FIRST MEDAL AND FIRST LICENCE

Azerbaijani boxer Yelena Vystropova won a place in the Olympic Games, getting into the final of the world championship in China. It was the 52nd licence of Azerbaijani sportsmen to London. Although Vystropova failed in the final, Yelena became the first Azerbaijani female boxer to win a medal (silver of the world championship) and an Olympic licence.

Immediately on her return from China, we met with Yelena Vystropova, and she shared her impressions of the world championship and expectations from the Olympics with us.

- You are already a participant in the upcoming Olympic Games in London. What are your impressions?

- I'm so excited that it's hard to convey my thoughts. It's incredible, but we achieved this goal. Our journey to the Olympic licence was long. There were many difficulties. Training sessions and exercises. I'm glad that our work was not in vain, and now I'm talking to you as a member of the Olympic team of Azerbaijan. I spoke of my desire to participate in the Games when I was recruited for the team. I understood that it's very difficult. But after intense training, I had a hunch that I would go to London. And we did it.

- Before the final, you had four bouts. The most difficult of them must have been the semi-final, since this victory brought you a licence ...

- I wouldn't want to highlight any of my matches. It was a licensing world championship and at such competitions, there are no weak opponents. The fight with the Swedish athlete for the licence was very interesting. And although in the fourth round, I knocked her down, I won with a margin of only 1 point. But the score doesn't matter to me. The main thing is the victory itself. I confess that, along with the coach, we watched the Swedish boxer's bouts, and I knew her style of boxing. She likes to constantly put pressure and attack. So I chose strong counterattack. The Swedish athlete didn't expect such a tactical move.

- Did you know that you're the first female boxer to win a medal for Azerbaijan?

- To be honest, I didn't. The coaches told me afterwards. I'm very glad that I went down in history. I realized this only after I got into the final. Before winning the place, all my thoughts were focused on the rivals.

- What was the reason for losing in the final? Maybe, after earning a place, you relaxed ahead of time?

- Of course, getting into the final, I didn't want to lose the decisive battle. I very much wanted to give Azerbaijan's female boxing the first world champion. And I wasn't weaker than my opponent. I don't want to talk about the referees. But those who watched the fight saw everything. The reason was clear.

- In London, competition will be stronger ...

- Olympic Games are a completely different competition. There are no weak opponents there. A ticket to the Olympics is won by the strongest sportsmen of the world. But it's too early to talk about it now. Sometimes you meet with serious resistance from opponents and you didn't expect it, and forecasts are not justified. I'll try to represent Azerbaijan with credit. After all, it's also a historic contest. This is the first time that women's boxing has been included in the Olympic programme. I will do my best to become one of the heroines of this historic event.

- Azerbaijan has won 52 places in London. Do you know the other members of the Olympic team?

- To be honest, I don't know them. Probably, we will be able to communicate in London. We will support each other there. It's good that our male boxers won seven Olympic places. Our boxers are strong. I'm waiting for success from Mahammadrasul Macidov and Teymur Mammadov. In general, every athlete goes to London for a medal. But I'd like to see our boxers win more medals, and I want to be one of them.

- In what other sports do you expect Olympic medals?

- Olympics are a big sporting festival. Each participant in the festival wants to be a winner. In my opinion, we will win medals in wrestling, boxing, judo and rowing. I especially want to mention wrestling. This sport is much loved in Azerbaijan. We have such a strong wrestler as Rovsan Bayramov. In judo, I really believe in Elnur Mammadli. He may please the fans again.