Era il 1991, prologo della Russia moderna. Le crepe dell’Unione Sovietica ne avevano infine decretato la caduta, lasciando posto alla Comunità degli Stati Indipendenti. Sotto quella bandiera si presentò a un meeting a Saluzzo, nel cuneese, tale Aleksandr Popov “Semisconosciuto ai più nonostante tre ori europei – ricorda Christian Zicche, Direttore di Swimbiz – in lui vidi una pulizia del gesto mai più eguagliata, affinata con i ballerini del Bol'šoj; scrissi che avrebbe potuto battere Matt Biondi e qualche collega mi diede del pazzo”. Pochi mesi dopo quel Nureyev della vasca oscurò Biondi e gli altri velocisti alle Olimpiadi di Barcellona; prima di molte pagine (in carta dorata) che, nel 2003, l’avrebbero ricondotto in Catalogna col medesimo esito. Nel ‘92, Arkady Vyatchanin aveva otto anni “Spero che l’Italia porti fortuna anche a me”commenta a Swimbiz: sarà allo Swimmeting Alto Adige a Bolzano (8-9 novembre). Veterano (4 ori europei, 3 argenti mondiali, 2 bronzi olimpici), a trent’anni nuota ancora tempi che metterebbero in riga parecchi giovani e ambiziosi dorsisti.Metterebbero, perché un anno fa Arkady prese una decisione “Amo la mia terra, ma non intendo più rappresentare la nazionale russa; non voglio spiegare cosa sia successo, ma una riconciliazione è impossibile – e non ha voluto cambiare nazionalità - temevo mi fosse portata via la possibilità di gareggiare”. Scelte dolorose: ha rinunciato alla possibilità di essere protagonista (dieci anni dopo Popov) ai Mondiali di Barcellona, a Herning e Berlino; ma soprattutto, ai Mondiali di casa, Kazan. E’ un ronin, un samurai senza nobili da servire “Cerco di nuotare ad alto livello in gare diverse da Mondiali o Europei. Un buon crono vale in ogni piscina”. Un pensiero ad Adn, ma Arkady è legatissimo a Gregg Troy (ex mentore di Lochte) “Il solo obiettivo, ora, è Rio 2016”. Ma Arkady non vive di solo nuoto; sposato, profilo Facebook tappezzato di link animalisti “Sogno di diventare allenatore come di collaborare alla produzione di automobili”. E soffre se la Russia vive tempi duri “Fatico a comprendere tutti quei casi di doping. Concordo in parte con Evgeny – il capitano della nazionale, Korotyshkin(leggi l'intervista) – c'è poca educazione e attenzione ai prodotti concessi agli atleti come meri integratori. Ma c’è anche il mito della ‘pillola magica’, che in realtà tende solo a complicare le cose e metterli in situazioni spiacevoli. L’unico segreto è il duro lavoro”.
Lo Swimmeeting Alto Adige di Bolzano (8-9 novmebre) sarà visibile in streaming su www.liveye.it e www.meetingbz.it
War and swim
It was 1992, prologue of modern Russia. Soviet Union’s cracks made it collapse, replaced by Commonwealth of Independent States. Under that flag, “so called “Aleksandr Popov joined a swim meeting in Saluzzo, Italy “He was still misknown for most of people, despite three European gold medals – remember Christian Zicche, Director of Swimbiz.it – I saw an elegance in his gesture never equaled by anyone, skilled with Bolshoi’s ballet dancers; I wrote he could beat Matt Biondi, some colleague called me crazy”. A few months later, this “Nureyev of pool” eclipsed Biondi and all other freestylers at Barcelona’s Olympics; first of many pages (on gold paper) that, in 2003, took him back to Catalonia, with same conclusion. In 1992, Arkady Vyatchanin was 8 years old “I hope Italy wil bode well for me too” says to Swimbiz.it: he’s joining Swimmeeting Alto Adige in Bolzano (8th-9th November). A veteran (4 european gold, 3 world silver and 2 bronze Olympic medals), thirty years old he still swim times that would be hard for many young and ambitious backstrokers. Would be, because last year he made decision “I love my homeland, but I can no more represent Russian national team. I'm not going to disclose any details about what happened, but a reconciliation is impossible – on the other hand, he didn’t want to change nationality - I was afraid that the opportunity to compete could be taken away from me”. Two hard choices: he couldn’t play a leading role (ten years after Popov) in Barcelona, Herning, Berlin; and, most important, he won’t be able to do it at home World Championships in Kazan. Now he’s a ”Ronin”, a samurai without a noble to serve “I've managed to show some good results on the meets other than World Championships or Europeans. It doesn't matter where you can show a good time. It will always be appreciated”. An offer by And Swim Project, but he’s too linked and grateful to Gregg Troy (former Lochte’s mentor) “I have strong faith in what I do with coach Gregg and his coaching staff in Florida. And right now it's all about upcoming Olympics in Rio”. By the way, swimming is not everything in Arkady’s life: he’s married, his Facebook account is full of animal-rights links “And, as much as I'd really like to keep involved in swimming as a coach, I'd like to do some interesting automobile industry’s related work”. He feels pain, when Russia’s going through hard times “It's hard for me to understand why there were so many doping cases. I partly agree with Evgeny - Russia’s captain Korotyshkin(read related interview here) - there must be a real lack of proper education and awareness of consequences of what athletes are allowed to take as a supplement. But I think there's also a myth of a "magic pill"; I think that people are tend to complicate things and deal with unpleasant situations followed by their choices. And the only “secret” for good results is hard work”.
Watch Swimmeting Alto Adige (8th-9th November) streaming on www.liveye.it and www.meetingbz.it