And today, with the assistance of the official payment partner of the Pyeongchang Games Visa, whose team includes the champion, Daria got in touch with SPORT.TUT.BY. She talked about the best psychologist Ksenia Bjoerndalen, moments of laughter from Ole Einar and what her ideal day off looks like.
Photo: Reuters
“I could have given up, but somewhere inside I knew: I can do it. That's what happened"
- You are the most titled biathlete in the world. Can you believe it?
Since childhood, I dreamed of becoming a world and Olympic champion, but I never kept track of titles and never set out to break anyone’s records. When journalists said that I was now the most titled, it was unexpected and very pleasant. But this is how it feels... Honestly, the crown does not grow at such moments. Perhaps in many years I will show my grandchildren my medals, then awareness will come.
Judging by the comments of Belarusians, during the women's relay the working day in the country came to a standstill - on that Thursday everyone watched the race.
My huge greetings to everyone who followed the Olympics and supported us. The girls really tried to please the fans. To be honest, the medal ceremony seemed incredibly short. I wanted to stand and stand on the pedestal and jump for joy with the girls.
Photo: Reuters
- What was going on inside when you had the coveted fourth gold of the Games in your hands?
You know, there was a feeling of great satisfaction. I understood: “Everything has happened and finally the way it should be!”. There were so many complications that happened throughout the Olympics. You could throw up your hands, give up and say: "Aw, everything is going wrong". But we understood that this was the path and the tests that were necessary and important to go through. I was once again convinced: you should never give up, no matter what difficulties you encounter.
Emil Hegle Svensen admitted that at the beginning of the Olympics he could not understand what was stopping him from winning a medal, and he specifically worked with a psychologist. Who helped you get ready psychologically?
Throughout my career, I have not had experience working closely with psychologists. I didn’t see the point in changing anything dramatically at these Olympic Games. I understood that I had enough experience to cope with such difficulties on my own. Somewhere inside I knew: I can. Fortunately, this is what happened.
“When I saw my baby’s face, I understood: the scale of Olympic adversity is not so overwhelming.”
- How did you spend your evenings after the first unsuccessful races?
Our sport mode is quite predictable. After any race - successful or unsuccessful - I returned to my room in the Olympic village, went for a massage, recovered, and replenished my energy reserves. And the best emotional release was calls to Minsk. Ole and I talked with Ksenia. When I saw the face of my beloved baby, I understood: the scale of the Olympic adversity is not as overwhelming as it seems at the moment.
Photo: Reuters
- Was the atmosphere tense before winning the first Belarusian medal?
When you fail to show the result that you want and can achieve, tension is in the air. Every member of our team experienced this. Of course, we tried not to show anger and not take it out on each other. At some moments, the punching bag was missing - it was necessary to give immediate vent to emotions and leave the negativity behind. I admit, it was not easy to tune in day after day, get upset, tune in again, and so on in a circle. I am very glad that the fighting spirit was enough until the very end.
- Your mother said that in the evenings she only had time to talk to you a little, and then Ksenia took the floor. What is a conversation like with a daughter who is only one and a half years old?
These were conversations on topics very abstract from biathlon (laughs). For the first time, Ksenia was left without her mom and dad for so long. At first it was a little exciting, but I understood: my daughter was in the capable hands of my mother and her nanny. Talking with Ksenia, I saw that everything was fine with her there and she wasn’t too worried about the fact that we weren’t around right now. Ksenia took the computer, took it with her and showed Ole and me what she had learned in our absence. The communication was almost complete - without physical contact, but still very emotional. It's great that we live in an age of high technology.
Photo: Daria Buryakina, TUT.BY
- We can say that you still have a personal psychologist.
Maybe you are right. After communicating with our little girl, strength and inspiration appeared to go out and fight further.
“If I stay at home on the weekend, I do something cozy, like baking.”
- How much time will you have to enjoy home and Minsk?
Very little. The season continues, and a few days after our return we will be heading to Kontiolahti. I will literally have one or two days to rest. In general, my ideal day off should take place in the fresh air: it could be a walk in the forest or a trip to the city. Lying on the couch is not for me. Of course, if it’s pouring rain outside, I can stay at home, but I’ll still be active: I’ll do some baking or something else cozy. My crown is pies, which have been associated with weekends since childhood.
