Ezio Gamba I am pleased with the performance team at the Olympics, two gold is a great result!

The general manager of the Russian national Judo team Ezio Gamba summed up the team performance at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Russians in Brazil have won two gold medals and one bronze medal. Olympic champions were Beslan Mudranov (weight category up to 60 kg) and Hasan Khalmurzaev (81 kg) and the bronze medal - Natalia Kuzyutina (up to 52 kg).

Champions created a spiritual atmosphere

- Ezio, the Russian wrestlers won two gold and one bronze. How do you assess the result of performances of the team?

- I think this is a good result. I am very pleased with the performance of athletes and how they manifested themselves in the Olympic Games.

- The level of judo in the world is aligned, in the men's tournament, medals were won by representatives of 16 countries, in the women - 20. As in this context can be estimated indicators the Russian team?

- Two gold medals at the Olympics – it is super good result. I think the result of an amazing team of Russia. We should not forget that any slightest detail could affect the outcome of the Olympic Games. So I think this result is stunning, especially when you look at it, where we started - given the situation with Meldonium (Mildronate) that there are yet four months ago. And I am glad that all the athletes were able to react to this situation and to express themselves in Rio de Janeiro. It is necessary to take into consideration the situation of children and women in the Olympic rankings, because it affects the results of the draw and, consequently, can not affect the results of the performances. Due to the situation with Meldonium (Mildronate) our athletes could not take part in some big tournaments, and had to be replaced by other athletes.

But in general, I would emphasize, I am very pleased with the results shown the Russian team at the Olympics. At the same time, I want to thank all the guys, the Olympic champion Tagir Haybulaev London, Mansur Isaev and Arsen Galstyan, bronze medalist of the 2012 Games Ivan Nifontov, as well as participants of the Olympics Kirill Denisov and Musa Mogushkov - would not want anyone to forget. They have created a wonderful atmosphere in the team is very friendly and open, and it helped the other boys to perform well at the Olympics. And it is pleasant to note that we have in Rio de Janeiro won the first in a long time, for 12 years, a medal in the women's judo. I think this is a good result.

But in general, I would emphasize, I am very pleased with the results shown the Russian team at the Olympics. At the same time, I want to thank all the guys, the Olympic champion Tagir Haybulaeva London, Mansur Isaev and Arsen Galstyan, bronze medalist of the 2012 Games Ivan Nifontova, as well as participants of the Olympics Kirill Denisov and Musa Mogushkov - would not want anyone to forget. They have created a wonderful atmosphere in the team is very friendly and open, and it helped the other boys to perform well at the Olympics. And it is pleasant to note that we have in Rio de Janeiro won the first in a long time, for 12 years, a medal in the women's judo. I think this is a good result.

The Judo team of Brazil, which stands at home with the support of the fans crazy, too, was able to win only one gold and two bronze medals. And if you compare the performance of all the teams, our results amazing. At the Olympic Games are the athletes from 136 countries, and many of them show the highest level. For example, in the weight category up to 66 kilograms of Italian Fabio Basile, located at 26 th place in the world rankings, won the Olympics! For him, no one set, but he possessed the required tremendous energy and he had nothing to lose. This is the Olympic Games!

Gold Medals of Mudranov and Khalmurzaev are not surprise!

- What can you say about the tournament debutants Beslan Mudranov and Hassan Khalmurzaev, who won the gold medal?

- For me it was not a surprise. Beslan is a three-time European champion and World Championship silver medalist. All those who achieve such a result at the Olympic Games are over their shoulders a huge amount of work previously done training.

And Khalmurzaev is European champion this year, and he won in Kazan Georgian Avtandil Chrikishvili that before the Olympics was at the first position in the world ranking. And his victory - this is not a surprise for us, because he was well prepared for the tournament, and in his weight class, as in the other, a very high level of competition for a place in the lineup. In this title we have Ivan Nifontov and Sirazhudin Magomedov, and Alan Hubetsov. Five of our competitors in this category have won the right to play in the Olympics, can you imagine?

And all the participants of the Games are already very tough selection to win a place in the Olympic team. I believe that, and Ivan, had fought in Rio de Janeiro, could win a medal, and Sirazhudin, and Alan. Hassan every day in sparring meetings converges with judokas, who are in the top 16 in the world and have a very high skill level. And in the category up to 73 kg, for example, we have both the Musa Mogushkov, who at the last competition lost only Koreans, the world champion.

