Maria KONDRATYEVA: “I So Badly Wanted to Hear My Country's Anthem on the Podium!”

At the World SAMBO Cup in Yerevan, Belarusian athlete Maria Kondratyeva (Maryia Kandratsyeva) claimed her country's only gold medal of the tournament. Competing in the over-80 kg category in Sport SAMBO, she defeated a Russian opponent ahead of schedule in the final. Right after her triumph, the champion admitted that her biggest motivation was the desire to hear her national anthem once again.

Maria, congratulations on the victory! What are your feelings right now?

– It feels absolutely incredible to compete under my own flag and hear my anthem again. Honestly, it gives you an enormous boost – that energy is hard to describe. I really wanted to win for that moment specifically: to finally hear my country's anthem after such a long break. And today, that happened.

So what made the victory possible?

– My preparation and the tremendous work of my coach. Right now we're focused on building toward the European Championships in Georgia, but the World Cup matters a great deal too – it earns you ranking points for the draw at the World Championships. That said, I always tell my coach after a win: “This is your medal, not mine.”

So it's the coach's medal – and the team's?

– Exactly. We have a wonderfully tight-knit team. We always have each other's backs.

On that note – did you study each opponent individually and break down their performances, or did you rely more on your own experience and instincts going in?

– My coach always says you can't tailor your preparation to just one athlete – you have to be ready to beat anyone. We do analyze our main rivals, of course, but the foundation of our training is universal readiness: step onto the mat, and it doesn't matter where your opponent is from – you find a way to win.

In the final, you beat the Russian athlete before time. Did you study her specifically as well?

– Actually, I was meeting her for the first time. You know, my very first match of the tournament was also against a Russian – a much more experienced one – and that bout was far tougher than the final. In the decisive bout, I faced a very young athlete for whom this was her very first final at this level. She's got a strong build, great potential – once she gains more experience and strength, she's going to give everyone a real run for their money. Her best days are still ahead of her!

How are your overall impressions of the competition?

– This is my second year here, and I love everything about it. The organization in Yerevan is top-notch: transfers, accommodation, a clear competition schedule. Huge thanks to the International SAMBO Federation and the SAMBO Federation of Armenia – there is truly nothing to complain about.

Your next tournament is the European Championships in Georgia. Is that your main target? Your biggest event of the year?

– The World Championship is the main event. The way our system works, the top athletes on the national team compete at both Europeans and Worlds. The World Cup usually gives the second-tier squad members their chance. As for me – I'll be competing at both major events: the Europeans and the Worlds.