While travelling from Adler to Krasnaya Polyana (40 km) by a comfortable high-speed train, I paid attention to a pretty young woman who was dressed in the uniform of the Canadian national team. She was talking on the phone in Russian with English accent. She turned out to be Ekaterina Zavialova, champion of Canada in snowboarding. Ekaterina has achieved a lot at the international tournaments. She took the 13th place at the 2012 World Championship.
Ekaterina told us she gained licence for Sochi Olympics last year but she could not fulfill her dream due to injury. “I cannot participate in Sochi Olympics due to injury but I arrived here to support the Canadian team”, - Zavialova told us.
Ekaterina was 14 years old when her family moved from Russia to Canada – it was in 1998. “When I lived in Russia, I practiced skiing. I got interested in snowboarding in Canada and achieved success”, - said the girl who is one of the best snowboarders of Canada in recent years.
Mikhail Zavialov, father of Ekaterina, was a famous luger and is a successful coach now. He was a head coach of the Russian team at the 2010 Olympic Games in Canada. Now he coaches the Canadian team. “My father is a longtime friend of famous Georgian luger and coach Felix Kumaritashvili (uncle of Nodar Kumaritashvili who tragically died at the Olympics in Canada). He also knows Davit Kumaritashvili (father of Nodar, champion of the USSR)”, - Ekaterina told us.
She told us that before the Olympics Nodar Kumaritashvili arrived in Canada and practiced in Calgary where the parents of Ekaterina live. “Nodar practiced in Calgary and lived in our house. He was a very talented sportsman. My father respected him a lot”, - mentioned Ekaterina.
She said on that tragic day – on February 12, 2010 – when Nodar died on the Whistler track, the father of Ekaterina was the first who showed up on the scene. “My father felt sorry for Nodar. He knew Nodar well and helped him in the practices”, - said Ekaterina.
The International Olympic Committee will help Georgia establish the Nodar Kumaritashvili Sports Center in Bakuriani. I think those specialists and coaches from Sigulda (Latvia) and Canada who coached Nodar, including Mikhail Zavialov, must be invited to the opening ceremony of this center.
Tengiz Pachkoria, Krasnaya Polyana – Adler, specially for www.worldsport.ge
