Anastasia Kinnunen (Duborezova) is a relay winner at the Biathlon World Cup and a young mother. Last summer, the Belarusian married Finn Ari Kinnunen, and in August of this year she gave birth to a daughter, Sophia-Lumi (translated from Finnish as “snow”). Now Anastasia lives in two countries and is getting used to Scandinavian life in the hygge style. The biathlete told the site why the Belarusian biathlon will be alive even without Domracheva and Blaschko and why her husband called her spiderwoman.
About the status of spiderwoman
We met Ari's future husband in Kontiolahti. He came up after one of the training sessions and spoke to me. It often happens that one of the representatives of the sports complex or fans turns to us, and if there is a minute, I am always happy to keep the conversation going. I didn’t know who Ari was: for example, he could be a worker who prepared snow for us. Why not stop and give thanks? True, the assumption did not work - he is not from the field of sports (Ari Kinnunen works for an insurance company .. We exchanged a few words, nothing more. And then Ari found me on social networks. He noticed that our biathlon suits reminded him of spidermen. I said : "Let's at least get together on a spiderwoman."
About dates between races
Ari came to the training camp, the European Championship and some stages of the World Cup, but he tried not to interfere with my concentration. He supported me along the distance and made me feel a man's shoulder. Although during the competition it is difficult to fill the days with romance. We rarely saw each other - only after the races we went to the sunset together. All the romance was left for vacation - that's where I was already free and did not owe anyone anything. At the stages of the World Cup, I constantly felt the burden of responsibility and pressure. I knew how much money the country was investing in biathlon, and I spoke with the idea that I should work it out. After the birth of my daughter, I train relaxed and for my own pleasure, realizing that no one finances my training.
About the blue-eyed Finns who love the sauna and the forest
The part of Scandinavia where my husband is from is not too far from Belarus to talk about a huge difference in mentality. I live in North Karelia, near St. Petersburg. The inhabitants of this part of Finland have something from the Russians, something from the Europeans. Perhaps I would be struck by the way of life in the far north of Finland, but in North Karelia I feel almost at home. Our Finnish friends are quite sociable, although in general this people is called taciturn. They love national holidays - they celebrate Christmas and Yuhannus (an analogue of our Kupala) on a large scale. It is stereotypically believed that a typical Finn is a blond with blue eyes, who loves the sauna and the forest. Well, my husband Ari fits that description perfectly.
About Belarusian designers and Scandinavian style
I don’t want to seem like my own in Finland at all, I’m an adult and I understand: I’m Belarusian, period. My Finnish friends ask with interest about Belarusian culture and religion, and I invite them to visit. It turns out that I didn’t even know many of our traditions. Still, sport takes up most of life, so there is not enough time to delve into some traditions other than family ones.
The Scandinavian way of life has changed me not so much, except perhaps the style of clothing. Now I choose a sports option not only for training, but also on weekdays. I also enjoy warming up with knitted socks - here the weather is very conducive to this. Although I also love Belarusian designers. She even looked for a wedding dress made by us - she did not want to get married in a dress made in China. There are many talented people in Belarus, and I am always pleased that my clothes are made by Belarusian hands.
On the standard of living of Finns and Belarusians
Belarus lags behind Finland by 93 positions in terms of prosperity? Well, maybe the prosperity of the inhabitants of Northern Europe and higher. But the Finns pay huge taxes (up to 36% on the income of individuals. - Note .. The number of jobs is optimized there: three people conditionally work on the border of Finland, and not 50 border guards, like ours or Russians. They know how to save. In Finland, as in Belarus, there are very different segments of the population.Although the Finnish middle class may live better.On the Internet they write that young mothers in Finland are given "golden" boxes.In fact, the social allowance for a child is 150 euros, and we are in the region of 1,000. In Finland, this allowance can be taken in cash or in a box filled with baby essentials.
Posted by Biathlet (@anastasiakinnunen) Oct 1, 2017 at 9:34 PDT
In Finland, there is a tangible advantage in terms of comfort - it is a well-built barrier-free environment. As a young mother, I can move freely around the city, go everywhere with a stroller and perform the rituals that the child needs. In the same way, everything is thought out for the disabled - at music festivals they even make separate stands for them.
About the Finnish language and motherhood
If I didn’t know English, I would have mastered Finnish long ago. And so I understand that there is no great need to quickly learn this language. I know a woman from Thailand who moved to Finland without knowing either the English or even the Latin alphabet. She quickly mastered everything - "absorbed" new knowledge, like a child.
