Alexander popov swimmer biography. Alexander Popov (swimmer): personal life (wife, children). What are you doing now

Russian swimmer, four-time Olympic champion Alexander Vladimirovich Popov was born on November 16, 1971 in the city of Sverdlovsk-45 (now the city of Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk Region).

In 1994 he graduated from the Volgograd Institute physical culture(now Volgograd state academy physical culture).

He began swimming at the age of eight, attended hometown children's and youth sports school "Fakel". He specialized in backstroke. Since 1990, at the initiative of the head coach of the USSR national team Gleb Petrov, he began to train with Gennady Turetsky and swim freestyle.

In 1991, at the European Championships in Athens, Popov won four gold medals in individual distances of 50 and 100 meters freestyle and in two relay races. From that moment, Alexander Popov's unbeaten streak began, which lasted almost seven years.

He became a two-time Olympic champion in Barcelona (1992), then won two golds at the 1993 European Championships in individual distances and two in relays. In 1994, he broke the world record in the 100m (48.21 seconds) and won twice at the World Championships in Rome. The Russian swimmer added four more top awards of the European Championship to his collection in 1995 in Vienna.

In 1996 on Olympic Games in Atlanta, he again became the first at distances of 50 and 100 meters.

Since 1993, Popov has lived and trained in Australia, where, after the Barcelona Olympics, his coach Gennady Turetsky went to work under a contract.

In August 1996, while on vacation in Moscow, the swimmer was seriously injured in a random street skirmish. Alexander managed to return to big sport and in the summer of 1997 he became the European champion four times in Seville, Spain. In 1998, the swimmer won another gold medal world championship, becoming a three-time world champion. At the 1999 European Championships, Alexander Popov won two silver and two bronze medals.

In 2000, Alexander Popov broke the world record at a distance of 50 meters - 21.64 seconds. The swimmer also holds the 100-meter world record in a 25-meter pool - 46.74 seconds, set in 1994.

In 2000, at the Sydney Olympics, he finished second in the 100m and finished sixth in the 50m.

Alexander Popov is a four-time Olympic champion (1992 - two, 1996 - two), Olympic silver medalist (1992 - two, 1996 - two, 2000). Six-time world champion (1994 - two, 1998, 2003 - three), silver (1994 - two, 1998, 2003) and bronze (1998) medalist of the world championships. Bronze medalist of the World Short Course Championship (2002 - two). Multiple European champion (1991 - three, 1993 - four, 1995 - four, 1997 - four, 2000 - four, 2002, 2004). Silver (1999 - two, 2002) and bronze (1999) medalist of the European Championships. European Short Course Champion (1991).

Multiple champion of Russia. Multiple world and European record holder, multiple World Cup winner, multiple winner of the Goodwill Games (1994, 1998).

Since April 2004, for several years he has been occupied by the All-Russian Swimming Federation.

In 2000-2016 - a member of the International Olympic Committee, since 2016 -

Russian swimmer, four-time Olympic champion Alexander Vladimirovich Popov was born on November 16, 1971 in the city of Sverdlovsk-45 (now the city of Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk Region).

In 1994 he graduated from the Volgograd Institute of Physical Culture (now the Volgograd State Academy of Physical Culture).

He started swimming at the age of eight, attended the children's and youth sports school "Fakel" in his native city. He specialized in backstroke. Since 1990, at the initiative of the head coach of the USSR national team Gleb Petrov, he began to train with Gennady Turetsky and swim freestyle.

In 1996, at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, he again became the first at distances of 50 and 100 meters.

Alexander Popov at the Goodwill Games

Since 1993, Popov has lived and trained in Australia, where, after the Barcelona Olympics, his coach Gennady Turetsky went to work under a contract.

In August 1996, while on vacation in Moscow, the swimmer was seriously injured in a random street skirmish. Alexander managed to return to big sport and in the summer of 1997 he became the European champion four times in Seville, Spain. In 1998, the swimmer won another world championship gold medal, becoming a three-time world champion. At the 1999 European Championships, Alexander Popov won two silver and two bronze medals.

