Svetlana Khorkina gave a radio interview and talked about how important it was for her to have a second child. Khorkina gave birth to her second son Ivan three months ago:
“The pregnancy went normally, thank God. I think that my family was poor with just one child and today it’s at least average, two children, I’ve complete the minimum program, although that’s not a great thing to say. God gave me a gift again and I’m very grateful. I was ready for a lot of things, I felt in advance what could happen and too precautions. The most active period took place in the summer and I spent it well: sea, food, sun – everything was great. As a result, Vanya arrived.”
Her oldest son was born in 2006 and she talked about the similarities and differences between the two experiences:
“To feel again, 14 years later what sleepless nights are when the baby touches your breast with his small delicate lips and eats your milk – this is a special feeling, only a woman who gave birth can understand it. That’s the first thing. The second – the feelings are the same, you brought [a new] life to this country, to this world, you gave life. Only a woman can give life, no one else can. This is very important. We bear a great responsibility. The feelings have not changed, he is my continuation, the continuation of the bloodline. After all, he is a brother for his brother. I have a younger sister Yulya. I achieved success and she looked up to me. Svyatoslav will also serve as an example for Vanya, and the other way around – the younger one will push the older one, will support him. It’s easier to live when there are two of you.
“Svyatoslav misses Vanya. There is no jealousy, of course. Svyatoslav comes and says: “This is my little brother”. They are different but they have the same character, mine. Svyatoslav has a brown belt in taekwondo. But recently he told me: “Mom, now I like basketball”. I put him into a regular school basketball program. He really likes it.”
Khorkina also talked about taking a break from her government career (Russia has long maternity leaves, up to three years) until she decides to enrol her son into a nursery. She works for CSKA, the Army sports club, and she compared athletes to soldiers defending the country:
“We have a sports squadron in CSKA. The guys who compete at World Championships and so on – they serve in the army. They are subject to military service and they compete at both the Olympic Games and international army competitions. An athlete is like a soldier and a soldier is like an athlete. We go out on the arena like gladiators and we win.”
There is an expression in Russian “defend the honor of the country” and it is used when talking about both soldiers and athletes, so the military rhetoric applied to sports is not unique to Khorkina. This rhetoric is especially prevalent now when Russia is expanding its military presence in other countries and is also being threatened with a ban from the Olympics.
Wait, a second….what if her second kid and Carly Patterson’s second kid were born on the same day? lol. I’m sure not (and could easily find out on the internet, but I prefer for the possibility not to be spoiled, ha) but they have to be very close in age. Maybe Khorkina thought that Carly would have a girl that might win the Olympics one day so she immediately put a bun in the oven to see if should could try for a girl.
They are quite a few months apart. Patterson gave birth last February and Khorkina did so in September
What to expect from an athlete who was raised on the Soviet model? And to make matters worse, in a country that is highly marchist and prejudiced to this day. Medical report: crazy !!!
What to expect from an athlete who was raised on the Soviet model? And to make matters worse, in a highly macho and prejudiced country to this day. Medical report: crazy !!!
I don’t blame soviet model at all. Bogynskaya grew up in the same society and don’t became this b..tch..
Stupid since she was born.
she’s still crazy….obviously, she drank the kool-aide….