Idman.biz
Diving is one of the most spectacular sports, and in recent years, the Azerbaijan Swimming Federation has been paying special attention to the development of this area.
Idman.Biz presents an interview with Anton Melnikov, the head coach of the country's youth national team. He spoke about the prospects of this sport and life in Baku.
- How long have you been working in Azerbaijan? Is it successful?
- Since October 2023. The previous leadership of the federation invited me and my wife Angelina to develop this sport. If the powers of our coaching staff are expanding, it means that the new leadership is also satisfied with the results.
- What do you prefer more: springboard or tower?
- We do not separate these directions. Up to 15-16 years old, children should perform equally well on both apparatuses. Narrow specialization is determined later. For example, Olympic champion Ilya Zakharov successfully performed both on the tower and on the springboard for a long time before making a choice later.
- How long after can you understand that a child is talented?
- After a minimum of one to two years. Interestingly, these abilities appear earlier in girls - they are both more courageous and develop faster than boys.
- Do body parameters still play a decisive role?
- Not like before. The era of petite girls is over. Today, with a height of 175 cm, it is possible to achieve great success if the correct technique is built. That's what we're working on.
- How was your coaching staff formed?
- The Federation has allocated specialists in acrobatics and choreography to us. Thus, a fully formed youth team has been created. There is no adult national team yet - there has been no diving in the country for many years, so we are working for the future.
- Are there any athletes who can already be taken to the international arena?
- Yes, there are. There is a universal athlete Maksud, born in 2014, and Ayla, who specializes in springboard. They have already shown decent results in foreign tournaments.
- How do you select children? Do you attract them from swimming?
- Such a thing is not accepted among us coaches. We do not attract children from other sports. This is possible only when parents themselves want to switch to diving. Only those who consciously choose this path are engaged in us.
- Did you adapt to life in Baku quickly?
Absolutely. Even our daughter was born here - Adelina, a real Baku resident. The most difficult thing for me to get used to was the heat. I remember when we arrived, even in October I was walking around in shorts and a T-shirt. It was also difficult to get used to the local driving style. I still try not to get behind the wheel within the city.
- What about cuisine and language?
I don't want to leave here at all (laughs). I really like the variety and accessibility of fresh greens - you won't see that in Moscow. I love "Motal" cheese, lula kebab, local homemade bread - you can eat it hot without anything and it's very tasty! I haven't learned the language yet, but I already speak Russian like Baku residents - I stretch the words and add "da" to the end. Even my wife is surprised where I got this way of speaking?! (laughs).