In 2000, Alexander Popov broke the world record at a distance of 50 meters - 21.64 seconds. The swimmer also holds the 100-meter world record in a 25-meter pool - 46.74 seconds, set in 1994.

In 2000, at the Sydney Olympics, he finished second in the 100m and finished sixth in the 50m.

Multiple champion of Russia. Multiple world and European record holder, multiple World Cup winner, multiple winner of the Goodwill Games (1994, 1998).

In 2004, Alexander Popov retired from big sport.

From April 2004, for several years, he served as First Vice-President of the All-Russian Swimming Federation.

Our country is rich natural resources, but it is still customary to call national treasure not only minerals. First of all, these are people, heroes of their Fatherland. The latter can rightly be attributed to the legendary swimmer Alexander Popov.

Popov Alexander Vladimirovich

Born on 11/16/1971

Achievements:

Four-time Olympic champion (Barcelona 1992 - 50 and 100 meters freestyle, Atlanta 1996 - 50 and 100 meters freestyle).
Five-time Olympic silver medalist (Barcelona 1992 - 4 × 100-meter freestyle and combined relay races, Atlanta-1996 - 4 × 100-meter freestyle and combined relay races, Sydney 2000 - 100-meter freestyle).
Six-time world champion (Rome 1994 - 50 and 100 meters freestyle, Perth 1998 - 100 meters freestyle, Barcelona 2003 - 50 and 100 meters freestyle, 4 × 100 meters freestyle relay).
Four-time silver medalist of the world championships (Rome-1994 - relay races 4 × 100 meters freestyle and combined styles, Perth-1998 - 50 meters freestyle, Barcelona-2003 - relay race 4 × 100 meters combined style).
Bronze medalist at the 1998 World Championships in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
21-time European champion.

Through fear to success

Born in a small town in the Sverdlovsk region, the future four-time Olympic champion in childhood, oddly enough, did not know how and was afraid to swim. It was the fear of water that prompted Sasha's parents to give him to the pool. At first, the boy simply swam, strengthening his health, but soon swimming fascinated him as a sport, and Popov began to compete, winning the first medals.

At the age of fourteen, Popov becomes the champion of Russia among juniors and goes to Volgograd - there are more opportunities for developing his career. For a long time Alexander swims on his back, but he cannot achieve much success. Everything changed when Gennady Turetsky started working with Popov. He offered to retrain the young swimmer from the back to the freestyle, arguing this with Popov's suitable anthropometric data for the front crawl.

Olympic legend

As Turetsky looked into the water - the transition to freestyle opened the way for success for the young swimmer. For the first time, Popov showed his ambitions in Athens in 1991, becoming the European champion in the 100-meter race and in two 4 × 100-meter relay races - freestyle and combined. Meanwhile, the mighty one collapsed Soviet Union, the country was in a frankly disassembled state, and the Olympics in Barcelona were approaching.

Our athletes went to Spain under the flag of the United Team and performed brilliantly. Despite the incomprehensible status of the national team, the results in most disciplines were shown to be outstanding. One of the main creators of success was the 20-year-old Alexander Popov. Having won two gold individual awards in the 50 and 100 meters freestyle, the newly minted Olympian led our team to two silver medals in the 4 × 100 meters freestyle and combined relays.

Popov instantly becomes a hero of Russia and a world celebrity. From now on, Alexander is the favorite of all the heats, at the start of which he enters. In 1993, he became a four-time European champion - twice in individual heats and twice in relay races. Popov also holds his first world championship in Rome with brilliance, leaving no chance for anyone at his distances. Plus, his efforts lead to two relay silver medals.

Having repeated the success of two years ago at the 1995 European Championship in Vienna and becoming a four-time European champion, Popov is preparing for the Olympics in Atlanta. However, this time Alexander was not the unconditional favorite - our champion was challenged by the American Gary Hall, who came to the final heats in excellent shape. The readiness of the American is evidenced by the fact that US President Clinton came to the final of the 50-meter freestyle. The stands were ready to burst into applause, but they had to applaud another - Popov swam faster and became the champion.

A similar result was recorded in the 100-meter swim. With this victory, Popov wrote his name into history - he became the first swimmer to become a champion in both freestyle sprint distances at two Olympics in a row. To this day, no one has been able to repeat this achievement!