For a while I went to a language school, and now I'm learning Finnish on my own - after all, my daughter's second language. The husband does not quite understand why he needs to learn Russian and not Belarusian. We agreed that at first Ari would communicate with her daughter in Finnish, and I in Russian. They named their daughter Sophia-Lumi. Her Finnish name translates to "snow". Of course, this is symbolic for me. By the way, in Finland there are many names that are also common nouns.
About the biathlon family and Klaus Siebert
After marriage, Kaisa Makarainen wrote to me: "Welcome to the Finnish family!". I am pleased with the pleasant communication with athletes of various national teams. The Belarusian team and I enjoyed going to media dinners and light parties after the end of the season. There is definitely an international family club in biathlon.
Posted by Darya Domracheva (@dadofun) Dec 13, 2014 at 5:21 PST
Klaus Siebert helped the Belarusians become part of the international biathlon family. He taught us not to mentally strain and go to the race with a cool head. Klaus used to say: "Relax and concentrate - relax and get together!". Before Klaus, our biathlon was a bit like the army: "Get up, go!". Coaches from the post-Soviet space sometimes do not fully understand that results are needed not only for them, but first of all for us. Athletes are adults who must listen to their own feelings. Siebert knew how to find a balance and supported the biathletes in their thoughts and feelings. He did not put pressure on us, but repeated: “Biathlon is a big game. When you relax, that's when everything works out".
About the Belarusian biathlon without Domracheva and Blashko
I believe that our biathlon has a good future even after the leaders retire. There is a separate group in Belarus that works with the reserve and keeps track of talents. Of course, after the departure of Dasha Domracheva, it will take time for a generational change, but there are young people who want and can show results. I would not say that without Domracheva there will be no Belarusian biathlon. Of course, Dasha has done a lot for our sport. But even before her there were great athletes - Elena Zubrilova, Svetlana Paramygina.
Posted by Darya Domracheva (@dadofun) Feb 10, 2015 at 2:52 AM PST
I can’t say that I was very surprised to join the Ukrainian team. Rather, I am annoyed by this decision. I am an adult and I know how much money our state allocates for the training of biathletes. Therefore, it is sad that such transitions happen. Although I don’t fully know what happened between the athlete and the federation, and I don’t presume to judge.
About returning to big sport
I can't watch competitions while sitting in front of the TV. I want to go to the track and race. At the same time, I no longer dream of a nomadic life with gatherings of 20 days, because now there are family everyday life - warm and very interesting. I am comfortable with Scandinavian hygge life - buns, a fireplace and beauty around.
Of course, it's nice to remember your career and sports childhood. Recently I came to my mother in Belarus and rode roller skis there, and once the grass along these paths was taller than me. For the second half of last season, I no longer competed and maintained relations with the team only by phone and the Internet. Before the stage in Kontiolahti, the girls from the Belarusian team came to visit us. Now we have a common topic of conversation - children. My husband smoked fish according to the national recipe, and I took care of the good atmosphere.
Will I return to big sport? Will show time. I became a mom less than two months ago, so I haven't started a full workout yet. In October I plan to get on the snow, and then it will be clear whether I can return to the level of the World Cup. Dasha Domracheva managed to win a medal at the World Championships four months after giving birth. Why not? Though I wouldn't compare us. Biathlon is an interesting sport, and Dasha knows how to play it beautifully.
Anastasia DUBOREZOVA no longer plays for the national team of Belarus. Now, in front of the name of the 31-year-old biathlete, there is a surname in all protocolsKINNUNEN . This summer, the World Cup medalist in the relay got married and changed her passport.No, the citizenship of the Gorodok native has remained the same, and she is not going to change it. Because he loves the country. The athlete also loves to compete, so these days she is happy to race at the summer championship of Belarus. Having snatched half an hour between training and recovery procedures, in the cafe of the Raubich hotel, Nastya talks about her married life and the inevitable end of her career. In the meantime, parting with biathlon in the future, why not enjoy good races ...
- With what mood do you start the competitive season?
- Every time it's nice to return after control training to real races. The first start, of course, is always associated with stress, but now competitive practice is an integral part of the training process.
- Do you feel the breath of big competitions?
- Oh, we are looking forward to winter! That's how in childhood the kids are waiting for the New Year, so we are - the new season. I would like to plunge into competitions and fully concentrate on performances. According to the schedule, the winter training camp will begin in about a month, and there it is not far from the first stage of the World Cup.
