“I love Pogba and Ronaldo. I try not to watch RFPL.” perhaps our coolest volleyball player. Interview with Dmitry Volkov from “Torch” Dmitry Volkov volleyball player personal life wife

Big sport №10 (116)

Text: Dmitry Maslov / VK “Fakel”

In early September, the Russian volleyball team won gold medals at the European Championships held in Poland. The most valuable player of the tournament was recognized as the diagonal player of our team, Maxim Mikhailov, and the symbolic team included two of his teammates - setter Sergei Grankin and finishing player Dmitry Volkov. This 22-year-old athlete was effective in attack and made 15 effective blocks, becoming one of the discoveries of the tournament. We asked one of the most talented young volleyball players in the world about the European Championship, the Fakel club, for which he plays, and discussed the prospects for popularizing volleyball.

Dossier

- Born on May 25, 1995 in Novokuibyshevsk
- Since 2011 he has been playing for Fakel (Novy Urengoy)
- Challenge Cup Winner (2017), Final MVP
- World champion among players under 19 years old (2013)
- World champion among players under 23 years old (2015)
- World champion among players under 21 (2015)
- European Volleyball Champion (2017), included in the symbolic team of the tournament

You captioned your photo after the victorious final of the European Championship “easy skating rink.” Was the tournament really easy for you?
The signature is, of course, a joke. At that moment she matched my mood. You yourself saw that the match with the Germans was difficult, like the entire championship. Some say that not all opponents played with optimal lineups, but this is not true. Except that the Italians were missing Ivan Zaitsev and Osmani Juantorena, all the other strongest players played.

The Poles clearly performed unsuccessfully at the tournament.
These are their problems. They had all the leaders in their lineup. Perhaps the Slovenians played a perfect match against them in the playoffs. We watched it as a team. Rather, it was not Poland that lost, but Slovenia that won. They were very strong.

The German team's exit to the final was a surprise for me. And for you?
Same. We expected to see the Serbs in the decisive match. But the Germans played decently both with the Balkans and with us.

How do you evaluate your own performance? Tournament MVP Maxim Mikhailov said that Dmitry Volkov was more worthy of this title.
I do not think so. Mikhailov is a handsome guy, he did a cosmic amount of work, scored all the difficult goals. And he deservedly received the title of most valuable player. I admire Maxim - he has maintained the highest level since he was 10 years old.

Does the Russian team have reserves to strengthen their game?
First of all, this is the return of Dmitry Musersky. An outstanding volleyball player, he will strengthen any team.

In 2016, naturalized Slovakian Lukas Divis made his debut in the Russian national team. How do you feel about his appearance in the team?
It's okay, he's a good guy, funny. You could say he’s already Russian. Speaks our language calmly.

What are your main reserves for progress in volleyball?
In all components of the game. But first of all in the counterattack.

Is it easy for you to psychologically adjust from the European Championship to playing for the club?
Of course, it's a little hard. I didn’t have a vacation in the summer; we were purposefully preparing for the tournament in Poland. You can't spend the whole season at your peak, so right now I'm not in optimal condition. But it’s okay, I’ll gradually reach my level.

Last season “Fakel” took fifth place. What is the challenge facing the club now?
The director set the goal of getting into the top three and qualifying for the Champions League. I consider this goal achievable.

There are no foreign players on your team. Is this a principled position?
As far as I know, the club has been banned from foreign players due to debts to some players.

Does this situation seriously worsen Fakel’s chances of winning the prize? How do you generally feel about the limit on foreign players?
We have chances, and they are quite real. But I’m not ready to talk about the limit - I’m a volleyball player, my job is to go on the court.

Your club plays home matches in Novy Urengoy, and is based in the Moscow region. Is this arrangement comfortable for you?
The downside is that every game we have is essentially an away game. At the same time, we have no transfers. We fly on regular flights in economy class. It seems to me that this is better than living in Novy Urengoy.

As far as I know, the Fakel base is located near Serpukhov. How do you spend your free time there?
I try to somehow entertain myself - I go to the cinema, watch TV series. I’m not doing anything special, I’m recovering. There is really little free time - we train, fly, play.