Alexander Popov - Olympic champion in 1996

But that was not all - Popov won two silver medals already on duty for himself in the freestyle and combined relay races. Despite all his efforts and the speed of our other champion Denis Pankratov, he still failed to swim to gold - the American four had no weaknesses, unlike our relay race.

Assassination attempt and return to sport

Popov returned home a well-deserved triumph, but not for everyone. Unfortunately, there are people in the world for whom nothing is sacred. Walking through the evening Moscow in the company of friends, Popov heard an insult against his girlfriend, who later became his wife. Of course, Alexander could not pass by. But hooliganism and meanness are not associated with honor and conscience - Popov was stabbed in the torso and with a stone on the back of the head.

Having received severe injuries to the lungs and kidneys, Alexander was taken to the hospital, where he underwent surgery. The doctor who operated on the champion did everything not to damage the muscles, leaving Popov a chance to continue his career.

After leaving the hospital, Alexander was baptized, married and returned to the pool. Together with his coach Gennady Turetsky, he actually restarted his career. Seville-1997 was supposed to show whether the real Popov returned to the voyage. The result - four gold awards. It is clear to everyone: Popov is back in the ranks and will be preparing for the Olympics in Sydney.

Popov began to probe the Australian water in 1998, at the World Championships in Perth. In fact, he performed at home - Alexander moved to Australia for permanent place residence after the Olympics in Barcelona, following his coach. The sharpness of his performance was added by the fact that the Australian swimmer Michael Klim, whose coach was also Gennady Turetsky, was to become Popov's main rival.

Like two years earlier, in Atlanta, against all odds, Popov was the first to touch the side, once again confirming his dominance at the most prestigious distance. In Perth, Alexander was awarded a special cup from the International Swimming Federation, which recognized our compatriot as the swimmer of the decade. However, not everything went smoothly at that championship - for the first time in a personal swim, Popov did not become a champion. It happened at fifty.

Nevertheless, Popov is recognized as the favorite for the Sydney Olympics. Even the silver and bronze medals in Istanbul-1999 cannot shake this status, especially since a year later, in Helsinki, Popov again takes the entire set of European gold medals. Meanwhile, Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband is gaining momentum, finishing fourth in both sprint disciplines in Atlanta.

How many times has Popov won not thanks to, but in spite of, that sometimes it seemed that as soon as Alexander touched the bedside table at the start, the rivals were already crushed. A swim in the 100 meters could introduce Alexander into the status of the first swimmer in history to become a three-time Olympic champion in the most prestigious swimming distance. Popov swam well, confidently, but that evening it was not him who was destined to become a hero, but Hugenband, who, moreover, won at a distance twice as long, sensationally defeating the Australian. The chance to rehabilitate remained at another 50 meters, but in this swim, Alexander was not like himself, touching the side of the sixth. This was the first swim in which Popov did not win a medal.

Swan song of Barcelona

Experts have decided that this is the end. But Popov was of a different opinion. He missed the 2001 World Championships, a year later, at the championship of the European continent, he was content with only gold in the combined relay.

It would seem that nothing foreshadowed the return of big victories, but Popov returned again. As in 1992, Barcelona became happy for him. Alexander in a brilliant manner beats the favorite - Hugenband - in the hundred meters, becoming her three-time triumphant at the world championships. At 50 meters, Popov makes a golden double, proving that the first success was natural.

Alexander Popov - World Champion 2003

Another thing happened in Barcelona an important event- For the first time at the world championships, Popov becomes the winner in the 4 × 100-meter freestyle relay. This time, the team partners did not let their leader down, who confidently swam his last stage. He was also good in the combined relay, but, as usual, our team could not put up an equivalent four, as a result - the second place.

This is how Popov actually entered the same water for the third time and began to prepare for his fourth Olympics. Alexander came to Athens in the status of a shadow favorite - after all, the Dutch opponent is younger. It is not known what happened, but Popov's pale champion shadow floated in Greece. As it turned out later, there was a mistake in the preparation for the Olympic Games. Alas, the championship point was set a year earlier, in Barcelona - the city that became the starting point in a series of grandiose victories for our swimmer at the Olympics and World Championships.

