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Emanuela Karastoyanova

Minutes after the end of the game, which qualified women's volleyball team of Olympiakos for the finals in the Championship of Greece www.grreporter.info talks with the star of the team, the Bulgarian Elena Koleva. Besides a celebrity in sports, "N 14" is a very warm person. She is a wife, mother and student simultaneously. See what she shared with us:

GRREPORTER: Are you happy with the performance of a the team in the game against Panionios?

Elena Koleva: This game was not oneof our best matches. Currently, however, we are playing every two days and we are tired mentally and physically. But ultimately it is important the result. We won, although not with a very strong game. With the victory from this match de facto we qualified for final of the Greek Championship.

GRREPORTER: How long have you been playing with the colors of Olympiakos?

Elena Koleva: Well this is my first year here. So far I have played mainly in Italy. October last year after the European Championships I came here. Six months have passed since then. But this is not an entire calendar year. Sports year begins in mid-year and lasts until the middle of the next one. These are two half seasons - autumn and winter, making an entire sports season. Usually it starts in September and lasts until May next year.

GRREPORTER: How do you feel in your team?

Elena Koleva: I have always played at much higher level in the interest of truth. Greek Cup is one of the highest levels, but I feel good in the team. We are very good group as a team. Olympiakos is a very big club after all with a great reputation and the organization is at a high level which is pretty good for me. I'm used to playing at a high level. But the Greek championship quality is set at a level lower than the Italian, Russian, Turkish, etc. It is somewhere in the middle.

GRREPORTER: Which team you played for in Bulgaria?

Elena Koleva: Well I am a CSKA girl. I started in this school. Then I transferred in Levski Siconco. From Levski Siconco already started to go abroad.

GRREPORTER: What does a normal day look like for Elena Koleva?

Elena Koleva: My day is terribly busy. I have a 12 years old son and my day begins by getting up early in the morning before 07:00 o’clock, taking the child to school which is far away from us, traveling in traffic going and coming back home. I lose a lot of time in traffic jams, but I have learned to deal with it and I sometimes bring my text books or a book to read. I take full advantage of the congestions in Athens. I am currently in session and I study. I am a long distance student in Botevgrad University - International Business School. Distance learning allows me to study by myself and take my exams in this way. This is a good alternative for each person who is willing to study. So if I don’t have morning practice after a take the child to school I go back home, drink a coffee, have a breakfast and I study. We have practices every day and twice a week we have practice twice a day - morning and evening. In these days after my morning practice finishes I go to pick up my child from school. We go home, have lunch and then take him either swimming or to some other sports. And again we are in traffic, and I hang around in halls ... In the evening and go to my practice. But at night I go to bed quite early ...

GRREPORTER: Not an easy program you have ...

Elena Koleva: Yes. We have some semi free days when we can go to the restaurant, and even to a disco. But here it is definitely easier than in Italy. In Italy, a practice in the evening would last for 3 hours. Adding also around 2 hours in the morning they become a total of 5 hours. In Greece we practice less, which for an athlete of my age is quite well. I already have the experience and routine in volleyball and I do not need strenuous workouts.

GRREPORTER: Tell us something about your nearest plans?

Elena Koleva: This year it is my big dream to win the championship with Olympiakos. This was never achieved before. To write our names in the history of this great club. The women's team has never won a title so far. Many good teams with very good selection have been made, but for one reason or another they have not won the championship. This year our team is not one of the strongest, but as I mentioned before our group is very good. We support each other, and this is very important for a team sport. In this is achieved much more success than if you have big names - stars inside, and finally nothing gets done. These are general rules in team sports. Another dream ... naturally is for my family to be healthy and everything to be fine. And further ... as I already mentioned I am studying and I would like to work in the field of economy.

GRREPORTER: We are wishing you this from the bottom of our heart. What would you wish to the readers of www.grreporter.info?

Elena Koleva: I wish to all to be healthy and happy. Because now I'm now in a philosophical stage I will mention one thought of Socrates - everyone should find their vocation, to know who he is what he wants, where he can be realized and be happy that way. That I would wish heartily for all, because when one has realized he is better. To all Bulgarians in Greece I wish them to return to Bulgaria. In Bulgaria, there really is work enough if you wish to work. I feel sorry to see how some people struggle here. We do not deserve it. And to those who have decided to seek their fortune abroad I wish to achieve what they want.

GRREPORTER: Thank you very much for the interview.

Elena Koleva: I thank you too.