‘LADIES’ CHOICE’ DANCE ON THE RING

She is feeling at ease in a comfortable armchair at the sports club “Commandor” while I’m wondering how on earth an apparently fragile 16-year-old girl and a bronze medallist of the World Kickboxing Championship can be rolled into one. Surely, I am not the first to feel keenly interested and somewhat surprised at seeing fighter Roza Razmanova, Russia’s all-round champion. She has got accustomed to lively interest on the part of her peers and amazement of adults as they get to know about her sporting achievements. All this, however, does not prevent her from remaining a daughter of her time – sometimes childish and naive, sometimes serious beyond her years.

A MONOLOGUE ABOUT SPORTS

Don’t ask me why I chose kickboxing. I didn’t, it’s kickboxing that chose me. In sports, like in lottery, any ticket may turn out to be winning. Mine was kickboxing. When I was 7, I took up Ushio – that was when we lived in Turkmenia - then I did sambo (unarmed self-defense) and a bit of track and field. When I met my present coach Andrey Leuchev, President of Naberezhnye Chelny Kickboxing Federation, I made a decision. His coaching me at the sports club “Commandor” proved successful. In 1996, I became Russia’s all-round champion. In 1997, thank to the club, I got an opportunity to prove my worth internationally. I participated in a number of tournaments and finally became the bronze medallist at the World Championship held in Birmingham in September 1997.

Surely, such victories are hard, and I feel really scared – as much as any other kickboxer does – when I’m about to appear in the ring. My opponent in that memorable fight was a Frenchwoman, 10 years older and much taller than me. I got the jitters, but I knew only too well that emotions interfere with your fighting in the ring. So if you fail to master your excitement, to overcome you fear, you’re a loser even before you start fighting.

There’s nothing compared to the nervous tension you experience at such moments. My relief comes with tears. Then, after the fight that I did win I burst out sobbing like crazy.

Female kickboxing is not nearly as tough as male, but lots more spectacular. The ring fighting is always a show for the audience. I myself like watching other kickboxers fight, but if a fighter doesn’t seek to prove to himself that he’s second to none, he’d better quit.

You’re always alone in the ring, still kickboxing is a team sport. A fighter just can’t do without encouragement and support. Once (it seems so long ago now) I chose my sport, because I wanted to feel secure, on the one hand, and independent, on the other. Some may say I’m aggressive so I win. This may be the case as my star sign is Aries and my animal sign is the Fighting Cock. This may be disputed, though.

Nowadays we often hear people complain that women have become tougher and the surrounding world more aggressive. Life spares neither your soul, nor your instincts. “Male” occupations tend to become “female” and qualification criteria entirely disregard all sexual features. Still, we are often unable to realize that when trying herself in new occupations the modern woman does not seek to oust the man from his Mount Olympus. It’s just that she develops as she lives on, because she has the right.

It is fine and easy to talk about female aggressiveness if you have never seen girls fighting in a school ladies’ room, or have never been exposed – no, not to violence - just to the stare of an insolent guy “undressing” you in public.

Whenever a press conference is held in Russia, Roza Razmanova is invariably asked questions which, although put differently, generally imply that punching and kicking is not womanly. Answering such questions, both Roza and her coach will usually say, “How do other sports really differ from kickboxing?” Those who train in earnest know that injuries in kickboxing are as likely as in figure skating, for example. So reporters will have to delete from their list of questions to Rosa the persistent and rather incorrect idea about “woman’s natural function”.

A MONOLOGUE ABOUT HERSELF

My headache today is school. It’s not because I’m tired or bored, it’s just no time. Training and tournaments take lots of time so I am always catching up with my classmates. I do realize, of course, that school is a must, all the more so because I’m going to enroll in the Institute of Physical Culture this summer. Also, I’m learning English, it may come in handy. Actually, I am a good mixer and I can get on with all kinds of people, and I like it when there’s trust and understanding in a relationship. Then communication is really great.

There have been no problems with boys until recently, we were all one team, now it’s different: you tell him we are just friends, but he wants more. Sometimes my boyfriends will invite me to a party as a “security guard”. That’s why I kept it secret for as long as I could that I went in for kickboxing. They sometimes really get me, mock me, or suggest fighting for a bet. How stupid!

The tasks I set to myself in kickboxing are quite realistic. This year I want to win the World Championship among adults. I think I can do it. Especially after I saw some “overseas” female fighters, I’m sure we can beat them. Of course, I’ve got to train hard to master fighting techniques. Luckily, Andrey Yurievich, my coach, is always there with his advice. We understand each other perfectly.

Even though at training sessions he is the boss and I am a subordinate, the rest of the time he is both Mum and Dad for me. Actually, sisterhood in sports means a lot to me. We are all like sisters off the ring, all girls who come to competitions from across Russia. And that’s great! I love them all so much. Even though I can easily imagine a female rival off the ring. But that’s a different story.

I also love cooking sweet things like cakes and other pastry. Sometimes I feel like having a walk, all dressed up, to see how people react. I believe any woman, whoever or whatever she is, should be smart, pretty and charming.

So far, Roza has managed it easily. Probably because her age does not require much effort, or because being inherently inquisitive she manages to keep up with the changes around her, despite her tight schedule of sporting events. She is clambering up the slippery stairs of sporting success, with a degree of confidence typical of a person who, although taking his first steps, has achieved a lot. Obstacles that he encounters may hamper his progress but can never stop him. She calls her training “work”, her travelling to competitions “business trips”, and compares her victories in the ring to something like delight and being hugged by someone she loves. It seems she can make it all.

A MONOLOGUE ABOUT LOVE

I love returning home, when you come all worn-out to receive a great welcome. And then I can talk for hours on about the episodes of a competition, I’ve been to. My family only watches video recordings, as I never let my relatives come to a sports hall, to keep them from being shocked. Of course, my parents, my brother and sister approve of my choice, but they support me from home. I do feel this support, and it’s enough for me.

As for a person I could call my love, he should be intelligent, kind and strong so I wouldn’t have to protect him, even though I can, but vice versa. Then we could understand and trust each other. Some day I might even sacrifice my sporting career to such a guy, but anyway it won’t happen soon and I must see him first.

Times and customs change fast. Women, too, have changed dramatically over the recent years. Even my generation differs from the one that matured a decade ago. However, one thing I know for sure is that being the best in something isn’t bad at all and that implies not only success and pride, but also the realization of being trusted. So you can do better, you can become a better and stronger person. Isn’t it something that makes your life worth living?

I guess it is. Hopefully, Roza Ramazanova will see her “gold” glitter at the World Championship this year and she will enjoy doing her champion “ladies’ choice” dance in the international ring overseas. Well, ladies invite gentlemen for a dance!

Ekaterina Kosurova

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