AETF reporter
Katarzyna Rozwadowska

Email to KR

When two great personalities meet, together they have the power to give rise to even greater things.

Miss Julia Cross, 15-time European Champion and 6-time World Champion, is a real legend, an inspiration, and a role model to follow. She is also a wonderful woman. Just before the last European Championship in Maribor a publication about her, entitled ‘Julia Cross – The Way of the Champion’, was relisted on the official AETF website. It is a mark of respect and a tribute paid by another great sportswoman and champion, Miss Ekaterina Kozlachkova. These two amazing girls did an incredible job creating the book. I read it in one sitting! I also realised how much work and time they both put into it to show us the final effect. I was really curious how the whole process, from the idea to the publication, developed. It didn’t take long before I contacted Miss Cross and Miss Kozlachkova to learn more about the whole process of creating the book. I truly recommend this fantastic reading to everyone.

The publication is available at http://www.itfeurope.org/NL2012-02-18.html.

‘From Idea to Realisation’
Miss Ekaterina Kozlachkova

Miss Ekaterina Kozlachkova

• The publication about Miss Julia Cross was a huge project. Are you able to tell us how much time did you spend working on that project? (How many emails did you send to each other? How many phone calls?)
  Yes, it was a hard work to create a comprehensive biography of Miss Cross, but I was really lucky that Julia answered all my questions. We started in the beginning of November, just after Euros 2011. I divided the book into several chapters, at the beginning it was just a plan. I sent it to Julia and she agreed. Then I started to prepare questions for each chapter. We have sent a great amount of emails to each other, we communicated every day, because I had so many questions to her. At the end of December Julia answered all the questions I needed for the book, and after that I started to combine and edit the material. After that I found a person who helped me to create not just a text with pictures - but a real book in PDF format. Apart from the answers to my questions Julia gave me a lot of pictures from her private life and her competition life, the majority of them you will find in the book.

• I remember our first time we met for an interview. It was 2010 in Bratislava at the European Open Cup. You said there that Miss Julia Cross is your idol, someone you admire so much. Did you know at that time that you would like to pay special tribute to the icon writing a book, or you came up with the idea later? How it happened?
  Yes, I remember the moment you asked me who was my inspiration in Bratislava. At that time I was not thinking about the book about Julia, but still at that moment we had a good friendship. The idea to create something about her came so suddenly, and it was in summer 2011 and I was just sitting in a café or something like that... It occurred really suddenly.

• Do you remember your conversation with Miss Cross when you told her about your idea?
  Yes, I remember! It was at the Euros 2011 in Bratislava. It was the last day of the championship, we were talking about her hip, my university and so on, and I just asked her what she thought if I would make an attempt to create her sport biography. She said that it was a good idea because she was willing to help everyone who wanted with her own example.

• How the whole process of developing looked like? Did you contact Miss Cross via e-mail, skype, phone, or maybe face to face?
  We contacted only by email, but it was so many of them! It was enough, and by email I got all the information I wanted to be in the book.

• What was the most difficult or hard during the process of developing the book? Did you come across with any problems?
  In general the process was not difficult. Julia answered all the questions in detail and she was quick. The only thing I want to say that when we were writing the chapter about her injury and operation and when I first read her answers - I cried. I did not know that she had such a sharp pain. It was morally very difficult for me to ask her questions about things which hurt her so much. It was terrible.

• What was the most pleasant thing during the book’s developing process?
  I think the most splendid moment - the photos of her medals and cups! They are so beautiful! I think every sportsman in Taekwon-Do ITF is dreaming to have a collection of gold medals from Euros and Worlds like my hero has.

• Were there any funny situations?
  Well, I do not remember this. Of course, we had some jokes during the process, but it was our normal communication.

• Which part of the book is your favorite one?
  Most of all I like the chapter with the pictures of medals! I am also a sportswoman and enjoy bright medals. And I like the chapter in which Julia gives some advice. It was very useful for me and I think it can be useful to all fighters.

• How was your friendship with Miss Cross growing during that time?
  It was developing and growing. Now, when we finished the book, we started to communicate weekly on facebook. She travels a lot and when she has time she always writes to me. Now she is like an elder sister for me, I can share even very private things with her, she is eager to listen to me and ready to give her opinion. I try to follow her advice - she is much more experienced than I am - not only in Taekwon-Do ITF, but in life in general.

• Have your impression about your idol changed after many hours of conversations and hundreds emails?
  I respected Julia Cross from the first time I heard about her. I am so very happy that she is not just a unique competitor - but a wonderful and very strong personality. She is a real fan of TKD. I can't say that my impression changed - because I admired her in the past and admire her now. But now I know so many things about her, so many feelings she had during her career. She gave me a chance to know her better and I am really very thankful for that.

• How is the publications about Taekwon-Do legend receiving?
  The time will show the results of our work. I hope very much that I will help our competitors to achieve their goals.

