Dorota Baltsiarova: "Azerbaijan and me have one goal"

The international karate tournament dedicated to the 25th anniversary of restoration of state independence has come to an end in Azerbaijan. In recent years, Azerbaijani team members successfully performed at the international and European championships, which became possible thanks to government support of sports in the country. Karate was included in the Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo, and recently it became known that the Slovakian athlete, living in the Czech Republic, Dorota Baltsiarova - the World and European champion among youth and juniors - will join the Azerbaijani national karate team. The correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza in Baku spoke with the foreign karateka.

- How did you get in the national team of Azerbaijan?

- This was due to  an Azerbaijani kata coach Vahid Aivazov [kata is a sequence of karate moves organized into a pre-arranged fight against imaginary opponents]. Speaking with me at the world championship, he offered me to sign a contract for representing Azerbaijan. Our goals are very similar. I want to be world and European champion, participate in the Olympic Games. This also applies to Azerbaijan, which has conditions for athletes, but which kata level is not high yet. We have one goal. So we started working together.

- Azerbaijan has been engaged in karate for a long time. Before becoming a member of the national team, have you heard anything about Rafael Aghayev from Azerbaijan?

- Sure. I know Rafael Agayev for many years. He is a karate legend. I know a few people, I remember their performances at big championships. We're friends now.

- How do you assess your training?

- Now I'm training in the Czech Republic. It will be a bit hard to live here, because I am still receiving an education in the Czech Republic, my daughter lives there. It will be hard to train here, but live there. But there are training camps in Azerbaijan and I will cooperate with Mr. Aivazov, we will train together, maybe once in two months. Although we want to train as much as possible, because it is very important to think in the same direction with your coach.

- What do you think about Baku?

- It is a lovely city. I have not yet been able to spend a lot of time here, but I like its cuisine. I like food. I think Azerbaijani cuisine is similar to ours. But we have not spend much time here in Baku. I think that we will have the opportunity to know the city better.

- What will be your next competitions?

- The next championship will be held in Paris in January. This is one of the largest competitions - Premier League Karate1. 11 K1 competitions will be held this year, and the first one will beheld in Paris. In March, I will be back in Baku, Baku Open, and I will have an opportunity to know the city better.

- Will you represent Azerbaijan in Paris?

- Of course! I am very grateful to the leadership of the Azerbaijani Federation for the conditions created for me in this country, especially to the president of the Azerbaijani Karate Federation Yashar Bashirov and the head coach Vahid Aivazov. I am very proud that I will represent Azerbaijan at the international arena and will do everything possible to make great achievements as a part of this team.