccessful race, the thought immediately appeared in my head that I needed to go home, because I wanted to be a good father and help my wife raise my daughter. It seems to me that many people underestimate the work of mothers. After a month at home, I realized that getting ready is such a comfortable vacation, where everything is clear and understandable, where you have your own schedule. It’s more difficult with a child and household chores. But, of course, these are pleasant chores that bring pleasure, so this time I left home with tears in my eyes.
After that unsuccessful race I freaked out. In reality, men don’t do that. Then he joked to the coach: “Yes, it’s all the frost – the brain is frozen, and everything has piled up like that (laughs).” It was awkward to start sorting it all out. I have let many people down with my actions. I was preparing for the season with the region, the coaches were counting on me, but now I missed almost half the season because of my stupid mistake, for which I have to pay with results,” Match TV quotes Porshnev as saying.
The fourth stage of the Alfa-Bank Russian Cup in Izhevsk will take place from January 18 to 21. Watch the live broadcast of the races on the Match TV channel, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.
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