Athlete profile: Vladimir Smirnov

Posted: Tue February 3, 1998 at 5:00 PM ET

Athlete notes

Ask Smirnov his nationality and he will reply Russian; ask his residence and he will reply Sweden: but in Nagano, Smirnov will be competing for the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan for the second consecutive Olympics...he will try to add to his already-impressive medal count of six, half of which he won under the Soviet flag in 1988 -- the other half as part of a one-man wrecking crew from Kazakhstan...Kazakhstan, a country that borders China and is the second-largest former Soviet republic in size after Russia, is hardly known for its elite athletes...because of his national affiliation, Smirnov was afforded underdog status in Lillehammer and received the biggest applause of any non-Norwegian at the Games...without a doubt, Smirnov was a sensation in Lillehammer, winning two silvers, and a gold on the final day of competition in the 50km classic...many times he was cheered as loudly by the crowd as the hometown boys of Norway were... after finishing runner-up to Bjorn Daehlie twice in the 10 km classic and the 15 km Pursuit, the man they call "Smirre" finally came through with the coveted gold in the best race of his life -- a race he still talks about..."The people of Scandinavia have really adopted me," said Smirnov of his memories of the 50 km victory. "I feel quite at home in either Sweden or Norway. To have the reception they gave me -- when they were obviously disappointed -- one of their own did not win, it really touched me"...after Lillehammer, Smirnov was knighted "King of Thunder Bay" when he won three events and placed third in the final individual race at the 1995 World Championships in Thunder Bay, Ontario...unfortunately, all the success in back to back years, 1994 and 1995 seemed to provide Smirnov with a bit of a motivational lapse..."After the 50 km gold in Lillehammer, I have, so to say, won everything. I don't have anything else left to reach out for," he says...after a poor World Championships last year, in which Smirnov failed to win a medal and endured two abysmal races, many wondered if Smirre would be able to continue training hard and stay motivated for competitive skiing..."My skiing career has gone through several phases," says Smirnov philosophically. "I began as a pupil, continued as a student and have gradually reached the level of professor in skiing. As professor, one's responsibility is not only winning medals. It is also important to do everything the best way, concerning training, traveling and in connection with the team and the family"...in the later stages of his life, Smirnov's number one priority has been his family -- wife, Valentina, and daughters, Anna (10) and Karolina..."Gradually, I have begun to acquire a more relaxed attitude towards sports," he explains. "It's not so awful to lose anymore. I still ski so that my family can have it better financially. Before I went for the medals. Now I go for the money, cross-country has become a job"...competitors agree that Smirnov lost some of the edge last year in Trondheim, but they are not discounting him in Nagano..."Bjorn Daehlie always skis good, but Smirnov can ski bad sometimes," says Jari Isometsä of Finland about Smirnov's lack of form at the 1997 Worlds. "Smirnov is making a comeback though"..."If Smirnov is in good shape than he will be very dangerous," says Norwegian gold-medalist Thomas Alsgård...indeed, Smirnov is physically one of the strongest skiers on the circuit and the many steep sections of the Hakuba course should suit him well...Smirnov was the first Soviet winter athlete to relocate to the West, enticed by a ski club in Sundsvall, Sweden in July 1991...he moved to Sweden with the Soviet federation's permission and continued to attend Soviet training camps...but following the collapse of the Soviet Empire, the Russian federation severed its ties with Smirnov after he said he would compete for Kazakhstan..."That is where I live, where I am from," says Smirnov. "It is hard being from Kazakhstan because tradition for cross-country is not there, But I believe it is a beautiful place, and I am proud to represent it"...at a race in October 1990, the idea of moving to Sweden was first broached to Smirnov by a member of the club in Sundsvall..."When I got home, I asked my wife, Valentina," recalls Smirnov. "She said. ‘I don't know. I don't know.' After a month, Valentina came to me and said. ‘It's good'"... the Sundsvall club, which provides Smirnov and his family a house and car, still pays for his personal training... when Smirnov was younger, he possessed a read beard, from which icicles dangled off during races -- he appeared the prototype of a cross-country skier...despite protest from his wife, Smirnov has shaved his beard on a number of occasions...who knows what he will sport in Nagano...because of the lack of quality skiers from Kazakhstan, Smirnov will likely skip the team relay in order to conserve energy, as he did in Lillehammer...several years ago, Smirnov was part of one of the most famous moments in cross-country skiing...at the 1993 World Championships in Falun, Sweden, Smirnov and Daehlie skied together for much of the 15 km Pursuit race...matching each other stride for stride, Smirnov and Daehlie seemingly crossed the finish line at the same time...at first, Smirnov was declared the winner by .01 seconds...he conducted his victory interviews on Swedish television, and the crowd chanted his name...but as the jury reviewed the photo finish, the scoreboard went ominously blank, only to return with Daehlie's name as the victor by .01 seconds..."It was one of the worst moments in my career when my name was switched for Bjorn's on the scoreboard," said Vladimir. "First, I was angry. But now, it's not a problem"...at the post-race press conference, Daehlie cordially invited Smirnov and his family that evening to the Norwegian hotel for a dinner prepared by a world-famous Norwegian cook...at 33, Smirnov does not hide the fact that he is looking forward to giving up skiing...Nagano looks to be his last major Events...he has been planning a civil career for a long time -- he is especially considering journalism or becoming a cross-country trainer..."I've learned a lot throughout a long life and I believe I've got something to give," he says...he also talks a lot about his family... "Anna knows the language so well," he says of his daughter's Swedish, "It's amazing how the young ones pick up a new language so fast"...Smirnov speaks German and Swedish, but no English...