Interview by Vic Holchack for the IAAF
As Irina Privalova powered toward the finish line of the 400 metres hurdles at the Herculis Zepter Golden League meeting in Monaco in mid-August, American coaches Bobby Kersee and John Smith stood transfixed. The crowd, screaming encouragement for the runners, probably had no idea that Privalova – who was running away from a very good field – was competing in the 400m hurdles for only the fourth time in her long and impressive career.
As Privalova crossed the finish line with victory in 54.06, Kersee – the coach of US sprint hurdler Gail Devers – nodded in approval. "This is a great move for her…a great move. With her speed and power there’s no telling how fast she can run this race."
John Smith, who coaches sprinters Maurice Greene, Ato Boldon, Inger Miller and Jon Drummond, was also enthusiastic about Privalova’s hurdling potential: "Once she gets her steps down, watch out. She can really do something with this."
Privalova’s long-time manager, Jos Hermens, was quick to join the chorus: "She can break the world record (52.61 by America’s Kim Batten in 1995). Yes, yes she can – she can break the world record."
So why all this to-do about Ms. Privalova, a 31-year-old Russian - hardly the new kid on the block – who has never won an Olympic or World Outdoor Championship medal, though she has won gold at the World Indoors at 60m in 1991(as Irina Sergeyeva), 200m in 1993 and 400m in 1995?
"Because she is finally running the distance that’s right for her," says Jos Hermens.
Now that’s quite a statement when you realise that Privalova’s lifetime best of 10.77 for 100 metres, makes her the sixth fastest woman of all time. That same year she won the European Championships at both 100 and 200 metres, and climaxed the season with a spectacular three days at the World Cup that saw her, on successive days, win the 100, finish second in the 200, and come back to win the 400.
She was one of the favourites in both the 100 and 200 at the 1995 World Championships, and finished third in the 100 and second in the 200. But for most of the next four years Privalova battled a series of knee and hamstring injuries. Her battle included two surgeries, and it was a recurrence of the hamstring problem that forced her out of last year’s World Championships in Seville, Spain.
"I think a lot of the injuries came from an obsession to be the world’s fastest woman," Hermens says, "and that, of course, meant running the 100. But now – now she’s running the distance that she’s perfect for. Remember, the first time she ever competed in a 400 (1993) – the very first time – she ran 49.89. I think she should have been running the 400, both the flat race and the hurdles, for the past six years. She could have won the flat 400 gold medal in Atlanta, and I think she can win the 400 hurdles in Sydney. And she’ll probably run on the Russian 4x400 relay team, maybe against Marion Jones and the Americans. Wouldn’t that be something?"
But being such a newcomer to the hurdles, is it really possible for her to be a factor in Sydney?
"Of course it is," says Hermens. "She’s incredibly gifted. She can do anything. She was an excellent ballet dancer, then a terrific figure skater, then a wonderful speed skater, long before she started in track & field."
Privalova moved from speed skating to track & field in 1981, when she was twelve. The next year she ran the 100 in 11.9 and high jumped 1.72 (5-7 ¾). When she was fifteen, she long jumped 6.45 (21-2). She began training with her current coach, Vladimir Parashuk, when she was eighteen. Parashuk is now the track & field coach at Moscow University and Privalova has a degree in, of all things, journalism from the same institution. Now married, they live in Moscow with two sons from former marriages.
The morning after the meet, I spoke with Privalova and Parashuk in the coffee bar of the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel.
VH: That was a pretty impressive run at the Herculis Zepter Golden League meeting last night. Why have you decided to run the 400 hurdles?
Privalova: At first it was not my decision, it was the decision of my coach (Vladimir Parashuk, who is sitting next to her). Because, he said, training for this may be a little bit easier for me – not many injuries – not so much speed. We had discussed it for a long time. After trying it for several months, I agreed.
VH: This was the winter of last year – 1999?
Privalova: Yes. From February until now we are working on this – 400 metres – because the steps are quite difficult and everything. It’s – it’s very different to sprinting.
VH: What is the most difficult thing about the 400 hurdles – right now?
Privalova: The most difficult thing is that, in my mind, I am still sprinting. Very often in the race, I’m not feeling speed and I run quite fast at first.
VH: Too fast for the first hurdle?
Privalova: To first hurdle, yes, yes. It’s my mistake. But I think – with more experience I will be better and better.
VH: In Monte Carlo, were you satisfied with your run?
Privalova: Yes, I am satisfied because it was my first international competition with strong athletes. I know that many of the girls will be in Olympic final. I was quite nervous, and there was not a lot of warm-up in hurdles before the race. It was five minutes hurdles, and then we run – and I’m not, you know, so good a hurdles runner and I need a lot of exercise before the race. But it’s okay, it was good experience for me.
VH: (To Vladimir Parashuk) When did you first start thinking about doing this?
Parashuk: One year ago. It was Seville during the World Championships.
VH: That’s when you thought hurdles?
Parashuk: Yes, hurdles. That’s when we tried to study technique. And I’m quite satisfied. But I’m not so satisfied with the result in Monte Carlo.
VH: Why?
Parashuk: Because she is in better condition that the result shows. She did a little mistake, because it was the first time we tried to run first five hurdles with fourteen steps – and Irina was too fast to the first hurdle. If she can run slower to the first hurdle, she will have a much better result in whole race.
VH: That must be difficult – because of your experience in the 200 metres and 100?
Parashuk: She was a sprinter, that’s why now it’s difficult for her to run a slower race.
VH: (To Privalova) Does he coach other athletes?
