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Ali: Congratulation for your first medals at World Championships.
stil: Olja, you are great.
Cally: Olga, greetings from Juli from Novosibirsk and to all the other athletes, especially Pyleva.
Olga_Z: Thank you for your congratulations. I am very happy that there even are some German and Israeli fans. That is very nice.
Olga_Z: It's great to know that you are there, supporting me and the Russian team.

The World Championships in Hochfilzen

Timmy: Olga, I heard that you won't start in the Individual race. If so, do you feel disappointed about that or do you think this will help you to prepare better for the Relay?
Olga_Z: No, I won't start in the Individual. The coach didn't nominate me. I would have liked to start, but that way, I'll have more power for the Relay and the Mass Start. I don't really mind.

Emili: Congratulations on a very successful season! Did you expect so many medals yourself?
Bartt: What do you think about your performance in these World Championships?
TomPhil: I wish you a lot of success in the Mass Start, and hopefully a Gold Medal for you! You-re able to go for Gold!
Ali: I wish you, Olga, to complete your collection with the metal you still don't have - Gold in the Relay.
Olga_Z: Thank you. These are my third World Championships and my most successful yet. I got sick before the last ones in Khanty-Mansysk (2003) and Oberhof (2004) and only ran the Individuals and the Mass Start in Oberhof but didn't do very well there because I didn't feel well.

Ivane: Olga, is the Hochfilzen route difficult for you?
Olga_Z: The track in Hochfilzen is very difficult, more so than most World Cup tracks. I like that.

Djnat: What do you think about during the race?
Olga_Z: During the races, I try to just think about the immediate. Is my technique ok, is my shooting stance ok ...? If I don't manage to keep to myself during the race, my results usually suffer a bit.

The Russian team

Andrej20M: Olga, is there a great rivalry within the Russian team, for example about the lineup for the relay?
Olga_Z: Yes, there's a fight for the relay spots, but we're still team mates. The coaches haven't decided on the team composition, yet. They will pick the team members after the Individual. At the end, the best athletes will run the relay.

Ali: Who is your closest friend in the Russian team? Anna Bogaliy?
Andrej20M: Olga, are you friends with anyone of your teammates?
Olga_Z: I am friends with all the athletes. My best friend is Anna Bogaliy, who I am sharing a room with. I also was her maid of honor when she got married in September. Joulia Makarova is also a good friend, as well as the Serge is. Both Serge is are like teachers for me, I like to watch them a lot and learn as much as possible.

Emili: Do you always follow all advices of your coaches? Do you have your own secrets in training?
Olga_Z> I follow the common training plans, but sometimes I talk to the coach and do different things that we decide upon together. I do follow the coaches' advice, though.

Goroh: Why is Sergei Tchepikov so gloomy and laconic recently? Does he try to concentrate on the threshold of the Individual?
Olga_Z: That's just the way he is: very modest. And he likes to stick to himself sometimes. He is really great, though.

olga_vip: Olga, please send my regards to Ivan Tcherezov!
Olga_Z: I'll say hello to Tcherezov for you...
olga_vip: Thanks a lot!
lizavinto: Does Tcherezov have a girlfriend?
Olga_Z: Tcherezov is married... He married Irina in August 2004.

Tamas: How often do you watch the men's competitions?
Olga_Z: I do watch some of the men's races, if I have a chance. Sometimes I watch the competitions on TV

Other athletes

Yurta: Do you have friends in other teams (German, Bulgarian etc)
Olga_Z: I have some other friends among the Russian speaking athletes, Nazarova is one - I used to train with her. The communication with athletes from countries like Germany, France or Norway is difficult, but we congratulate each other.

Einar: Who is the best athlete amongst men and women at the moment - from your point of view?
Olga_Z: With the Women, it's probably Uschi right now. She waited so long for these wins. It's really easy to be happy for her. The strongest guy right now is Ole Einar.

Emili: Who are your role-models in biathlon and in other sports?
Olga_Z: I like people who know what they want and do everything in order to achieve their goals. In biathlon, people like Ole Einar, Sven Fischer or Magdalena Forsberg come to my mind.

On the World Cup and other competitions
Skucina: What do you think about the Mixed Relay?
Gredlerlu: Will you run in the Mixed Relay in Khanty-Mansiysk? How is your position about that discipline?
Olga_Z: I think the mixed relay is a good idea, because more athletes from a nation can take part.
Timmy: Olga, with whom do you want to run in the Mixed relay in Khanty-Mansiysk?
Olga_Z: My mixed relay dream team would be myself, Anna B. and the two Sergeis (Rozhkov, Tchepikov), but I'd be happy just to take part.

Cally: What do you expect of yourself in the next season? And what do you think you can do in the Olympic Games?
Einar: It's too early to ask; but do you have plans when you want to retire and/or have children? Can you imagine going on with sports and having kids like L.G. Poiree or J. Tchepalova?
Gredlerlu: What are your plans for future, privately and professionally?
Olga_Z: I do want to have kids and a family later, but I also want to find work that is fun and that is fulfilling. That is really important for me.
Olga_Z: I want to win an Olympic medal and privately, I want family and kids at some point in my life.

