Anna Petrakova basketball personal life. "In the Olympic cafeteria, LeBron James came up to our table and shook hands - everyone was jealous of us"

She spoke about her work in the coaching staff of the Russian national team, headed by Olaf Lange.

- The game is perceived in a completely different way. This was especially evident in the match with Lithuania, where we won in a nervous ending. There was such excitement - I caught myself thinking that I was watching the match as a player. And you need to notice some things from a coaching position. So I kept pushing myself. It's hard to become a coach at the click of a button - I think it's a matter of habit. Of course, I already understood how difficult this profession is. You have an increased responsibility: you need to find the right words for the players, explain the combination, take a timeout in time ...

- After the end of your career, did you plan to immediately become a coach?

– I wanted to do something else, for example, to get an education in the field of psychology. But then I realized that I still miss basketball. This has been my life for 24 years, and such a colossal experience should be used. When I got a call from the RFB and offered to become Lange's assistant, I immediately agreed. Honestly, I was surprised by this call and am still delighted - what could be better than working with the national team.

- You must have heard that many were against inviting a foreigner to the position of head coach. What are the strengths of Olaf Lange?

– We met four years ago when I was a UMMC player. I don’t know what the federation was guided by when choosing, but as far as I understand, the position of the RFB was this - to take the coach of the best club in the country. And the UMMC, where Lange has been working productively for several years, is now one of the two best clubs in Russia. This practice exists in all countries, it is not a matter of nationality. In football, the national team and clubs are often coached by foreigners and they no longer react so painfully to this. Moreover, Olaf is very experienced trainer who worked in the USA. Why don't we look to the West for Russia's benefit?

Do you keep in touch with?

- We are talking. I congratulated her on her victory in the Summer League-2015, I follow Hammon's progress in the men's team. I respect and admire.

Is she capable of becoming the first female head coach in NBA history?

- Definitely will. Becky is a person with a capital letter, she constantly strives for self-improvement.

- What is your most memorable tournament in the national team?

- Of course, the 2012 Olympic Games. We had the highest competition - to get into that team, you had to literally gnaw on the parquet. Alas, we stopped a step away from the medals and took an offensive fourth place, but I felt the spirit of the Olympics. It's something fantastic. IN Olympic village I met - he approached us in the dining room. After that, I met him five more times in the USA, but he constantly could not remember whether we knew each other or not.

Is he your favorite NBA player?

– No, now my favorite player is Kristaps Porzigins. He shows a fantastic game, and something native is felt in his actions. In some ways, it looks like. Its functionality is amazing, there have been no such players in the NBA for a long time.

In a large-scale interview for the Slamdunk Dreams blog, Anna Petrakova recalls the main episodes of her career.

December 2013 is a hot time for one of the most beautiful basketball players in Russia, Anna Petrakova. Birthday, participation in the Olympic torch relay in Yekaterinburg, an offensive injury - and all this at the height of the season. But no one said that it would be easy for Ana at the UMMC. For a year and a half she has been in Yekaterinburg, and during this time she has received everything that can be obtained by playing best club Europe. Right now is the defining moment of a career for Anna Petrakova. Her contract expires in the summer, and she has only six months to continue the fairy tale. Now she is doing well, but everyone knows that the UMMC makes offers that Candice Parker, Diana Taurasi and none of the others cannot refuse. the best players peace.

“There is only one thought: if only this fire did not spread to the hat”

- What are your impressions from participating in the Olympic torch relay?

- The best! I liked everything, although initially I was a little skeptical about the relay. I thought it was such a staged show, officialdom. Everything turned out to be different, everything is kind, sincere. Many fans, many children, everyone is happy, joyful. I didn’t even feel the cold during the race, it was such a joy. And there was only one thought: if only this fire did not spread to the hat ... But everything went well. Then, when I got on the bus for the torchbearers, they all handed out “five” to each other, smiled. Felt like a participant Olympic Movement. I left a certificate as a keepsake, which says that I am a torchbearer.

I look forward to the start of the Olympics. If possible, I will try to come to Sochi myself. If there is an opportunity to get to the hockey final, how not to go? Memory for life. I will follow hockey, but also other sports. winter views sport is ours, Russian, close to the heart. Basketball is still an American game, and everything winter is ours. Hockey is, in general, our number one national sport.

Somewhere on the Internet there was a photo of you with Alexander Ovechkin. On Twitter, you are sometimes nice to him. Are you just such bosom friends?

I wouldn't say friends, more like buddies. We crossed paths several times in common companies. We have many acquaintances, because his mother Tatyana Nikolaevna is the president of Dynamo Moscow. Therefore, Sasha himself is well versed in basketball, he goes to matches, mainly at Dynamo. Very simple, nice person! He loves company, communication, fun ... After talking with him, it immediately becomes clear why he became so great. Man hates to lose! In cards, in "associations", in basketball, just in tag - everywhere he wants to be the first. They always laughed at how he boiled over if he lost ... At the Olympics, I will root for Sasha personally.

