Competing on June 21 and 22 at the Gennady Arzumanov Memorial in Tashkent, Kazakhstan’s own Aleksandra Zalyubovskaya didn’t just achieve impressive wins in both the 200 m and 400 m—she set new personal bests of 23.61 s and 52.79 s!
– At the Arzumanov Memorial in Tashkent you won both distances, and both with personal bests! Did you expect to deliver such performances?
– Yes, I had expectations. I felt mentally that I was ready.
– Your previous personal best in the 200 m was set in 2022. What helped you surpass it now?
– The training and the mindset played the main role in my performance in Tashkent. I approached the 200 m with super expectations and the thought “I must do it.”
– It so happened that you improved your personal best in the 200 m twice—first in the heats and then in the final…
– I felt complete focus on the track. From the start all the way to the finish, it was effortless. I really enjoyed it (smiles).
– What were your thoughts going into the 200 m final after setting a personal best in the heats?
– In my head there was just one thing: “I terribly want to run even faster” (laughs). The mindset was powerful (smiles).
– Did your competitors give you an adrenaline boost?
– No. I was fully focused only on myself and my lane.
– What stood out most for you at the competition in Tashkent?
– My emotions after the finish (smiles), especially after the 400 m. I really wanted to break 53 seconds this season.
– What do the results in Tashkent mean to you? What are your plans for upcoming races?
– These results show that the work with my coach has been done correctly. I fully trust him. Right now, we’re focusing on preparing for the World University Games in Germany, and on earning the necessary ranking points to qualify for the World Championships in Japan.
– And how did you find the overall organization of the Arzumanov Memorial in Tashkent—conditions, atmosphere?
– The organization was excellent, as always. I love competing in Tashkent—they return the favor to me (smiles).
