Nikita Nagornyy talked to Sport24 about his business, the popularity of gymnastics in Russia, and how he and Daria Spiridonova are trying to make people in lockdown laugh with their prank videos.
Q: The video you and Dasha made scared everyone. What were you planning to do?
A: The idea was simple: we saw a challenge where a woman jumps on the a man’s back. They start with the guy doing a push up and rise higher and higher. We decided to repeat it. Unfortunately, as you can see in the video, we failed. Of course, it turned out terrible. But, thank God, there were no serious injuries.
Q: Will you try this trick again?
A: Of course not. No more attempts to do anything like that. At least, at home. It has to be done safely.
Q: How is Dasha’s forehead now?
A: Everything’s fine. The next day it was almost invisible – no bump, no bruise. Only a little graze.
Q: It can be seen in the video that you got really scared. What were you feeling when your wife fell?
A: It’s not even the full video. I got really worried and panicked. I ran to get some ice fast. Dasha lied down on the couch and spent about ten minutes like that. She mostly got scared not because of the pain (it didn’t hurt much) but because of how she would look after that fall.
Q: Was that the most serious injury that happened during filming your videos at home?
A: It’s not just the most serious one, it’s the only one. And, I hope, it won’t happen again.
Q: You have a series of videos where you prank Dasha – pour water on her or vacuum her lips. How do you prepare for those pranks?
A: There wasn’t any serious preparation. I just saw similar videos on social media. I’m subscribed to one American vlogger who always pranks his family – covers them in flour or pours oil on the floor. Not very sophisticated humor, let’s say. It’s just that the “victim’s” reaction looks funny. With us, it started with a prank where I poured water on my wife. She threw an egg at me in response.
Q: Do you warn Dasha about the pranks you’re preparing?
A: Depends. When it’s something serious, I have to tell her. For example, as in the one with the vacuum. Sometimes we warn each other that we are going to start pranking now. You’re expecting something but don’t know what. You can’t film such videos completely out of the blue. We can’t treat each other like that. We just do it as a joke, to make people laugh. During this time, many people are depressed, fighting with each other. And we’re entertaining people.
Q: You have a very popular YouTube channel – almost 250,000 subscribers. What kind of videos should we expect in the near future?
A: There will be a new video very soon. The part where Dasha fell was originally supposed to be in the new video “One day in quarantine”. In it, we will tell how we train, eat, and do challenges.
Q: You have a silver button from YouTube for getting 100,000 subscribers. Can you compare getting it to winning a medal?
A: Yes, of course. A hundred per cent. Any award in any area is comparable to a medal. I don’t know to which one, though. Before I got it, I spent two years filming videos. Obviously, I didn’t have a goal to get it originally. But when I realized that I could film interesting and useful videos, I started moving towards the one hundred. Recently, I set a new goal for myself – a million subscribers. It’s very hard, I don’t know yet how I’ll move towards it. I’ll think of something.
Q: Harder than winning an Olympic gold?
A: Of course not. A gold Olympic medal is like 15 million subscribers on YouTube. Of course, it’s stupid to compare the two. People dedicate their whole lives to just get to compete at the Olympic Games. I guess that people who get 15 million subscribers also dedicate their whole life to it. But you can get a million in practically one day. There are fast-developing channels. For example, Yura Dud’s channel. He gained [subscribers] really fast. But you can’t start doing gymnastics at 20 or 21 and become and Olympic champion. The same goes for any sport.
Q: Let’s end the topic of videos with the recent trick done by Simone Biles who took of her pants while doing a handstand. How hard is this trick?
A: Not hard at all. It’s very easy.
Q: But everyone was impressed.
A: That’s her audience, her fans. She’s the leader of world’s gymnastics who easily wins medals. When people see her, they realize she was born for our sport. She has a huge number of fans who always support her. Also, for a regular person, it’s amazing to see a gymnast in a handstand taking their pants off. By the way, I’ll have a similar video soon – I’ll show another fun way to take a sweatshirt off.
Q: Describe a day in life of an elite gymnast in quarantine.
A: I wake up, wash, do a special exercise complex and then work on some things. Right now, we’re working on an online course, trying to set up an online training system in my gymnastics school. We don’t know how long the quarantine will last. It’s hard to stay in shape on your own, so we’re trying to create some sort of an online system, so that the kids would be able to train. In the current situation, I have a chance to deal with some administrative work by myself while I needed employee to do that before.
Q: Do you go outside?
A: Since I came home from the training camp – no, I don’t. Only to take the trash out. We have a grocery store on the first floor of our building, we just need to take the elevator and go downstairs.
