Ekaterina Gamova: ‘We joked and ended up here’

'My every contract was on a rosy paper'

Katya Gamova who is sitting at the table of the Volleyball Centre's press centre looks so harmonic as if it had never been told she was going to end her career and about almost 6 months of Dinamo-Kazan without its legendary opposite hitter. It seems now she will answer the questions of numerous journalists and go to warm up before the next match, which will maybe end with a wallop of the rival. These are the expectations we got used to during 5 years that Ekaterina Gamova spent in Kazan. They were not just victories but victories with undoubted supremacy on the court.

Today when the table where Katya and the club director Sergey Chernyshov are sitting is full of numerous cups and prizes, including the most prestigious titles existing today – glass prize of the Champions League and Champions League Cup – the world champion ironically and with a smile remembers that her union with Kazan began with a number of kind moments. When she joined Dinamo-Kazan, the club ranked the seventh in the standing. It is doubtful that someone even guessed what would happen in the end.

The table where Katya and the club director Sergey Chernyshev are sitting is full of numerous cups and prizes

'Then I could choose between Kazan and Krasnodar. I met with Evgeny Nikolaevich (Editor's Note: Chernyshov). And he captivated me somehow. We had good relations from the very beginning. Then he visited us in Turkey.'

'With a rosy contract,' the club director joins the story of Katya with laughter.

'Yes, with a rosy contract,' Gamova is also laughing. 'Actually, it was a joke. But everybody takes it seriously, while we just joked. I was told: everything you want, even a rosy contract. Then it grew into a small tradition. This is why my every contract was on a rosy paper. But everybody should understand it is a joke.'

'It is not just a team that took the seventh place. When I plan to join a team as a player, first of all, I look at the players who are playing there. I knew who was going to play there. This is why I was not afraid at all, and the coach I was going to work with. It is the coach I trust. I think I would like to work with him if I had to choose among the Superleague coaches at that moment.

Actually, when we played in the national team, we joked with the girls. Marina Babechina says: 'You have one year in Turkey. Then you will be unemployed.' And I say: 'Rishat Sirazutdinovich (Editor's Note: Gilyazutdinov – also the head coach of the national team) take me (smiling). We joked and ended up here.'

It was my idea to create a school. And the authorities of Tatarstan supported it. The school is already open. I am not going to interfere in the training process, professional coaches work there.

Apart from sports merits at Dinamo-Kazan whose list is quite long, Ekaterina managed to open a girl's school for young volleyball players in the city. Though the athlete lives in Moscow with her family, she says she is going to visit Kazan frequently. Here she has friends and pupils.

'It was my idea to create a school. And the authorities of Tatarstan supported it. The school is already open. I am not going to interfere in the training process, professional coaches work there. However, I am going to come, talk to kids, advise, give masterclasses,' the athlete explained.

Legend No. 11

A T-shirt with Gamova's surname that will occupy a place under the roof of Saint Petersburg Volleyball Centre forever has already been prepared.

A beautiful tradition of retiring the number is used in hockey when a player dedicated the biggest part of his career to one team and became its legend or when a pupil became a star. This is why I cannot help but ask Gamova and Chernyshov whether she considers Dinamo-Kazan a club of her life and if it is fair that the Kazan team makes the famous No. 11 eternal. No one will ever play with this number at Dinamo.

We will raise the T-shirt with great pleasure and will retire the number

'In my career, I have never won the titles we reached and won with Dinamo with another team. It is the most 'fruitful' team. There were great victories here. Even not all Russian clubs have some trophies I won here. This is why, of course, it is a very big part of my life. And, sure, it is a great pleasure for me.'

Here Sergey Chernyshov decided to add:

'We are very proud and appreciate the victories we won – they are very important for us. They are important because, unfortunately, Katya did not manage to win the Champions League and the World Club Championship, though she played in very strong teams. But here she did it. This is why we will raise the T-shirt with a great pleasure and will retire the number.'

What a show without derby?

On Saturday, when eternal opponents – the Moscow and Kazan Dinamo – will be on the court of the Volleyball Centre, fans will be able to see the Legend No. 11 for the last time, though very organizers assure the event will have elements of a show. Well, ceremonies are ceremonies, no one cancelled a long-standing derby.

'As for my shape, it is a difficult question for me because, indeed, I have not played in the last 6 months. But I did not stop training after the end of the season, I keep in shape, go to the gym. But I have touched the ball just recently. My first training will be tomorrow (Editor's Note: 30 September), we will see. I think it won't be too critical (smiling).'

I am sure that Ekaterina Gamova will shine on the court as usual

'It is clear it is more a show,' Chernyshov takes the floor. 'There will be contests, performances. But the competition will be serious because it is the main derby of the two last seasons. And I think, the girls will feel great. I am sure that Ekaterina Gamova will shine on the court as usual. The farewell match of the legend of Russian volleyball and Dinamo-Kazan Ekaterina Gamova will be tomorrow in Saint Petersburg Volleyball Centre at 15.30. Come, we need to say to Katya goodbye in a decent way, à la Kazan!'