"Fakel" is your first professional club...
The only one. I have a contract, and I fulfill its terms and give my all in the games. And at the moment I am not considering offers from other teams.

In Poland, where the European Championship was held, volleyball ranks second in popularity after football. How do you like playing in Russia, where there are much fewer spectators?
There is a great atmosphere at matches in Poland. I really like it when there are a lot of spectators. Even if they root against me. Still pushes me! But few people come to some games of the Russian championship. To be honest, I don’t know what needs to be done to make the situation change.

Which Russian cities have the best volleyball attendance?
I’ll single out Kemerovo – it has the best atmosphere at matches in Russia, it’s nice to play there. In Novy Urengoy, attendance greatly depends on the opponent. I would like people to go to all games like they did to the matches with Zenit-Kazan.

Magnitogorsk Metallurg has a tradition - every year hockey players are given excursions to the plant. Have you visited Gazprom enterprises?
Never been. But I am for any movement and diversity, so it would be interesting to see how people work.

One of the messages of such excursions to production is to show athletes how people work in difficult conditions for amounts that are significantly lower than their income...
I don't think this story is about volleyball. Our salaries are not as huge as football players. I have never heard anyone complain about our income.

Does it make sense for Russian players to go abroad? Would you like to try yourself abroad?
Stars in other countries are also offered very good contracts. On the one hand, it would be interesting. On the other hand, everything is different there – mentality, life, language. So still, no. I am a patriot, I love Russia.

Your height is 201 cm. Does it cause inconvenience in everyday life? Is it easy to find suitable clothes and shoes?
I buy everything in stores, I don’t sew anything to order. Sometimes you like something, but there is no suitable size. In this case, I choose from what is available.

In March, there was a scandal surrounding the former player of your club, Alexander Kimerov, who was removed from a Pobeda flight after he did not fit into the seat and swapped places with a passenger...
This is an isolated case. As a rule, flight attendants and passengers take my height into account, meet me halfway, and allow me to move to a more comfortable seat.

Your uncle Evgeniy Petropavlov played volleyball professionally. Was it this fact that predetermined your life choice?
From the fifth grade I already knew that volleyball would become my job. I studied well, but this is more for mom and dad. My uncle and I lived next door, I often went to visit him, he told me what to do in a given situation. You could say my uncle was my idol.

You missed the 2013/2014 season due to back problems. Were you afraid that you would have to end your career without really starting it?
Russian doctors said that there was no chance of recovery and suggested that before it was too late, I should switch to studies. But I believed, I went to a Swiss clinic. There they reassured me and told me what to do. I followed their recommendations for six months, and everything worked out.

An immodest question: who paid for the trip to the clinic and your recovery - yourself or the club?
Everything was paid for by the All-Russian Volleyball Federation.

We often hear that professional athletes approach the end of their careers as chronically ill people. Do you agree?
Certainly. This is far from physical education. There are many injuries, including among very young players. It’s not surprising: the workload is very high, in matches and in training you give 100%.

Former team player for the Russian national team Pavel Abramov, after finishing his career, successfully took up farming. Will you choose a more traditional route?
I’m only 22 years old, so I haven’t seriously thought about what I’ll do. I can only say that it’s definitely not agriculture. Partners on the Russian national team said that towards the end of his career, Abramov read a lot on topics that interested him and took notes. I'm not surprised it worked out for him. Pavel is a very smart person.

As far as I know, you are fond of reading biographies of famous athletes...
This is true. Whenever I come across something interesting, I read it. Not every day, depending on the situation. For example, on an airplane. I want to know how people achieved such heights.

Do you have an idol in volleyball?
Since childhood I admired the game of Sergei Tetyukhin, as long as I can remember, I understood that he was a great player. Even when he was not so titled. I like the way Maxim Mikhailov acts. These are true professionals in their field.

Tetyukhin continues his career at 42 years old. What is the secret of such athletic longevity?
I don’t understand how you can play to that age. Sergei is simply handsome, he loves volleyball very much.