- Did you manage to get acquainted with someone else from the athletes at the relay?

– Met Sergey Chepikov, Anzhelika Timanina (champion of the 2012 Olympics in synchronized swimming- approx. auth.), Yura Prilukov. I wanted to see Alexander Popov, our great swimmer. But it didn't work out. In the evening we had a game with Nadezhda, not in Yekaterinburg, but in Verkhnyaya Pyshma, so there was no time. I ran my stage, got into the car and drove off. In the same place, in the car, I dined on pasta from a container - a game, I need carbohydrates. IN Olympic costume showed up in Pyshma, went into the locker room ... Became the center of attention, of course. Some of the girls even brazenly wanted to steal my hat. But I defended it (laughs)!

The match against Nadezhda was memorable for Olga Arteshina's three-pointer in the end. You were so happy then, as if something wonderful had happened.

- I was very happy for Olya. She didn’t play for almost a year, and then the first points came... She is ours, Russian, so you worry about her more... You know how Anton Ponkrashov wrote on Twitter after the match between CSKA and Khimki: “Great game, it’s a pity that there are fewer and fewer Russians and less… An endangered species…” Here we are now at the UMMC, every one of them. Now Olya has recovered, there are not three of us, but already four - Olya Arteshina, Masha Stepanova, Tanya Popova, me. Plus young Nastya Tochilova. That's all. Deanna Nolan also has a Russian passport, but she, of course, was not born in Russia.

From an outsider's point of view, one cannot say that the Russian UMMC players have any problems due to the fact that they often remain on the bench. Here, at the game with Nadezhda, Tatyana Popova and Diana Taurasi chatted the whole match.

You are right, there are no problems. We are professionals and we respect each other. And not everything is so bad for Russian players. You can compete with foreigners, especially in Russian league matches. But you always want to play more. If you don't want to play, you need to leave basketball. Trainer (Olaf Lange - author's note) we are literate, we have nothing to complain about. He tries to find situations for everyone in which we can prove ourselves. We have many tactical schemes in our arsenal, there are those where I have a more significant role.

Sometimes it's just bad luck. December 4 was my birthday, and we played with Kayseri in the Euroleague. The coach came up the day before the game and told me to prepare for the fact that I would play a lot. But, alas, I sprained my leg already in the first quarter. Stupid injury: she was rebounding on her backboard, she jumped very high and landed badly. The leg already crunched ... The injury out of the blue - and on my birthday. The law of meanness ... In the evening, the whole team celebrated in the restaurant, I spent the whole evening sitting in my place. And I wanted to dance! It's a shame. I entered the game with such enthusiasm, there was so much energy. But... Apparently, the Universe decided to "ground" me a little.

- If you forget about the injury, then the birthday, in general, was a success?

- Yes, they gave a lot of flowers! I filled all the vases in the house, and still it wasn’t enough, I had to put a couple of bouquets in the bathroom. The very first gift is from mom and dad. Early in the morning a call on the intercom: "Delivery service." It was mom and dad who sent a bouquet and a postcard from Moscow. And then, during the day, there were also many flowers. I still don't know who exactly some bouquets are from. Apparently, there are some anonymous fans. But I'm very happy! Thanks to all!

- You didn't say anything about Nikita Kurbanov from UNICS... They say on the Internet - your fiancé.

- You know, we're not dating anymore, so I don't want to talk about it.

"What piano? Have you seen the size of her feet?

- How is it, in general, for a basketball player to be born at the height of the basketball season? You're out of luck, right?

- No, why not lucky: December, snow, everyone good mood before New Year. I always get a lot of gifts - from the team and friends, even by mail. Fans often give something on a basketball theme: calendars, nesting dolls, posters, collages with my image. Sweets don't go to waste either. (laughs)... One minus - family and relatives from other cities can not always be around. There will be an anniversary next year; I hope everyone can get together.

- Is it true that your mother wanted to make a musician out of you?

- Mom wanted to give me the piano, bought an album for notes. Then dad came home from work and said: “Well, why is this? Have you seen the size of her feet? What other piano? And already at the age of seven I had the size of a leg, like an ordinary woman. I had to forget about music. Although now I would really like to be able to play some instrument. I love music, it happens that a song flows out of me, but, except in my bathroom, I don’t risk singing.

- Your father is a great basketball player (Viktor Petrakov is a 12-time champion of the USSR, winner of the European Championship). How did he motivate you as a child?

- I grew up as a rather stunted and lazy child, it was not easy to force me to do something. But dad “turned on the dictatorship”: basketball is in the first place. At first I resisted. The rest of the children are walking in the yard, but I need to go to training ... Or we go to rest, all people are like people, sunbathe and swim, and my dad and I jump “frog” on the sand, do push-ups, swim for a while. All this was given through force. And then I myself began to see the results, excitement woke up in me, and dad didn’t have to force me anymore.

- Are there any “basketball genes”, some kind of craving for this sport that is inherited?

