Sadriddin Saimatov: my goal is to present our compatriots with the first Olympic gold medal in karate
One of the sports whose competitions have been postponed due to the quarantine is WCF karate. The members of the national team of Uzbekistan effectively took advantage of this opportunity, focusing on technical and tactical training. In the -60 kg weight category, we conducted an interview with Sadriddin Saimatov, a member of the national team of Uzbekistan, multiple champion of Uzbekistan, Asian champion, winner of the Islamic Unity Games.
— Most likely, we can say that this year there are no international competitions in the calendar. What motivates you in training?
— We, athletes, are obliged to be ready not for specific competitions, but for every minute protection of the honor of the country. This is an aspect that inspires me. My goal is to see the flag of our Motherland on the top and make a small contribution to this. There are prestigious competitions ahead, and this will not be the last. There's not much time left until the big tournaments, and I have to make a serious bet on it with my eyes wide open. My opponents are conducting technical and tactical training against me while I'm resting. An athlete who has a goal in mind should never stop thinking about the reasons. The person who stops wants to sit down when the time comes, the person who sits says I stretch out and lie down. And a lying man's dreams die, and he is no different from a living corpse.
— What is the difference between the post-quarantine fees and the previous ones?
— Now that we have enough time, we pay more attention to mental training, observation, physical and technical aspects.
— What do you pay attention to in training in order to feel the main rivals?
— Many of our opponents do not compete as we do, and we prepare by working on technical errors, adding new additions to previous tactics.
— You were talking about dreams. What is the plan and goals?
— We have a lot of competitions ahead of us. Seeing a serious interest in them, I set a goal to successfully pass the qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games, adequately defend the honor of our country at the Olympics, and award our compatriots the first Olympic gold medal in karate.
