The Volga Region University hosts a retraining programme ‘Coach in a selected sport. Triathlon’, conducted by the Russian Triathlon Federation. 
Within the framework of the programme in Kazan from 8 to 12 July there is a face-to-face part: lectures and practical classes that bring together athletes and amateur triathletes from different regions of Russia. This year 16 people took part in the programme. Each day is dedicated to one of the triathlon directions: swimming, running, cycling.

Dmitry Butkov, honoured triathlon coach of Russia with more than 30 years of experience, leads the training sessions. He also teaches at the department of cycling and triathlon at the Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sport, Youth and Tourism. 
Combining his coaching and teaching activities, he has accumulated a lot of experience in working with athletes competing in international competitions and shares it with the participants as part of the retraining programme. 

‘This training is being held in Kazan for the fourth consecutive year. We choose the Volga Region University campus as it meets all the necessary standards and criteria and allows us to conduct both the educational and practical parts comfortably and efficiently,’ shared Dmitry Butkov, the programme's head trainer. - During the week we visited the facilities of Volga University: we used swimming pools, gyms and dry swimming halls. We also did running and cycling sessions. There are few sports facilities in Russia that allow us to conduct the programme in one place, so we are very happy that we can combine lectures and training in an intensive mode and not waste time on travelling’. 

Text: Adelina Khramov
Photo: Pavel Zheleznyak