Have you ever thought: “Why do I train every day? I could do this and that.”
Never. I like my job very much. I’ve dreamed about her since childhood and wouldn’t trade her for anything.

Which coach had the biggest influence on you as a player?
Everyone contributed something. I have long dreamed of training with Vladimir Alekno, and last year it became a reality. Having received a call to the pre-Olympic training camp, I didn’t even imagine that I would be able to get to the Games: there were very strong and experienced volleyball players in my position. And I am very grateful to Alekno for including him in the lineup. He was not afraid to take two young players to Rio de Janeiro - me and Yegor Klyuka. We were 21 years old.

The current head coach of the Russian national team, Sergei Shlyapnikov, is famous for his ability to work with young people. What percentage of the team's success at the European Championships will you attribute to the coach?
Very difficult to determine. Everything worked out in our favor. Coaches, players, medical staff - everyone was involved in the victory. Everyone deserved a gold medal.

Has it changed your life in any way? They began to get more recognition on the streets, sponsors appeared...
Nothing changed. They don’t find out often, mostly at the airport. Recently I was walking in the park, and a girl came up to me. We are not football players, who, even playing for the nominal Amkar, are quite famous. In Russia, volleyball is not such a popular sport and is not shown on television very often. If I’m not mistaken, only two of our matches at the European Championship were broadcast live on the Match TV channel.

Do you think that if volleyball is shown in the same volume as football, the popularity will become comparable?
Volleyball is, of course, more difficult to watch. A person who turns on the broadcast for the first time may not understand the nuances of the game; football is simpler in this regard. Maybe that's why it's more popular. In Poland, 60 thousand spectators came to the opening match of the European Volleyball Championship. But I don’t think there would have been so many fans gathered for the final of the Olympic Games.

Do you have some envy towards the popularity and income of football players?
I don't experience anything like that. I just love volleyball and would play it even for free.

What would you wish for yourself?
I'm happy with the way life is going. I would like to wish all athletes good health and avoid injury. They are often the result of accidents, so you cannot do without luck. I also want to wish this to the athletes.

“I love Pogba and Ronaldo. I try not to watch the RFPL.” Perhaps our coolest volleyball player

Match TV spoke with Dmitry Volkov, who won the European Championship with the Russian team.

The general manager of the Russian national team, Roman Stanislavov, passes us. "Where, where are they?" - Dmitry Volkov smiles. Stanislavov understands everything, unfastens his wristwatch and hands it to Volkov.

Yaremenko gave me this watch (Secretary General of the All-Russian Volleyball Federation Alexander Yaremenko - “Match TV”), I sold it to you,” says Stanislavov.

- What did you promise if you didn’t win?- I ask Volkov.

I'm nothing. He just said that we would win, and Roman promised a watch. This is the coolest gift for our gold so far! They promised bonuses, but they don’t know when they will give them.

- Did Putin congratulate you?

Didn't congratulate. I don’t know why, ask him.

- Well, at least Mutko called?

Nobody called. Maybe they'll call again?

On Sunday evening, the Russian volleyball team won gold at the European Championship. This is the first victory of our volleyball players in four years, when the team led by Andrei Voronkov became the best in the World League. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, we lost to the United States in the match for third place, leading the match in straight sets. After this, Vladimir Alekno, Sergei Tetyukhin and Alexey Verbov left the team.

Russia reached the Euro 2017 final without losing a single game. In the final we beat Germany 3:2, Maxim Mikhailov was recognized as the best player of the tournament, but finisher Dmitry Volkov was no less worthy of this award. Volkov is only 22, he is one of the youngest players on the Russian national team. In the final he scored 14 points. When you find yourself a meter away from Volkov, you feel that the Russian team celebrated the victory properly.

We celebrated normally, the whole team sat together,” says Volkov. - In general, there’s not much time for celebrations. They gave me one day to rest, the championship will begin soon. And we just arrived from Poland yesterday in Moscow.

- Not “Victory”, by the way?

No no.

- How do you feel after the victory?

There is a sense of accomplishment, but now it’s more like devastation.