Together with the Belarusians, Bjoerndalen competes in the national championship. Is there a sense of surrealism from what is happening?
- He is a legendary biathlete, and for young athletes his presence is a great motivation. I can’t say that we train right side by side with him, but we have a short off-season, and such intersections are inevitable. And so, already accustomed to the Norwegian. Ole Einar is a wonderful person, simple, interesting. Very open and pleasant in communication.
- The news of your wedding was a big surprise ...
- It's normal for a woman to get married, so there's nothing supernatural about it. Our inner circle knew about our plans. But, you see, my husband and I are not public people to demonstrate our relationship to the whole world through social networks or something else. I think that in general it is necessary to take out private information to people less. But I had to inform my fans that an important event had happened in my life. And the day before, there were no secrets: they were preparing for the celebration, everything was for real.
- Was the ceremony beautiful?
- Signed in Finland between training camps. I did not want big celebrations, so everything turned out as I wanted. And in August they organized a holiday for friends and relatives. They arranged a themed evening, sustained in an authentic style. We each put on our national costume and prepared traditional dishes from our cuisines. My husband cooks very well, so I was lucky.
It was a very pleasant evening, everyone enjoyed the good atmosphere and company. It was important to feed the Finns with Belarusian food. I understand that borsch is not exactly our traditional dish, but everyone really liked it.
- How long do you have to meet before it comes to formalizing the relationship?
- It happens differently for everyone, but this feeling appears by itself. You want to be with this person ... I want to say that all my life. I can't get ahead of myself and calculate moves. But we are good with each other, so we are together. By itself, the seal in the passport is not as important to me as the opportunity to be close to this person. But, since we are a family, taking the husband's surname is a mandatory step. It was my initiative.
Was this decision easy?
- When I agreed to get married, I immediately decided that the surname should be common. And from a sporting point of view, I do not see anything terrible. Yes, they now write Kinnunen next to my name. But this is a natural process, women often switch to their husband's surname. And there are enough such examples in biathlon. There were some difficulties with the documents, but everything has already changed everywhere.
- In the protocols of the championship of Belarus they also write Duborezova ...
- That's why I shot badly in the sprint! When they change, I will start “drawing” zeros. She told her husband, an avid hunter, that she missed four times in the sprint. He replied that it was not possible. I had to jokingly explain that I shot under my maiden name, so it’s forgivable, but I’ll immediately correct myself under the new one. It's not the case, so to shame the name of the hunter. In general, they laughed at the situation.
- What language is spoken in your family?
- In English. I haven't mastered Finnish yet, but I struggle with it stubbornly. It is a very interesting and beautiful language, I like listening to Finns. They speak on the exhale - it gives a special charm. You read the words, it seems that you have already remembered something, you perceive something by ear, but you still can’t speak the language.
- Uni helps teach?
Why Yuni? Ahri!
- But everywhere your spouse is called Yuni Kinnunen ...
- I don't know why it happened. Initially there was someone's mistake. I didn't give my first name, only my last name. So they compared it with the pictures of the Finnish biathlete Juni Kinnunen. The surname is common in the country - therefore, they concluded that I married Yuni, but no one began to clarify. We laughed at this situation for a very long time, deciding who I still married. It is clear that people wanted to know who it was. Ari loves and respects sports very much, but he has never been a biathlete or any other professional athlete.
Does your spouse help you train?
- Not! The information that he is the mentor of the Finnish team is also incorrect. He doesn't train at all. Of course, he gives some human hints, but he will not undertake to give me specialized advice. The Finns have a slightly different attitude to the matter, not like ours, where you got a crust and that's it, you are already a specialist. If you take on something, you start from the beginning. There was a situation. Once Ari asked if he should go to a running school. And he knows how to run, I think, why would he need it. He answered that he wants to put on a technique and learn how to run correctly in order to do it for a long time and conquer marathons. In our country, the situation is reversed, especially in children's sports. Before teaching the child the basics of technology, he is first put on rollers, and only then the specifics are explained. And out of ignorance in the future can cause harm to health. So the Finns have a different approach to such issues, and the spouse simply will not take the liberty of correcting my preparation or something else.
- How did you meet?
- We saw each other for the first time after training at one of the training camps. He lives in Joensuu, not far from Kontiolahti. They didn’t even know if there would be a second meeting. And then found on the Internet, talked, there was a mutual interest. Later he began to visit me. So everything turned around.
- Did you show him Belarus?
