Timur Batrutdinov: If they gave a medal for beauty of swimming, I would be a champion

– Timur, did you expect to become a Kazan 2015 Ambassador?

– Honestly, I have worked towards this goal my whole life and I’m glad I am one of many artists to be chosen for that role.

– What part does sport play in your life?

– A very important one because sport helps me to keep fit. Thanks to sport, I feel better, more alive and younger every time I go out on the stage.

– How challenging is it to become a Comedy Club resident? Is it as challenging as to become a champion?

– Olympic champions claim medals and recognition throughout their entire lives. I had to work hard to become a Comedy Club resident, too. But you don’t need to be first here, whereas a champion is the first among the best.

– Volunteer movement is one of the most important aspects of the FINA World Championships. None of them gets paid. Let’s say if 15 years ago you’d had an opportunity to work voluntarily would you have been one of them?

– Of course I would. To tell you the truth, I was one of them when I was a student too. Students are meant to be volunteers because through volunteering they not only gain experience but also learn that not everything in our life can be obtained through money.    

– Being a second-class athlete in competitive swimming, why did you decide to quit the sport?

– I never wanted to be a professional athlete; in my case you would say that my way of swimming is more beautiful that fast. If world champions were determined according to this criterion, I would have definitely claimed gold medals. As for my speed, I will need to work a lot to improve it. 

– What is your favourite sport? What competitions have you already seen at these Championships?

– I love swimming. Butterfly is my favourite stroke. You know why? Because the word butterfly itself sort of reminds me of my last name ‘Batrutdinov’ because they both sound alike (laughs). Jokingly I even translate the word ‘butterfly’ as ‘flying hero’ (‘batyr’ means ‘a strongman’ in the Tatar language – V.D.) Swimming is my passion, because nothing but swimming enables us to feel almost gravity free.

– What surprised you most at these Championships? What will you remember forever?

– Kazan is what surprised me most. Step by step it truly becomes an international city, one of the major sports centres of Russia. And I am really happy for Kazan!   

Vsevolod Dvorkin, Press Office for Organising Committee of 16th FINA World Championships