- What time did you manage to wake up today?

Around 12 o'clock somewhere.

A year ago in Rio, Russia finished only fourth, and sad Vladimir Alekno admitted: we cannot beat strong teams. What has changed since then?

Vladimir Alekno / Photo: © RIA Novosti/Ramil Sitdikov

Hard to say. I don’t even know, more of a question for the coach, it’s not for me to judge. The winning mood was there then and now, we always went for first place. Now we have a lot of young people, some generational change has occurred. The result was a fusion of youth and experience.

- Sergei Shlyapnikov has been working in the national team for only seven months. What did he bring?

There is more discipline. She always comes first. Shlyapnikov worked like this all his life. I went through the entire youth program with him. I know this man, I know his methods of work.

- From your words we can conclude that this team is built around the leaders rather than the coach.

Well, yes. The old people rallied us a lot. A coach is one thing, but within the team we had a special relationship. Everyone encouraged each other, helped, and the elders gave advice.

- Previously, it was on Tetyukhin?

Yes, but even now there are many important people for the team: Mikhailov, Grankin... We were all together, one clip.

- Can any of them push you like a young man?

When it was the fifth game, 11:10, Butko came up to me: “Volkov, don’t think about anything at all. You will have a lot more of these finals. I know how you can play." I was really worried, the excitement was overwhelming. This was my first chance to win a trophy at senior level. We won a lot in the youth team, but this is space.

- Commentators compared you with Tetyukhin. Did you look up to him in your youth?

Sergei is an idol and legend for all volleyball players. A man with a capital M, little man.

Sergey Tetyukhin / Photo: © RIA Novosti/Grigory Sysoev

- More often you are compared to Spiridonov: you are both very emotional on the court. How do you perceive this?

Those who don’t understand volleyball compare us. It’s not that it’s unpleasant for me, it’s just that we are completely different. We don’t know each other personally, and I don’t have any desire to.

- What do you think when you read the news about Alexey?

Yes, like everyone else.

- Is he spoiling the image of Russian volleyball?

Why? Vice versa. At least somehow it draws attention to our sport, well done.

- Compared to Alekno, Shlyapnikov seems less charismatic.

There is such a thing. He is not as emotional as some others. He always has order in the team, and he knows how to set things up. Before the fifth game in the final, he told us: “This is not a game, this is war.” And so it happened. Before this, we had not lost a single game.

Sergey Shlyapnikov / Photo: © RIA Novosti/Maxim Bogodvid

- Did you expect to see Germany in the final?

We thought the Serbs would come out. But the Germans played very well.

- When did you realize that you couldn’t miss the victory?

Then, when the last goal was scored. But then we were in seventh heaven! Everyone was screaming, cheering, it was just crazy.

- After the victory, you wrote on Instagram: “Easy skating rink.” Do you agree that you were lucky with your opponents?

Yes, I made this post more as a joke. It's not our problem that the favorites were quickly eliminated. Whoever wins is stronger. And we tuned in for every match.

- What is this team capable of in Tokyo 2020?

We will work to perform well there. We have gifted people, we have an excellent team. Everyone on our team is very promising. We hope to repeat the success of London.

- Before the Euro, not everyone knew about the new generation of our volleyball players.

Let them watch more volleyball.

The most impressive thing that happened at the European Championship before Russia's victory was 65 thousand spectators at the match of the Polish national team.

Very cool, yes. Polish fans treated us well too. Many came up, took pictures, and congratulated.

-Have you ever seen something like this?

Only at the Olympics, at the opening ceremony. Then there was a full “Maracana”.

- When will volleyball fans like those in Poland appear in Russia?

I don't think it will be soon. It’s probably necessary that we don’t have football at all - we focus all our attention on it. There are times when there is too much football. They called me from Russia and asked if the final would be shown on TV - and for a long time I didn’t know what to answer. The final was staged, but how much football was staged before this?

- You have been playing for Fakel throughout your career. Do they like volleyball in Novy Urengoy?

Yes, this is the only sports team in the city. They go to Fakel, although I would like more.