Photo: Vadim Zamirovsky, TUT.BY
- Why was Ole Einar Bjoerndalen’s presence in Pyeongchang so significant for you?
Probably everyone understood that Ole was not going as a coach after all. The main preparatory work was done even before the start of the Olympics by those specialists who were actually my coaches. Ole Einar went with the team to Korea to support us and give us advice at the right time from the point of view of an eight-time Olympic champion.
Before the races, Ole worked with our service guys, helping them roll their skis. In general, it was of practical use when there were not enough extra legs and arms. Sometimes he gave advice, although as a professional athlete he understood that in certain situations it is better to remain silent and just be nearby. Often the best thing you can do is not to blurt out something unnecessary.
- And at the same time, he was your main emotional support at the Games.
Certainly. He tried to defuse the atmosphere in our home. In the Olympic village, athletes were accommodated in rooms arranged on an apartment basis. That is, the women's team lived in a three-room apartment. There were two people in each room. Ole Einar also lived with us. In the evenings, the girls and I gathered in the common kitchen, where Ole had a moment of laughter. It included fun sports programs from Norwegian television, which also included biathletes. This, of course, discharged and helped relieve the burden of tension.
0 11 February 2018, 13:00
Almost everyone has heard about the famous biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen. At 44 years old, the Norwegian is the world's only absolute Olympic champion in biathlon. In his homeland, in the city of Simostrand, a bronze monument was even erected to the athlete. Hundreds of articles have been written about Bjoerndalen’s sporting merits and discussed in dozens of interviews. But not much is known about the athlete’s personal life. And the biathlete’s life has been very stormy for the last few years. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, being married and having repeatedly stated that he was going to live a long and happy life together with his wife, fell head over heels in love with the Belarusian biathlete Daria Domracheva. We talk about how this love story began, which became fateful for Bjoerndalen, in our material on the site.
Daria Domracheva and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen met at the 2010 Olympics, which took place in Vancouver. That year, the biathlete turned 24 years old, and Bjoerndalen celebrated his 36th birthday. Of course, Daria and Ole Einar knew each other for a long time, because the world of sports is quite small. However, the Norwegian had been married to Italian biathlete Natalie Santer for several years, and it seemed that everything was perfect in the couple’s relationship.
They first started talking about the romance between Domracheva and Bjoerndalen in 2012. The reason for this was his divorce from his wife. They say that the 38-year-old biathlete decided to separate from his wife at that time precisely because of his relationship with 26-year-old Domracheva - in the summer they were together at a training camp in Austria, and it was then that feelings flared up between them.
In October 2012, Bjoerndalen and Santer released a joint statement announcing their divorce:
We must admit that our desire to live a long life together has not come true. A separate life awaits us ahead. We agreed that we would not say anything more than this statement. Please respect and understand our desire not to comment on this topic in future interviews,
- they said.
Despite the divorce, according to the Italian, she remained on good terms with her ex-husband and even sometimes communicates with him:
We are in contact periodically, and I am aware of everything that is happening in his life,
— she admitted in one of the interviews.
Despite, although not very pronounced, but still publicity, great fame and enormous public interest, the couple managed to hide their romance for a very long time. Of course, many of their fellow biathletes knew that Daria and Ole Einar were connected by something more than just a professional relationship. And although they tried to keep the lovers’ secret as long as possible, it was still extremely difficult not to spill the beans. The first to give up was French biathlete Martin Fourcade, who answered the question about Domracheva literally as follows:
I have a good relationship with her. True, not as close as Bjoerndalen’s,
- he said.
After the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Bjoerndalen and Domracheva spent quite a lot of time in each other’s company, although even then their romance had not yet been confirmed. After this, the paparazzi managed to photograph the lovers together several times in an informal setting. But both of them remained silent about their love affair.
When there was nothing left to hide and there was no need, Bjoerndalen in the spring of 2016, at one of the press conferences, not only confirmed his relationship with Domracheva, but, one might say, shocked the public by declaring that he would soon become a father.
