As you know, in Russia since ancient times there were very strong fighters. The school of classical wrestling began to develop especially dynamically during the Soviet period, which paid special attention to sports and physical education. One of those people who can be safely attributed to the “golden” generation of domestic sports is Alexander Karelin. The biography of this athlete will be examined in detail in this article.
Birth and start of sports
An outstanding world-class wrestler was born on September 19, 1967 in the city of Novosibirsk. Alexander became interested in Greco-Roman wrestling at the age of fourteen. Karelin began to study in the section of the Novosibirsk Electrotechnical Institute (sports society "Petrel"). After three years of classes, he was able to fulfill the standard of the master of sports of the USSR, and a year later he became a master of sports of international class.
Education and research
In 1985, Alexander Karelin, whose biography is a worthy example for the younger generation, graduated from a motor transport college in his hometown and decided to become a cadet at the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School of the Internal Troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. From the same year he served in the internal troops and represented the Dynamo. In 2001, after the completion of his sports career, he graduated from St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
Karelin proved himself not only as a strong athlete, but also as a researcher in the field of sports science. In 1998, he defended his Ph.D. thesis, the theme of which was: "Methodology for holding countershots from deflection throws." Her defense took place at the St. Petersburg Academy of Physical Culture named after P.F. Lesgaft. This scientific work to this day is an excellent practical tool for many Russian wrestlers.
In 2002, Karelin defended his doctoral dissertation on the topic "The system of integrated training of highly qualified wrestlers." The named unique research contains in its basis the analytical work that has been done over 10 years with more than 400 athletes participating in the national team. In the course of it, algorithms were formulated that made it possible to achieve a harmonious combination of physical and psychological conditions, moral-volitional qualities, factors affecting the fulfillment of strategic goals and the preservation of the tactical drawing of the match were studied. According to the results of this scientific work, Alexander Karelin concluded: an athlete who is not able to control himself, demonstrating a lack of emotional stability, shows unsatisfactory results in competitions. Some modern experts in the world of sports believe that Karelin’s dissertation can help deduce the “formula” of an ideal fighter.
So our Russian hero is strong not only physically, but also very smart. In a word, San Sanych is an intellectual who adequately defends the colors of the flag of his homeland.
First sporting success
Alexander Karelin (his biography is respected even by opponents) can be called his victory in the World Youth Championship in 1985 as his first sporting achievement. Such an achievement was made possible thanks to his perseverance, diligence and determination. In many ways, this is also the merit of his coach, Viktor Kuznetsov, who, by the way, remained his only mentor for his entire sports life.
The very next year, Karelin wins such competitions as:
- Championship of the Soviet Union among juniors.
- Summer Spartakiad of the peoples of the RSFSR.
- International tournament dedicated to the memory of Ivan Poddubny.
- Spartakiad of the USSR.
- Junior European Championship.
- Championship of the RSFSR.
Success in 1987
At the age of 20, Alexander was able to take first place in the European Championship, win the World Cup, and become the best in the championship of the RSFSR. At the USSR championship, he took second place, losing to the leader of the national team, two-time world champion Igor Rostorotsky (score 0-1).
The best in the USSR
For the first time, Alexander Karelin (the wrestler’s biography is available to everyone) was able to become the champion of the Union in 1988. And this despite the fact that at the time of the tournament, the wrestler had a concussion, and he had a fever. It was then that he first defeated the recognized team leader Igor Rostorotsky. However, the coaching staff of the USSR national team decided to give two candidates before traveling to the Olympics in Seoul another opportunity to find out who (Rostorotsky or Karelin) is most worthy to represent the country at the main starts of the four-year period. At the tournament in Romania, the most important fight took place, which Karelin convincingly won.
First Olympiad
In 1988, Alexander Alexandrovich Karelin went to the Olympics in Seoul. At the opening ceremony, Karelin was the standard bearer of the USSR team. In the final match, the Soviet heavyweight met with the representative of Bulgaria Rangel Gerowski. In the first period, our hero lost with a score of 2: 3, but 45 seconds before the end of the match he was able to hold his favorite “reverse belt” technique and win his first Olympic gold.
Olympics in Barcelona
In 1992, Alexander Karelin again passed the selection for the Olympics. And in the same way, the fate of the gold medal was decided in a matter of moments. True, this time it happened at the beginning of the main match. In the final, San Sanych met with the legendary Swedish athlete Thomas Johansson. The Scandinavian wrestler could not hold out even two minutes. Thus, Karelin became the two-time winner of the Olympic Games. The total time that Karelin spent in all the matches of the Barcelona Olympics does not exceed 8 minutes.
