ONE MORNING WITH THE GREATEST

Incredible People. Incredible Lifestyle.

KASAA LIFE

Sofya Velikaya & Trofim Veliky for KASAA .jpg

C O V E R S T O R Y

Fencing is a beautiful, noble, and romantic sport. It is, however, an ancient martial art that is both beautiful and dangerous. Fencing is a battle of egos, and composure and nobility are required. This festive season we met with absolutely the greatest family, the world, Olympic and country champions in fencing, world renowned brother and sister - Sofya Velikaya and Trofim Veliky. We talked with them about champions' daily rituals, their formula of success, importance of sport education for kids, family, sport signs, and many more.

Photography ALEXANDRA CHERNAVSKAYA / MUAH EKATERINA TOKAREVA / Styling MILA PROST

SOFYA VELIKAYA & TROFIM VELIKIY FOR KASAA COUTURE.jpg

KASAA LIFE: Sofya and Trofim, we are delighted to finally have you in our studio in that festive season. We know that you are busy with public jobs, championships and tv shows. We are wondering how your typical day begins, can you please share with us?

SOFYA VELIKAYA: Every day for me as a mother of two children begins with getting ready for school and kindergarten. It is vital for me to embrace and greet my children. Following that, I either train or do something else.

TROFIM VELIKY: My day starts at 6:30 a.m., when we all brush our teeth and eat breakfast together before I drop my daughter off for kindergarten. On weekends, though, we have a tradition: while my wife prepares breakfast all week, I treat my girls to my grandmother's secret recipe pancakes.

KASAA LIFE: How do you balance your diet plan to be in excellent health and shape with that busy schedule? Is this meal plan distinct from pre-competition nutrition?

SOFYA VELIKAYA: Although I aim to eat fewer carbs and more protein and fiber, my diet is well-balanced. I don't use any wheat or sugar. My morning consists of eggs, cereal, smoothies, and occasionally a croissant. The most significant meal of the day is lunch. Dinner options might include green smoothies or a salad with beef. There are no apparent dietary modifications during competition preparation. The day before a competition, I often consume extra carbs, but other than that, nothing changes. I do, however, consume less calories, more water, and light snacks like bananas and baby purees when competing.

TROFIM VELIKY: Food is my weakness. I'm not a believer in right and wrong. Dinner is generally a combination of meat or fish and vegetables, while mornings are always porridge and coffee. Normally, athletes eat more carbohydrate meals on competition days, but I skip breakfast since it is simpler and better for me to execute on an empty stomach. When my energy runs low, I eat carbohydrates to replenish it.

KASAA LIFE: What does Champion’s breakfast look like?

SOFYA VELIKAYA: My favorite dish to make is zucchini pancakes with stracciatella and mildly salted red fish. I create fantastic pancakes in 10 minutes or little croissants for kids.

TROFIM VELIKY: Porridge with water or coconut milk, almonds and dried fruits, and, of course, coffee.

KASAA LIFE: Any Champion’s daily sports rituals?

SOFYA VELIKAYA: Almost every day I have a different physical activity, always a light dynamic warm-up, and always stretching after a workout. Now I pay special attention to strengthening the internal muscles and ligaments and doing exercises for balance and coordination. I also try to walk every day in the fresh air for an hour to saturate the body with oxygen.

TROFIM VELIKY: I have sports rituals throughout the day; in the morning, I pull myself up, do push-ups, and play catch-up; during the day, I have 2-3 training sessions in physical training and fencing; and in the evening, I may play tennis.

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KL: Let's talk about fencing. Why fencing and why did you choose it?

SOFYA: I was introduced to fencing by my older brother Grigory, who moved me to Moscow and helped me enter a sports school. I came to this sport quite late, and before fencing, like many girls, I was engaged in music and dancing. But it was interesting to try a new sport and especially a new type of weapon - the women's saber appeared much later than the men's - it was interesting. So I came to fencing and stayed for many years. And I won the first gold and significant medal at international competitions in 2002 in Turkey at the World Championship.

TROFIM: It's hard for me to say what fencing means to me. It's not just a sport. Not just a workout for the body and mind. This is a whole life in a moment when you need to make a decision in a split second, on which the outcome of the entire battle depends. This is not only a sport, but also a psychological duel, a battle of both dexterity and intelligence. This is an experience that has been useful to me many times in various areas of life. It was here that I learned to make a psychological portrait of any person, to combine the physical and moral, and really understood what it means to "be in the moment." This is an intellectual, noble and beautiful sport during which all muscle groups work. And yet - this is still a unique and exclusive occupation, which is paid undeservedly little attention. And I want to fix it. My first gold medal was obtained at the Russian Championship, I was proud of myself, self-confident and infinitely happy.

KL: What is the most difficult thing in professional sports?

SOFYA: I think the hardest part is the routine. Professional sports are daily work. Daily repetition and strict discipline, otherwise the goal cannot be achieved.

TROFIM: The hardest part is doing the same thing every day, although that is the key to victory. Step by step is my life motto.

KL: Both of you have adorable kids. There are two points of view. The first is that children should be introduced to sports as early as possible, while the second is that the later the better. What do you think?

SOFYA: As soon as possible, of course. Physical activity is essential for a child's healthy and harmonious development. Sport teaches discipline and responsibility, as well as diligence and endurance. All of our children are very athletic, and we teach them to be in constant motion from a young age. I try to pay close attention to this: my children excel at sports; they are agile and mobile; my son performs acrobatics, basketball, break dances, and swims well; and my daughter is not far behind him. As for professional sports, I think each sport has its own rules. For example, if we talk about fencing, then the little kids who come to the clubs, in fact, do not do fencing, but are engaged in physical training. Weapons are given to them much later, only when they are able to hold them. Do not forget, the weight, for example, of a saber is almost half a kilo, and we do not have children's blades, children fencing with adult weapons from the very beginning.