In July of the same year, 42-year-old Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and 29-year-old Daria Domracheva got married, which, by the way, each of them announced on their social networks. The wedding, which was attended only by close and dear couples, was very modest and took place abroad (where exactly is not reported).
Such a pleasant day :) (the author’s spelling and punctuation have been preserved. - Ed.), Domracheva commented on the photo on Instagram.
What a beautiful day,
— the biathlete wrote in Norwegian, English and Russian on his Facebook.
On October 1, 2016, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and Daria Domracheva became parents - the couple had a daughter, whom they named Ksenia. After the lovers legalized their relationship, they decided to no longer hide their personal lives - now there are many family photos on their social networks, including photos with their one-year-old daughter (although they, like many, do not show her face).
Now the couple, according to sources, live in Minsk, where Daria built a luxurious house several years ago. The biathlete had already fallen in love with local cuisine and began to master the Russian language. He admits that he plans to teach his daughter three languages: Russian, Norwegian and English.
This year, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen went to the Olympics for the first time in the last 20 years as a coach, and Belarusian athletes became his wards. Alas, the results that he demonstrated at the last Biathlon World Cup did not impress the representatives of the Norwegian team at all, so they did not include him in the team. However, neither the athlete nor his fans should be upset, because a coaching career can become a new stage in his sports career, and quite successful and significant. But he has already won his main victory - he has become a wonderful husband and father, and this award is perhaps more important than all the gold medals.
Photo Gettyimages.ru/Instagram
The biathlete, in an exclusive interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda, told us how Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and daughter Ksenia helped her cope with difficulties and win Olympic medals.
Golden finish of Daria Domracheva in the relay. She became the only four-time Olympic champion in biathlon.
This Olympics for Daria Domracheva began with difficulties: extreme weather conditions, instead of podiums - places in the fourth ten. But she believed in her strength, for which she was rewarded: silver in the mass start, gold in the relay and the title of the most titled biathlete in history (no one had ever won four Olympic gold medals for women before).
Golden girls. Photo: instagram.com/dadofun
Daria contacted us from the Olympic Pyeongchang.
- The gold relay race was enchanting. How did you celebrate the victory?
For now, the celebrations have been postponed until the end of the season. After the relay, everyone was so tired, exhausted, physically and mentally... We returned to the Olympic village joyful, sat with the girls, discussed the progress of the race. Then the coaches came and we all experienced all the emotions together during each stage. In fact, immediately after the finish there was such an emotional outburst that we were devastated afterwards.
- What traditions exist to celebrate victories? And how do you relieve fatigue?
We are professional athletes; the season does not end at one race. This is not a case where you can perform once and then throw your feet up against the wall. After the race, it is important to do a so-called cool-down (ride a certain number of kilometers on skis or a bicycle) to remove the lactate that has accumulated over the entire distance. It is important to go for a massage. And then just lie down on the bed and relax. And the celebration traditions are simple: loud joyful screams, hugs. We don't throw parties. We will organize a real celebration at the end of the season. We have three more World Cup stages ahead, it’s important to stay in shape. There was a lot of stress in Pyeongchang, we need to let the body recover.
You said that, given all the difficulties that were at this Olympics, mass start silver for you has a golden tint. Can you remember all these difficulties and laugh at them from the height of a new peak?
You still won't be able to laugh. All the same, these are experiences; from the first day of the Olympics there were difficult moments. The same weather conditions that did not want to be on our side. Biathlon is a sport where different factors must come together. It's not enough to just be in good shape. It is important that luck is with you, all circumstances are on your side. So that the skis work great. Of course, in the beginning it was not easy to get ready after defeats for the next start, for the next fight. It's great that we managed to break through this wall of obstacles. Win, snatch that silver, and then gold. Now I can say that the Olympics were a success. This is probably why these medals are more valuable: silver and this incredible gold. From the very beginning, the Olympic Games and our relay separately were like a thriller, a drama. Everything ended with a happy ending for us.
During your career, you have had different situations... Don’t you feel like someone from above is testing you, and then rewarding you for your efforts?
Such thoughts happen. And I feel that there are always some tests on my way: of my strength and self-confidence. It's important not to give up.
- Do you believe in God or higher powers?
I believe that there is something Great above us.