Grand Champion

Alexander Popov is the brightest phenomenon in world sports of the late twentieth century, a man who glorified Russia in such a difficult historical period for her. Popov is the best freestyle sprinter in the history of world swimming and the undisputed No. 1 swimmer in Russia.

And he is also a man whose character repeatedly made rivals bite their elbows after the finish, because they, like many experts, did not take into account one thing - you can not underestimate the heart of the Champion, who was and remains for everyone the legendary swimmer Alexander Vladimirovich Popov.

Four-time Olympic champion in swimming, member of the IOC Athletes' Commission Alexander Popov visited the Locker Room. Today, the famous sprinter flew from Moscow, from the Russian swimming championship, to the Swiss city of Solothurn, where he moved with his wife and children a few months ago from Canberra. At first glance, Popov is an open interlocutor. However, the thin strings of his soul cannot be reached when it comes to the family, coach Gennady Turetsky and the loss of the Olympics in Sydney.

STARS

CHANGING ROOM AT DARIA

CHAPTER 1. PERSONAL LIFE

LOVE AFFAIR AT WORK

The popular handsome man (as soon as the meticulous French reporter from the Ekip newspaper dared to compare him with a lame frog, noting that Sasha was limping a little - he fell from a tree as a child!) was shown signs of attention not only by peers, including foreigners, but also seemed to one not very young lady.

She was not particularly tense when, in the fall of 1995, at a training camp in the Moscow region, Sasha had an affair with a teammate Daria Shmeleva (three-time Olympic champion Evgeny Sadovy was also courting her). Just think, an office romance, with whom it does not happen. Dasha is in love. “She became insane,” said coach Shmeleva Viktor Avdienko at the Atlanta Olympics. - I call her to me, explain the task. And she looks through me and does not understand anything. Frankly, later we took her to competitions for Sasha, so that he would receive a certain, you know, energy charge before the start.

Flirting, perhaps, would not have developed into something more, because, according to Popov, a serious relationship for an athlete who is constantly traveling is like “a suitcase without a handle: it’s hard to carry, but it’s a pity to quit.” Although in Australia, he used to get into a car and circle around Canberra all night to escape from loneliness. However, the unexpected happened: in the late evening of August 24, 1996, shortly after the Olympics in Atlanta, in Moscow on Udaltsova Street, he got into a mess that almost cost him his life.

Together with his friend Leonid, with whom Sasha lodged, he went out to see Dasha and her friend to the taxi rank and got into a fight with watermelon merchants - Caucasians who insulted the girls. As a result, he was stabbed in the kidney and lung and was operated on at the 31st city hospital. And Dasha came out.

Alexander Popov: “The first thing I saw, waking up from anesthesia, was the eyes of Daria Shmeleva. And I realized that this person is infinitely devoted to me.

After being discharged, he was baptized in a church near Moscow in the presence of Shmeleva and wrestler Alexander Karelin.

Alexander Popov:“Before, I could not understand whether I believed in God or not. And then this story and some strange coincidences. First, one of the Caucasians tried to hit me on the head with a rock, but the rock only scratched my skin. Secondly, the knife, which plunged into my body to a depth of 15 cm, did not drastically touch the vital organs. Thirdly, we immediately caught a private trader, although at night they usually do not pick up large companies. I came to the conclusion: the Lord saved me. And without hesitation, he accepted the rite of baptism.

He took Dasha to Canberra and in the spring of 1997 married her, in fact, imprisoning her in four walls. Shmeleva, once the prima of the Russian swimming team, recently admitted to me: “I would love to give you an interview. But Sasha forbids. Ask him. And then we'll both get it." But he did not allow: they say, the wife is mine. Maybe he has something to hide? As the British say, everyone has their own skeletons in the closet.

Dasha, of course, will not go against her husband. He is the breadwinner. Beloved man. The father of her two sons: five-year-old Volodya and three-year-old Anton. They are little copies of their daddy. “I don’t know which of the children is more like me in character,” says Popov. - Someone who hasn't been born yet. In fact, both are wayward, like me. I have no idea if they will make swimmers, although I believe in genetics.

