Handballfast has already described in full detail the Open day at the base in Novogorsk, where the women’s national team of Russia hosted journalists. And we also provided vivid quotes of the main star of world handball (well, one of the main) Anna Vyakhireva.
But the conversation with the player, who is currently performing for French Brest Bretagne Handball, turned out to be thorough and Handballfast is ready to share it with readers almost uncensored.
— I am very glad to see you all! — Vyakhireva approached the press in an excellent mood. — It feels like I haven’t left. I spent many years on this base. Everything is native! At the same time it feels a little awkward — I don’t know 70 percent of the team at all. I don’t keep a close eye on the Super League now, that is why I can even say that the current national team of Russia is new for me.
— There are 30 more percent of the team that you know perfectly well. Who were you especially glad to see?
— Dasha Dmitrieva. Although we both live abroad, we don’t see each other quite often, we communicate mainly by phone. We met during the flight in Belgrade and it’s still not enough for us to talk. I was also happy to see young girls, whom, probably, I am not so familiar with, but still managed to play with. So, exactly those 30 percent give me a warm feeling of home. We have a lot of topics for communication! Primarily, about life, of course, and everything starts with conversations about health.
— Talks about health are said to lead to old age.
— Definitely! Unfortunately, body isn’t improving. But our injuries teach us a lot, teach to take care of ourselves, to understand the training process and arrange it for our benefit.
— You and Dasha Dmitrieva said in almost identical words that missed food most of all. Don’t they feed you at all?
— Everything is different here, homemade. We eat common European food in France. Especially when we cook ourselves. I won’t cook meatballs for myself, I’m not that cooker.
— What about frog legs?
— No, I haven’t tasted it! Even many French people didn’t try it. They don’t consider this dish to be like «wow».
— The Head of the High council of the HFR Sergey Shishkarev started the training with the words that we will be at the 2028 Olympic Games. Does it motivate you?
— Entirely. Participating in international competitions, World and European championships, Olympic Games — that’s what we are here for. If we understand that it’s already close and coming soon, motivation becomes boundless.
— Did you watch the past Olympic Games? What feelings did you have?
— I was laying on the beach and watching the Games. Of course, it made me sad. And a certain degree of envy was present. But it is life. However, if I could had done anything to be there I would have done it.
— Sergey Nikolaevich says that we have the only team with Messi and Ronaldo...
— Oh, these comparisons with Messi (smiling)…
— Are you tired of it?
— In fact, I don’t care. I was called a ballerina in Norway. They called me Messy again in France, it seems that it came from Russia to them. Once one of the girls, who had played for the national team of France before, said during the meeting between the clubs: "We lost Mbappe, but gained Messi".
— Concerning your departure from Kristiansand… How could it become possible that the best club of Norway, such a rich country, almost ceased to exist?
— I don’t think that I’m the one who can answer the question. But it began a long time before the club’s problems were revealed. Actually, there were many clubs in Norway which came to naught. But why? What are they doing that the teams disappear? I don’t know. I felt so sorry that it happened with Kristiansand. I really liked being there.
— But you yourself called supporters to raise money for the existence of the team.
— Not supporters. Minor sponsors.
— Could it really help?
— I was shocked, I was sitting and just didn’t understand what to do. I was talking in English, but I didn't quite know what was it all for. Perhaps, by means of this action the club wanted to go to media, draw the public’s attention to the problem, seek help.
— It looked like it was emotionally hard for you to experience this separation.
— Indeed, it was difficult. It was two weeks before the pre-season, I was going to arrive to prepare for the games. And then I received a call saying that my life took a 180 degrees turn and I have to settle my personal matters immediately, pack my entire apartment and move to another country. It was shocking for me.
Besides, I didn’t like the attitude, how they put it, the way they solved this issue. But time has passed, many things quieted down, my life goes on. I hope, they will also get through it.
— Has Norway already become your second home? And how hard was it to move to France?
— It was more difficult to leave my people. Friends that I found there. It was the most hard thing about it. It upset me most of all. As for the rest… Indeed, life in these countries is completely different. But handball is the same everywhere. Yes, I had to solve household issues — where to sleep, what to eat. But I wasn’t worried about handball at all, I knew that everything depends only on me.
— Was Brest your only option?
— No. I had other options, but I’m not sure I can name them now.
— Why did you choose Brest then?
— We have already negotiated before. Exactly a year ago they contacted me, there was an option to move in summer, but Kristiansand didn’t let me. But even then I considered that direction, I like the club, its ambitions and the squad they try to gather.
— You became the best player of the championship in September. Was the adaptation in the French League simple?
— I’m still adapting. 17 completely different people surround you on the court, it isn’t easy regardless of the country and the team. Everything is different in the whole, we are still looking for some common ground, trying to find some kind of balance, this process can’t be very fast.
Photo: Alena Pastushenko