How did you worry and how did you cope when your husband Ole Einar Bjoerndalen failed to qualify for the Olympics?
It was a very difficult period for us and for him first of all. I tried my best to support him. I believed until the last moment that he would still be able to perform in Pyeongchang. It so happened that all his preparation was carried out with an eye to the Olympics. Maybe the fact that we still had to get to the Olympic Games was not taken into account enough and we had to be in shape, at a high level of readiness, not only here in February, but also at the beginning of the season.
- This is your first Olympics with your husband. How did Ole Einar Bjoerndalen help you?
I think you've seen the photographs, the athletes in the Olympic village lived in ordinary apartment-type houses. We lived in an apartment with three rooms. In one - Ole and I, in the other - girls from the team. We lived together, experienced difficult moments together, supported each other, and rejoiced at the success that resulted. Of course, Ole’s presence became a significant support, he was a support for me. You saw what difficult moments there were at the beginning of the Games, it was important to remain steadfast. It was very important for me that Ole was nearby. I feel that my loved one is supporting me. Not so much any advice, but just him being there - and I know that everything should be fine.
After the mass start you said: “Today he was on the track - for me it turned out to be a happy sign.” And at the relay, Bjoerndalen was near the track. Why wasn't he there for the first three races?
Before this, there were races in which it was important to deliver information along the distance. At the Olympics, the number of personnel who can be present near the track is limited. Ole took a position near the computer screen and radioed information to our coaches near the track, for example, what time was behind or ahead. He was at the Alpensia stadium, but not on the track itself. When Ole came out into the snow, it turned out to be a happy sign for us.
- How did you communicate with your daughter Ksenia these two weeks?
Every day we called each other on Skype. It was such an outlet that you could talk to her. After this, all adversity immediately decreased in scale. I understood that this little man could give so many positive emotions, which could also energize and help. All the difficulties were forgotten and at the next competition I came out ready to fight again. This was very important for me too.
Your mother told us how Ksenia watches biathlon: “She repeats all the time: “Mom! Mother! Mother!" And when he sees you on TV, he immediately runs to the screen to hug you. What was the first word she said?
The first word was "Mom".
- What fairy tales do you read to her?
And those that I know from my childhood. And Norwegian ones. We try to give Ksyusha as much as possible, and she is a big fan of books, of which we have a lot. In short, we read a lot.
In 2010, you said that your goal was to win the Olympics and create a happy family. What is the goal now? How long will you continue to compete in biathlon? You hinted that this is your last Olympics, and Yuri Albers said that you might change your mind.
You know, now I have such good emotions, wonderful experiences after yesterday’s award ceremony. I want to enjoy this moment and think about the future later.
- Who did your manicure with the national flag of Belarus?
Here in Pyeongchang it was done by local specialists, where there is a small corner for girls. In a free minute, Nadya Scardino and I painted our flag; it was cool to go out with such a manicure to the awards ceremony.
If you add up all the top awards they have won during their careers, you may well end up with the gold reserves of a small African country. The famous spouses Daria Domracheva and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen finally retired from biathlon this year and plan to start life with a clean slate, on which no one has yet asked for an autograph.
- Is it difficult to build relationships in a family where both spouses have championship ambitions?
We try not to mix sports with the personal: in any family, the most important thing in a relationship is mutual respect and understanding, and let the comparison of personal ratings, regalia, and victories remain on the tracks. We don’t try to compete with each other, but we both understand how everyone needs self-realization, so we support each other in any endeavors and move in the same direction.
Since we are in the same situation, both have completed their sports careers, we can say that we have the same goal for both of us. I find it very exciting to try to achieve something together.
Is it possible to say that one of the reasons for leaving is that you are tired of the increased attention to your couple, which made it difficult to concentrate on sports?
D.D.:- No, this moment does not bother us at all. Popularity comes to an athlete gradually, depending on the results. Accordingly, you gradually get used to it. So there was no shock: “Wow! Everyone is paying attention to us!” - and even more so, this did not serve as an impetus for ending his career. Everything is more prosaic: the moment simply came when, in certain circumstances, a decision had to be made.
