The quarterfinal meeting of the girls' junior championship between the national teams of the Czech Republic and Russia ended in a huge fight. Our team was leading 2:0, and there was very little left until the end of the final period when the forward of the Czech team tried to continue the attack after the referee's whistle.
Captain of the Russian national team, defender Nina Pirogova plays in the Tornado club in Dmitrov near Moscow. It was precisely with such a crushing whirlwind that she flew into the Czech woman, defending her goalkeeper Valeria Merkusheva. Czech - for the stick, stick - for the helmet... In general, two girls' teams are great. At the end of the “battle on the ice,” only the strong and indomitable Nina Pirogova remained standing on the ice among her defeated rivals...
Fighting is not good. Especially for girls. The judges quickly seated the fighters in the penalty boxes, and the match ended with a score of 2:0 in our favor.
The Russian team reached the semifinals, and the Czechs were left with a bitter fate in the “consolation” match for 5th-6th place.
After final whistle the teams lined up on the ice field. Traditionally, the first to sound was the anthem of the country whose team won. But the Anthem Russian Federation The Czech fans, disappointed and embittered by the defeat of their girls, immediately began to whistle and shout. And it was then that our girls showed themselves to be real fighters.
I have always said and will continue to say: our women are better than ABBA! Throwing their sticks, gloves and helmets onto the ice, hugging each other, our 17-year-old girls sang the words of the National Anthem of the Russian Federation so well, so loudly and so fervently that all the ill-wishers in the stands ice palace sports completely shut up. We finished the chorus - in complete silence in the hall!
Now they are trying to shut our mouths everywhere. And many sports (and political, economic and other too) figures, men, crawl away from the scene of the “fight”, whispering “I’m silent, I’m silent, I’m silent,” and then they throw up their hands, making excuses that there is no method against a crowbar...
Eat. There are such techniques. The girls hockey players showed that strong character, will and national pride cannot be broken with a crowbar. Learn!
In the semifinals, our juniors will play against the Americans. They have strong team, the favorite of the World Cup. And in the Russian national team, in addition, two of the strongest hockey players, Nina Pirogova and Oksana Bratishcheva, were disqualified for a fight with Czech athletes.
No matter how the semifinal ends, for us our girls are already winners. Well done!
“The third period was spent on nerves and emotions...”
Post-match mini-interviews with the head coach of the Russian women's youth team Evgeniy Bobariko and team captain Nina Pirogova were published on the official website of the Russian Hockey Federation. Here are the excerpts:
Evgeniy Bobariko:
“...In the first period, the Czech team made our goalkeeper work, they had dangerous moments and outshot us in terms of shots. Where needed, Lera (Merkusheva) helped out. During the break we talked in the locker room, and in the second period the team showed different hockey. The players showed character, got excited and scored two beautiful goals, although they could have scored more.
The third period was filled with nerves and emotions. There were provocations from the Czech team. The girls endured all these pokes from their rivals for a very long time. But in the end, when they began to specifically attack our goalkeeper, this brawl began, which was provoked by the Czechs.”
Nina Pirogova:
“In the first period, not everything worked out for us, but during the break the girls and I got into a good mood and played this match with dignity, pulled it out with flying colors. I took part in the second goal scored, we brought out Lena Provorova to shoot, she scored a goal. Partially, we were tired because yesterday's game was also difficult and ended late. As for the Czech team, they played dirty, constantly trying to get us emotional... You have to stand behind your goalkeeper and not allow rudeness from your opponents. At that moment the Czechs began to attack Leroux, that’s why it all happened that way. If I managed to get the team going even more, then that’s good, the emotions will carry over to the next game.”
"Tornado" named Nina
Nina Pirogova is the team leader. He has been regularly called up to the Russian national team for several years now. Nina came to hockey very early - at the age of three, following her brother. Besides sports section, the girl simultaneously studied English, folk dancing and music. By the age of seven, when she went to school, she abandoned hockey and English. “I also play for the first team, the girls there are more skilled, and it’s more difficult for me,” says Nina. - But here I have a great responsibility. I'm the captain and I try to be a leader in the team."
Life tells why women's hockey in Russia suddenly became more popular than football last week.
It was worth going to meet the youth women in Domodedovo for at least two things. To hear who, thanks to their sincere singing in the Czech Republic, have collected more than a million views on YouTube and is priceless. Even though this team's feature turned out to be a little protocol - for the sake of television, the team's emotions from the successful result clearly did not subside, so it still turned out sincerely and coolly.
