Former British swimmer Tatyana Belonogoff competed for Russia, despite the victory of our sport
“I have always considered myself Russian.” A swimmer from Great Britain decided to be a soldier for Russia
![Tatiana Belonogoff Tatiana Belonogoff](https://img.championat.com/s/735x490/news/big/x/d/tatyana-belonogoff_16658493161533378781.jpg)
Tatyana Belonogoff studies in England, but remains a Russian athlete.
There is a resonant story in Russian swimming. There is such a swimmer – Tatyana Belonogoff. The girl is of Russian origin, but until 2019 she was born and lived in the UK. Already elected European Junior Champion and British Championship medalist, the young athlete moved to St. Petersburg to continue training in Russia.
She changed sports citizenship in Russia in September 2020.
Now that Russia was on the border, Tatyana decided… to stay.
“I never considered myself British”
Why did Belonogoff choose Russia?
The fact is that Tatyana’s mother is Russian and, although the athlete herself was born in the UK, she also had a Russian passport.
As for the transition cases, Tatyana raised that the British game simply did not fit because of her Russian name and she had practically no chances to get into the national team there:
“The moment is delicate, and I want to be politically correct in answering this question. In short, unlike Great Britain, in Russia there is a more objective selection for the national team. Everything is more subjective there, and I, with my triple citizenship (Tatyana also has US citizenship. — Approx. “Championship”), with a Russian name and not quite British character, did not suit the coaches of the national team. At some point, I already despaired, because there were no chances to get into the national team.
“Everyone’s private business.” The great Russian champion leaves the country and will not return
Plus, I always considered myself the mother of Russians, she always raised us in such a way that we are Russians who just live in England. We went to a Russian school on weekends, we speak Russian at home, we read Russian books, we watch Russian TV. I never considered myself British.
In England one must always be restrained. If you don’t like something, you need to be silent: you cannot generate the will of emotions. It didn’t work out very well for me. I’m too emotional, and if I don’t like something, I don’t hide it. England, I don’t really fit, ”Sports.ru translates the words Belonogoff.
“Just changed the place of training”
Now Tatyana is in England, where she is getting an education, but, as the athlete herself said, she is engaged in intelligence strategy:
“I need to get a higher education, I entered the university – I issued documents last November. Now I’m studying in England, it’s very good to combine sports and studies here. But I continue to be a soldier for Russia.
![Tatiana Belonogoff Tatiana Belonogoff](https://img.championat.com/i/i/d/1665849309565385984.jpg)
Tatiana Belonogoff
Photo: RIA Novosti
I plan to start in the Russian Championship in Kazan, I will stay and play for the Salnikov Cup. So I just changed the place of training. When I am in Russia, I will train in the team of Vitta Vladimirovna Novozhilova.”
Recall that the Russian swimming championship held in April 2022, Belonogoff deservedly received bronze at a distance of 100 m breaststroke.