SECRETS OF TURKISH

However, he himself is not from a sports family. He was seven when his mother Valentina (passportist) and father Vladimir (turner) took him to one of the Sverdlovsk pools. Little Sasha was so afraid of water that he panicked when she tickled his knees.

Alexander Popov:“When in 1989 I, a young, promising swimmer, entered the infizkult, I was assigned to the group of Anatoly Zhuchkov, who trained spinists. I was under his care until August 1990. At the training camp, the head coach of the national team Gleb Petrov called me to his room and asked: “Sasha, I have a business proposal for you, would you like to switch to freestyle?” In the first seconds, I paused, because oh, how difficult it is to roll over from your back to your stomach overnight, changing the style. And then he mumbled: “Well, well, since you want it that way.” Petrov smiled: “A wise act, lad. Gennady Turetsky will be your new mentor.” Something like a pathetic smirk appeared on my face: Turetsky was known for his toughness. Fortunately, I quickly became convinced that he was smart, but not a hard man. He explains to the student what is required of him. Explains clearly if necessary. But he never squeals like a pig.

I remember that in the fall of 1991, during the collapse of the USSR, when due to economic difficulties we lacked quality products, Gen Genych took us to the “valley hearty meal”- Italy, repeating that without good food, a talented athlete cannot become a champion.

After the Olympics-92, Turetsky's star brigade broke up. The leaders Gennady Prigoda and Veniamin Tayanovich left (he married the soothsayer Tamara Globa, whom he later divorced). The maestro himself was offered a contract with the Australian Institute of Sports, and he joyfully rushed off to Canberra, saying goodbye to Sasha: "Be ready to join me." Another call came in January of the following year, and literally a few days later Popov took a room in a Canberra hostel.

Alexander cannot foresee a situation in which he will be forced to leave his mentor. But Gen Genych, a meek-looking, short, dense gentleman, pierced himself three times. According to doctors, due to an old head injury, Turkish sometimes falls into unconsciousness and ceases to control himself. The attack happened in August 1995 on an airplane, when Gennady, who was returning from the USA to Australia, bit the pilot. “I didn’t like his ass, the desire to sink my teeth into it was so great that I didn’t hold back,” he commented on his act. Others, however, attribute this story not to a disease, but to the coach's passion for alcohol. But we are not prosecutors to get to the bottom of the truth. He served the prescribed month behind bars in Hawaii, over the territory of which hooliganism occurred. By the way, the window of his cell overlooked the ocean, and there was a TV in the cage.

In April 2001, illegal drugs were found in a safe stolen from Turetsky's house and found hacked in a pond. Gennady was suspended from work for six months, and then acquitted (he suffered losses of about 40 thousand Australian dollars, since the services of his lawyers cost $ 280 per hour) for lack of circumstantial evidence of his involvement in doping possession. “All the students left me, including two-time Olympic champion Michael Klim, probably afraid that I would be convicted of doping. They didn't want to see me as the loser. Australians are a proud people. But Popov remained. He is Russian,” Turetsky continues.

An end to his career on the Green put last year's June scandal. Returning from a European tour of Mare Nostrum in an Australian airliner Quantos, following the Singapore-Sydney route, he seemed to doze off, but when he woke up, he began to run amok. He was fired, so at the first opportunity, the famous tandem moved to Switzerland. Popov would have followed Turetsky anywhere.

OPINION

Gennady TURETSKY, Popov's coach:

It is strange to me that Popov did not wear a suit at the Sydney Olympics, I think he would have swum more efficiently in it. Moreover, the costume for Sasha was ready eight months before the competition, and we tried it out at a minor tournament, where Popov swam 50 meters almost a second faster than usual. But he decided to perform in traditional swimming trunks, and I was not going to convince him. We don't have that kind of relationship. Each person must be confident in what he is doing. After the loss, we did not touch this topic.

OLYMPICS IN SYDNEY

On the evening of September 19, 2000, Genych, who had quit smoking, nervously "smoked" at the back entrance of the Sydney pool. Popov has just lost the Olympic final in the 100m to the Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband. It's not true that Sasha has dried up! It's not true that the old wolf is tired! At nearly 29, he was on the rise, breaking the 50m world record in May.