Daria, it’s easier for your husband: despite the fact that he is a biathlon legend, there are many great athletes in the Norwegian team, and his parting with the sport was relatively painless for Norwegian fans. Belarusian sports have recently been associated mainly with the names of biathlete Domracheva and tennis player Azarenka. Did you understand that by leaving the sport you would disappoint absolutely all sports fans from Belarus?
D.D.:- Of course, I looked at the situation from different angles. And I perfectly understand the regret in people’s hearts, but no matter when this happens - in a year or two or five, there would be no less sadness. At the same time, I heard many kind words of support and approval of my decision from a large number of my fans. In this situation today, I think we need to look for the positives. Now the whole reality is as it is, my dominance does not hide the real state of affairs in biathlon, although 4 years ago, and earlier, everything was no less obvious. Why did it happen that out of our entire women’s junior team, which won the World Championships held in Belarus in 2015, only Dinara Alimbekova made it to the Olympic Games in Korea? Why did one athlete leave for Ukraine, and the second had to miss an entire season due to overtraining? There are many questions.
I do not exclude that quite a large part of Belarusians follow biathlon and my victories gave a good emotional charge. Naturally, this was also a difficult moment for me when making a decision, but I have a small child growing up who needs his mother here and now, no one will compensate for the lost time - this is the main thing. Yes, I left, I left, giving quite a bit to the sport, but I ask all fans to continue to follow biathlon, the same Ira Krivko, other girls and boys who show promise and really need support in a difficult period.
- Can you say that you have fully realized yourself in sports?
D.D.:“I enjoyed every day I spent on the track and in training. This is probably the most important thing. There is no award in biathlon that I would not win, but even on the way to the titles I clearly understood that even a full package of awards was not my final goal in the sport. I left with the status of the most titled biathlete in the world, but this is not the goal, this is not what forced me to go the distance. Emotions are the main thing. Moreover, the more difficult the path, the more pleasant it is to realize the achievements: even if you win all the races without exception, your career would not be more beautiful. On the contrary, the difficulties added to the emotions and adrenaline before the next starts. I'm glad that I was able to go this route.
Three months after giving birth, you already took part in competitions, and soon won silver at the World Championships. How is this possible: actually from the maternity hospital back to big sport?
D.D.:- Of course, it was not easy, but in any business, if you set a goal for yourself and clearly understand why you need it, if you set yourself up correctly and motivate yourself, then any task that seems impossible at first glance will be able to conquer you. For me at that moment, the most important thing was to tune in and correctly understand everything that was happening. First I saw myself in training in my head, and then I went and did everything.
Probably your most famous fan is the president. Did he know about your decision before the others or only based on the final press conference? How did he react?
D.D.:“I, of course, tried to contact the president early, talked to his press secretary and informed her of my decision, asked her to pass on this information. The president and I did not have a personal conversation, but he, of course, found out before the rest of the country. It was difficult to break this news. I hope that he accepted and approved of my decision.
How was life structured in the champion family? How did you cope between and during the World Cup stages? Who put my daughter to bed, who washed the dishes, who packed her things for the journey to the next stage?
D.D.:- The bulk of the responsibilities for caring for my daughter fell on me, as in most families in the first year of the baby’s life. But we must pay tribute to Ole, he helped a lot - with changing clothes, diapers, getting up to the crib at night. During the competition, of course, priority was given to the athlete who had the closest race. If I spoke in the morning, Ole tried to take most of the responsibility upon himself, and vice versa.
But in general, babies have closer contact with their mother at first, so it was easier for me to calm the child down. And it is worth noting that while the responsibilities that concern my daughter largely fell on me, then all organizational issues were decided by my husband: moving, hotel booking, moving and accommodating the nanny who traveled with us, planning the route. We had a large van traveling with us, and we had to coordinate everything, organize the drivers, etc. This is a complex process that Ole was directly involved in.
- Is it easy for you to find a common language with each other’s relatives?