- Do people recognize you on the streets?

We don't really hang out there. Try leaving the house in winter.

Dmitry Volkov / Photo: © Press service of VC “Fakel” Novy Urengoy

At the age of 18, you were diagnosed with Scheuermann-Mau disease, a curvature of the spine. You could have given up volleyball, right?

Of course, I didn’t play at all for a whole year. Several vertebrae are smaller than the rest - as I understand it, this was congenital. It accumulated gradually, and at the World Youth Championships I really felt: every day it gets worse. I played on painkillers, but in the end we won the gold. And only then I went to specialists.

- To Switzerland?

Including. It took a long time to strengthen my back. I worked out in the gym for a long time, pumped up my back, and did aerobic work. I gained about 25 kilograms, the pain went away on its own.

- Was the time without volleyball difficult?

Psychologically - very much. I always believed that I would return, although I was not sure that this would happen. It happened that despair came, I didn’t even know what to do next - there were no more options. My mother said that I could go to any technical university, but I only studied for the sake of my parents. All I can think about is volleyball.

How did you return to the game after such a long absence?

Thanks to Shlyapnikov. He then took me into the youth team, and together we won the European Championship. I wasn’t anywhere for a year, but Shlyapnikov trusted me. He knew what I was capable of.

- They write that you are well-read and a believer.

I don’t go to church every day, but I try when possible. It's important for me. Before the European Championships, the whole team went to Novogorsk. I always carry small icons with me.

And books... I won’t say that I’m well-read. But if a book is interesting, I try to finish reading it. I especially love autobiographies of athletes. The last one I liked was the biography of Usain Bolt.

- You are from Novokuibyshevsk. Are you a fan of Krylia Sovetov?

I don’t root for our teams at all. I try not to even look. If you include the English Premier League and ours - well, this is heaven and earth.

Now I really like Manchester United. They are off to an encouraging start and I hope it stays that way throughout the season. Zlatan is still here, the legend. Although I like Pogba more. And in Real Madrid - Ronaldo, I also root for them. It is obvious that Real Madrid are the coolest in Europe now.

- How will our team perform at the World Championships next year?

It’s clear that they won’t leave the group.

- How will Spartak and CSKA play in the Champions League?

Also without playoffs, most likely.

- Russian football annoys you?

It's not annoying. Russian football players also work hard, just like us. Everyone says that they earn a lot of money - well, go and run at least like them. It’s clear that our players’ level is not like Ronaldo’s, but who has studied for what?

Photo: globallookpress.com, RIA Novosti/Ramil Sitdikov, RIA Novosti/Grigory Sysoev, RIA Novosti/Maxim Bogodvid, Press service of VC Fakel Novy Urengoy

16.04.2015

The story of our finishing player Dmitry Volkov is still short: about family, path in volleyball, “Torch” and injuries. On the eve of the decisive battle for 5th place at the end of the season, the 19-year-old player returns to the Novy Urengoy squad.

I was born in Novokuybyshevsk, and my parents had little to do with sports. - Dima starts the conversation. - In her youth, my mother was involved in athletics, specializing in long jump, but did not become a professional athlete. Now she teaches physical education at college, by the way, I am exactly like my mother in height - for a woman she is quite tall, about 180 centimeters. And dad has nothing to do with sports at all; he heads the security service in one of the city’s organizations.

- Brothers, sisters?

No, I'm the only one in the family.

- It often happens like this: before settling on a certain sport, a child tries almost a dozen others. Was it the same for you?

No, I immediately started playing volleyball, one might say it was predestined. The fact is that my uncle is a professional volleyball player, Evgeniy Petropavlov. And my mother somehow immediately decided that I would go to volleyball, and before school she worked with me at home. And when I went to first grade, her friend from the sports school was recruiting a volleyball class - I got there and, it turns out, started studying.

- Does this school have anything to do with Nova?