- Maybe! Dad and I are very similar. On the court and in life - two different people. On my own, I am a very calm and humble person, but basketball shows a different side of me. There is anger, aggression, even some impudence. And the same goes for dad. Dad on the court is ready to kill for this ball. I remember from childhood how scared I was when I got to see his game for the first time. I saw how he clenched his teeth when he went to the selection, what kind of eyes he had at the same time - it was a shock to me. But after the games - no problems. The same two-meter teddy bear, as I used to ... Dad is now 64 years old, he still travels to tournaments among veterans. He is in great shape, a few years ago he drove the ball into the ring from above.

The question is not entirely correct, but ... In various versions of the biography of Elena Baranova on the Internet, it is said that you are half-sisters, that you have a common father - Viktor Petrakov.

“I want to put an end to this story for a long time. No, Elena Baranova is not my sister. I feel sorry for my dad, whose name is still mentioned in this story, although he once won the court against Elena's mother and proved that he was not Elena Baranova's father. I respect Elena, but I prefer not to communicate with her.

“Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant as a woman are now playing in the UMMC”

- After your studies in the USA, when you were only 21 years old… Could you really give up sports?

- First, I'll tell you about my own sister Marina. She has been living in the USA for 20 years, got married, has three children, recently received American citizenship, works in the admissions office of LSU University, one of the largest in America ... She is doing very well, I am happy for my sister and proud that she was able to achieve such success almost from scratch.

So, I went to the USA in her footsteps. I knew I wouldn't be there alone. I had a task to play basketball, but, most importantly, to get a good education.

When I left Russia, I did not yet know one hundred percent whether I would become an athlete. I understood that I had abilities, but I did not understand what my potential really was. Fortunately, things went well both in basketball and academically. I learned the language quickly, now I speak English fluently. Graduated from the faculty with an average score close to honors. Graduated with a degree in Information Technology in Business. Therefore, I really had such a choice: either basketball - or a “normal” life in the USA, a job in my specialty. There were offers here and there. Dad told me - stay in the USA, work in the office, everything will be fine, like my sister. But I decided that I could not live without basketball and would try my luck at home.

.- At the end of the university you were invited toWNBA?

- Yes, there was an offer from the WNBA from two teams to come to the selection camps, but I refused. It is unlikely that I would have had a real opportunity to gain a foothold. The season in the WNBA lasts only 4 months, the competition is incredible. A Russian league- the best in the world, the most titled players here. Take, for example, the UMMC: we have Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant as a woman. I think you understand what I mean.

- How much did the experience of playing in the American student league influence your development as a player?

- In Russia, it would be much more difficult for me. Today we have a poorly developed middle link between the SDUSHOR and the clubs. Immediately after school, players go pro, but they are almost always not ready for this level. And the clubs have no time to develop the young, they have their own tasks. In the US, there is no such problem: the university league is the very middle link. Therefore, I can say this: if not for this experience, I would hardly be playing at the UMMC now.

In Russia, I could dissolve in the general mass, and in Louisiana they worked with me purposefully. The coach saw a talent in me and tried to make me a leader, although my innate shyness greatly interfered. The coach put pressure on me, brought up character. He built the whole game through me, taught me to take responsibility. Great person and great professional, Kelly Hall. Unfortunately, he died a few years ago of a heart attack. I was very upset, he was only 47 years old. This is a special person in my life, to whom I will always be grateful.

And the last question on the theme of the United States. You were studying in Louisiana at the time when Hurricane Katrina was raging there. Did it affect you in any way?

- I was at my University in Lafayette, 200 kilometers from New Orleans. My sister and family were even closer, in Baton Rouge. We were almost not affected by the hurricane, a strong wind rustled, an emergency regime and a curfew were introduced in the city. And my sister's electricity went out for three days and fell a big tree in front of the house, he and his family were sitting at home during the hurricane without electricity and communication. It was scary for them. But this catastrophe touched many of our acquaintances much more. One of them sat on the roof of a house in New Orleans for several days in the heat without water and food, waiting for rescuers. Luckily, he was saved. After this incident, he changed a lot, divorced his wife, became withdrawn and even a little wild. He says that he completely rethought his life in the face of death. Of course - a terrible tragedy, too many people died. Hurricanes in Louisina are a frequent occurrence, and many did not believe that everything was so serious and therefore simply did not evacuate. And when they realized it, it was already too late, the Mississippi dam broke through and flooded roads and houses. The city, which was the capital of fun and carnivals, became the epicenter of the disaster. Now it is almost completely restored, but the atmosphere there is no longer as carefree as it used to be.

“We, Russians, are used to being stood over us with a “whip”

The name "Petrakova" since 2008 has been on the extended list of candidates for the national team. At the same time, you were taken to the team only in 2012, for the Olympics. How does it feel to be unhooked at the last moment four times in a row?

- The first two years I was young, objectively inferior in skill. And then - it was not possible to pass the selection. Of all the competitors, I was the shortest, and taller ones were preferred. It was hard to accept this, because internally I did not agree. All that was left was to work...

