The Averina sisters spoke at the VFM gathering about how to build a career and maintain boundaries.

      September 20, 2025 11:32

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      Society — Olympic medalists, multiple world and European champions, lecturers of the "Znanie" society Dina and Arina Averina, as well as the chairman of ASSK Russia, deputy of the People’s Council of the DPR, recipient of the "For Courage" medal, and world and European kickboxing champion Vladimir Mineev met with participants of the Rally of the World Festival of Youth (12+) in Nizhny Novgorod. In a talk-show format they shared experiences of their sports careers, breaking into the media space, and the importance of setting personal boundaries.

      The event took place on September 19 in the lecture hall of the "Znanie" society with the support of Rosmolodezh, the government of the Nizhny Novgorod region, and the Directorate of the World Festival of Youth. Its organization was arranged on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

      The morning began with a workout led for participants by the Averina sisters. The athletes recalled how, back in school, they began doing extra exercises in the middle of the day and would head to the gym after classes. According to them, this habit energizes and makes the day more productive. They advised starting with a couple of training sessions a week, gradually increasing their number.

      Talking about professional sport, Dina and Arina noted that the main thing is to strive for perfect execution of exercises. In their view, fixing mistakes hinders progress, so it is important to learn to do everything correctly from the first time.

      The talk show’s topic was athletes’ media presence and the formation of a personal brand. The Averinas admitted that they always managed their social media accounts themselves in order to convey the emotions from their performances. At the same time, they emphasize the importance of separating private and public life.

      According to the sisters, during their sporting careers they tried to be more closed off so as not to be distracted from training. As their popularity grew, many offers from media and brands appeared, but their priority remained sporting activity. After retiring, it became more difficult — now they have to share moments from everyday life, which requires constant attention and effort. They stressed that it is important to be able to establish personal boundaries and not lose oneself in publicity.

      The discussion also included Vladimir Mineev — chairman of ASSK Russia, deputy of the People’s Council of the DPR, world and European kickboxing champion. He shared his principles for building a media image. According to him, first you need to understand public opinion in your field, then achieve results that will speak for you. It is also important to be able to respond to criticism and show that sport is not only about victories but also about overcoming difficulties.

      Mineev noted that a sports brand can become an important social tool. In his opinion, after the end of a career it is important to be able to direct the accumulated capital into a new direction.

      The Rally of the World Festival of Youth is taking place from September 17 to 21 in Nizhny Novgorod. This is the first festival in modern history organized on the instruction of the President of Russia. The "Znanie" society is presenting an educational program and special formats that tell about the country’s achievements.

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