No, this is a city sports school, but a very good one and quite famous. For example, Alexander Abrosimov and Zhenya Petropavlov came from there. My first coach, Svetlana Alekseevna Medvedeva, is the person who instilled in me the basics of volleyball and instilled in me a love for the game. But then circumstances turned out this way: Svetlana Alekseevna had to leave the sports school, and it so happened that during the years of studying there I changed three coaches.

- Did diligent sports somehow influence your studies in secondary school?

I tried not to run it. Before I left for Fakel, I studied a lot, separately with teachers and on my own. In general, there were no threes. I had to pass exams, I wanted to enter the Rosneft class - quite prestigious, I wanted to go there, but it was possible to get there only if I studied well. Well, in general, it so happened that just after the ninth grade, when this division was supposed to happen, I went to Fakel.

- How did you get the offer from Fakel?

Even before leaving for the Spartakiad, which was held in Anapa, I knew that I could go to Fakel - my mother made arrangements, went there, talked with the director, manager, she liked everything. Then I came to the Spartakiad, and, it turns out, I stayed in Anapa at Fakel. We then took fourth place - a very decent result for Novokuybyshevsk. And that’s when the first season of the Youth League began.

- Let's remember.

We were gathered, everything was new for everyone - both the guys and the coaching staff. Nobody knew anything except that we would be the youngest team in the League. We prepared hard and went through difficult training camps. But in the end, I think they took a very worthy place - seventh. We fought with everyone, although it was, admittedly, very difficult - everyone was 5-6 years older than us. By the way, in the first season our current teammate Anton Fomenko, already a solid, mature player, played against us. He probably wasn’t particularly interested in playing with us (smiles). For us then, one might say, it was an honor to go out to play against him.

- Dima, and after the first season in the Youth League, did you receive a call to the Russian junior team?

Yes, not even after, but during it. There was preparation for EEVZA - we were all gathered and taken to Poland. There, too, everything was new, they didn’t know anything. “Fakel” then formed the backbone of the national team, and at the core of the national team were five people from our club. We played normally then, beating the Poles in the final 3:0.

- It turns out that you grew and developed together with the team and you started having problems with your back. How did you manage to cope and return to the game?

It was an incredibly difficult year without playing, from a psychological point of view: everything fell on me, I didn’t know what to do. Many, one might say, turned their backs on me. The federation came to the rescue, people believed in me, including our new club director, Nikolai Vasilievich Kapranov - we also work together in the national team. You could say it’s thanks to him that I continue to play now.

How was I treated? I missed the whole year, then went to Switzerland, where they developed a special training plan for me, according to which I worked independently. Monotonously, day after day... I clearly knew what I wanted: to return and play. There was no doubt that it would be different. I worked at home for six months, then the federation sent me to Anapa with a physical training coach, Alexey Sergeevich Konstantinov - we trained there individually for a little over a month. I felt good, it seemed like I was ready to play. And in the summer I went to the European Championships - these were my first competitions after a long break.

- What was it like to return to the court after a year away from the game?

I was just happy! You can’t imagine what it’s like for an athlete to lose a year. This is real happiness - the opportunity to go on the court again. Train and play again, when nothing bothers you, when you can perform any elements of the game without risk to your health.

- After winning Europe, you returned to Fakel as a first-team player.

After the European Championship, I didn’t even know where to go or where I would play, but it turned out that I came to where I left. And thank God that everything turned out this way.

- How big is the difference between youth volleyball and the tough games of the Super League?

The level, of course, is different. And there is more physical strength here, and the men on the other side are experienced, not their first year in the Super League.

- Olympic champions are standing opposite...

At first my knees were shaking. I felt responsibility and honor. When, for example, you go out to play against Zenit on their own court and beat them! This cannot be compared with anything, it seems to me.

- Are there any examples for you in sports? Perhaps some player whom you now or previously wanted to be like?

For me, since childhood, the main example was my uncle Zhenya Petropavlov. I looked up to him in everything, he gave me a lot and continues to give me now: advice, tips, we talk a lot about the game - I’m very grateful to him for that. Often I would come to his house and he would show me something right in the room; I still use some things (laughs). Then Tetyukhin, of course. It seems to me that this is an idol for everyone. He appeared later, that is, I learned about him much later, and I did not see him from the inside, as they say - how he lives, what he breathes, what he thinks about. But with my uncle it was the other way around - I watched how he lived and learned everything.