Privalova: He’s my coach and the coach of track & field at Moscow University, and of course he’s trained a lot of people. But, as usual, after four or five years, they have to work – like mathematicians, physics – and can’t continue training because now in Moscow it is quite difficult, and they must work. It is a big problem.
VH: What’s it like living in Moscow now?
Privalova: Now they decide to build the highest building in the world in Moscow. But there is the other side, of course. There are big differences between people – some are so rich and others so poor. Normal people are poor, even teachers with high education. It’s now a big problem. But we hope now, with a new President, maybe some things change. Because he is young, he likes sport, and people believe there will be change.
VH: How have the changes affected sport?
Privalova: It’s terrible because there is no money for coaches, for children’s coaches, for children’s sport. There was pressure for everybody. But now, it is a little bit better, and we hope that, step by step, it will be better and better for sport and school.
VH: What was Vladimir’s event as an athlete? Was he a sprinter?
Privalova: Yes, sprinter. But, before me he trained hurdles. Maybe you remember names – Akimova? (Vera Akimova, 12.50, ’84) She trained with him for several years. He knows about hurdles and he trained the Soviet junior champions in long jump.
VH: But he was a sprinter?
Privalova: yes, he was a sprinter. His result was 10.3. It was 1973. It was not bad. (She smiles.) He was on the Russian team – not the Soviet team. It was a very strong team.
VH: When did the two of you meet?
Privalova: He said that he saw me when I was twelve, but I met him when I was seventeen years old. And from eighteen years old I trained with him – till now.
VH: Am I correct – did you compete in speed skating before you started track & field?
Privalova: At first I was a figure skater when I was a child. Then the coach decided I was so fast, so I was a speed skater several years.
VH: Figure skater first, then speed skater?
Privalova: Yes, speed skater. But I like warm weather. And when the indoor track was built, I began training for track & field because it was warm – not so cold. Because in speed skating we train in the street. And it’s really cold sometimes in winter in Moscow- minus twenty is a normal temperature.
VH: (To Parashuk) Do you remember the first time you saw her?
Parashuk: One of my friends was the coach of Irina, and he said, "I have a very good young athlete. You can look at Irina." When I saw her first time, I thought she’s not so talented. It’s like a swan, you know? A little swan is not so nice like the big swan. But when I saw her second time in Moscow University – when she was seventeen – she came out of the starting blocks like a bomb.
VH: Like a bomb?
Parashuk: Yes, like a bomb – she exploded, and I understood she is very talented and she will be a top athlete. And I decide she must train with me. That’s why we train till now.
VH: Will you also run the 4x400 relay at the Olympics?
Privalova: Maybe. If our team decides that I’m needed for our team, I will run. And I want to run together with Marion Jones at 400 metres.
VH: You know, you could win the hurdles, and Marion could win four gold medals (100, 200, long jump and sprint relay) going into the 4x400 relay. Have you thought about that – you could stop her from winning the fifth gold medal?
Privalova: We will see. Because in the 4x400 it’s not just Marion – it’s not just me, for example. We must see how the American and Russian girls run in the sprint 400 metres. For example, 4x400 is not easy.
VH: You have competed in so many sports. What sports do you enjoy watching?
Privalova: I like American football, because it’s interesting. Players are good. But it’s not so important as track & field, because everybody wants to talk about track champions – all over the world. Everybody will remember Carl Lewis in several years, in ten years, in fifty years. Michael Johnson, same thing. But nobody in world will remember who was national football champion ten years ago – was it Los Angeles or Seattle? It doesn’t matter for the world. But Carl Lewis – children, everybody will remember Carl Lewis. Bob Beamon, everybody will remember Bob Beamon. He was fantastic. It’s very important for children to have these heroes. And track & field is very important for everybody. Running and jumping are very important for the body, for everybody. I don’t understand baseball so much, but American football is interesting.
VH: What about basketball?
Privalova: Of course I like basketball. I like to play basketball. But I don’t like rules that stop you from touching each other. I like it when you can touch each other.
VH: You know, in America kids will often play each other in one-on-one basketball games, one against the other. They’ll go to the park by themselves, and they challenge each other.
Privalova: Yes, in Russia, it’s the same, of course. The children play and sometimes we play.
VH: Well let’s say the 4x400 race actually happens – that you and Marion Jones actually run against each other. You know, she plays basketball as well. Maybe after the Games, it might be interesting for you and Marion to play a one-on-one basketball game as well.
Privalova: I know she is a very good basketball player, but of course it’s possible – after the Olympic Games, if we will be healthy after the Games. It would be interesting. And then I invite her for speed skating race. (She laughs.) I was very good speed skater. We will play basketball in America and we can skate in Moscow.
VH: I don’t know if Marion has any skates.
Privalova: (laughing) Not a problem. I will provide the skates.
Over the years, Russia and the United States have combined for some classic showdowns in the women’s 4x400 relay. One of the greatest took place at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. In the anchor leg, Olga Bryzgina of the Soviet Union – who had already won the gold medal in the 400 – held off America’s Florence Griffith-Joyner, who had won three golds, in the 100, 200 and sprint relay. The winning time for the Soviets, 3:15.17, is still the world record. And at last year’s World Championships in Seville, the Russians again held off the U.S. in a tremendous finish.
This year, the Americans will add Jones to their 4x400 relay team, and the Russians may add Privalova to theirs. If these women were to run against each other – receiving the baton at about the same time – it could set up one of the greatest matchups in Olympic history.
"Oh, I would love to see that," said Kersee. "I don’t want to sound like I’m trying to tell the Olympic coaches what to do, but if it was my decision, I would definitely run Marion on anchor, and I would run Privalova on anchor. Now that would be something to see."
And then, maybe a one-on-one basketball game and a speed skating race.