D.D.:- It seems to me that Belarusian and Norwegian cultures are quite similar. Unfortunately, my husband’s parents are no longer alive, I was not able to communicate with them, but I know all his brothers and sisters. Ole has a big family. Of course, there are some differences in mentalities, but, by and large, with regard to the approach to education and other things, there are many similarities between countries. For example, before oil was discovered in Norway, it was, as Ole says, a potato power. As for the differences, the standard of living in Norway is, of course, somewhat higher, but the most striking thing that catches your eye is that Norway is an incredibly athletic country. I am sure that many sports fans in Norway can seriously compete with professional athletes. Just everyone, or the absolute majority, exercises there; it’s nice to see that people take care of themselves and their health. Probably every family goes to the ski slopes on weekends; seeing this is just like a balm for the soul. The climatic conditions and preparation of the trails there, of course, allow you to enjoy all the delights of the winter months to the fullest. Although our winter season in Belarus is not so long, I would like people to use these couple of months more productively.
- Where do potatoes taste better, here or in Norway?
U-E. B.:- I didn’t feel much difference. Although here and in Norway for some reason it tastes better than in many European countries where I have been. What you cook from it also plays an important role. Let's say that in Norway and Belarus the traditional methods of preparing potatoes are different. You have potato pancakes, and my mother, for example, cooked something like pancakes using potato dough with cinnamon. If we continue the topic of gastronomy, I was pleasantly surprised that there is good food here at very reasonable prices.
- Which society, in your opinion, is more open - Norwegian or Belarusian? What are the differences?
U-E. B.:- I don’t know either Russian or Belarusian, so it’s difficult for me to answer this question. I can only rely on my observations. It seems to me that in Norway people are much more impulsive.
Belarusians do not show their emotions much; you can often hear the answer “fine” even about some grandiose event. This is the biggest difference for me so far.
- What surprised you most about Belarus?
U-E. B.:- Maradona in Belarus is definitely the biggest surprise (laughs). I was also surprised by how clean it is here. If you read articles about the Belarusian capital in the Norwegian press 3-4 years ago, it will not be the Minsk you can read about today. Today it is more attractive to tourists. Advertising the country abroad, in my opinion, is still not enough. And I think local travel agencies should do more work to promote Belarus in other countries.
D.D.:- For Ole, Belarus is a completely new country, and he wanted to see more than the city of Minsk and the Raubichi sports center. And since before that I devoted all my time to my career, I also visited few places in Belarus. Therefore, it is very interesting for both of us to travel to new places and get to know culture and nature better. For now, of course, we choose routes that will be acceptable for traveling with a small child. There were a lot of tips and suggestions, thank you for that. We will definitely experience one of the proposed activities ourselves - a trip through the swamps of the Vitebsk region on a swamp vehicle. Ole was impressed by the idea. Well, after Belarus we will visit unexplored places in Norway.
- Ole Einar, do you know that your wife is the first woman to receive the “Hero of Belarus” award?
U-E. B.:- No, I didn’t know that the first female hero.
- Are athletes given the highest government awards in Norway?
U-E. B.:- No, we don’t have such practice. The government has little involvement in the lives of athletes.
D.D.:- In Norway, things are different with these kinds of awards, but Ole is certainly very respected in his country. For example, the Royal Norwegian Orchestra was present at his end-of-career party. This was a big surprise for both Ole and the guests, because the Royal Orchestra does not usually perform for private individuals, it only plays at royal events, official occasions or international competitions.
- How did the orchestra get to your party?
U-E. B.:- My best friend Oyvind invited him, and each of the 96 members of the orchestra had to be negotiated separately. They rehearsed in their free time and gave everyone a great holiday.
-Can you compare your generation with the younger generation? Does he have ambitions?
D.D.:- It’s a difficult question, I didn’t have so many contacts with young guys. But recently we were at an event at the Olympic Committee - at the presentation of stamps with photographs of Olympians. Children were invited there, and, looking at how these boys and girls were inspired by even such a not-so-grand event and showed genuine interest, it seems that they will succeed.
As for comparisons, there will always be them. Our generation is compared with the generation of our parents, we will look at the difference between us and the generation of our daughter Ksyusha. I think education plays an important role in these matters. If children are taught to achieve high goals, they will do so, unless the goals may change over time.
How would you explain to modern youth, growing up in the era of globalization and social networks, what patriotism is and why they need to love their homeland?