- Is it possible to live the same way now?

I'm trying, at least.

- How can you evaluate the season of “Torch”? It is, in fact, almost finished - there are a maximum of three games left to play.

Missing the entire playoffs is what I definitely didn’t like. Left its mark on the end of the season. Speaking in general, it was an incredible experience playing in the Super League, I played many matches. We have an excellent team, very united. I think that is why we are fighting for fifth place - our team is even, there are no stars. Although our experienced players, Igor Kolodinsky, Lesha Samoilenko, Igor Tyurin, Anton Fomenko, give us very competent advice and tips. They help - sometimes we don’t understand something at all.

- Dima, what if it weren’t for volleyball?

Volleyball is everything for me, I don’t see myself anywhere else.

- Do you follow any other sports?

I'm slowly looking at almost everything. Of course, I like football. Real Madrid and Manchester United are nice.

- And the Russian ones?

- "Wings of Soviets"!

- Patriotic.

Well, of course! (laughs)

- What about winter sports?

When the Olympics took place in Sochi, I was incredibly impressed by short track speed skating, I really liked it. I'd like to try it.

- So you're standing on skates?

Yes, I like to skate, it doesn’t happen very often, but I go to the skating rink.

- Will you jump?

No, I won't risk it. Health is more important, I already understood that.

- Dima, if not the skating rink, then how will you spend your day off? Maybe some unusual hobby?

No, I don’t have any unusual hobbies. And in general, this season there is very little free time - continuous flights and games. I love going out with friends and going to the movies. I also love to read. Now I’m reading the biography of Rafael Nadal - I really like reading biographies, learning how outstanding people achieve their success.

- Would you like this book to be written about you someday?

It would be great. But so far I have done little for this.

Press service of VC "Fakel" Novy Urengoy

, Dynamo Krasnodar, Gubernia and the Russian youth team. He began playing volleyball in 2002 at the Sports and Youth Sports School of his hometown under the guidance of coach Svetlana Alekseevna Medvedeva.

In July 2011, he competed as part of the team of the Novokuybyshev SDYUSSHOR at the final competitions of the V Summer Spartakiad of Russian Students in the Volei Grad sports complex near Anapa. According to the results of the Spartakiad, the team from the Samara region took 4th place, and two of its players - team captain Dmitry Volkov and Denis Shenkel - received a call to the Russian junior team and the Novy Urengoy “Fakel”, on the basis of which it was formed.

In October 2011, Volkov began playing for the Fakel farm team in the Youth League. A month and a half later, he won the prize for the most valuable player of the championship of the East European Volleyball Zonal Association in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, which ended in victory for the Russian youth team. In February 2012, in Nizhny Novgorod, as a member of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug team, he won gold at the Russian Championship among youth born in 1995-1996.

In the 2012/13 season, Dmitry Volkov became the silver medalist of the Youth League championship. In July 2013, as a member of the Russian U19 team under the leadership of Alexander Karikov, he won gold medals at the World Championships in Mexico and the European Youth Olympic Festival in Utrecht, and based on the results of the world championship, he was included by the organizers in the symbolic team.

Dmitry Volkov completely missed the 2013/14 Youth League season due to problems with his spine. Doctors identified Scheuermann-Mau disease and developed a non-surgical recovery program. Over the course of a year, Dmitry increased his muscle mass by 25 kg, which allowed him to get rid of the back pain that was bothering him.

Returning to duty after a forced break, Volkov joined the Russian youth team and, as part of it, won the European Championship, held in August - September 2014 in Nitra and Brno. Soon, together with his youth Fakel partners Yegor Klyuka and Ilya Vlasov, he joined the main team and made his debut in the Super League. Almost immediately, Volkov, distinguished by his high emotionality, became a player in the starting six of “Fakel”, one of the key performers in the reception and attack of the Urengoy team.