Q: As a businessman, do you feel the negative effect of the coronavirus?
A: Of course, I feel it a lot. I don’t know what’s going to happen with the rent in my school. There has been no state of emergency declared in our country, people were just given days off. Now many renters have issues, you have to deal with a lot of things, solve a lot of issues. Everyone is experiencing the crisis, everyone’s suffering, we’re all in the same conditions. The question is who will survive and who won’t. There are rumors that it will all continue until September. Today, a thousand and a half people were diagnosed in Moscow even though only a few people were sick not so long ago. Whether we will suffer or not will depend on how fast the state of emergency will be declared. When it will happen, we will start depending on government support. And such private businesses like mine will stop depending just on themselves. For me, in any case, the negative side is that the school’s pupils will not be able to stay in shape for a long time without the equipment and the physical contact with the coach. We will do whatever is in our power in order to keep the pupils in shape. But four months without training (if the September scenario will come true) is a lot.
Q: How many pupils, coaches, and other staff are at your school?
A: Before this whole coronavirus situation started, we had around 150 kids. There were 2 or 3 coaches and 2 or 3 administrators working at different hours. But nothing’s working now. We’ve been closed since March 15.
Q: So, the state of emergency is needed, then?
A: Of course. After all, the government is urging everyone to stay at home. This week, it was driving in Moscow without a special permit was prohibited. People are on vacation but we continue paying rent and salaries. But we’re not working. We don’t have an opportunity to earn money in order to pay for all this. We have to find them somewhere. Putting it on a credit card can only work temporarily. This money will need to be returned somehow later. If this will continue until September, how much effort will be needed to earn that money back? What should people whose families depend on their business do? They can only wait for the state of emergency.
Q: Did you look at what other countries do in this situation?
A: Yes. My English teacher lives in Belarus. He says it’s really difficult there now. People are afraid because they see what’s happening in the world, so they self-isolate. You can do what you want. But it’s all temporary, until something happens. I won’t say this phrase. There are different approaches, there are positives and negatives everywhere. I think that the state of emergency should have been declared before we reach the peak. The number of new cases is still rising and we have more and more limitations every day. In any case, we are all in the same boat surviving this crisis. We have to hope for the best and make ourselves as safe as possible.
Q: How did you react to the postponement of the Olympics?
A: If we now set aside all the considerations that it would be dangerous for the fans’ and participants’ health, then my reaction was negative. We’ve all been preparing physically and mentally. It’s all been set for our team to come to Tokyo and do the maximum. But the decision is made at a much higher level and we cannot say anything against it. If they so decided, then it’s right. I agree that it makes no sense to hold the Olympics without spectators: it’s not a competition just for the athletes, it’s a celebration for the whole world. People are going on vacation, coming to see another country, dressing nicely. How can you have a celebration without people? It’s like having a birthday, booking a restaurant and a band, but then setting up a camera while all my friends are watching from home. If the postponement will help to hold the Games in the regular format, then it’s the right decision.
Q: Do you have some sort of a preparation plan now? Or you are staying in shape and waiting for good news?
A: What kind of plan can you have when there is no equipment? In this situation, guys from other countries who have a house and a horse in the garage are better off. I mean a piece of equipment. It’s great that those guys can be fully immersed in their preparation and learn elements. Our task for now is to stay in shape as much as possible. So that when the gym is open, we can get into the training process right away and start doing all the elements without consequences. We’re constantly talking to our coaches via video calls. All in all, we’re doing everything in order to stay in our current shape.
Q: That is, gymnasts around the world are currently in unequal conditions?
A: Of course. Having equipment at home gives you an advantage. That’s 100 per cent. Those who have more resources have an advantage. I heard that the Chinese team is still training at their center. We were also training in Novogorsk until recently. But it was all over when our teammate Sergei Naidin and the head coach Andrei Rodionenko were allegedly diagnosed with the coronavirus. I’m saying “allegedly” because the second test was negative. That was the reason why we and the synchronized swimmers had to leave, only the rhythmic gymnasts stayed, they are currently working at the center. I saw that a Cuban gymnast was training in a gym. Of course, this gives an advantage. But what’s left to do for our team is just to wait. We don’t have other options.
Q: How did it happen with the coronavirus diagnosis?
A: We were all at the training center, we weren’t leaving it. All of us were in contact with each other, we had been together for a month. After that, we were all moved to Novogorsk, continued being in close contact with each other, and took the coronavirus test. According to its results, out of the team that spent a month together, only two people tested positive. Some say that it’s necessary to wait ten days. Two weeks have already passed and everyone’s feeling fine. And repeated tests for Seryozha and Andrey Fedorovich came back negative. What can it mean? That the test results were mistakes? I’m not competent to discuss it, I’m just trying to figure out why there were two people who tested positive out of the whole team and we were thrown out of the training center. Perhaps, it was the right decision in order to keep us safe. I can only say one thing for sure: the whole world encountered this new problem and it’s really hard to do something absolutely right.