Before London, there was also a moment when it was not clear whether I would be in the team or not. It was a huge stress for me - this is the first Olympics in my life, and I'm almost 28 years old ... But, fortunately, it worked out. You can't imagine what happiness it was when I realized for sure that I would be in the national team. I realized then that the more difficult the victory is, the more expensive it is. Failure only made me stronger. As one of our Americans at the UMMC said, you should hate losing more than you love winning.

What, in general, is your opinion about the Olympics and Euro 2013, where the Russian team was left without medals? Our officials blamed the coaches, although they themselves were obviously more busy with corporate wars than with work ...

- Now there is a generational change. And against this background, the problems that have been brewing in our basketball for a long time have come out. Hence the result, which does not suit anyone. Of course, the team loses, not the federation workers. But players and coaches grow and develop in the environment that is created for them. And these conditions are not the most favorable now. I do not think that only the coaches are to blame for the result. We are all to blame.

- At Euro 2013, you looked very good, but the national team failed ... Double feelings, isn't it?

- Coach Vainauskas knew what I was capable of and gave me freedom of action, since we once won the Eurocup in Dynamo Kursk with him. I knew what to expect from him and how to work with him, which can not be said about all the girls in the team. After the "totalitarian" regime of Boris Sokolovsky, the "creative" approach of Alfredas turned out to be too contrasting. He had too little time before the Euro for the team to get used to him, and the situation with the involvement of Epifania Prince did not play into his hands. So in the end it didn't matter that I played well with Spain and that I got the MVP in the preparation tournament in the Czech Republic. Because we failed the Euro. And all my individual efforts were equal to zero. In general, I now have a more important role in the national team than in the UMMC. But I want the team to win, and if for this I have to sit on the bench, so be it.

Boris Sokolovsky, coach of the Russian team at the Olympics, believes that one of the most important components where Russians lose to competitors is physical training. Do you agree?

“Physics is very important. But she must be smart. We can not say that we are losing a lot physically. But now we have not quite the right attitude to this work. You need to teach young players to listen to their body, to develop it on their own. And we Russians are not accustomed to extra work. We are used to being “with a whip” above us. It is not customary for us to do something above the norm.

This seems to be a legacy Soviet school when the training loads were prohibitive. People were taught to subordinate their interests to the collective, and not to develop their own. best qualities. Papa told creepy stories how they spent the whole day at the training camp running the “Cooper test” and training without rest. The coaches didn’t care about injuries, if you got injured, we’ll find another, so the players clenched their teeth, tightened the bandages and went to the site. Now the world is changing. We, Russian players, need to learn how to take care of our body and develop it wisely.

In UMMC I see where everything comes from. There is nothing more important than systematic work. It seems that everything is easy for our stars, that they don’t even try very hard on the court. Actually it is not. Self-confidence always comes from them, and this is not stupid "streetball" arrogance. They are very attentive to details, they think faster than normal players and they are very efficient. It is normal for them to come to work on a day off, to stay after training.

Sokolovsky says that the leader of the Swedish national team pulls himself up eight times. How many times do you pull up? Who, in general, is the champion in the gym at UMMC?

- I pull up badly. I can do it a couple of times. I still need to develop my arm strength, but I can’t do it this season because it will affect my throw. But I have very strong legs. I can hang 150 kilograms on the leg press, or even more.

Our champion is Deanna Nolan. With a height of 183 centimeters, she can score from above, but I generally keep quiet about her speed, I have never seen anything like this in basketball. Her muscle relief is also decent, she can squeeze a hundred kilograms from her chest. Plus, as a child, Deanna was engaged in acrobatics and can easily do all sorts of things like a flask, randat, somersaults and the like. Well, I can not help but mention Candice Parker. She is also very athletic, and with her height she has such plasticity, speed and jump, as if she is 20 centimeters shorter. These two were already born gifted.

“I made a mistake and I hear from the bench: “A thousand rubles!”

Let's talk about UMMC. What is it like working with Olaf Lange? Is he always so polite and calm? Or is he such a darling in public, but in the locker room he can “cram”?

- It’s true, he can “cram” it, how (laughs)… Although he does it somehow very correctly. Such a person… He even swears kindly… What Olaf impressed me with was his knowledge of the matter. Clearly builds a training plan, gives us a schedule for a month in advance. Everyone knows where we are going, what we do every day. We won the Euroleague because we were preparing for the Final Eight from the very beginning of the season. In every match we worked on the nuances of our game, and therefore in April we were a well-played team.

Olaf has a lot of theories. We watch a lot of videos, not only ours, but also from the NBA, we analyze them all together for a long time. Well, what can I say? We understand what our goal is and we try to be one family. Olaf is a good psychologist, he knows how to find an approach to each of us. He was able to make a team that, with so many leaders, plays disinterestedly.

At press conferences, Lange talks a lot and willingly about statistics. How important is this? Roughly speaking, if you do not have 10 rebounds in three games, is this a reason for sanctions?

