09 Oct 2013 at 20:38 | Published by: Hans | Views: 22078 | News search

Yana Lazareva while playing in Bad Münder  (Photo by Hans Bergström 2013)

Interview with Yana Lazareva (YL), Russia and Moscow

This interview was done the 9th of October 2013. Interviewer is Hans Bergström (HB).

HB: First of all congratulations to a good season of 2013, the gold in the Russian Championships and the 13th place in the World Championship.

What do you value the most the gold in the Russian Championships and the 13th place in the World Championship?

YL: Thanks a lot for your congratulations, Hans!

It’s difficult to answer this question because the gold in the Russian Championship was my goal. And the 13th place in the World Championship is like a dream.

Every competition which was played by me I value as something what can help me in future ones.

HB: So, maybe you can start by telling our readers who is Yana Lazareva?

YL: I’m 21 years old Russian girl and live in Moscow. I finished my university studies and at now searching for a job. I started to play minigolf in 2010 and enjoy it.

HB: At the Bad Münder Championship you were close to becoming the first ever Russian player in general class to succeeding taking a place in the stroke play final in an international Championship. But an unlucky 29 on the eternit on lap 6 stopped that from happening. Was this a big disappointment for you or were you happy with your final 13th place?

YL: I think that nobody likes such rounds and of course I was very disappointed. But anyway I was happy with my 13th place, I didn’t expect that I would play like that.

HB: In the match play you meet Annika Dellmann from the home nation and lost already in the first match. Was that a disappointing experience?

YL: Why do you ask every time about disappointments? :) That was my first adult match play game ever and yes, I lost. I can’t tell that this was a bad experience, it was a good lesson and I hope I learned something.

HB: After your debut internationally in the general class in 2011 in Stockholm you have had the places 41-25 and this year 13. Can you explain why the breakthrough into the top players came this year?

YL: I have no special explanation for this, it happened and I’m very happy about. Maybe it came this year because of more international experience than last years, or maybe I became more self-confident on the course, or maybe stars.

HB: It seems like the Russian players slowly are coming closer and closer to the best nations. This year you had a historical individual medal in the junior girls. Can you tell us about the development of the sport in Russia?

YL: I really hope so! One of the main reasons is that now we are not singular players, we are getting to be more team players, we give support each other. At the same time we still have a lot to work on and improve.

And of course I have to mention that during the last 2 years we had a great support from Austrian coaches who became Russians for 2 weeks of competitions that was really hard to work with us but they did it perfectly! Great thanks to them!

HB: The best results from Russian players came this year in the youth in Portel and in Bad Münder. Both sites were felt-eternit, is this something that Russian players prefer over beton?

YL: Actually this is funny because we don’t have a real felt course in Russia and first beton course was built just this year in September. So we don’t prefer something special :)

HB: In your eyes who is the best male and female minigolf player in the world at the moment?

YL: Ahm.. in my mind Evelyn Haberl has done a great performance this year! And the best male minigolf player misses me in Austria :)

HB: Will we be seeing equally much of you in the 2014 season?

YL: I hope so and I will try to find enough time for this.

HB: Again a big congratulation to the great 2013 season and good luck in the future.

YL: Thank you very much!

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