D.D:- Here the issue of education also comes to the fore: nevertheless, first of all, everything begins not in social networks, but in the family. I understood very well from childhood that I would compete at international competitions for my country, even though I lived in Russia for 13 years, which, by the way, also gave me a lot and helped me grow into a serious athlete. I want to believe that I made some contribution to the development of Belarus, helped it become a little more recognizable, that my achievements in sports gave people emotions, forced them to set some goals for themselves, and, in the end, it would be cool, if they also brought delayed benefits, becoming motivation today for the achievements of others in the future. In general, is it possible to force love? You can’t learn to love your country either; it has to come from within. You absorb this from childhood, in the forest, where you go with your parents to pick mushrooms, in the arms of your grandmother, in family traditions.
Ole Einar, do you know that with the release of Decree No. 8 “On the Digital Economy” Belarus began to be called an IT country? Do you know anything about Belarusian high technologies?
U-E. B.:- I use Viber every day - it’s very convenient. It’s good that high technologies are supported in Belarus; this is important not only for developers, but also for the future of the country.
- And in Norway, besides biathlon and skiing, what other achievements and calling cards do you have?
U-E. B.:- We have good literature and architecture. And technologies related to the extraction of energy from renewable natural sources are also developing rapidly. We have many rivers, water energy is used. Automotive production is not yet very well developed, but now they have turned their attention to the production of electric cars. I think it's very important to support this.
- Daria, are you close to the positions of feminists?
D.D.:- No.
I can't imagine running bare-chested to protest or fight for women's rights. Of course, I am for equality, but the positions of feminists seem somewhat extreme to me.
I don't feel discriminated against. Equality goes without saying, but there must still be some difference between men and women. Of course, a woman’s ability to bring new inhabitants of the earth into the world is probably the main gift that she receives from nature. But I know absolutely for sure that in other areas, seemingly non-feminine, a woman is sometimes capable of even more than men. Conversely, some men are ahead of women in the professions intended for them (women) by society. And everything here depends not on gender, but on individuality, on an individual person, on what goals he sets for himself, on his attitude and upbringing, on his inner core. And the line that exists between the sexes cannot be erased, I am for femininity, for strong femininity.
The general secretary of the association “Belarusian Football Federation” Yuri Vergeichik got into a sexist scandal: despite the fact that his organization is developing women’s football, he publicly stated that “the purpose of women is to give birth, and not to work and abuse the body,” which aroused the wrath of feminists who organized flash mobs on social networks. Have you ever been told something like this to your face?
D.D.:- No, but I am very categorical about such statements. Moreover, if a high-ranking official speaks about this, it is a disadvantage not only for him, but also for his organization. Why can’t girls go kick a ball or run with a rifle, become Olympic champions and thereby glorify the country? Bringing new life into the world is the highest gift, it's the right thing to do, but why make a radical choice if everything fits together perfectly?
Daria, are you satisfied with your first steps in business? Do you devote a lot of time to developing the sportswear store from Daria Domracheva?
D.D.:- At the moment it’s more of a hobby, something that brings pleasure, but with elements of business. Now I am faced with the question of some kind of transformation of this process, I have ideas on this matter. Today I don’t have much time to devote to this project, but I really want what we do to inspire people to move. In general, life is multifaceted, it is important to develop.
- If Ksenia wants to follow the example of her parents into big sports, will you dissuade her?
D.D.:- Of course not. I am of the opinion that every child should play sports to one degree or another. At least for general physical development. We will help Ksenia choose the sport that will be close to her. Whether she chooses a sports path for herself in the future will be only her decision. Perhaps she will be a good designer, architect, or doctor - who knows?
- Have you considered the possibility of staying in Belarus?
U-E. B.:- Now we will live here for several months a year, we plan to travel a lot. I think we will make a decision and settle down in some place by the time Ksenia has to go to school.
D.D:- Much will depend on what we will do, what type of activity we will be associated with. Ole has many projects in Norway, and I have a lot to do with Belarus. Now, for several years, we will begin to combine life in Norway, Belarus and somewhere else. In the future we will have to decide more specifically, but for now there is time to think.
Many were sure that the daughter of Daria Domracheva and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen would be born abroad. They wondered: in the father’s homeland in Norway or in Austria, where did the star couple settle?