Popov would have defeated a rival made of flesh and blood. And under any circumstances. Consider the Atlanta Olympics. What a campaign then they arranged for him in the press! Gold contender Gary Hall (two years later he was disqualified for smoking marijuana) swore from the pages of authoritative newspapers: "I will kill this Russian!" Depicted Rambo, approaching the starting block with tightly clenched fists. However, the reaction of those around Popov did not frighten him; it is not for nothing that the same Americans call him an ice guy for his equanimity. And let Bill Clinton himself come to watch Gary win. Nothing, standing listened Russian anthem.

He could not overcome the miracle of technology (as outstanding chess players are not able to beat the computer). Hoogenband swam in a Long John jumpsuit, the magic fabric of which creates a kinetic chain - the transfer of energy from arms to legs, which allows extra-class athletes to swim about a second faster than usual. Popov put on only swimming trunks. And lost to the enemy 0.39 seconds. Paradoxically, one of the six developers of the novelty was Turkish.

Here's how it happened: the French swimming company, which sponsored the Russian national team, began to introduce overalls later than the Spanish one, which dresses Australians and Americans. And there were a lot of complaints about her products. For example, Popov could not find the right copy. With his two-meter height and long arms, it is generally very difficult for him to get clothes: even when civilian suits are sewn for him, the sleeves are still short.

Alexander Popov:“I was probably measured by Long John three or four times. I asked: “Bring a cutter. Let him stretch the material. Look at his stretch ratio - by 30, 50, 100 percent. He will take measurements from me and calculate how much fabric is needed for tailoring. But the cutter didn't come. Instead, they sent me a suit. I turned it over in my hands and thought: they say, on my son, Vovka, who then was not even three years old, is he or what? In the end, I decided that I would not perform at Long John. So he said to the firms: “You don’t even have to sew on me.” They were offended: “And for photography?” - “For photography,” I say, “please, I’ll put on any. But I won't swim in it. My opinion is irrevocable and not subject to appeal. I think I did the right thing. A dope-like suit can be addictive, and I can prove my superiority without this piece of cloth.”

He remains a "top" figure, despite the fact that new heroes were born, for example, the Australian Ian Thorpe, the American Lenny Kreiselberg, Hugenband and others. Like ten years ago, the stands exhale with delight: “Popov” (foreigners emphasize the first syllable), regardless of its results.

Popov, of course, is a phenomenon. Such people always came and come for gold. By the way, otherwise Turetsky would no longer work with Sasha. No wonder he asked him: “Will you work for the result?” This refers to the Athens Olympics. And received an affirmative answer. “I don't swim to prolong my career or to be just a bather. My character is not that strong,” says Popov.

CHAPTER 2. SPORT, IOC.
THE ENGINE IS FLYING FORWARD

CLIM TRAUMA

- Why do you keep swimming?

What, are you tired of it? Say so! And I'll be leaving tomorrow.

- And still?

The process of falling in love with swimming did not come to an end for me. On the contrary, it seems to me that it has only just begun. Turkish and I have a lot of ideas. He always orients me to the most important task. For example, we thought about whether it is possible to swim a “fifty kopeck” in 20 seconds. I assume it can. At the same time, it is not necessary to experience hellish pain or superphysical tension. The main thing is to believe in it.

Do you think Thorp just wanted to swim in the 50m and 100m World Cups or is he preparing for the Olympics at these distances?

I do not exclude this, but we have already had such experiments that did not end in anything good. In the meantime, let's not run ahead, as they say, horses, electric trains?

- Steam locomotive.

That's right, ahead of the locomotive.

- Klim did the right thing by leaving the disgraced Turkish?

Has anyone seen him compete since then? No! Michael got injured. He has had four surgeries: on his ankle, spine and both ankles.

- After the departure of the Turkish Australians will slow down?

They have a couple of locomotives, and the main one is Thorp, who will be dragging "cars" on themselves for several more years.

CHOCOLATE FRIENDSHIP

- Do you often communicate with your friend Alexander Karelin?

