Mikhail Malkin: coach told me 'Perform without mistakes - and you will be champion'

Azerbaijan and Baku Trampoline Gymnastics and Tumbling Championships were held yesterday in Baku. Azerbaijani gymnast Mikhail Malkin has become the winner of the Tumbling Championships. Vestnik Kavkaza spoke with the champion after his victorious performance.

First of all, Mikhail Malkin noted that the main thing for him at the World Championships in Sofia was to overcome the excitement and perform without mistakes. "I knew that I could win, because my combination was the strongest: the coach told me: "just perform without mistakes, land on your feet - and you will be a champion." And I rolled up my sleeves and did it. So I became the world champion," he said.

The gymnast admitted that he feels like an ordinary Azerbaijanian, and therefore the victory at the world championship was very exciting for him. "When I heard the hymn,  it brought tears to my eyes and gave me chills," Mikhail Malkin said, pointing out that the title of world champion would help him to perform qualitatively and win in the future.

In the near future Mikhail Malkin will take a brake from major competitions after four tournaments in a row. "So far I've participated in four competitions, now I just want to train for a while. Then, before the European Championships, me and my coach want to go to the training camp as usual," he noted.

According to the gymnast, his key rivals in the tumbling now are the Russians. "In addition to Russians, Danes, English and Chinese are also strong. But if I do my best, without mistakes, I can be a leader," the world champion in tumbling among the age groups concluded.