And the second point is the notorious role of the individual in history. After all, if our captain Nina Pirogova had been a little less wound up at the end of the quarterfinals with the Czech Republic, if she had not punished her opponent with cuffs for being too aggressive towards her goalkeeper, maybe now we would be talking about something else. It was that episode that led to an explosion in the stands and millions of views. In general, you understand where I'm going with this. Let's be honest, without high-profile hockey events, the youth team's performance would have received a minimum of airtime.
In the Czech media, the defender of the Tornado near Moscow appeared almost as a monster in human form. Well, they can be understood - at some point, the captain of the Russian national team withstood the onslaught of three rivals at the same time. And moments later, she took her opponents to the ground.
In fact, we saw a modest, sweet girl.
-Nina, can you pose with your fists?- they asked Pirogova.
Why fists? I'm a hockey player. I don't like to fight. It just happened that way.
- Come on. Muay Thai trainers are already calling us at the editorial office, they are looking for you.
Come on, it looks like there’s no point in joking about this topic anymore.
Nevertheless, Nina complied with the request. And now we see those fists that brought women's hockey more popularity than the entire minimum media coverage of the sport over the past two years. Since the previous anthem scandal in Buffalo.
By the way, let’s put an end to the story with the quarterfinals and the ugly behavior of the fans at the last MFM. Moreover, the situation is absolutely trivial.
Judge for yourself. The Czechs, as hosts of the tournament, could arrange the logistics for themselves, so the team played all matches, including the quarterfinals, at the 2,000-seat arena in Přerov. The fight for third place also took place there. While the final is in the second arena of the championship, a tiny shed in Zlín with five thousand seats. The calculation is clear, it is essentially impossible to fight the USA and Canada at this level, but aiming for the third bronze in the history of the women's MFM was seen as a realistic scenario for the host side.
Now let's move on directly to the Russia - Czech Republic match. The game took place the day after the final day of the group stage, and the Russians, who defeated the Swedes only in a shootout (at about 23:00), had to pack their things in the arena, eat and sleep. And in the morning, take a bus from Zlin to Přerov and at 16:30 go on the ice against the Czech team that played the day’s match yesterday.
That is, initially all the conditions were created for the hostesses to reach the semi-finals. But, let’s be fair, the Czechs are far from the first to use the organizers’ right to such manipulations with the calendar under the sauce of audience interest, television, etc.
Another thing is that they could have counted on the “exhaust”, but in the end they got 0:2 with two episodes unpleasant for the audience at the end: Bratischeva’s foul and the beating of the local girl Pirogova. Of course, two thousand spectators, who were fervently cheering throughout the match, constantly pressuring the judges with whistles and roars, could not restrain themselves. The dream of medals was shattered, glasses of beer flew onto the ice and onto our bench. What can we say about those gathered at the stadium, if the coach of the losers threw a whole hysteria - they say he screamed on local television immediately after the match so that the walls were shaking.
Naturally, the emotional background spread to the Czech media, which continued for a couple of days. It is important to note something else - our girls did not experience any negativity from the fans in the future. However, after the departure of their team, the public expectedly lost interest in the tournament.
Concluding the topic of the sports component, one cannot help but say a few words about the semi-final with the USA and bronze game with Sweden. With the States, everything is, in principle, clear. In terms of the level of development and mass participation, women's hockey there is on a different planet compared to European countries. The best representatives were not only well trained, but were also significantly superior to our team, for example, in size. To be honest, there was practically no chance - although our girls promise in the near future.
But the Swedes paid for their nation’s penchant for manipulating results. Sometimes, as at the men's Olympic tournament in Turin 2006, strange defeats for an easier road to the playoffs lead to success.
At the Women's World Championship in the Czech Republic, the hockey gods turned their backs on the “schemers”. Actually, it serves it right. We have already mentioned the game with Russia, the winner of which had to fight with the hostesses in the Přerov Cauldron after a bus ride. So, the Scandinavians decided that this option was not suitable for them. You should have seen how, in the decisive shootout, the Tre Krunur forward simply drove up to Valeria Merkusheva and absurdly poked the puck somewhere in the pads.
It’s a pity that we weren’t able to meet the parents of forward Ekaterina Dobrodeeva in Domodedovo. It seems that they were the ones who started the song from the movie “Belorussky Station” in the stands, and exactly to the tune of “...and that means we need one victory, one for all - we won’t stand for the price”, they scored a bronze goal. It’s also a beautiful story, the memory of which remains in the video on the Internet.
But even without her details, there were enough touching, funny and symbolic scenes at the airport. Some of the girls could not hold back their tears as they said goodbye to their teammates, while others had to fight the Moscow elements. Miniature creatures with trunks loaded on carts could not cope with the skids on the icy paths on the way to the bus. The carts were carried into the fence, the trunks fell, the girls laughed and picked up the scrub that was flying into the snow.