If we manage to dock with San Sanych in Moscow, we meet. My deep conviction: it is not necessary to be friends passionately - to the point of hiccups. It is enough to see your dear person once a year and feel like chocolate.

- Karelin has not yet recovered from losing the Olympics in Sydney. And you?

It is not in our power to return those competitions, so I do not torture myself.

- Is it important for IOC members to have an active athlete in their ranks?

Never talked to them about this. Since we were chosen, it means we are needed. By the way, at that time, not only I was an active athlete, but also an athlete Sergei Bubka, who no longer competes. But that did not make him less appreciated.

- What exactly did you do in the Athletes' Commission?

Personally, I don't decide anything. This is the prerogative of the commission, which, for example, achieved the abolition of sex control tournaments for women - a humiliating procedure. But to be honest, this issue was brought up for discussion back in 1997, that is, before me.

- Is it true that when you go on trips from the IOC, you are paid a daily allowance of about $ 1,000?

Yep, "right now"! Such packs are handed that pockets bulge!

Did you move to Switzerland, where the headquarters of the IOC is located, to be closer to your fellow officials? Do you dream of settling here?

I have no task - to obtain Swiss citizenship. I have long been eager to go to Europe, because, firstly, Mother Russia, where my parents live, is close at hand. And, secondly, it is much more convenient to travel to competitions from here than from Australia.

BY THE WAY

Being just a champion and a great champion are two big differences, - Popov is sure. - I realized this on November 16, 1991, on my twentieth birthday, at the Lavazza Trophy tournament in Saluzzo, Italy. After my swim, Mark Spitz (an American, nine-time Olympic champion. - Approx. Aut.), who competed in other finals, came up to me and said: “Alex, if you want to become an Olympic champion, try to do it at 20, because at 24 it might be too late." I digested this phrase for three or four hours. Barcelona was eight months away, but the word "Olympics" has attracted me like a magnet ever since. From a green youth, I instantly turned into a mature man, obsessed with a manic idea: to win. I started at all stages of the World Cup and in the final - in Palma de Mallorca. We, ten oafs from the national team, rented motorcycles and, having collided, were badly injured. Six weeks remained before the selection for the Olympics - the national championship. I don't know how I won it.

OUR REFERENCE

Alexander Popov. Performs in freestyle at distances of 50 and 100 m. Born November 16, 1971 in Sverdlovsk. Height - 2 m, weight - 190 kg. In the national team of the country since 1991. Achievements in the individual competition in a 50-meter pool. Olympic champion 1992 and 1996 at distances of 50 and 100 m. Silver medalist of the 2000 Olympics at a distance of 100 m. World record holder at a distance of 50 m (21.64, set on June 15, 2000). World champion in 1994 at distances of 50 and 100 m. World champion in 1998 at a distance of 100 m, silver medalist at a distance of 50 m. Twenty-time European champion (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002) in the individual competition and relay races. Coach - Gennady Turetsky. From 1993 to 2003 he lived in Canberra, Australia. Since January 15, 2003 lives in Solothurn, Switzerland. Married. Wife Daria Shmeleva, silver medalist of the 1993 European Championship in individual medley. Sons: Vladimir, 5.5 years old and Anton, 2.5 years old. Has Russian citizenship. Four-room apartment in Moscow, near Prospekt Vernadskogo metro station. Favorite expression: "Horses die from work."

Alexander Vladimirovich Popov is a Russian swimmer, whose greatest popularity and the peak of his incredible career fell on performances in the national team already Russian Federation. The future holder of several world records in swimming both in 25 and 50-meter pools initially developed as a spinner, but changing the profile to a freestyle sprint brought the great athlete 4 Olympic golds, a six-time championship in world swimming forums, despite the hegemony of American swimmers in this kind of program. In addition, Alexander 21 times climbed to the highest step of the European swimming championships.

The total number of medals does not count, but the athlete is interesting in that he was able to return to the path of his favorite pool, having survived an injury that should have left him overboard, but this person simply did not know how to give up.

Childhood and getting young Sasha into sports.