TROFIM: Sport is an integral part of life - the foundation is gymnastics, acrobatics. For my children, I choose sports from an early age.

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KL: What qualities must you cultivate in order to become a champion?

SOFYA: Effort. Discipline. The ability to lose and learn from your mistakes, as well as faith in yourself and your goal.

TROFIM: A Step-by-Step Guide. (Smiles).

KL: Fencing is a noble, lovely, elegant, and romantic sport. At the same time, it is known for an uneven distribution of the load on the body and spine. Should beginners be concerned, and how can they avoid it?

SOFYA: Yes, there is such a problem. We even have a slight asymmetry in muscle volume because of how we stand in the stance; one leg is slightly larger than the other. However, asymmetry can occur only in professional athletes. We try to compensate for this by exercising, staying fit, and stretching.

TROFIM: That's correct. Physical training is essential for the septenary development of all muscle groups.

KL: Sofya, Trofim, we know that fencing is not the only sport you do. Please tell us how your sporting nature helps you in mastering new sports and in life.

SOFYA: I love volleyball, I'm learning the basics of golf, and I can play almost any sport, but I've never tried curling. This is because our parents instilled in us a love of sports, excitement, and a passion for the process itself. We simply know how to deal with failure and do not give up when we face difficulties or something does not go as planned. We just keep attempting.

TROFIM: Yes, I had gymnastics and fencing behind me, which greatly aided me in any sport. Everything works out perfectly the first time. I enjoy trying new things, and this year I tried cycling, wakeboarding, tennis, sailing, yachting, and equestrian sports, with positive results everywhere. Sports are also beneficial when you have small children (catch-ups and trampolines are an integral part of every day).

SABRINA'S MAURITIUS ESSENTIALS

KL: In the film “On the Edge”, (the two major characters in the film "On the Edge", based on the real story of Sofya Velikaya, are swordswomen. One has long been in the spotlight, while the other only recently joined the national squad and has won nearly every competition since. Both on and off the field, the two sportsmen begin to compete for dominance. - Editor's note), there is dynamic current music; what music do you listen to while exercising? What about you, Trofim?there is dynamic modern music, and what kind of music do you listen while workout? Trofim, what about you?

SOFYA: I just love Jennifer Lopez! I can listen to her music in its entirety. In general, in training, I turn on albums of hits from different years and leaf through what I like.

TROFIM: I'm a music lover.

KL: How long do pre-competition training sessions last? How do you recover after the competition?

SOFYA: We train all year except in August, when we take a long break following the World Championships or the Olympics in July. Our coaching team oversees the training process and distributes the workload. We are usually at our best for the European and World Championships in June and July. We have a day off the day before the tournament and another day off thereafter. Massages, sleep, walks, and time with my family have all helped me heal.

TROFIM: Two intense exercises each week for a month while on vacation with my family.

KL: Tell us about sports signs in fencing, if any.

SOFYA: There is one sign: hold on to the great one for good luck! But in fact, I do not know any signs, perhaps because I am not superstitious at all and always rely only on myself.

TROFIM: Don't be the first to hit the fencing lane, but I'm not superstitious. (Smiles).

KL: How does Champion's weekends look like?

SOFYA: Me and my whole, huge family are the perfect formula.

TROFIM: A delicious early breakfast with the family, an active day (amusement park, aquarium, cycling), an evening dinner, and movie watching

KL: A must for Champion's successful day?

SOFYA: Set yourself up for success! (Smiles).

TROFIM: (Smiles). Remember and be happy - every day.

KL: For great success, support is important. Who supports and inspires you?

SOFYA: My family is my support system. My children, my parents, my brothers, and their families are my most devoted fans and the people I can always rely on.

TROFIM: Very important. My family is always there for me, is proud of me, and loves me; this is very important and felt. I am inspired by many people from different fields; I always follow my friends who are athletes, and of course my admiration is for my sister, who is unique and proud.

KL: In such a hectic schedule do you have time to read or watch films? What are your most favorite?

SOFYA: Questions like this always puzzle me. Now my main books are my son's school diary and his school textbooks)

So far my preferences haven't changed: Anna Karenina, Spartacus. These works make you plunge into that distant time and completely dissolve in events, people and actions.

TROFIM: My favourite movies are "Knives Out 3", "The Hateful Eight". Books - "Shantaram", "The Archer", "Good to great". In fact, it is difficult to single out 3 films and 3 books, I have watched a lot of films, and I love many, I review many for morale support. "Shantaram" teaches a lot, teaches to remain human in any circumstances. "The Archer" is the perfect pre-competition book to get you in the right mindset and go to the goal, "Good to great" - a bedside book to remember what's important and what we're doing everything for.

KL: What projects are you working on now? What awaits us, your fans, in soon?

SOFYA: As you can see, I am still excited about the Paris 2024 initiative and plan to visit there.

TROFIM: My major goal now is to inform and fascinate as many people as possible about saber fencing. I want to start my own fencing club. I could go on and on describing everything, but it's far more fun to show you everything in training.

You will never appreciate all the intricacies if you watch the tournament from the sidelines or on TV, and you may not even see the lightning-quick and swift punches. Fencing can only be genuinely enjoyed if you're dressed in a white suit, wearing a mask, and holding a saber. and under the guidance of a knowledgeable coach. I dream that everyone at least once in their life felt this indescribable burst of adrenaline at the moment of striking. Are you ready? (Laughs).