In the summer of 2015, he became the bronze medalist of the European Games in Baku and the winner of two world championships - in the U21 and U23 age categories. On June 17, 2016, in Kaliningrad he made his debut in the Russian national team in a World League match with the Serbian team. In August of the same year, he performed at, and in the debut competition he served as captain of the national team. Based on the results of both final stages, he was recognized by the organizers as one of the best finishers.

Volleyball player from Novy Urengoy Dmitry Volkov competed at the Olympic Games in Brazil as part of the Russian team. His mother Natalya Volkova told the AiF-Yamal correspondent about Dmitry’s path to big-time sports.

Victoria Akhremchuk, AiF-Yamal: Natalya Vladimirovna, often the choice of a child’s life path depends on the parents. Why did Dmitry choose this particular profession?

Natalya Vladimirovna: Indeed, the example of parents is important. My husband and I are athletes ourselves and, of course, I took my son, when he was little, to all the competitions that took place in our city. He always visited them with pleasure, took autographs from athletes and took pictures with them. Then Dima decided that he also wanted to become an athlete. His idol was the famous volleyball player Sergei Tyutyukhin. We have a photograph at home where little Dima is captured with him. We couldn’t even imagine then that in the future they would play on the same site.

From the first grade, Dima trained at the Sports and Youth Sports School of Novokuybyshevsk, and was a prize-winner of the Russian Championship. Then he was invited to the youth team of the Fakel Volleyball Club. So he ended up in Yamal. In May 2016, he was included in the expanded national team for the first time. He performed well at the World League games and entered the country's Olympic team.

- How are the relationships within the team?

- Dima is very pleased with how he was received. The older players help the youth, and rather even treat them like fathers. In general, the atmosphere in their team is friendly.

- Is he a team player and gets along well with people?

- His zodiac sign is Gemini, so, of course, he cannot stand loneliness. Loves communication very much. He is very constant in friendship and has not changed his environment since childhood. His friends are people with whom he communicates from school.

- It is clear that Dmitry lives for sports. Has he ever considered other professions?

- He cannot imagine himself without sports. When he plays, it is impossible to hide emotions. It is clear that he is doing what he loves! Even as a child, Dima could not miss training. He went to the gym with a fever, and I couldn’t persuade him to stay home. Dima always stood out among his peers. Later, when their team began to travel to competitions, he was the best player, captain and true leader. At the same time, he studied very well. He had solid B's and A's. After the competition, he had to catch up with his school curriculum. After finishing 9th grade, Dima entered a specialized class at Rosneft and could subsequently study at any technical university, since he has a mathematical mindset. But he chose sport.

- What will Dmitry never tolerate and what will he not come to terms with?

- He has a strong inner core. He clearly knows what he wants and confidently moves towards his goal. He doesn't waste himself and doesn't waste his time. I'm sure he won't waste his life on unnecessary things. I think he will not drink, go out, and certainly will never adapt! When there were certain difficulties in our family, I brought him to the Temple. He believed and since then he always has a cross with him. He goes there for help and support.

- He is only 21 years old and his resume will already include participation in the Olympics. Do you think he is ready for this level of competition?

- He has studied a lot and is well prepared. But I think that this is not his time yet. The young players on this team need several years to mature. In 4 years, at the next Olympic Games, this will be their time. He always wanted to become an athlete, and when he won the World Championship for the third time as part of the team, he said in one of his interviews that he dreamed of going to the Olympic Games. His dream came true. Now he has a new one - to become the winner of the Olympics. I would really like his career to last not just one Olympics, but for a very long time, like his idol Sergei Tetyukhin.

- It’s too early to talk about his future family, but nevertheless, what kind of family model does he see?

- A woman who wants to connect her life with him must understand that volleyball will always come first for Dima. She will need to accept his athletic lifestyle.

- You, as a mother, can be said to be lucky. Your son has found himself in life and is doing what he loves. Many parents only dream about this. What advice do you have for them?

- There is no need to force your child to do something he doesn’t like. In order for a child to succeed in sports, it is necessary to choose the right sport for him. Try different sections, and the main thing is to have the support and example of your parents.