“I worked hard on myself to win a gold medal in this distance.”
These words were spoken by Lamiya Valiyeva, winner of gold and silver medals at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games, during an interview with “Report”.
The 22-year-old two-time Paralympic champion then spoke about how he achieved success and the difficulties he suffered in doing so. He also explained why Turkish athlete Yusuf Dikeç celebrated his victory with a hand gesture after taking first place. The para-athlete also spoke about Azerbaijan’s overall results in Paris-2024.
We present this interview:
– How does it feel to win a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games?
– These feelings cannot be expressed in words. It is a great feeling. However, I also won a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. It was a familiar feeling for me. My joy knows no bounds. I am very happy that I was able to experience these feelings again.
– In Tokyo 2020, you won a gold medal in the 400-meter race and a silver medal in the 100-meter race. In Paris 2024, it was the opposite. Did you set out to win a gold medal in the 100-meter race?
– Sometimes not everything is equal in sport. The 100-meter race was important for me. Because the main factor there is speed, and I love speed. I worked hard on myself to win a gold medal in this distance. Of course, I wanted to succeed in the 400 meters. The silver medal was not a bad result either. This is a great achievement for me.
– After winning the gold medal, you celebrated your victory with a hand gesture from Turkish Olympic participant Yusuf Dikech.
– I was watching the Summer Olympics, athletes from other countries celebrated their victories like this. I thought that if I won first place, I would experience the joy of victory in this way. Because Turkey is a brother country for us and it is more pleasant to experience the same joy. With this action I showed the love of the Azerbaijani people towards Turkey.
– When you went to Paris, did you set yourself the goal of becoming a champion?
– Of course, I had goals and goals never end. I was confident in myself. Although 3 weeks before the competition I had some health problems and the training did not go as I wanted. I doubted myself that maybe I am not as strong as before. Then I pulled myself together and said to myself: you can do it! I fought for my people and my country, fortunately I succeeded.
– Will you prepare for new competitions?
– I have no intention of stopping. The Islamic Solidarity Games will be held next year. If the conditions are created, I want to perform there. If I take a break, I feel relieved. That is why I always have high goals and I want to take part in competitions.
– How does it feel to set a new world record in the 100 metres with 11.76 seconds?
– I am very happy to have written my name in history as an Azerbaijani. Everyone should know that Azerbaijan is a very strong state. Our name should be mentioned in the highest places.
– You have also participated in competitions involving healthy athletes. In 2028, will the goal be the Olympic Games or participation in the Paralympics?
– Yes, I did participate. There were even achievements. Why should I participate in the Olympics? Time will tell. Of course, I have to work hard to achieve it. If I have a problem with my eyes today, it doesn’t mean I have to limit myself. My goals are big.
– Is there any athlete that you see as an idol?
– That athlete is no longer alive. I have always been interested in Bruce Lee as a martial artist. He was a legendary person, the whole world knows him. I have been interested in his life since I was a child. I find his way of looking at sport very interesting. He proved that the most important thing in a person is inner desire and strength.
– None of our athletes who participated in the Olympic Games were able to win 2 gold medals. And you did it at the Paralympic Games. Why can’t this be done at the Summer Olympics?
– I always work on myself. I try not to get comfortable. I think every athlete can do that.
– How would you assess the performance of Azerbaijani athletes at the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympic Games? Can our 28th place at the end of the race be considered satisfactory?
– I think winning 11 medals is not a bad result. We worked as a team, we did our best. I think we lived up to expectations. As for the 28th, I think it could have been even better. It will even be better in the future.
– Who supports you the most? To whom do you owe your success?
– My grandfather introduced me to this sport. May God have mercy on him, thanks to him I joined the sport. It’s true, I used to play volleyball. But over time I felt that I wanted to fight individually, not in team sports. I was advised to do athletics. It’s my father who supports me the most in this work. He is behind all my success. He is always with me, he supports me.
– Was it emotional to receive congratulations from Azerbaijan’s First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva?
– I couldn’t hold back my tears. Thank God that He gave me these feelings. I have suffered a lot in sport. God rewarded me for these difficulties. After winning, I called my father and we both burst into tears of joy. I express my deep gratitude to all those who supported me: to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, to the First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva.
– You were awarded the Order of Glory by the corresponding Decree of President Ilham Aliyev. What can you say about this?
– The order “Glory” was unexpected for me. I really did not expect that something like this would happen. Since I just returned to the country, I could not think of anything because I was so happy. I was already very happy that the people of Azerbaijan paid so much attention to me. In short, I am in shock. I am deeply grateful to President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and the people of Azerbaijan.
Lamiya Valiyeva: Azerbaijan’s name should be mentioned in the highest places
