19/01/2014 23:00
Russia’s wunderkind Daria Rudykh has her sight set on gold at Youth Olympics
2014 CEV Beach Volleyball Satellite - Anapa
Anapa, Russia, January 19, 2014. Together with Olga Motrich, Russia’s Beach Volleyball rising star Daria Rudykh made the semis of the CEV indoor Satellite that was completed on Sunday in Anapa. This result was a valuable addition to the resume of the only 17-year old player who last year won gold at the CEV U18 European Champs in Molodechno, Belarus.
Although the result of this tournament is quite encouraging, Daria demonstrates a very self-critical approach, saying that the lack of composure led her to defeats from Germany’s Julia Sude and Chantal Laboureur in the semis and from Evgenia Ukolova and Maria Prokopeva in the bronze medal match. “We are much less experienced than many other teams here. At this level your agility and passion do not make the difference, you also have to keep a cool mind. That factor didn’t let us reach a better result, though we really wanted to get medals. We had no chance in the semifinal against the German team, but were about to fight till the very end in the bronze medal game. However we really struggled with our reception in the second set after Jenya (Ukolova) improved on her serve and switched the target player.”
On the other hand Daria proves herself as quite a self-confident person saying that she was quite sure she would have won that gold at last year’s U18 European Championship. “That is my highest achievement so far but I have a lot of competitions ahead. I wouldn’t say that it was a big challenge to win the European Championship. We were very confident and knew that we were the strongest pair in that tournament. I don’t mean that winning that title was easy, just that the efforts that we made during our preparations were even more than the tournament required from our side.”
Rudykh won the European Champion title together with Nadezhda Makroguzova who recently teamed up with another player to participate in a few international tournaments including the CEV Satellite in Anapa. “The fact is that Nadya (Makroguzova) is a member of the senior national team. And the head coach decided she should team up with another girl – Anna Gorbunova. We indeed wanted to go on playing together but that was the coach’s decision and I respect it. As for Olga (Motrich) – she represents the same Volleyball club where I play. So the choice was quite easy.”
However for the age-group competitions it is presumed that Rudykh and Makroguzova will join forces again. Rudykh’s goals are also quite ambitious. “As for the future my main goal is to win gold at the Youth Olympic Games in China this year. I hope that we’ll be able to qualify and show a good result. All the other events I consider to be some kind of preparation for the Youth Olympics in Nanjing.”
The way to Beach Volleyball for the prospective youngster was quite typical. “As it often happens in Russia initially I was dreaming of having a career playing indoors. But it happened that once the final stage of the Russian Beach Volleyball Championship was held in my home city, i.e. Vladivostok. I watched the games and felt in love with the game. I continued to practice indoors during the winter season but switched to the sand for the summer. Only recently I decided to fully commit myself to Beach Volleyball. And I enjoy it!”
Daria’s parents continue to be those people who constantly back her up. “My mom and dad were supporting me here in Anapa. From time to time they travel with me to different competitions in Russia. For example they were with me for the FIVB Grand Slam in Moscow. I can’t underestimate their role in my decision to become a professional player. My mother is a coach. She injected in me the love for the sport and gave me all the skills that I have. Thank you, mom!”
As for her recent life experiences it should not be left out that Daria joined the Olympic torch relay that is taking place these days in Russia before the start of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Daria was part of the leg held in Vladivostok. “I can’t find the right words to express all the emotions that you feel joining such a big thing. Imagine that you are entrusted to carry the fire that was previously carried through a lot of different places and was passed from hand to hand, from one famous person to another. That was really inspiring.”
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