- It was with us in the spring. I can’t say that something really surprised him, because he often visited Russia, and we have a lot in common in nature and climate. But Ari liked it. If there is a choice to go towards St. Petersburg or our forests, we go to the forest - because it is easier to breathe. We were in the Berezinsky Reserve, walked along the trails - very good.
- Do you study Finland?
- Every time we come home, we come up with a new kind of activity. We ride bicycles, walk a lot, develop routes. I need to keep fit, train - so we combine walks and classes. And I like Finland for a long time, I visited it for the first time at the age of 16. I have already been to many places and what I have seen - it is good and beautiful there, full of lakes and forests.
- Have you formed an opinion about local people?
- I'm not ready to single out a common national trait yet, but the people are interesting. Not everyone speaks English, sometimes there are difficulties with communication. But they are very punctual, if they promise something, they will fulfill it. I was born in Soviet times and I remember something. And now there is something in the Finns, from the USSR: modest, do not climb into your soul, but positive. They are not ambitious, but very cheerful. People in yellowish color, as in old Soviet black-and-white photographs with a yellow tint. This is how I see Finns.
- Is there room for a honeymoon in your schedule?
We have honey every month. We meet between sessions. Now, in addition to my parents, I also have houses in Belarus and Finland. And everywhere is good. I don’t always go to Joensuu during a short break, but my husband and I meet somewhere else. Every time we have an interesting program, there is no time to be bored. In the near future we plan to meet and ride bicycles. While it is beautiful and there is no rain, you need to catch the moments of golden autumn.
- After marriage and change of surname under the Finnish flag, were they invited?
- What are you, no! I think few people are aware that I am now married to a Finn. Maybe just Kaisa Mäkäräinen and a couple of other girls. I wouldn't change nationality. I went to school here, I love our country. And I will play for Belarus while I am engaged in professional sports.
Are you thinking about ending your career?
- It's inevitable. I don’t think far, maybe I’ll finish in a year or two. But after the 2018 Olympics, I will say goodbye to sports for sure. After last season, there were thoughts of finishing. Didn't understand what was happening. The work was done, but the result was not. However, I figured out the reasons and wanted to continue.
- Is this decision connected with the change of the head coach of the team?
- Partially, yes. I understood that new people were coming to the team, and I decided whether to stay in the team in the new situation. After all, the renewal of the coaching staff is an invariable innovation for which I was not quite ready. But Valery Polkhovsky allowed to train according to the established schemes with Fedor Svoboda. I wanted to work with him and got the opportunity, so the coaching factor was important when deciding to continue performing. Moreover, Svoboda learned a lot from working with Eder. Frankly, I wanted to train with Alfred. I know how positively his lessons affect my shooting, and all the good things that happened to me on the shooting range last season are the results of his work.
- Does the coaching influence of Valery Polkhovsky extend to you?
- He's the head coach. We talked and found out that he was not against our work with Fyodor Svoboda.
In my opinion, dialogue with the coach is very important for older athletes. You don't just get a task and go to do it. This practice is being abandoned more and more. This is where collaboration is important. And good knowledge of each other is of great importance. Fedor Anatolyevich saw how I came to biathlon, he remembers me from cross-country skiing. I trust him. And with new people, contact is not established so quickly. Mutual understanding is important.
You have finished in the top 50 overall for the last two seasons. How does this result compare with the ambitions of the former skier?
- Believe me, now there are no ambitions. They were before, when I thought, the more you practice, the better you will show the result. The mechanism was completely different. You need to listen to your body, know your personal abilities, see what can be developed and improved. To do this, you need the help of a coach - to suggest, direct, help. And I came so enthusiastic, I needed a lot of volume training, sometimes I wondered why we didn’t shoot twice a day. Let's shoot, I'm ready! Now there is no such thing. As it turned out, in a professional career, ambition is more likely to interfere. You must do only as much as you can concentrate to do this job well. Klaus was well aware of this and accurately determined the amount of work for each of us.
- What advice from Siebert do you still use in sports and life?
- We do not want the name of Klaus to be forgotten, we always remember him with a kind word with the girls. His advice is important not so much for sports as for life. He taught us to enjoy life and take everything as a game. Including biathlon. He said: this is a game, you have to play, be relaxed and at the same time collected. You are a professional, you know how and know everything, and you just have to come to the race and enjoy it. Biathlon is such a kind that if you tighten up or are under stress, it is very difficult to gather yourself before shooting. Even in skis, you can’t go far if you are clamped. Therefore, he is our teacher not only in biathlon, but also in life. Without holding any meetings, Zibich strongly influenced us. You come to dinner, and there is a discharged friendly atmosphere. What wonderful times they were! We visited a lot of places with him, spent the weekend in a variety of ways. Next to Klaus lived and enjoyed. And they showed the result! Naturally, they worked hard, but they also knew how to relax. An invaluable man, and his advice is the same.
