Lesya, who is bringing the light

Lesya Tkachenko will never win Olimpic Games. At least, individually. And not because she is a bad gymnast, no vice versa, but just because Lesya was born too late, in 1983, if she was earlier, let’s say in 1977, she could be the rival of Ekaterina Serebrianskaya, who is still her idol. In that, old gymnastics, where grace and feminy were the most important things

Belarus coaches can be accused that 3 years ago they got new gymnast. Serebrianskaya instead of Kabaeva. Didn’t guess. Well, Lesya can be on Olimpic podium. If group of Nenasheva will be able to save that rhythm, which they got in last year. Than our grace will be able to buy that flat in Olimpic village, where she lives with her mom now. This is not a bad aim, but not the one, which can be dreamed of for the whole life.

And she is dreaming. At home, where not in a very thick photoalbum, you can see photos from the last “Blanca” (Galina Blanca – competition which takes in Belarus every year.Translator) , you can see a 16-year-old girl with childish hairstyle and with very naïve and pure face. She really stood out that. She didn’t speak too much, she was too shy, but was very hard-working too. Lesya was losing with the whole Belarus team and it was a great pity that Lesya is guilty only in that she was born not in Belarus. Belarussian Ukrainian was leaving the carpet and TV monitors was catching her worried sight at the screen…Not Kabaeva.

It was said she changed and that wasn’t surprising.

Homeland

- Homeland for me is the place, where I was born and where I spent the biggest part of my life. I’m from Sevastopol, where I spent 10 years of my life, than was Simferopol and 6 years of training in the school of Luibov Serebrianskaya. And 3 years ago I moved with my mom to Minsk. I don’t really like Sevastopol, I lived in a district, which was built on the place of old cemetery. And the kindergarden, where I went as well. That’s why the atmosphere was very hard, I cried a lot and I don’t have many bright impressions of my childhood. I love Simferopol. My flat, where I lived, 3-storeyed house, yard…At first I didn’t like Minsk. I thought at first that when I retire, I will go to Ukraine. Now I like it. I have many friends

- How do Ukrainians differ from Belarussians?

- You are quite cold and not very easy-going. My first impression – you don’t care about what’s happening around. I think that Belarussians aren’t leaders. And Ukrainians are very emotional, they have scandals. I’m very emotional as well, but I can mask

Soul

- Earlier I was very “closed” person. Not a very long time ago I understood, what is needed from me. I must be the light for the whole world, to bring people happiness and give them surprises how I can. I didn’t understand that earlier. I was always searching for negative sides in people. I always thought that they want to do something bad. Now I see that there are no ideal people, but I try to find positive sides.

- Is the light of this world ready to self-sacrifice?

- Not on 100 %. I’m not ready to give yet. I’m an egoist. I’m used to be the only and the most beloved daughter. When my parents asked me : “Lesya, do you want to have a brother or sister?”, I was answering : “No!”. Now I want, but it’s too late. I try to fight against my egoism

- How do you do that?

- I try to think more about other people than about myself. Sometimes I don’t want to do something, but other people need it and than I try to step over my wishes. And I like to be helpful

- Is it important for you to be useful?

- I think it’s the biggest wish of every person. And of course I want to love and to be loved

Love

- When I meat this person, I will understand that it is he. I believe in love from the first sight, but of course that we will need time to know each other more

- And if he will be a plumber?

- I don’t believe that one can love a person because he is rich and has great flat or car

- And I believe in it…

- I have an example – a pair. 1,5 years ago he was, as you say, a plumber, now he is quite a rich person. Why don’t you believe in good stories?

