Oleg Stepko: Sport is my first priority in life
By Amina Nazarli
Bringing together a variety of sports, the first-ever European Games will be held in Baku in the summer 2015. Men's artistic gymnastics is one of many disciplines that will be held during the Games.
Men’s artistic gymnastics began its development in Azerbaijan, in the 1930s of the last century. The country’s first championship was held in Baku in 1939, and Valery Belenky won the title of the most famous Azerbaijani gymnast of the last century.
Today, Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation continues to develop this sport. To this end, it holds various competitions among the junior gymnasts, and the opening of new gymnastics sections throughout the country gives reason to hope that in the future the country will have many strong gymnasts.
Just some months left to the games, the press service of the Federation has done an interview with the World Cup bronze winner and Azerbaijan’s champion Oleg Stepko. He is one of the contenders to represent the country in this large-scale sporting event.
Question: Tell us how you started to do gymnastics. Why did you choose this sport?
Answer: In fact, at first I did two sports at the same time - gymnastics and swimming. A little later, I had to make a choice - and I chose gymnastics. Maybe my body was more appropriate for this sport. Moreover my coach said I can achieve good results in gymnastics.
Q: How about other sports?
A: I think I could not. Well, unfortunately, I have no free time even to try other sports.
Q: How do you deal with your emotions on the competition
day? Is there any special secret of self-control?
A: At each competition, I feel different. Each of
them is perceived differently. It is impossible to experience the
same emotions at various competitions. It also happens that there
are no emotions at all. I am just doing my program and then
leave.
Q: What do you view as the most important element in
gymnastics?
A: I think that the inner desire is the most
important thing in gymnastics. You can even make an athlete of an
untalented man, if only there is a will. Physical abilities are
another factor.
Q: How dangerous is it to engage in professional
sports?
A: Each sport is traumatic, but I still think that
gymnastics is the most traumatic one. From childhood, we are taught
how to avoid the slightest injury, and even when the newcomers
come, they are given the same instructions that the coach taught us
earlier.
Q: Do you have any idol in the sport?
A: An idol is an exaggeration, rather there are
just people who have attained great success and are well-known in
the world for their achievements. They give me an incentive to
achieve good results. For example boxer Vasyl Lomachenko, and other
athletes. They are professionals who show good results.
Q: Tell us about your sports plans for the near
future.
A: I do not want to think and talk about it in
advance. An important year is ahead, many major events will be
held; the next to be held in March is the Azerbaijan’s Open
Championships and then - the European Championships, the European
Games and World Championships, as well as the World Cup. Therefore,
it will be a hard year and I do not want to plan any particular
result. I do not want to say something but act another one.
Q: What do European Games mean for you and how do you
prepare for them?
A: The European Games for me is the same event as
the European Championships; it is just large scale and a grand
event, as there are a lot of sports. Later I will begin to prepare
specifically for the games, as there is still four months left and
in addition there are other competitions.
Q: If you stay a little bit away from the sport - do you
have any aspirations or dreams that you want to
implement?
A: I do not know… in addition to sports, there is
simply a desire to sleep. I have no more desire to be engaged in
something else, as trainings take all my time and power. Regarding
the plans for the future - I do not think about this, because sport
is the main priority in my life.
Q: Are you able to harmonize sport with normal
life?
A: It is hard, but sometimes I manage to do so.
Q: Do you have a loved one?
A: I have no time for a personal life and I believe that as long as
one does a professional career, personal life is better to be
sidelined. No one will tolerate a man who is constantly engaged in
trainings. So, it is necessary to look for someone in the same
career.
Q: What do your fans usually shout and what you want to
hear from them?
A: I do not have any fan yet and I think the fans usually cheer for
their country rather than the athlete.