Varvara Subbotina, one of the most beautiful athletes in Russia, four-time world champion in synchronized swimming, said in an interview with Sport about frank proposals in social networks, an affair with a hockey player, same-sex duets in figure skating and patriotism.
«You shouldn't hit on my boyfriend!» you proudly announced that you can walk in fashionable shoes. Is it so important?
— Not everyone appreciated my humor. Fashionable shoes meant a «boot» in which she flaunted for two months. Seriously, the operation helped to get rid of constant pain. I can walk without straining. >- I don't train with the national team now. She has taken a break from competition this season. I keep fit by performing in the show.
— How do you rate Maya Doroshko's performance at the Russian Championship in Kazan in a duet with Svetlana Kolesnichenko?
— They performed with old programs. Natasha Ishchenko and Sveta Romashina did one of them. In general, Maya and Sveta worked together, they looked very worthy. After their performance in Kazan, she wrote to the girls: «Well done, you did it one hundred percent!»
— Quite deservedly, in my subjective male opinion, you are considered one of the most beautiful athletes in Russia. Does it hurt that it is this, and not sporting achievements, that attracts increased attention to you?
— A little offended. I would like the achievements to be evaluated first of all, and appearance secondly. So far, the opposite is happening, but I’ve already got used to it.
— Is it possible to monetize the image of the first beauty of domestic sports?
— I have a manager, who helps with the conclusion of advertising contracts. Now I am the face of a Chinese cosmetics company, representing its products in Russia.
— Are you ready to completely abandon your sports career if you receive an offer for a contract that is “impossible to refuse”?
— So far, no such proposals have been received and there was no temptation. I connect my future with a sports career.
— You are very active in social networks. Is this a mandatory requirement for a modern athlete?
Now I have noticeably slowed down my activity in social networks. And tired, and tired of the negative, which is often splashed out by subscribers. Although I agree: today social networks are an integral part of our lives, and we need to be present in them. on social networks about your relationship with hockey player Alexander Nikishin?
— Already a lot of men sought to get to know me, even offered a hand, a heart and access to a bank account. And Sasha was not deprived of female attention. So they decided to declare that I am not a free lady, and you shouldn’t drive up to him either. We made the decision together. After they posted joint photos, those who wanted to get to know both me and Sasha slowed down their activity.
— Alexander's transition from Spartak to SKA and his move to St. Petersburg affected your relationship?
“So I moved. While Sasha was at the training camp, she was looking for an apartment in St. Petersburg and packing her things. And without interruption from training and competition. He had only to transport the boxes.
«I'm a patriot and I'm not ashamed to talk about it»
— You emphasized more than once that do not even consider the option of changing sports citizenship. Have you not changed your point of view after once again Russian athletes, this time fencers, were not allowed to participate in international competitions?
I won't change my point of view. I consider myself a patriot of Russia and do not hesitate to talk about it. All my life I defended the colors of my country and in such a difficult time I don’t consider it possible for me to move to another team.
— Do you maintain relations with your first coach Anastasia Davydova, who left Russia after the beginning of the NWO?
— We communicate, but do not touch on hot topics. Her decision is her decision. She doesn't give professional advice either. We have developed a very warm relationship with Anastasia Semyonovna. You can even call them friendly, despite the difference in age and status. Davydova supported me a lot before the operation, helped me find good doctors, for which I am very grateful to her. .jpg» /- You are not afraid to go against the conventional wisdom and became one of the few who said that it would be interesting to see the performance of two girls in figure skating.
— Why then do you have a very negative attitude towards the idea of allowing the performance of men in a group in synchronized swimming and even entered into a discussion on this issue with Alexander Maltsev?
— I have a great attitude towards Sasha, but I still think that synchronized swimming is a women's sport. For me, even a mixed duet looks less aesthetic than the performance of two girls. Of course, Maltsev has amazing data, he is a hard worker, he perfectly finds a common language with all his partners. A great fellow — coach Gana Maksimova, who puts on great programs. But I still don't have a soul. That's the kind of conservative I am!
— Under no circumstances will you agree to perform with Maltsev in a mixed duet? I think I will refuse. I can't — and that's it.
— It's amazing, because in a mixed duet you can show interesting connections, put on a love story, and demonstrate new facets of your talent.
“Now it will be very difficult. The new rules made the programs very similar. This impoverishes synchronized swimming, does not give the directors the opportunity to show their imagination. Previously, you could do anything and the judges appreciated it. Now you come up with something new — and you get zero. You need to do only what is written in the rules.
— In one of your old interviews you talked about what you wanted would like to offer music for their programs, but older comrades do not allow. Are they already listening to your wishes?
— For the solo program «Japanese Lullaby» I chose the music myself. Coach Tatyana Danchenko, hearing her, said: «What a great! Take.» I found the first part of the music myself, and the second — my sister, a fan of Japanese anime. Everyone liked the melody «The Blade that Cuts Demons», and the program was fully developed. Everything is great: the music, the movements, and the staging. Everyone saw the result at the European Championships, where she won the gold.
«My swimsuit tattoos are not visible»
— Your track record does not yet include Olympic gold. Do you believe that you can perform at the 2024 Olympics? We do not lose faith, although we should rather talk about hope.
— At one time, coaches forbade you to get tattoos, but now you can see them on your pages on social networks.
— It would be more correct not to talk about a ban, but about the fact that you still have to cover up tattoos before going to the pool. She applied her tattoos on such parts of the body that are not visible in a swimsuit.
— Do you swim on vacation?
— The most interesting thing is that I do it in the pool. The girls even joke that I can't live without bleach. I am somehow afraid to swim in the open sea because I can lose my bearings. Especially when the coast is rocky.
