Samoilova invites people to beach volleyball and plans to share her experience
Beach volleyball world champion Anastasija Samoilova urged people to take up the sport during a podcast, while revealing her post-career plans to establish an academy and organize an amateur league.
World beach volleyball champion Anastasija Samoilova appeared on the "GhettoTV" podcast, sharing her thoughts on the sport's popularity and her future.
Samoilova has been playing with Tina Graudina for over a decade, which is rare among top-level teams. She emphasizes that her motivation to continue is love for the sport, not achievements like two European titles, world championship gold, and fourth place at the Olympics. However, an Olympic medal remains a goal.
Modern athletes must be not only excellent in their discipline but also know how to present themselves. Samoilova notes the need to attract sponsors and create engaging content to boost the sport's popularity.
Together with Graudina, she recently founded the "Anastasija and Tina Academy" to work with young people. Samoilova believes that as world champions, they have a duty to give back to society – not only to teach technique but also to inspire an active lifestyle. She stresses the importance of being versatile, as after a sports career, expertise can be passed on within the sports field.
Regarding girls' involvement in sports, Samoilova notes that volleyball is attractive because it allows them to feel feminine, unlike basketball uniforms. She also explains that playing in bikinis is not for sexual reasons but for comfort – sand gets into shorts and bothers.
To maintain amateur interest, Samoilova has created a beach volleyball league. She fears that other sports like padel may attract amateurs, so she wants to provide opportunities to compete and improve rankings.
Future plans include the first elite-level gold medal and an Olympic medal. At the end of the conversation, Samoilova urged: "Come play beach volleyball – it's the best sport in the world!"