– No, there can be no sanctions for poor performance. In basketball, team statistics are important, not individual statistics. For example, the defense game, which is often more important than the attack, is poorly reflected in the player's performance.

The numbers still need to be analyzed. Here Tanya Popova rarely scores, but when she is on the court, our other players score more, because Tanya does a useful job - in defense, on rebounds, in a fast break. Her utility factor is always one of the highest in the team, and this can not be seen in the statistics. So what are the sanctions? There is no logic in this.

Although, recently our coach began to practice something similar. Now, when someone “flies” past “their” player, trying to cover the throw, this is a thousand rubles to the cashier. So Olaf is trying to wean us from the bad habit of “flying” at the ball carrier, “flying” past, and he remains without guardianship. Olaf tells us: “We are standing below, we are not jumping” ... And what can you do here if this is a reflex developed over the years? He has to fine us. I've already been hit like that. I jumped and heard from the bench: "A thousand rubles!" ... We will give this money to charity at the end of the season.

– Now two, maybe the best basketball players in the world, Candice Parker and Diana Taurasi, play in the UMMC. What are they like in real life?

Candice swallowed her chaff. She is always fun, she loves to make fun of everyone, even the coaches. At the same time, "one's own on the board" - no arrogance, no stardom. Her daughter Layla goes to kindergarten and speaks a little Russian, so Candice now wants to learn Russian too. She grasps quickly, but the pronunciation is still lame. In the end, no matter what he says, everyone laughs. And Candace allegedly takes offense and threatens to never communicate with us again. But everyone knows that this is impossible. She is cool.

Diana is a fireworks person, a riot of energy. I think the reason is her hot Italian-Argentine blood. This is a magnetic person, her mood is reflected in the whole team. She is definitely dominant. It's always fun to be around her because she's not shy about saying what she thinks, even if it's something not entirely censored. Her way of thinking is clearly different from all of us, and sometimes I am terribly interested in what is going on in her head. She often goes beyond, for example, she can pat the judge on the butt or kiss her opponent on the court. But for all her scandalousness, Diana is a loving and kind person.

Yoga from a bird's eye view

The same can be said about you. In your interviews, there are references to Mikhail Bulgakov, Anna Karenina. A man who is stingy with feelings will not pay attention to Karenina. Love the classics?

Bulgakov is definitely my favorite writer. I have never seen such a sense of humor from any author. And Tolstoy struck me with his knowledge of female psychology. In Karenina, I recognized myself and my feelings and was amazed how Tolstoy could describe them so clearly. Anna is a self-confident woman who knows her own worth, who at the same time suffers from her weakness for Vronsky, from a sense of responsibility to her husband and does not know how to cope with hurt pride. All these feelings are familiar to me. I have long wanted to read Dostoevsky, he is also a master of subtly describing people's feelings. However, now I began to devote less time to books. Blame the internet. Addictive.

- Anna Petrakova on the Internet is a separate issue. A lot of positive!

Medals
Universiade
Silver	Bangkok 2007
State and departmental awards

Anna Viktorovna Petrakova(born December 4 in Budapest, Hungary) is a Russian professional basketball player who plays in the Russian Basketball Championship for UMMC (Yekaterinburg). Master of Sports of Russia of international class.

Biography

Her first coach was A. K. Orekhov, and the first professional team was Gloria. In the summer of 2001, Anna Petrakova left for the USA. There she studied for five years at the University of Louisiana, of which the first four years she played for basketball team university. In 2006, Anna returned to Russia and became a player in the Kazan "Nur". From the 2007/08 to 2008/09 seasons, she was a Spartak player from the Moscow Region, but Anna Petrakova went on loan twice to Vologda-Chevakata and CSKA. After the disbandment of the women's CSKA (Moscow) in 2009, she played for Spartak from St. Petersburg and again in Vologda-Chevakat. In the summer of 2011, she signed a contract with Dynamo Kursk. May 31, 2012 joined the UMMC (Yekaterinburg). Season 2014-2015 spent in Dynamo Moscow, and in the off-season 2015-2016 she returned to UMMC

Achievements

Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year (USA): 2004

• Winner Euroleague: .
• Bronze medalist Euroleagues:
• Owner European Super Cup:
• Bronze medalist of the Championship of Russia:.
• Silver Universiade medalist:
• Champion Russia: ,
• Owner Cup of Russia: ,
• FIBA Europe Cup Winner:

Write a review on the article "Petrakova, Anna Viktorovna"

