Ilgar Mamedov: Rio performance of Russian fencers was phenomenal

The Russian national fencing team's performance at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro was phenomenal, the head coach of the Russian national fencing team, two-time Olympic champion Ilgar Mamedov said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza.

"To say that I am pleased with the results of our fencers would be an understatement. Of course! The result is outstanding, and we returned home with great joy. We are very pleased that everyone congratulates our great athletes," he said.

"And we are very pleased that in this very difficult moment for Russia we were able to do a little bit more - because we have tried not only for ourselves but also for those who were not allowed to participate in the Olympic Games" the coach stressed.

According to Mamedov, the athletes during the Olympic Games were preparing in advance to meet specific rivals, because the results of the draw were already known. "As for the main opponents, they are different in different types of weapons: Italians, Americans and French are good in the men's foil; Ukraine and the United States in the women's saber, and all the rivals in the men's and women's epee are equally dangerous," he noted.

The sabre fencer Sofia Velikaya, who won gold in the team sabre competitions and silver in the individual tournament, said that she felt immense happiness. "Positive emotions. The joy, of course. I have returned from this Olympics with not just a medal, but with two medals, and my dream is win gold was came true," she explained.

"I am extremely happy. I am happy for those emotions that our fencing team and our victories brought to our compatriots, fans, spectators, our families, and children who got interested in fencing because of it. For me it is the most important award and I am very happy," the fencer said.

The athlete said that she was comfortable at the Olympics. "No I did not feel any discomfort, we did not have any problems. I liked the way it was organized, I was satisfied with everything, nothing spoiled my impressions of Rio," Velikaya noted.

She spoke of the support which surrounded her team. "The support of our management, of our head coach Ilgar Mamedov was important. He is always confident, he is always looking for the right solutions trying to reach a consensus. A strong support was provided by Alisher Usmanov [the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Fencing Federation, the President of the International Fencing Federation - VK]. All of this gives strength, hope for the best and lets you strive for highest awards," the representative of the Russian national team said.

At the same time, the fencer highlighted a friendly atmosphere in both: a fencing hall and the International Fencing Federation. "If unpleasant moments occur, they have to do with refereeing only. As a whole, there is healthy competition only. We are friends with all the athletes," Sofia Velikaya said.

Ilgar Mammadov also commented on the doping scandal. He recalled that there is no doping in fencing, in principle, so the Russian fencers experienced only minor stress. The coach said that the media scandal also did not affect his team.

"Of course, we feel sorry for those who we know and who worked and practiced in other sports, and it was unfortunate that they were not allowed to go to the Olympics unfairly. For example, Yelena Isinbayeva's dismissal from the Olympics was totally unfair. She could have become the three-time Olympic champion," he stressed.

"It is a good thing that the President of the International Fencing Federation Alisher Usmanov voiced his position and said that only officials and those athletes who used doping should be punished. And I am very glad that athletes that we know from other countries also voiced their support," Ilgar Mamedov concluded.