Deniss Vasiljevs: you can’t give up

Short interview with young and promising figure skater Deniss Vasiljevs.

Deniss, you’ve been doing figure skating since 4 years. Not tired of it?

Deniss: No way! My mother insisted on figure skating: I didn’t get into swimming, so I went on ice. Initially, the main problem was to get me out of the house, because there were computer games, movies. As you can see, my mother succeeded (laughs), and I liked it. Now there is no need to force me to go on ice, I can’t live without it. Figure skating from the hobby grew into a favorite activity, work of life, to which I devote all my time and give all strength.

How do you manage to combine a busy schedule of training and competitions with successful study in school?

Deniss: I spend a little time at school, but I always try to make up for the missed material and to use the time on maximum. I generally solve problems as they come. My life is very rapid, the eternal race, but I have to have it all. It’s difficult for me to plan anything, but now I know exactly that I should finish 12th grade with good marks and get a secondary education. I haven’t decided yet what will be my future profession, but no doubt it’ll be connected with sport. After all, I perfectly understand sport and already able to share my knowledge and experience. In the meantime,  in school I like biology and I just adore physics.

People say that figure skating is akin to  “Formula 1” races, when the skater gets all the credits, but his victory is the result of work of the entire team. Do you agree?

Deniss: Totally! Skater’s victory is a result of collective work. Now I have a lot of people who are behind the scenes, but their participation in my life is very important. These are my trainers in Sochi – Alexei Urmanov, in Paris, in Latvia. This is my mother, who is a great motivator for me, the “magical kick”, stick and carrot.

Figure skating – it’s not a sport, it’s an art that requires full commitment. The hardest part of it – to deal with psychological, physical and emotional stress. I constantly improve and develop. In figure skating it’s not enough just to learn cleanly perform spins and jumps, you still must have a sense of rhythm, fluidity of movement, artistry, but it’s the only thing in which I like everything.

Now most of the time you spend training in Sochi. Do you like Sochi?

Deniss: Very! However, I’ve no time to have a walk around the resort. I train all the time, but in summer we often go to the Black Sea after trainings. It’s not easy in Sochi, but I’ve already used to the eternal heat and unbearable summer heat.

Does a skater have some dietary restrictions?

Deniss: All skaters love sweets: glucose helps to cope with large physical exertion. However, girls are more limited in it. I love sweets and I cook good. For example, meat with rice in multicooker, with my friend in Sochi we cook a russian style macaroni (pasta+meat). 

As for eating habits, I love French, Italian and Japanese cuisine. I just love sushi and know how to cook them, but unfortunately, here It’s impossible to buy tuna and scallops.

Tell us about your Japanese fan club?

Deniss: Japanese are unique people, who love figure skating, considering it as art on the ice. They are very respectful fans and constantly give me gifts, very beautiful and useful: branded shirts, fancy ties, and even sweetness of wasabi – a terrific treat.

How do you deal with fatigue, bad mood, troubles?

Deniss: I sing a song, listen to music: classical, rock, heavy metal. Actually, I’m sure you can’t give up. You can’t be afraid of failures and losses. It would be disrespectful to yourself, to your work, to the fact that parents and coaches have invested in you. Hope dies last, and usually you have to win over yourself. And any bad day always ends.

the source: grani.lv

I’m always impressed with young skaters! They’re so young, but a lot more mature than their usual fellows. Dennis seems really thoughtful guy! Good luck to him!

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