We fell, but got up... Well done!
Nina Pirogova is a medalist at the Women's World Hockey Championship.
— Why did you choose hockey?
I have very sports family. My mother studied as a child speed skating, dad - football and hockey professional level(now works as a coach), his older brother plays in the MHL. It all started with my brother. At first I wanted to try it on hockey uniform, then - the skates in which I learned to walk around the apartment....
— Who helped you at the very beginning, when you were just taking your “first steps” on the ice?
For some reason, in not a single interview was I asked about the people thanks to whom I came to hockey. Therefore, taking this moment, I would like to say a huge thank you to my dad - Boris Viktorovich Pirogov, who at the age of 3 put me on skates and taught me not only to skate, but also to understand that in addition to the words “I want” and “I don’t want” there is a word - "NECESSARY".
Thanks to the coaches of the “Captain” team (Stupino) - Mikhail Vasilyevich Shibaev and Sergei Yuryevich Shchepakin, who were not afraid to take the only (at that time) girl to the boys team.
Thanks to coach Elena Sergeevna Ivanova, who was the first to show me what “women’s hockey” is.
Many thanks to the Honored Coach of Russia, Ravil Mnirovich Urmancheev, thanks to whose efforts a women’s hockey department was created in Stupino, and who allowed me to additionally train with older boys.
In general, I was very lucky with the coaches - now in the Tornado team I am coached by A.V. Chistyakov, in the Russian Youth Team by A.S. Ulyankin, in the Russian National Team by M.Yu. Chekanov. I would like to live up to their expectations, and for this I have to work a lot on myself.
— How many years have you been practicing?
She started skating at the age of three. I have been playing hockey for more than 12 years.
— What is the training schedule?
The schedule is very intense - six days a week, ten and a half months a year, i.e. Most of life takes place on the hockey rink.
— Are field and ice hockey something completely different? What do you like best? Why? Are the rules in field and ice hockey the same?
I've never tried playing field hockey... I'm more used to ice hockey.
— Is it difficult to get into the national team?
Not easy. Every year the competition increases.
— How long have you been playing for the national team?
For the Russian Youth Team - second season, played for the National Team this season exhibition matches, Four Nations Tournament and World Championship (4th place).
— Playing for your club and for your country are different emotions?
The emotions may be the same, but the responsibility is different.
— How often do you go to training camps?
Training camps are held before each important competition (Championship, Tournament), as well as before the start of a new season.
— Is it difficult at the training camp?
Difficult. We undergo a full medical examination. And then we work according to a schedule, trying to “survive.”
— Do your parents go to competitions?
Parents are almost always present at home matches.
-Who is your biggest fan?
My mother worries the most and is very emotional for me. Dad, brother and sister and fans from Stupino also come to home games.
— How did you and the team react to the fact that we “lost” our anthem? What did the coaches say?
At first we didn’t understand what kind of anthem it was…. And when the organizers of the competition said that they could not find our anthem, we got together and sang a cappella with the girls. Everything turned out, although spontaneously, but very touching - the whole team sang along with the coaches and our fans in the stands.
In the photo is Nina with number 44.
— How did you feel when you won the bronze medals?
Well, first of all – joy, because... This is the Youth team’s first medal at the World Championships, and my first medal at competitions of this level; secondly, pride in the team and the country.
— Did you somehow celebrate the victory with the girls and coaches?
No. There was no time. It was nice that we were met at the Moscow airport by representatives of the FHR with flowers and congratulations.
— How many medals and cups do you have at home in total? Which ones are the most memorable and valuable?
There are a lot of awards, since I first played for boys born in 1998-1999 in the teams “Captain” (Stupino) and “Vityaz” (Podolsk), then for girls, and now in the professional women’s team “Tornado”.
Memorable awards - this is my very first medal for 2nd place in the tournament among boys, born in 1999. in 2006, the first medal (also silver), received at the Russian Championship among women's teams in the 2013-2014 season as part of “Tornado” and gold at the European Championship (2014).
And the most valuable award is the bronze medal of the Youth World Championship.
— Do you have any talismans? Any traditional “competitive” habits?
This is my little secret. (Laughs).
— What did hockey bring to your character?
Determination and the ability to endure. She became angrier.
— Do you get along with the girls in the national team?
Yes, we have a very friendly team.
— Master of Sports of Russia – what does this title mean to you?
“Master of Sports” is the goal that every athlete strives for.
— What is your cherished sports dream?
Olympic medal. Although in the near future it will be like an Oscar for Leonardo DiCaprio.
— How do you plan to combine your sports life and your dreams of studying to be a journalist?