• Ekaterina, is there something else you would like to add?
  I would like to say so many things! First of all, to thank everyone who helped me with the book! I am nothing without my helpers! Special thank to Julia, my parents, Mr. Lazaros Tsilfidis, Mr. Andrey Kim, Mr. Tadeusz Loboda, Małgorzata Rogaczewska, Katarzyna Rozwadowska, and many many others! Then I would like to add that I am really fortunate that I had a chance to do that work, it is an honor for me to write about the person whom I admire so much. I am happy to feel that together we did a great job.
  I also think that there are a lot of people who are worthy of admiration and respect in Taekwon-Do ITF. Of course, it would be very nice to create such things about our other outstanding competitors! My greatest dream is to create such a thing about my instructor - Mr. Aleksander Leonov, who is my coach from the white belt. He is a world champion (-54 kg) and 6-time European champion (1 in pattern and 5 in sparring). I am proud that my coach is a sportsman, and we train together. He is not just a coach for me, but a very close friend of mine too.

Miss Julia Cross

Miss Julia Cross

• What was your reaction when you learned about Ekaterina’s idea? The moment when she told you about her plan. Were you surprised? happy? or maybe thought: ‘Oh my God, so much work!’? Maybe something else?
  I was very honoured if not a little surprised. I had to think about the idea very much, well for 30 minutes. I talked to a friend and then thought... why not... It would be good for me for my mind and if I can help others, inspire them - then it is all worth with. It was a great experience for me to work with Katya. I was scared of the hard work... She was avert tough boss.

• Have you ever dreamed that somebody will write a book about you?
  I never thought anyone would be the interested in me or my story to be honest. It was just always something I had done and it was a massive privilege for me to write with Katya. I guess it is still a little like a dream as I read it and think 'is that really me?'

• You said ‘I am really soft on the inside and hard on the outside. I only let a few people know the real me. I have to feel comfortable to let you in.’ Your closer friendship with Ekaterina started in 2010, and you were comfortable enough with her to answer some very personal questions, share some private information about yourself. Were some questions especially difficult or hard for you to answer?
  Yes, I am hard on the outside, but getting softer now I guess with age and confidence. I am so loyal and loving to my friends and family. I have had a close group of girlfriends for 20 years and I value them all with my life and would do anything for them. People don't really know the real me, they see me as someone different, the ‘TKD Julia’... I can be guarded until I trust someone and feel comfortable with their company. With Katya she was special straight from the world go... I warmed to her and trusted her for a long time. Some people you just know you can trust and will be friends with forever. I trusted her judgment and she is so clever and wanted the best story of me to come out. There were a few questions that I decided were too personal and did not feel that I wanted to share these thing. Katya always said from day one that if there was something I did not want to talk about then she would be fine with that.
  Lots of the questions were hard, especially about retiring, my hip, and the way I felt after it all. It really was a difficult time, but it helped me so much with actually writing it down. Good therapy.

• What can you tell us about Ekaterina as a competitor, Taekwon-Do practitioner, and as a person?
  Ekaterina is a really wonderful and kind person. She is really mature for her young age and also so very clever. I really like her and we talk about other things as well as TKD. I think we are good friends in other areas of life and we help each other. I wish she lived closer. She is a wonderful competitor, full of energy and life. She is a great all rounder being about to do all 4 disciplines. She has a special talent, but also, like many she needs to believe more in herself, she will be a wonderful champion. If someone has to achieve more that 6 world titles I hope it is her.

• You are Ekaterina’s idol and her friend. You two became very close during the time you were working on the project. What is your friendship like? Does she call you for any TKD or personal advice sometimes? Maybe just for a girly little chit-chat?
  Yes, we are friends, very good friends. We don't talk the phone but email and Facebook at least once a week. We are both so very busy in our own lifes that sometimes it’s hard. It is very nice that I am her idol. That is really special for me to know that someone looks up to be like me, probably better! I hope. I got to know her so much better during the writing of the book. But before that, when she emailed me after the Euros in Sweden, we became friends then. She helped me very much by talking after I had my hip replacement and I told her many things I did not tell anyone else. She was such a great listener and adviser during these times. Also I with her. Yes, we talk about TKD, I give her my advice on certain things I think she can improve on, and other areas she wants me to help her with. I am her confident from across the world. I would help her with anything. We have chit chat about normal things as well. But I won't say what! We help each other.

• What was your impression when you saw the book ready?
  I was like wow... Really I can't believe that it has really happened. I read it for the first time on the plane to London when I was twang and I did cry... It felt so moving that someone cared that much to take the time to do this... for me and others. I guess I am quite shy, I know people don't believe me, but I am. I was so very proud, I think for the first time of my achievements. My family and friends were so delighted for me. I think it was the first time they found out how I really felt.

• What the reaction of your family and friends were when they saw the book? Did they know about the project earlier or it was a surprise?
  My family were really happy and proud of me. My friends didn't really know. I sent them all a copy first and of course they were really amazed and some had their photo in it. They are great friends and always proud of me, like I am of them. Friends and family are my life. Without them I'm nothing. It's great because my friends don’t see me as ‘TKD Julia’, they see me for me, their friend, and they love me for who I am. I'm really not special outside the Taekwon-Do world, and I know that. I like it that way.

• Is there something else you would like to add Miss?
  A huge thank you to Katya for giving me the opportunity to put everything down on paper, and for her to do such a great job in asking the questions. And to all those who have taken the time to read the book. If I can inspire a few people, in whatever way, then I am happy with that.
  Thank you to every person I know world wide, you make my life a great one.