November 16, 1971 in one of the closed towns Sverdlovsk region Sverdlovsk - 75 appeared in the Soviet Union, the future swimming king. The parents of the future legend were workers at a "closed" enterprise, they did not think about big victories or a tumultuous career in sports, they brought their only son to the pool to maintain health. However, the pool "sucked" the boy, he was noticed by Galina Vitman, under whose guidance the young Popov began to learn the basics of fast swimming. Sports have taken over young man and he even lowered his school performance because of this. The father tried to convince the heir, but Sasha already knew who he wanted to become.

Studentship and rapid rise.

The road led Alexander to the Volgograd Institute of Physical Culture. There he continued his training, now under the guidance of Anatoly Zhuchkov. The coach decided that the back was most suitable for his ward, so he began to develop this particular swimming skill with the swimmer.

A promising young athlete was never able to gain fame in this type of competitive program, so the athlete had to find himself a new mentor.

And Alexander was picked up by Gennady Turetsky, who, unlike his predecessor, saw in the young man the makings of a freestyle sprinter. Growth a little more than 2 meters, Long hands, and, in general, a good physique for this sport and predetermined the fate of the future standard bearer of the national team. Changing the swimming profile brought the first successes. In 1991, Europe finally submitted to the newly minted sprinter; at the Athens Championship, Alexander excelled in two individual events and in the men's relay. That pool opened the world to the future king of sprint swimming.

Further career path.

That resounding victory was only an omen of the birth of a new star of domestic and global swimming. Naturally, the athlete got into the country at the 1992 Olympic Forum. It was here that Popov proved that he is not just the best in Europe, he has no equal even in the world. And again, the success of the athlete came at a distance of 50 meters and twice as much. Also, as part of the relay four, the athlete was able to achieve silver.

It is believed that climbing to the top is easier than settling there, but our hero clearly did not intend to descend from this peak. In his training work, he adheres to the principle that whoever leaves the pool last in training is the first to swim in tournaments. Perseverance and excellent inclinations brought Popov the world championship at his favorite distances the following year, this time the world record was conquered by the athlete.

Until the next Olympics, which was held in Barcelona, our athlete continued to skim the cream in sprint heats, however, the stars of the Russian team, who had best performance. The skin of that unkilled bear was made between two Americans, and success was predicted in advance not only by journalists, but also by the impudent upstarts themselves. Even President Blade, who came to see the triumph of his compatriots, was sure of that failed success. Alexander, of course, did not make loud statements, he proved everything on the pool track and again took home two medals in crown events.

Critical trauma and overcoming circumstances.

After that Olympics, the athlete came to his native country. In August of the same year, the athlete shocked the public, reports appeared in the newspapers that the legendary swimmer had been stabbed to death. In fact, Alexander and a friend saw off two girls and stood up for them because of the indecent remarks of local hooligans. As a result of the fight, the young people suffered quite badly, and Popov, in addition to a blow to the head, also received a cut wound on the left side. A strong muscular corset prevented irreversible consequences, although both the lung and even the kidney of the young man were damaged. Avtandil Manvelidze risked operations, deviating from the standard instructions for such cases, but saved hope for the country.

Such injuries usually force people to part with the sport, but our athlete has not yet spoken his last word. During the recovery and rehabilitation, Popov was supported by relatives, which, coupled with an unbending will, returned him to service a year later. So much so that he immediately won Europe, and on next year and the world, and again with a record.

Completion of competitive performances.

The record holder among the swimmers of our country in terms of the number of Olympic gold medals (Vladimir Salnikov also had four gold) participated in two more Olympic forums, won several medals. After 2000, the athlete's success ceased to resemble hegemony, and five years later Popov ended his professional career.

After leaving competitive swimming, Alexander continued to work in sports and even became a member of the IOC.

Personal life

Since 1993, Alexander Popov moved to permanent residence in Canberra, Australia, in 1997 he married a colleague from the swimming team Daria Shmeleva. The girl took part in two Olympic Games, though she failed to compare in achievements with her chosen one. Now the couple has three children, two boys and a girl. Alexander named his first child after his father.

The world community and many experts recognized our athlete as a swimmer of the decade, he is a holder of several domestic orders, and part of his biography, injury and return to competitive mode formed the basis of one of the storylines of the film “Champions. Faster, higher, stronger".

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