But the champions, assessing the high level of medical care, chose Belarus. Dasha could have given birth in any maternity hospital in Minsk: in the 5th, in the 2nd, in the Republican Scientific and Practical Center "Mother and Child", but in the end she decided to give birth in the 6th, choosing not the walls, but the doctor. Although the walls in the 6th are the envy of many, on September 1, the clinic opened a VIP department for women in labor: 4 studio rooms, each 36 square meters, with a kitchen and a bathroom. Inside there is a double bed, bedside tables, opposite there is a leather folding sofa - everything from the manufacturer Bobruiskmebel. The atmosphere is as if it were not in a hospital: everything is light and airy. On the windows there are blinds with the image of a palm and a globe on it.
During the birth of her first child, Daria Domracheva trusted Natalya Odintsova, one of the best obstetrician-gynecologists in Belarus, deputy chief physician for obstetric and gynecological care at the 6th maternity hospital. Today (October 3, 2016 - Ed.) the baby and mother feel well and through Komsomolskaya Pravda they convey words of gratitude for their support in this most difficult marathon distance to their many fans.
- Daria is a fighter on the ski track, probably a fighter in the delivery room too?- Komsomolskaya Pravda asked the doctor.
Yes, Dasha is very smart, very courageous, a real fighter, everywhere. The birth took place without pain relief; for her, as an athlete, there are certain restrictions.
Some, in order to relieve pain, give birth with epidural anesthesia (partial anesthesia, the woman in labor does not feel the lower abdomen. - Ed.), and Dasha?
Without, this is undesirable for her. She endured the entire birth process stoically. And the baby - 3650 - is quite large for her, Dasha is very thin.
- The first birth usually lasts longer than subsequent ones, how did Dasha cope with the birth?
Daria gave birth absolutely physiologically: not long, but not quickly, on average.
- Was Bjoerndalen there all the time?
Yes, he supported her in everything from beginning to end. Both the first and second days - all the time together - as Komsomolskaya Pravda later found out, only on the third day, on Monday, the famous Norwegian went to his first training session after the birth of his daughter.
- Some were worried: how would he communicate during childbirth, after all, there was a language barrier?
There was no barrier - I also spoke English to him. Dasha translated if any issues arose. Yes, everything was clear here.
- On a 10-point scale, what would you, as a specialist and super-professional, give to dad, mom and child?
The child is very good, it couldn’t be better!
- And Bjoerndalen? There are men who lose consciousness while attending childbirth.
No, he did not lose consciousness, he endured everything very courageously, and at the same time showed compassion. He was very supportive and showed tenderness. On a scale of 10, everyone is a ten. These are our golden champions - in everything. It is clear that they have a very touching relationship, incredible tenderness and compassion, it is clear that this is love, and not just the husband came as security, as happens.
- Grandma has already admitted that the girl is very beautiful, but who does she look more like?
The first feeling is on Dasha, but Ulina’s eyes. And today, it seems, she looks more like Ole. But the girl is from the Domrachev family. This international child took the best from the Domrachev and Bjoerndalen family.
- Now fans are trying to give Dasha different goodies, what can she have?
They eat what a woman in labor is supposed to eat. On Saturday we enjoyed rice porridge with chicken. Regular hospital food, they have everything you need.
- Is the baby with mom and dad all the time or is she taken away at night?
With them all the time.
Often the main problem for a woman in labor is her breasts: when the milk comes in, it turns to stone, you don’t know what to do with it while the baby gets used to it...
Dasha can do everything, the baby sucks perfectly. They don’t let go of the baby: either mom or Ole. Very sweet touching relationship. Ole, just as he picked up the baby for the first time in the delivery room, never let go of him again.
- What did the famous dad say in the first minutes?
He was incredibly happy, what can I say? We were busy with the process.
- Surely “Wow!”?
Probably “wow” (smiles). But he didn’t shout or make any noise - this is a very responsible matter and a very responsible family. Taking into account the fact that this is the first child, you understand how consciously, desired, and how he went towards this. He himself comes from a large family (five children) - for him and his family this was very important; in Norway it is a holiday, as in Belarus.