Denis Abliazin missed Euros, but he’s preparing for the Worlds Championship and trying to combine training with being a new father. He talked to Penza Vzglyad about his recovery from a broken leg and potential upgrades. Here’s a translation of his interview.
Q: European Championship which started on 19/04 will not see two leaders of the Russian national team – Abliazin and Mustafina. Each has their reasons: Aliya is expecting a child and Denis had to take a break because of his old injuries flaring up after the Olympics.
A: Yeah, all the issues are my souvenir from Rio. We decided I won’t go to Euros even before the New Year. The break in my right leg didn’t heal, so we were waiting till it heals in order to start proper recovery and training. Right now I’m more or less healthy. Soon the serious training will start, long training camps, a lot of repetitions. I think I’ll be well prepared by the Worlds.
This year’s World championship is “early” – it starts in the beginning of October, almost a month earlier than usual. The preparation plan is all figured out. Denis is planning to give a fight at the Russian Cup in August and he might even participate in two World Cups.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m currently training new elements and combinations. I’ve already learned them, so now I’m training the execution so that in May I will come to the training camp prepared. There is enough time for me to recover slowly, train all the combinations and then go to competitions.
Q: Did you make any significant changes to your routines?
A: I’ve changed the floor and the rings somewhat. I’m also learning a new vault, but it’s still not ready. I’m going to keep my old second vault for now. Currently, I’m training about 2-3 hours per day, if everything goes well. If it doesn’t, then I have to do more repetitions. Actually, with the new code, I didn’t have to change any of my routines expect the rings. On rings, it was enough to add one element to have a medal-worthy routine. But we decided to make upgrades everywhere so that I would be among the leaders.
Q: These days Abliazin is training in Penza, the city that, according to him, will always stay his home. He feels different here.
A: It’s enough to go home for a week to fell rested. Even though I’m also working here without breaks. At least, I don’t have such a strict schedule here, I can always move training time around slightly. I need a change of scenery to clear my head.
Q: How else do you clear your head?
A: I usually play computer games, Counter Strike Go, or football on a console. But I’m not playing it for hours, I can easily get up and turn it off.
Q: So, you don’t use any other sports to distract yourself from gymnastics? Swimming, for example?
A: I don’t really like to swim, but I do like to ride my bike. Biking is also good for strengthening the ligaments and muscles in my legs. There’s nothing like biking. That’s my advice to everyone – bike as much as you can.
Q: on January 21, Ksenia Semenova, Abliazin’s wife, gave birth to a boy. They called him Yaroslav. They didn’t spend much time choosing the name, since they really liked this old and proud Russian name. Denis took his wife to the hospital, but he could only hold his son after they were released because of a quarantine.
A: That’s so cool to have a son who will look up to me growing up. I will try to work harder because of him. It’s too early to speculate whether he’ll also be an athlete, though.
Q: By the way, Yaroslav will be seeing his parents’ medals all the time: you parents mounted a special medal stand on the wall in their apartment. Ksenia’s father helped to install it.
A: I’d do it myself of course, by I was already in Penza by that time. I’m helping Ksenia as much as I can, but I’m also training a lot right now. If I were retired, it would be different, of course, I’d do everything at home.
