Two months before the Olympics and his gold medal on floor, Dolgopyat had a foot injury and is still limping. However, he told Detaly, he plans to start training again only after a short rest.
A: I need just one calm week and then I’ll open a new page by coming back to training. After all, these were my first Olympics!
Q: How were you received in Tokyo? People say that Covid restrictions were being broken there.
A: We lived at the Olympic village and ate at a huge two-story dining hall, it worked round the clock. Israeli gymnasts lived in the same building as athletes from Ireland, Sweden, and Finland. But we didn’t have time to hang out and we also didn’t want to endanger ourselves by meeting strangers. After all, the coronavirus is raging. We were tested every day and in general, the restrictions were strictly observed at the Olympics – there were enough people around even without the spectators. Lots of inspectors watched closely that everyone was wearing masks and reprimanded anyone who even moved their mask to the side. Moreover, we had a strict route from which we could not swerve, and our mobile phones were tracked, so that we, God forbid, wouldn’t go somewhere we’re not allowed.
Q: You won gold on floor. What about other events?
A: There were six events. Only two Israeli gymnasts managed to qualify to the Olympics – Alex Shatilov and me. He competed on one event, and I did two. That is, we competed for event finals and didn’t participate in the team or all-around competitions.
Q: How did it feel to compete in an empty arena?
A: Well, it wasn’t completely empty – there were athletes, coaches, doctors, federation representatives, various accredited people. The accreditation cards said which competitions the person could attend. For example, my card said that I was allowed to go to the dining hall, the village, and the gymnastics arena.
Q: Were you able to see Tokyo?
A: I was there from July 17th to August 2nd, so, two and a half weeks. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see the city because we were forbidden from leaving the village. We took a bus to practices and the only thing I managed to see were the views from the bus’s windows.
Q: Media are already writing a lot about the monetary bonuses you’re supposed to get…
A: I haven’t gotten anything yet.
Q: And what was the story with the company from which you bought an apartment, and they used your name – as in, an Olympic champion buys an apartment from us.
A: Yes, it happened. But I didn’t give my permission. I don’t know why they decided that they could use my name.
Q: Are you still living in Rishon Lezion?
A: I had lived there since I was 12 but I moved to Netanya when the gym where I could train at the Wingate Institute was opened. I’ve been living there for the past year and a half. It’s only a 10-minute commute [to the gym] from there, while the commute from Rishon took 1.5 hours or more, if there was traffic.
Q: But when you arrived, you were honored at Rishon Lezion’s Municipality. Did you ask them for help before you became an Olympic champion?
A: About five years ago, when I haven’t yet achieved much, I asked the vice-mayor for help. He later became the mayor. I asked him to find me a sponsor, if possible, so that I could train more intensively. He tried to do something but, unfortunately, was not successful.
Q: Are there decent conditions for artistic gymnastics in Israel?
A: Unfortunately, there are almost no proper gyms. But there’s Alex Shatilov. He made everyone talk about him, he showed Israel that artistic gymnastics exists, he paved the way and served as an example for me. He, as much as he could, helped Israeli gymnastics to grow. I really hope that after my victory, this sport will become popular in Israel and many new gyms will be built around the country. We have lots of talented kids but there’s only one professional gym in the whole country! What are those who want to do gymnastics but live in Beer Sheva or Jerusalem supposed to do?
Q: Who besides Shatilov is capable of bringing Israeli gymnastics to the top?
A: I would mention Sergei Vaisburg, the national team head coach, one of the best specialists in coaching floor in the world. In addition to him, there are ex-gymnasts in Israel who could also work as coaches.
Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: I had to decline participation at the World Championships in October because the Olympics took too much from me. But my main goal is to go to the next Olympic Games in Paris. It’s in less than three years. By that time, I have to be at the peak of my physical ability, which means I have to work hard a lot. Additionally, I would like to compete in the all-around in Paris and not just on single events like in Tokyo.
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