After yesterday's announcement, a friend of mine commented that folks who don't lift kettlebells may not "get", to the full extent, why the move is so exciting, or why Chelyabinsk is an awesome city for a female kettlebell lifter to live in. I could list names, ranks, numbers, etc. but that wouldn't really mean much if you're not within the sport. Plus name-dropping is always a little weird.
Here's what I think will make sense to the widest range of people:
1. Except for a very, very small number of cases, Russia is to kettlebell sport what the USA is to American football.
A vast majority of the athletes are simply untouchable by anyone else in the world. The World Championships tend to feel like a fight for second place. There are, of course, exceptions to this.
2. Chelyabinsk is home to nearly half of the entire Female Russian National Team.
There are 8 spots for women and junior women on the Russian National Team. Of those 8 spots, 4 were from Chelyabinsk. Of the 4 spots in the under-18 category, another 2 of 4 are from Chelyabinsk.
3. The absolute male and female champions both live in Chelyabinsk.
There are two competitive events for males and one for female. The absolute best male has the best all-time result in both Biathlon and Long Cycle. They both live in Chelyabinsk, and train at the Elesino Winter Stadium. Which is where I'll be training, too.
4. My coach lives in Chelyabinsk.
There's nothing like being able to work one-on-one with your coach. Other than the 3.5 months I spent living in St. Petersburg, for the almost 2 years I've been training snatch, I've always worked remotely with my coaches. I'm really happy with my progress, but I want to have that direct interaction to help push me forward.
So that should hopefully illustrate WHY Chelyabinsk was a no-brainer when I was considering the list of possible cities. Now, I'm not going there hoping their strength just rubs off on me. I'm going there because I know that these people work hard, and being around them will motivate me to work hard, too.
Additionally, there just aren't many women in the USA lifting the same kettlebell weight as me, unfortunately, so my chances to compete are very few and far between. In the USA there are just two other women in my weight class who put up the same kettlebell on the platform. In Chelyabinsk, not only do I get to train with some of the best, but I'll have to compete with them too. If that isn't motivating, I don't know what is.
All of that said, I am going to be continuing to fight to maintain my spot on Team USA. I do have some amazing ladies to contend with, and I know that they're not just idly working towards bettering themselves. Since I'll be coming home each summer for sure, I'll absolutely be competing in the USA Nationals each year (including this year).
Essentially, this will not only be 2 years of immersion in the language, but immersion in the sport, as well. I'll be working very hard while I'm over there, and I'm really excited to see where that hard work takes me!
Here's what I think will make sense to the widest range of people:
1. Except for a very, very small number of cases, Russia is to kettlebell sport what the USA is to American football.
A vast majority of the athletes are simply untouchable by anyone else in the world. The World Championships tend to feel like a fight for second place. There are, of course, exceptions to this.
2. Chelyabinsk is home to nearly half of the entire Female Russian National Team.
There are 8 spots for women and junior women on the Russian National Team. Of those 8 spots, 4 were from Chelyabinsk. Of the 4 spots in the under-18 category, another 2 of 4 are from Chelyabinsk.
3. The absolute male and female champions both live in Chelyabinsk.
There are two competitive events for males and one for female. The absolute best male has the best all-time result in both Biathlon and Long Cycle. They both live in Chelyabinsk, and train at the Elesino Winter Stadium. Which is where I'll be training, too.
4. My coach lives in Chelyabinsk.
There's nothing like being able to work one-on-one with your coach. Other than the 3.5 months I spent living in St. Petersburg, for the almost 2 years I've been training snatch, I've always worked remotely with my coaches. I'm really happy with my progress, but I want to have that direct interaction to help push me forward.
So that should hopefully illustrate WHY Chelyabinsk was a no-brainer when I was considering the list of possible cities. Now, I'm not going there hoping their strength just rubs off on me. I'm going there because I know that these people work hard, and being around them will motivate me to work hard, too.
Additionally, there just aren't many women in the USA lifting the same kettlebell weight as me, unfortunately, so my chances to compete are very few and far between. In the USA there are just two other women in my weight class who put up the same kettlebell on the platform. In Chelyabinsk, not only do I get to train with some of the best, but I'll have to compete with them too. If that isn't motivating, I don't know what is.
All of that said, I am going to be continuing to fight to maintain my spot on Team USA. I do have some amazing ladies to contend with, and I know that they're not just idly working towards bettering themselves. Since I'll be coming home each summer for sure, I'll absolutely be competing in the USA Nationals each year (including this year).
Essentially, this will not only be 2 years of immersion in the language, but immersion in the sport, as well. I'll be working very hard while I'm over there, and I'm really excited to see where that hard work takes me!
No comments:
Post a Comment