- I’m a realist

- Why do I need to create fairy tales? My friends are very good people and…

- Now you will tell me about the friendship between men and women…

- But it can be! I don’t want the conversation between male and female be only a flirt. I want to chat, to ask for advice, to open…Well, maybe I lie a bit. Even my closest friends say that I’m always inside myselfs. And my mom is my closest friend, but she doesn’t know everything about me

- There is a proverb : “Don’t be born beautiful, be born happy”, but I think that it doesn’t belong to such beautiful women as you are. You don’t need to switch your brain and your bookcase isn’t needed…

- I don’t like what you say. Why do you think my future husband will be so stupid? Do you think he will be happy to see a beautiful doll near him? A clever man isn’t interested in these womenn. And I don’t like primitive males. Of course, the beauty is the first thing what men see, but it annoys too. Love, which is built only on instinct, won’t last long. You aren’t in love, you are infatuated

- Can you be infatuated?

- Yes, it happens quite often, but I don’t tell it to anyone because I know that it won’t last long. It’s not the thing I’d like to have. I haven’t met the man of my dream

- Do you work a lot?

- In my free from trainings time I try to self-perfect myself, but if to be honest, I only try. I read somewhere that after hard training, the brain needs quite a big period of time to become normal. It’s truth. For example, I want to learn English, the book is always near me, but I often open it just to put a tick. And in five minutes, I put it away. I want to rest, to sleep or to read something

Money

- Do you like to give expensive presents?

- Yes!

- What is your last one?

- I bought my friend perfumes for her birthday

- Huh, it’s not expensive…

- Do you mean rings and gold? Once, we gave such present to a coach in Simferopol. That’s all.

- Would you like expensive jewellery?

- I like them, but such things require a lot. Knowing my character, not many people give me such presents. I always stop the relationships, when I see that they develop too fast

- How much money do you need for normal life?

- Actually, I’m not good at counting money. I can spend them quite fast, Mom gives a sum of money and I spent it fast

- Can you cook?

- We have a maid, who cooks for us. But I can do something – potatoes, a tasty cake. I like to cook, but I don’t do it quite often. For who? When I have the one who will care about me, I will become a great cooker

- Where and how do you like to buy cloths?

- If to be honest, mom buys clothes for me. When I train, she goes to Zhdanovichi. Of course, sometimes, we go together, but mostly my mom fills my wardrobe. She has a perfect taste

- Who is you mom?

- She is a teacher, but now she sings in a church chorus

Religion

- Our church isn’t orthodox, we differ from orthodox only that we don’t have so much customs, We can wear what we want, don’t put candles in the church. We do what is written in the Bible. Of course, I won’t come to Church with nude stomach and mino-skirt.

Defect

- Can you envy?

- Yes, but it belongs to sport. I don’t like when someone stands higher then me on podium. I don’t care about other things.

- Does it happen that you think about one thing and tell another

- Yes, when other people need it. When I am asked, for example : “How do I look today?”, they are waiting for positive answers. And even if I don’t like something, I need to say that everything is cool

- When were you ashamed of your behavior for the last time?

- The day before yesterday. I had a row with my mom. I was wrong and I still wanted to show her my opinion. I wanted to tell her I’m an adult. And it’s not so

- Do you cry a lot?

- No. I couldn’t. Earlier I cried a lot. In Simferopol almost on every training. I crawled to the side from the carpet and cried a lot. In Minsk I can’t do so. I tried to do that when I came, but I was told : “Tears behind this door”. Now I can cry only in the dressing room when nobody see

- Do you know rude words?

- Yes.

- Do you drink alcohol?

- I tried wine once, but I didn’t like. I prefer apple juice

- And cigarettes?

- Woman with cigarette is ugly

- Can you be bought?

- No

Destiny

- Do you believe in destiny?

- No, when I try to forecast something, it doesn’t bring to anything good.

- What would you like to be after your retirement?

- I don’t know. But I’m thinking about it. I’m studying in Kharkov institute of Physical education

- I know how rhythmic gymnasts study there…

- I wanted to come to our sports academy, but I was made to stay.

- Well, perharps you think about being a model

- I’m not against

- And what’s the model business like in Belarus?

- Well, abroad is better. I can imagine a contract and I will choose what I need to do