Ali: What's your favorite discipline?
Emili: What are your favorite kind of race and place?
Olga_Z: My favorite discipline is always the one that I am successful in... I don't have a general favorite.

Ali: What's your favorite World Cup stage?
Olga_Z: I don't have a favorite spot, but I like Oestersund, Oslo, Hochfilzen and Antholz.

 

Her career

Anutka00: Olga, where did you start your career in sports?
Girlofina: Olga, was it very difficult for you to start your biathlon career? When did you decide to become a biathlete?
Olga_Z: I started cross country skiing in third grade, more seriously in 1990. I started the biathlon in 1994. In sport school, I trained cross country skiing at first. I started biathlon when the school I went to started to do biathlon besides cross country. They taught us to shoot and we took part in some races. I tried it and liked it and made some great first experiences.

Gredlerlu: Which victory in your career was the most important and decisive for you?
Djnat: Olya how do you estimate your results this season?
Olga_Z: All victories are important, but my most important victory was the silver medal in the World Championships. I'd like to win an Olympic medal now.

Home and traveling

Emili: What are your favorite places in Moscow?
Olga_Z: My favorite spots in Moscow are calm and green parks, especially Kolomensky Park.

Cally: Olga, do you like traveling?
Olga_Z: I do travel a lot, with the World Cup. I don't have time to see much of the countries though. I'd like to do that later, sometime.

Gredlerlu: You are the only athlete from Moscow. Why are there so few biathletes from the capital?
Olga_Z: There aren't many spots in Moscow where you can train biathlon. There are some young athletes, though.

Tamas: How often can you visit your family during the season?
Olga_Z: I don't see my family very often because they are in Moscow. On the other hand, most flights come through Moscow, so I see my family sometimes on the way to and from the competitions. That's something, at least.

The internet

Olga_vip: Olya, have you ever read our forum?
Olga_Z: I do read the forum sometimes; but I don-t have much time.

Rys: Olga_Z, Do you like PCs (computers) at all? Do you use internet often?
Olga_Z: I'm not in the internet very often, because I don't have much time. Except sometimes between competitions. I have an own Russian website, which my two older sisters are taking care of. You can find it at http://www.zajceva.ru/
Olga_Z: It is growing very nicely.
Valkus: There is also some information at www.biathlon-russia.ru.

RYS: Do you like to chat\talk with your fans?
Olga_Z: It is nice to be here. It is my first chat. It is nice to have so many fans. It's nice to hear the "Olya, Olya" cheers during the competitions. It really helps, too. Thank you all for being here!

Future plans

Emili: What are you planning to do in the near future?
Olga_Z: After Khanty I'll first go to see my family and then I'll go to the sea somewhere. I like the red sea and the Mediterranean. My oldest sister is going to have a child soon, and I'd like to be there when she has it. It will be my second nephew already. I also have a niece.
Cally: If you like the Mediterranean Sea, you should come to Israel! We'll be happy to see you here!

Emili: What do you do between seasons?
Belka20Ta: What are your plans for the period after this season?
Olga_Z: I train from June until the start of the World Cup. Only April and May are for holidays.

Sibiria: What is the training in the summer like?
Olga_Z: There are three training blocks during the summer, consisting of various sports. It used to be just running and skiing (or "rolling"), but it is much better now, because the variety is greater.

Other topics

Fischer-s: Do you have a boyfriend?
BelarusBi: Is your boyfriend a biathlete?
Olga_Z: Yes, I do have a boyfriend. He used to do sports as well.

Belka20Ta: Do you like to read? What books do you like?
Olga_Z: I like to read historical novels. I just read "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown.

Olga_vip: Olya, do you really like Rammstein?
Rys: OLJA, What music do you listen to?
Navigator: What Russian music do you like?
Olga_Z: I like Rammstein and Metallica, but also like Russian music. No particular artists there, though, just single songs.

Gredlerlu: How many rabbits (stuffed animals) do you own?
Olga_Z: I have a lot of stuffed rabbits! I haven't counted them but there must be about 100. Everybody is giving them to me for my birthdays and after victories

Girlofina: Olya, what do you usually eat for breakfast before the race?
Olga_Z> I normally have the regular European stuff for breakfast (cereals, yogurt, sandwiches) when we're traveling, but I'm looking forward to the WC in Khanty, when we can have a real Russian breakfast, especially the kasha (grain porridge) and eggs. It's a lot heartier.

Gredlerlu: Do you celebrate the International Women's Day in Hochfilzen with your team mates? It-s an important official holiday in Russia v as far as I know.
anutka00: Congratulations on the eighth of March. I wish you all the best and a lot of victories!
Olga_Z: When I'm home on the 8th of March, my sisters and I usually honor our mother. Maybe the guys in our team will have some flowers for us...