An interview with the famous Turkish volleyball player Ebrar Karakurt, who has been playing for Kaliningrad's "Lokomotiv" since 2023, to the Russian website "chempionat.com"
Idman.biz reports that after two wonderful seasons, Ebrar Karakurt, one of the brightest volleyball players of the modern era, is leaving Russia.
The Turkish diagonal player, who entered the Russian championship like a hurricane, conquered everyone's heart not only with her fantastic performance, but also with a flood of emotions.
Ebrar has been the most productive player in the league for two consecutive seasons. Victories in the national championship and cup have put a beautiful end to the Turkish player's performance in Russia.
– Ebrar, "Lokomotiv" became both the Russian champion and the cup winner. Moreover, you were chosen as the MVP of the national cup. There could not be a better way to say goodbye to the Russian Super League.
– I totally agree! Finishing the season with two titles and an MVP title is the ideal result for saying goodbye. Every second I spent at "Lokomotiv" means a lot to me. It gives me a feeling of satisfaction to end this chapter so successfully. This season showed what we are capable of if we can unite and fight to the end.
– Ebi, your tears in the final were a surprise to everyone. Everyone knows you as a strong, sometimes even harsh person. But this time we saw completely different emotions. Does this happen often?
– People see me as emotional and sometimes a bit rude on the field, but in reality I am a very sensitive person. Last year we were very close to the championship, but we failed. This year, after falling back in the final again, frankly, very few people believed that we could make a comeback. But we succeeded. As a team, we showed an incredible game and made the impossible a reality. Finally, when we won, to be honest, I couldn't believe it myself. At that moment, emotions took over – and I just cried. This was a really important moment for me.
– Ebi, if we look at individual indicators, you have been the highest scoring player for the second year in a row. Last season 794 points, and this season a new record – 849 points. How do you maintain this level? Tell us your secrets too.
– There is no secret formula (smiles). You just need to work hard and be stable. I try to be fully prepared for every game and focus all my attention on it. It doesn't matter to me who the opponent is. I focus on pushing the limits of my capabilities and doing everything I can for the team.
– What can you say about the two years you spent in Russia? What bright moments would you highlight?
– The first year was adaptation – a new culture, language, environment. The second year was a year of breakthrough. I grew a lot both as an athlete and as a person. Russia taught me resilience and gave me unforgettable memories.
– In one of your interviews, you said that you have two main goals – to win the Russian championship and the Olympic gold medal. The first one has already been realized. What can you say about the second one? Maybe you have other goals as well?
– We did our best at the 2024 Olympic Games, but we came in fourth. It was a tragedy for us. But I am sure that we are only at the beginning of a long journey. We will go to the next Olympics with only one goal – to win gold medals. This is my biggest dream at the national team level – without reservation.
At the club level, the championship with "Lokomotiv" was very important to me. I wanted it very much. I felt like I owed it to the team. There is a strong emotional connection between us - and I am proud that we succeeded. Now I want to win a title at the continental level. I dream of winning the Champions League. I want to win the title of world champion. There is no limit to my dreams and I want to continue to achieve more success. My dreams keep the love of life and enthusiasm in me.
Idman.biz