Notes

Links

An excerpt characterizing Petrakova, Anna Viktorovna

- Where are you going? Boris asked.
- To His Majesty with a commission.
- Here he is! - said Boris, who heard that Rostov needed his highness, instead of his majesty.
And he pointed out to him the Grand Duke, who, a hundred paces from them, in a helmet and in a cavalry guard coat, with his raised shoulders and furrowed eyebrows, was shouting something to an Austrian white and pale officer.
“Why, this is the Grand Duke, and I should go to the commander-in-chief or to the sovereign,” said Rostov and touched the horse.
- Count, Count! Berg shouted, as animated as Boris, running up from the other side, “Count, I’m in right hand wounded (he said, showing his hand, bloodied, tied with a handkerchief) and remained in the front. Count, I hold a sword in my left hand: in our breed of von Berg, Count, all were knights.
Berg said something else, but Rostov, without listening to the end, had already gone on.
Having passed the guards and an empty gap, Rostov, in order not to fall back into the first line, as he fell under the attack of the cavalry guards, rode along the line of reserves, going far around the place where the hottest shooting and cannonade were heard. Suddenly, in front of him and behind our troops, in a place where he could not in any way suspect the enemy, he heard close gunfire.
"What could it be? thought Rostov. - Is the enemy in the rear of our troops? It can’t be, thought Rostov, and the horror of fear for himself and for the outcome of the whole battle suddenly came over him. “Whatever it is, though,” he thought, “there is nothing to go around now. I must look for the commander-in-chief here, and if everything is lost, then it is my business to die together with everyone.
The bad feeling that suddenly came over Rostov was confirmed more and more, the farther he drove into the space occupied by crowds of heterogeneous troops, located outside the village of Prats.
- What's happened? What's happened? Who are they shooting at? Who is shooting? Rostov asked, leveling with the Russian and Austrian soldiers, who fled in mixed crowds to cut across his roads.
"The devil knows?" Beat everyone! Get lost everything! - Answered him in Russian, German and Czech crowds fleeing and not understanding exactly the same as he did what was happening here.
- Beat the Germans! one shouted.
- And the devil take them, - traitors.
- Zum Henker diese Ruesen ... [To hell with these Russians ...] - the German grumbled something.
Several wounded were walking along the road. Curses, screams, groans merged into one common rumble. The shooting died down and, as Rostov later found out, Russian and Austrian soldiers were shooting at each other.
"My God! what is it? thought Rostov. “And here, where at any moment the sovereign can see them… But no, it’s true, these are just a few scoundrels. This will pass, this is not it, this cannot be, he thought. “Just hurry, hurry through them!”
The thought of defeat and flight could not enter Rostov's head. Although he had seen French guns and troops precisely on the Pracen mountain, on the very one where he was ordered to look for the commander-in-chief, he could not and did not want to believe this.

Near the village of Pratsa, Rostov was ordered to look for Kutuzov and the sovereign. But not only were they not here, but there was not a single commander, but there were heterogeneous crowds of disordered troops.
He urged on his already tired horse in order to quickly pass these crowds, but the farther he moved, the more upset the crowds became. By high road, on which he left, carriages, carriages of all kinds, Russian and Austrian soldiers, of all branches of the military, wounded and unwounded, crowded. All this buzzed and swarmed mixedly to the gloomy sound of flying cannonballs from the French batteries placed on the Pracen Heights.
- Where is the Emperor? where is Kutuzov? - Rostov asked everyone he could stop, and could not get an answer from anyone.
Finally, grabbing the soldier by the collar, he forced him to answer himself.
- E! Brother! Everyone has been there for a long time, forward fled! - the soldier said to Rostov, laughing at something and breaking free.
Leaving this soldier, who was obviously drunk, Rostov stopped the horse of the batman or bereator important person and began to question him. The batman announced to Rostov that an hour ago the sovereign had been driven at full speed in a carriage along this very road, and that the sovereign was dangerously wounded.
“It can’t be,” said Rostov, “that’s right, someone else.”
“I saw it myself,” said the batman with a self-confident grin. - It’s time for me to know the sovereign: it seems how many times in Petersburg I saw it like that. Pale, pale, sitting in a carriage. As soon as he let the four blacks, my fathers, he thundered past us: it seems time to know both the royal horses and Ilya Ivanovich; it seems that the coachman does not travel with another, like with Tsar Ilya.

Master of Sports of Russia of international class.
Champion of Russia. Euroleague winner.

Anna Petrakova was born on December 4, 1984 in Budapest, Hungary. From childhood, the girl became interested in basketball, since her height allowed. The father also loved this sport, so he supported his daughter in every possible way in her sports endeavors. Anna's first coach was Alexander Orekhov, and the first professional team was Gloria.

In the summer of 2001, Anna Petrakova left for the United States of America. There, the girl studied at Louisiana State University for five years, of which she played for the university's basketball team for the first four years, remaining the leading player.

In 2006, the athlete returned to Russia and became a player in the Kazan club "Nura". Then, for two seasons, she was a Spartak player from the Moscow Region, but Petrakova went on loan twice to Vologda-Chevakata and CSKA.

After the disbandment of the women's CSKA in 2009, she played for Spartak from St. Petersburg and again in Vologda-Chevakat. In the summer of 2011, she signed a contract with basketball club Kursk Dynamo.

A year later, on May 31, 2012, she joined the Ural UMMC team. After three years of playing in this team, she spent the 2015 season at Dynamo Moscow, and in the off-season of 2016 she returned to the UMMC again. In 2017, she was appointed Assistant Coach of the Russian Basketball Team.