- How would you rate the performance of Natalia Kuzina, which has long been was selected to world leaders?

- Bronze medal - this is a very good result. Natasha is a real workaholic, and she believed he could win the Olympics. I believe that it all could happen. But because of the (uncertain) situation with Meldonium (mildronate) Natasha could not take part in the final competitions before the Olympics. And yet, she had a chance to go (in the quarterfinals) Japanese girl Misato Nakamura, and then play in the finals.

- How can we explain the failure experienced athletes: repeated medalist Kirill Denisov of the world (up to 90 kg) and Olympic champion Tagir Haybulaeva 2012 (up to 100 kg) lost in the first bouts of the tournament?

- I believe that this is not a matter of luck. All the guys were very well prepared. But we must take into account and such time as the psychological pressure. Kirill really wanted to win at the Olympics, but when you want to achieve a lot, you also spent a lot of energy in anticipation of match. And, perhaps, Kirill still burned out by this situation.

And Tagir really is a bit unlucky, because he could not before the Olympics to participate in a number of major competitions, and this affected his position in the Olympic rankings. And so as a result of the draw he had already met in the first round with a world ranking leader (Azerbaijani Elmar Gasimov, who won silver in the end). In addition, shortly before the Olympic Games Tagir injured shoulder. We must express our gratitude and to say thanks to the guys, because they practiced every day, they took medals in major competitions throughout the Olympic cycle.

At the Olympics wrestlers were the best

- In what weight categories we were close to the podium, but it was not possible to achieve this?

- I believe that we have significant progress in the heavyweight division. Renat Saidov (over 100 kg) of today could qualify for a medal, but in the second meeting, he conceded to the representative of Brazil. It should be noted that the opponent - a very noble and strong athlete, and moreover, he has struggled at home. Renat and in recent months, he could not speak at major competitions because of the situation with Mildronate. And it is also affected. At the same time we should not forget about the psychological pressure which was before the Olympics. But, despite all the negative atmosphere around the whole of the Russian national team, all the guys came to the Olympics well prepared psychologically.

Xenia Chibisova (78) also made great progress, it has grown significantly and today, for example, won a German woman, who ranked fourth. And here we must remember how it started. She left the judo classes and resumed only four years ago. And during that time virtually zero, it made its way to the Olympic Games and defeated a strong opponent. But then she met a Cuban Olympic champion Idalis Ortiz. And in order to win the champion, because it is necessary to be able to psychologically overcome yourself.

- Denis Yartsev (up to 73 kg) for 40 seconds before the end of the tournament consolation bout was leading. What he did not have to bring the fight to win?

- I believe that Denis in the last battle in the quarterfinals, actually held a reception, leading to a clear victory - "ippon". But influenced by the human factor, the referee assessed the reception in another, lower estimate ("Vasari"). Judges may also be wrong (the Russians eventually defeated). Do not forget that it is very much at the Olympics solves the draw, while the Russians because of the passage of a number of major tournaments could not improve their position in the ranking. And Dennis took off his glasses for a performance at the tournament in Paris, so that he was on a different, lower, place in the ranking. And Michael Pulyaev (66 kg), imagine taking a doping test at a tournament in Bratislava, 20 days before the show in Rio de Janeiro, here two days before the start took the blood sample, and in the morning on the day of the tournament was given a piece of paper, it is necessary to take a drug again. How is this possible when the athlete need to act and to tune in to the fight? It must be fully focused and he take doping tests.

- Ezio performances of individual athletes at the Olympics can be seen as successful and as not very successful. In the case of the categories in which we have failed to win a medal, you do not have some inner feeling that you have not guessed with the choice?

- I do not think we made a mistake in the selection. We have selected the best athletes, who were on higher ground in the ranking - based on their level of preparedness, physical and psychological. And there is no regret - all boys and girls have earned the right to participate in the Olympic Games. And we must take into account the fact that even five days before the start of the competition the athletes did not know whether the act in Rio de Janeiro, allow the Russian national team to participate or not. And in such a situation it is very difficult to continue to train and prepare for the Olympics, where the possible suspension constantly talk on television, radio, newspapers. When decision time all pulled and pulled ...

Once again I want to emphasize that I am pleased with how the team of Russian athletes were at the Olympic Games.