- Is there a temptation to follow the maternal path of Darya Domracheva?
- While I'm in sports, we don't think about children. We discussed the situation with my husband, whether I want to continue my career. We came to the conclusion that there are so many years of training behind us, and while it is interesting to compete and there is motivation, why not run? Let's talk about motherhood after sports.
- Have you thought about where you will live after the end of your career?
- Next to her husband. If we suddenly get together in Australia, I will go there with him. And so it is in Finland. In general, I understand that now I am happy. Of course, right at this moment you can find some kind of negativity and get upset. But what will it give? It’s easier to be happy with what you have, enjoy it and try to increase. Maybe yesterday I was dissatisfied with something, but today I found good points in it. Let's stop there.
Sportbox.ru collected all the news from the personal front of famous biathletes that happened during the offseason.
Malyshko got married
And his fiancee Ekaterina became parents in 2015, and they decided to postpone the wedding ceremony for a year. The event took place last summer in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, for which the Olympic champion stands. Biathlete Anton Shipulin, skier Ivan Alypov, skeletonist Olga Potylitsyna and other famous Russian athletes were guests at the wedding.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFdekITxHeoSoukalova got married
One of the most charming biathletes in the world, who won the Big Crystal Globe, got married at the end of the season. Her chosen one was the Czech badminton player Petr Koukal, whom Gabriela met for several years. The couple did not pay attention to signs and got married in May on Friday the 13th, trying to make the ceremony as private as possible. The Koukalovs asked their guests - and there were about 120 of them - not to make gifts for the wedding, but to send money for the treatment of a little Czech boy and his mother, who had a car accident. In honor of supporting charity, the guests, led by the newlyweds, were photographed with red clown noses.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFWuXlgj0zj/Duborezova laughed at the rumors about her husband
In the Belarusian national team, two athletes at once tied the knot. married a Finnish citizen named Kinnunen. At first, everyone thought that we were talking about the coach of the Finnish national team, but Duborezova laughed at this assumption. The duo celebrated the celebration with a joint morning workout the next day. And now Duborezova will perform under a new name.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ3ac3fAvzDDomracheva and Bjoerndalen became parents
The main off-season headliners are another Belarusian and. Journalists tortured the Norwegian for the whole season whether he would end his career in 2016 or not. However, Bjoerndalen revealed the main surprise without pressure from the press - in early April, he announced that he would become a father. His relationship with Domracheva lasted for more than a year, but only the news of the pregnancy became the reason to officially declare the love of the two strongest biathletes in the world. In July, the international duo posted a single photo from their wedding. Apparently, it took place in Minsk, where Domracheva chose to stay throughout her pregnancy.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BH8CEmFB3obAnd on October 1, the Belarusian woman gave birth to a daughter, Xenia, in the same place. Bjoerndalen was present at the birth and supported his wife.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLjTxqlhtROThe Norwegian will start the season alone, but in 2017 Domracheva plans to join him in international competitions.
Semerenko and Nowakowska-Zemniak became mothers, Fak - father
Which entered its name in the Olympic history in 2014, has not pleased the fans with its performances for a long time. First she treated injuries, and then she was expecting a baby. At the end of September, 30-year-old Vita and her husband, former football player Andrei Patsyuk, became the parents of little Mark. He was born in Canada. The press, in the best traditions, first attributed motherhood to Valentina Semerenko. However, the sister denied this information and wished her closest relative and nephew good health. Valentina, by the way, like Vita, will miss the upcoming season due to health problems. Both promise to be back in action by the Olympic season.
The birth of the first-born - the daughter - will definitely not be forgotten. He trained on a significant day and during the race the athlete was bitten on the lip by a wasp. Fak's mouth was swollen and he had to end his workout with a huge ice pack on his face. Suddenly the bell rang: the baby is about to be born! The Slovene rushed to his wife and helped her endure the contractions while his face kept getting bigger and bigger. “This is a very special occasion,” Fak shared of the birth of his daughter. - I forget about biathlon while holding Mila in my arms. No problems are important at this moment."