The height of the athlete: 188 cm; weight: 80 kg.

Sports Achievements of Anna Petrakova

Euroleague 2013 winner.
Bronze medalist of the Euroleague 2014
European Super Cup Winner 2013
Bronze medalist of the Russian Championship 2009.
Silver medalist of the Universiade 2007
European Champion (girls under 18) 2002
European Champion (girls under 20) 2004
Champion of Russia 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
Winner of the Cup of Russia 2013, 2014, 2017
Winner of the FIBA ​​Europe Cup 2012

“Petrakova, to the blackboard! Show your classmates how to solve problems,” fifteen-year-old Anya constantly heard this phrase in chemistry lessons. I got up, went out and decided. I even went to regional olympiad. In 12 years she will go to London. Also to the Olympics, but now to play basketball as part of the national team. Her father is a ten-time champion of the USSR, she is two-time champion Russia, Europe and the winner of the basketball Euroleague. Her name is Anna Petrakova, she is a UMMC forward.

At the age of 8, her father took her to basketball. The first two years were hard: when running, my side hurt - it was terribly annoying. The doctor indifferently stated: "Age, we must continue to practice." Petrakova did not progress, was in the back five and went out at the end of the game for three minutes. “Physics is not enough, you need to learn how to run normally,” said the father and gave it to athletics. Petrakova did not digest her. But hard labor three times a week paid off - she began to move faster, play better, and at some point she realized that she liked basketball. “Petrakova, come on! You are at the start! ”, - once she heard the voice of coach Alexander Orekhov. When the Gloria team left the locker room on the floor, Anya was terribly nervous. Looking around, I saw a smiling father in the stands of the sports school and calmed down a little.

In the mid-90s, it occurred to my father to send the eleven-year-old Anya to America to visit her sister to learn English. Brought to Sheremetyevo, checked in for a flight, chose with his eyes a woman who seemed worthy to him: “Please, make sure that she reaches Seattle!”. Gave her $100 and said goodbye to my daughter. At the Seattle airport, it turned out that the newly minted nanny did not know English. “We are now at passport control, and then pick up our luggage,” Anya took the initiative. So she ended up in the US. Petrakova finished 11th grade as an external student. After studying for a semester at a local American school, she began sending videotapes of her game to universities. Many responded, but everyone was confused by her age - Anya was 16 years old, it is difficult to play at the same level with older basketball players. Finally, a coach from Louisiana answered Petrakova, personally came to her and, after talking, offered a full scholarship with living in a hostel. A few days later, Petrakova was already mastering the campus. In the university team, which trudged in the bottom standings the coach has changed. Petrakova was the only foreigner and the second white on the team. New coach Kelly Hall looked into her gray eyes and, like his father once, saw the potential buried deep.

In America, they said: "The team of champions is a loud team." To liberate the shy Russian, the coach made her yell “Ball! Ball! Ball! Petrakova did it almost in a whisper - everyone laughed. He constantly pitted her with partners and unleashed the most aggressive defenders on her. Anya was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but over time she learned to concentrate on the game itself. Once the coach announced a two-way game and left to talk on the phone. “One of the Americans constantly had complaints against me, under the ring she tried to pick up the ball hard. I waved my elbow - I got hit in the eye. Anger boiled up, a fight ensued - we were pulled apart. The coach came and extinguished the conflict. After that, there were no complaints in the team against me, ”recalls Anna.

She didn't feel like she belonged on the team. But I felt needed. For the first time in long years became a leader on the court. Kelly Hall found the right words and believed in Petrakova more than she herself: “Go and tear them, you are the coolest of all rivals!”. She nodded and told herself, “Yes! So it is! ”, - came out and scored. It was the third season. In the Conference Semifinals, Louisiana played Kentucky. Five seconds before the end, Petrakova's team lost three points. Hall took a time out and drew a combination that Anna had to finish with a three-pointer, although she herself played under the basket (!). She came out, got the ball and, having taken two steps, managed to throw it. “At that moment, the opponent, who was trying to cover the throw, savagely hit me on the hands. The ball flew into the basket and the referee called a foul,” says Anna. Fairy tale! Standing on the free throw line, she wanted to bury Kentucky. There was a lingering whistle - the opponents' coach took a timeout to play on the nerves of the heroine of the meeting. Kelly Hall approached her and, smiling, said: “What is your hit percentage? 92? Don't worry, you'll score, I have no doubt." Petrakova, perhaps, wanted to worry, but after this it just didn’t work out. Joyful, she stood on the line and sent the opponent home. A week later, Louisiana played in the conference finals and in the locker room Hall said loudly: “Anya, today is your game!”. Petrakova got nervous, disappeared on the court - the team lost big, flying past the "March Madness" - the final part of the basketball championship of the National Student Sports League. This did not stop her from becoming the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and the best student-athlete.