To be honest, I’m still trying to find time to finish 9th grade and pass the GIA.
— Are there people from the world of sports whom you would like to emulate?
Basketball player Derrick Rose (talent and strength of character), from hockey - I would like to have the same prospects as young players - Artemy Panarin and Nikolai Prokhorkin, have the sense of humor (and hairstyle) of football player David Luiz, the skill and thinking of Pavel Datsyuk.
- And not from sports?
I would like to have such a cool style as Oscar Wilde and Anton Pavlovich Chekhov.
— How did you manage to combine school and study before?
IN elementary school I studied “excellently” because I managed to learn the main material in class, read oral subjects in the evening, and in the morning I got up an hour earlier and did written ones. And then, there was my mother nearby, who monitored my schedule.
When I arrived at Tornado, it became more difficult to study, since training begins in the first half of the day, plus frequent trips to competitions, in short, there is no time to go to school. You have to force yourself to study on your own.
— Does distance learning help you? What exactly?
On the one hand, studying externally is great because you don’t have to go to school every day, an individual schedule of classes and work is drawn up for you, you can always consult with your supervisor and teachers online if something is not clear... But on the other hand On the other hand, you need to study a lot on your own and be disciplined in terms of completing tasks on time.
On Thursday, January 26, one of the most talented hockey players in Russia, winner of the world championships among adults and juniors, Nina Pirogova, celebrates her 18th birthday. Nina told the Moscow Region Today correspondent about her family, her favorite Tornado team, hobbies and culinary preferences.
- Nina, why did you choose skates and a stick? Did you have any other hobbies as a child?
In addition to hockey, she was involved in folk dancing, English. But hockey eventually prevailed. Perhaps my dad and older brother played a big role in this. Dad is a coach, brother is a player. There were no serious disputes with my mother on this score; she herself was a former athlete and skated.
Did you understand that hockey is not only about the joy of victory and scoring a goal, but also that hockey can be very painful?
I understood. But, after all, in figure skating There are falls and severe bruises...
- Did you quickly decide on the role of a defender?
I outplayed in all positions except goalkeeper. I liked it more in defense - meeting the opponent, destroying his plans, and being the first to attack.
For a long time in Stupino and Podolsk you trained in a boys’ team. Did they take care of you and didn’t use force?
IN children's hockey there are no serious contacts, but, of course, clashes cannot be avoided. Now I understand that joint training with the guys really helped me. Boys skate faster, which means they have to think faster on the ice. They treated me like a gentleman, we were friends outside the rink.
- Idol in hockey?
Alexander Ovechkin.
- First serious award?
At the age of 14, I joined the Tornado team of masters, and my adult life began. In the first season I received bronze medal Russian Championship and played in the victorious European Cup. I found legionnaires American Kelly Steadman, Slovakian Zuzanna Tomchikova, Russian “stars” Ekaterina Smolentseva, Iya Gavrilova in “Tornado”. Training and playing with them became an excellent school. Head coach Alexey Chistyakov gave me more and more playing time with each match and, naturally, my confidence in my abilities grew. I understood that this was just the beginning. To grow further, you need to work hard.
- Your 20-year-old brother Peter plays in Major League-2 for Slavutich Smolensk. Isn't she jealous of her sister's success?
Petya and I rarely see each other, but we are constantly in touch. And we have a wonderful relationship. I recently won a medal at youth championship world, immediately from Petya an SMS: “Sister, I’m proud of you!”
- What is Nina Pirogova like outside the hockey rink? For example, what are you reading?
I read a lot. I took “Crime and Punishment” with me to the Czech Republic for the youth world championship.
- Wow! And how do you like Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky?
Great. Interesting. I read it with pleasure. Psychology... In general, my favorite novel is “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde.
- Commendable. Do you respect nightclubs and discos?
No, I don’t like this “movement”. I'm a home girl.
- And your last name is, you know, homely - Pirogova. Don't you ever bake pies?
You have to abstain from eating pies, you have to watch your weight. Here are fruits and seafood – that’s mine, it’s healthy.
- Where do you prefer to go on vacation?
I love active recreation at sea. I really enjoyed my time in the Dominican Republic last year. I went with my parents and hockey player friends. The ocean is beautiful, white sand, horse riding. Fabulous!
***
Nina Pirogova was born on January 26, 1999 in Stupino. Master of Sports in Ice Hockey. Role – defender. Started playing sports schools“Captain” (Stupino), “Vityaz” (Podolsk). Currently plays for Tornado (Moscow region). Bronze medalist of the world championships among adult teams (2016) and youth teams (2015, 2017). Women's Champion hockey league, winner of the European Cup. First year student at Moscow State Academy of Physical Culture.