Q: What were you thinking when you learned that people on your team tested positive? Were you scared?
A: I wasn’t scared. I started thinking right away, “How did it happen?”. We were constantly in contact with each other – we ate together, we greeted each other. But only two tested positive. Also, I interacted with Seryozha more than with others, we even wrestled once.
Q: Did you feel that after your historic victory at the 2019 Worlds the attitude towards gymnastics in our country changed?
A: Of course, I felt it becoming more popular. This happened back after the 2018 Worlds in Doha. The media started writing more about us, Artur was invited to Night Urgant and we were invited there as guests. A year later, Artur and I were on the show again. There is serious media coverage, tv features are being filmed. But all this interest only happens when you win. As soon as you stop winning medals, you won’t be needed by anyone. That’s normal.
Q: Besides the results, what is needed to be done in artistic gymnastics to make it more popular?
A: To hold more competitions. There are only two talked-about competitions a year in Russia – Russian Championships and Russian Cup. Of course, no one will stream regional competitions because no one cares about those. So, it’s necessary to add show elements, more marketing, there should be a special team that would promote the competitions. It’s a lot of work, it requires investments and sponsors. It’s almost impossible now to find sponsors who would be interested in gymnastics. I’m talking about private business specifically, since we have very good support from the government. The work has already started in our country but decades are needed to make a sport popular. Alexey Nemov’s show is held once a year. Look at how many people, athletes are there – it’s very cool. Many know gymnastics because Alexey Yuryevich won a lot back in his time and holds those shows now. But there’s only one person like that in Russia for now. We don’t know when the second and the third will appear. Let’s hope it’ll be soon.
Q: When people talk about Nemov, many remember the Athens Olympics when the judges underscored him and the audience stood up protesting. Sometimes, scandals lead to a rise in popularity.
A: I wouldn’t say it was exactly a scandal. It was a normal reaction from spectators. They liked Alexey, they saw him win gold at the Olympics. He won 6 medals at each 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Games – a person watches medal ceremonies and constantly sees Nemov. That reaction in Athens shows recognition by people who love him and expected victories from him. I was seven years old when I watched that competition. I saw how everyone rose. I was shocked, just like everyone else. But such support is awesome. Now, it’s not even clear what would be better in the end – his victory or such a showing of support. Everyone now remembers that story. People aren’t likely to say: “Remember how he performed on vault in 1996?”
Q: After the 2018 Olympics, figure skating saw a sharp rise in popularity in Russia. Can artistic gymnastics follow that path?
A: Of course it can. We just need to win and be open people in order to share our emotions, impressions, and secrets. And for media to hype it up.
Q: A lot depends on the personality of a journalist. Some believe that biathlon became more popular thanks to Dmitry Guberniev. Perhaps, he should cover gymnastics as well?
A: It’s great when such people become interested. I’m talking not specifically about Guberniev. Let’s take our competitions. I finish competing and, sometimes, journalists take interviews like that:
- Congratulations, you did a good job. How was it?
- Cool.
- What are your emotions right now?
- It’s all cool.
- How was the night before the competition?
- Awesome.
- How are you feeling?
- Great.
- Thank you, bye.
But there are journalists like Dmitry Zanin who messages us after the competition: “Guys, I’m running to you. Please, come out, give me an interview. Artur and I come and talk to him for 30 minutes. He then runs to another gymnast to film something. He edits it. He comes the next day to film some additional things. He runs up again, finishes it. Of course, there are different interview formats but this is a person who gets completely immersed in the process. He made two very cool documentaries. I recently rewatched them during the quarantine. It made me cry. I’m a sentimental person but I think this video will touch anyone. Twenty years later I’ll be able to play this video and, thanks to Dima, experience those feelings again. If we will have not only more victories but also more people like that, it will be really great. Right now, team sports are popular here – football, basketball, hockey. You have to learn more about gymnastics. People already started understanding whether you did three saltos or five. In order for them to understand the sport even better, it has to be talked about more. Boring? Agreed. It will be confusing? Agreed. But we have to keep working on it and, slowly, there will be results.
Support Gymnovosti on Patreon from only $1 a month and help us bring to you even more awesome gymnastics coverage!
Buy cool gymnastics-themed t-shirts, hoodies, pillows, phone cases, and more at our store on Teepublic!
Which documentaries is he talking about?