At this time, her dormitory neighbor bought a car and, by all means, wanted to teach her friend how to drive. At night, they terrorized the streets of the city together. As a result, Anya, with the help of her father, bought an old Nissan Sentra from her sister. To support him, she worked on campus as a concierge and office assistant, sorting through papers and fixing computers. Once a training session was scheduled for Sunday morning, Saturday evening turned out to be ruined. Petrakova decided to drive along the main street and just enjoy the atmosphere. It's night outside, hip-hop is playing loudly in the car - she passes a stoplight. Behind her are the police. Petrakova does not notice anything. After two hundred meters, flashing lights flashed in the rearview mirror. Anna heard: “Stop the car, get out, hands up, face the hood!”. The policeman came up and, taking his license, exclaimed:

- So you are the Russian who plays for the university?!

- Well, yes, tomorrow is training, but you can’t go for a walk ...

- I understand ... Well, for now. I'm coming to the match!

“Having spent many years in America, I realized by my own example that college basketball opens the way to professional sports overseas. Sports reserves are really growing here. I acquired the necessary base in the States, I came to Russia as a leader.” So Anya realized that she was at the peak of her popularity. The following year, she could no longer play for the university, so she trained with amateurs and worked at a local bar. There she learned to play billiards well and even won money from visitors. After graduating from university, she traveled to Las Vegas. I went to the casino and lost two hundred in blackjack, but I still fell in love with this city.

In the summer she flew to Russia. Shabtai Kalmanovich, an oligarch and the general director of Spartak, in which a whole galaxy of strong legionnaires played, heard about her success. The father decided that for the development of his daughter it would be better to play in a young Kazan team and attached his daughter to Nur, where she showed herself great. A year later, Shabtai made an offer to Petrakova, which she could not refuse. In the summer I went to the Universiade in Thailand, where I took silver from the national team. In Spartak, things didn’t work out: because of the abundance of stars, she sat on the bench. She went on loan to Vologda, then to CSKA, where she felt at home. “I scored my first goal at the age of five on the CSKA parquet, my father is a soldier to the marrow, and I myself am very proud to play for this club!”, Says the athlete. There, Anya met Becky Hammon and Ilona Korstin, with whom she will play together for the Russian national team. A year later, the fairy tale ended - the club was disbanded. Anna went to St. Petersburg, then to Vologda. In 2011, fate brought her to Kursk, where she won her first Eurocup.

Dynamo basketball players lost the first match of the final with a difference of 14 goals. The coach did not particularly set up for the return match: "Come on, girls, I believe in you." The team went to the floor and froze. The hall was just crowded, people were freezing on the street and watching the game on the big screen. Dynamo quickly secured a good start, and when the Kayseri basketball players began to get close to the cherished difference of 14 points, Petrakova knocked her rivals out of the rut with three three-pointers. The hostesses won +25, and Kursk walked all night! After the season, Petrakova was included in the extended list of the Russian team for the London Olympics. After three months of grueling preparation, a test match with the Bison men's team was planned, after which the coaches wanted to name the final list.

The day before the match, an article is published in Sport-Express, where it is written that Petrakova and Grishaeva did not make it into the squad. Anya's father calls. She is crying. The coach denies the accuracy of the information. A sleepless night. The next day, everything flies into the ring at Petrakova. Vitaly Mutko came to the match and asked: “What kind of girl is this? Plays very well!"

In the morning, Boris Sokolovsky announced the list, which included Petrakova. It was the hardest thing she had to go through. London. Olympics. Petrakova was sitting in the dining room with Bekk. The doors opened and, as if on cue, NBA stars LeBron James, Chris Poll and Russell Westbrook entered, followed by a crowd of Chinese who tried to take pictures with them. The flamboyant company of American champions was in the spotlight - the guys walked towards Petrakova's table. “Becky, are they coming to us?” Anna asked in a whisper. “Yeah, I guess…” Hammon replied indifferently. LeBron walked up to Becky, pulled her off the chair and kissed her, then shook Anna's hand and introduced himself:

− Hey, I am LJ!

- Very nice! Anya

At that moment, the entire canteen envied them ... Then - fourth place at the Olympics in London. A year at the UMMC, which included two Russian championships and a victory in the Euroleague. The next club is the capital's Dynamo. On December 4, 2014, Muscovites met with the Israeli "Maccabi". Petrakova had a birthday, turned 30 years old. Before the game, her friends were talking about some kind of video, but Anna missed everything. Dynamo lost big, she came home, she had no strength - she had to get ready for a restaurant. She opened the phone, and there was a message from Konstantin Igropulo. The next four minutes made her day - that's how long the congratulatory video recorded by Konstantin for Anna's birthday lasts.

Now Anna thinks that she will drag her in the same way as basketball. She does not want to comment on matches: she believes that she cannot play with words, as her favorite commentator Roman Skvortsov does. It doesn’t work to train, it’s better to continue studying, perhaps find yourself in business, get an MBA qualification. But while she lives in Yekaterinburg, she loves yoga, Bulgakov, she has a valid contract with the leading basketball club in Russia - UMMC.

Egor MUKHANOV

Photo from personal archive

Anna PETRAKOVA