2000

Ekaterina Serebrianskaya:“ In my childhood, I watched over the
selling of my pastries…”
Oh, God, of cause it is very sad to part with KatyaSerebrianskaya, who is now leaving the big sport. 
All-Around Olympic Champion in rhythmic gymnastics,many time gold, silver, and bronze medallist of Worldand European championships, Grand Prix prizes holder.
 We, fans of this bright talent, will not see her sparkling and yet very elegant routines with the ribbon, ball, and clubs…
But, off with the sadness! After all, life doesn’t end at 22, and I believe, that Ekaterina Serebrianskayahas her main and most stunning ball straight ahead!
- Ekaterina, it’s understood, that the decision to leave the world of sport, which brought many happy and victorious moments, was not easy to make.
- Yes, it was not a quick decision. Before I decided,I was thinking for a long time, what I will do after I leave the sport. And only after I formed a new goal, I
left, to (so to speak) subdue new summits. But this deciding period of time was, I have to confess, very difficult.
- And these personal worries influenced your idea of making a fund for helping sportspeople?
- Partly, yes. But this fund, I hope, will not only give financial support, but mainly  psychological.
Why to hide the sin, in the absence of governmental guarantees, and support, so many people’s fates were ruined! The shining on many sports arenas champions,
coming down to earth, so to speak, because alcoholics, drug addicts, robbers, basically, coming to the lowest point.
 And one more thing. I myself went through the situation, when a young perspective sports person, not having financial help, and meaning – opportunity to go
to competitions, stops in his/hers development, and can’t achieve higher results. No one among the government officials cares, that if to help such young
man a lady, just a little, he will start bringing fame for our country with his victories, at international arenas. Those are the tasks for our fund. Not to be
unsubstantiated, during a very bid sports show, whichtook place on 5th of November, in Palace “Ukraine,” we handed our first grant, and will be paying it
throughout the year to one, very young athlete.
- You, by the way, debuted in this show, not only as a main active person, but also as a director of the whole happening.
- And this, I have to tell you, was very interesting.
- I know that during one evening you demonstrated a great singing talent. Will you continue to try yourself in this direction?
- No, that was only a gift for my friends. There are
other areas in which I am much better!
- You are working on a book about your life in sport. It is interesting to at least get to know it’s working name.
- It is too early to talk about it. I can say one thing. This book would not be the “memories of a champion,” but rather something like thoughts about
lives and faits of people in sport. Something like a look from the inside.
- What is the role of your coach and mother Lubov Serebrianskaya, in what you are doing now?        
- Her role – role of a mother. And all of this – my
gift to her.
- A question that everyone wants to know an answer to.
Didn’t you leave the sport a little early?
- I don’t want to talk about bad things. To be honest, I was literally pushed off the podium, even though I could have successfully competed, even at the Olympics
in Sydney. Of cause I am sad. But if that’s the way it happened, then, that is the way it should have happened. This tragic period, (and I am not
exaggerating, it really was tragic), thank God,already passed, and I am full of wish and energy to do something new.
- And this is understood even by the fact that you, after finishing Kharkov institute of physical culture, got enrolled to the psychogenesis faculty in the
Institute of Psychology.
- One morning I woke up, and realized, that I don’t understand anything in people. There is nothing surprising here. I just felt, that I need to
thoroughly learn the human psychology.  
- Then, from this field. It is know that in many sports, and especially in your loved rhythmic gymnastics, started an era of completely different
gymnasts, even though the international federation and the spectators want to see on the carpet more mature, so to speak, with formed figures gymnasts. But nothing can be done. Such contradiction exists. How do you
think can a mature gymnast get ahead of those reckless girls?
- Only under one condition can she bear the palm: if she is – a queen. If even off the carpets, she stands already like a queen. And everyone has to see and know
it: judges, specialists, audience.
- And the last question. Judging from your opinions and what you say, it feels that you are preparing yourself for the role of “Business Woman.”
- Such craving appeared in me at about 12 years old, when I organized a small buffet in our sports gym building, and to watch how the pastries in it were
selling, I was peaking at it through a scratched hole in a painted glass part of a door in a neighboring room. Later, I opened a small café in the sports
school. In general, I am sure that I can achieve a lot in this field. I wanted to become an Olympic champion after seeing on the podium our Alexandra Timoshenko. Back then I told myself, - that is where I see myself.
That is the kind of position I am in with business. At a certain time, I even went to watch how my aunt’s husband was selling dresses and underwear. I was just
interested in it. I of cause wouldn’t say that I wantto see myself behind the counter. But, at a higher level, something similar can be seen.

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