1993 World Cup
Looking ahead, we note that the tournament was won by Alexander Karelin. The fight with the first rival should be described separately.
In the first round of the competition, the Russian met with a wrestler from the United States Matt Gaffari. According to Karelin himself, leading 2 points in the score, he, performing a roll over, injured two ribs. Moreover, the lower one literally came off, and the second, located nearby, broke. These two small bones during the struggle pressed on the liver, and therefore Alexander all the time felt an acute smack of bile. However, in the end I was able to win with a score of 2: 0. But the hardest test was ahead ...
20 minutes after meeting with the American, a Russian wrestler stepped on the carpet against Thomas Johansson, already known to us. Karelin immediately went on the attack, earned activity. The Swede was put on the ground, and Karelin performed his “reverse belt”. Then Karelin continued to attack, but in one of the episodes he “failed”, the broken ribs jammed, he did not have time to straighten up in time and went out of the carpet, the referees awarded 1 point in favor of Johansson. Karelin was on the ground, but defended himself reliably, and continuing to fight in the stance, he again earned activity. Now Johansson was on the ground, but could not oppose Karelin’s onslaught - two “reverse belts” and a crushing score of 12: 1 in favor of the Siberian.
The next matches at the tournament, Alexander Karelin, the champion of many competitions, spent more calmly and confidently and in the final he was able to cleanly beat the Bulgarian athlete Sergey Mureyko.
The injury was healed for a long time. For two and a half months, Alexander couldn’t not only fight, but even run. Moreover, breathing in a calm state was also given with difficulty.
Continuation of the career of a fighter
The following years were also successful for Karelin. He became the world champion in 1994 and 1995, helped defeat the Russian team in a match against the world team. In the fall of 1995, he won the tournament of his own name, held in Novosibirsk. Confronted him in the finale already known to us Matt Gaffari. But it’s especially worth talking about the 1996 European Championship.
During this tournament, Karelin had a serious problem: he had a separation of the pectoralis major muscle, which led to the appearance of a hematoma weighing one and a half kilograms. This led to the fact that the athlete could not act with his right hand. In such a situation, in fact, the Russian had nothing to hope for, but he did the impossible - he won the competition! After the finale, he underwent an operation that lasted two hours.
Alexander himself later said that the Hungarian doctors gave him disappointing predictions about his recovery. But the doctor of the Russian national team, Valery Sergeyevich Okhapkin, helped Karelin recover as quickly as possible. Already in 1996, he again became (for the third time) an Olympic champion, which was already surprising in itself, given the severity of this sport.
Last Olympics
The dramatic finale of the Sydney Olympiad shocked many wrestlers. Alexander Karelin (his height is 191 cm) in the battle for first place lost to Roll Gardner. The first period of the match ended with the score 0-0. According to the rules in force at that time, athletes were placed in a cross capture. The referee considered that the Russian was the first to open his hands, and awarded one point to the American, which gave him the opportunity to defeat the famous Russian. As a result, Karelin for the first time in 13 years of his career lost and won the silver medal. His defeat was a disappointment for many fans, but the team eventually took the first team place.
According to Alexander Karelin himself, the defeat occurred due to emotional emptiness. He did not feel like making excuses, believing that such behavior would only humiliate him. In any case, three gold and one silver Olympic medals for a sports career - a result that is still unattainable for any of the more active wrestlers in the world.
Japanese fight
In 1999, the Russian was offered to hold a duel according to the rules of only the then emerging mixed martial arts. The confrontation "Alexander Karelin - Maeda" was seen by millions of viewers around the world. By the way, the prize fund was equal to a colossal amount at that time: one million US dollars. But since Karelin did not have the right to speak for money in accordance with the Olympic Charter, the fight went without remuneration.
February 20, 1999. The fight of Alexander Karelin with the Japanese. According to pre-agreed rules, the Russian wrestler had no right to strike and had to use exclusively wrestling techniques. For some time, the representative of the Land of the Rising Sun actively applied kicks and kept the Russians at a distance, but in the end Karelin was still able to hold his crown “back belt” and win the fight. After the fight, the Japanese needed seconds to leave the ring and reach the locker room. And this despite the fact that not a single blow was inflicted on him!
Life today
Today, Alexander Karelin, whose family plays a dominant role in life, continues to work actively for the good of society. He lives in Novosibirsk. In 1998, he was recognized as an honorary citizen of his hometown. He has a wife, two sons and a daughter, Vasilisa.
The son of Alexander Karelin, Ivan, is also engaged in wrestling and in 2015 he fulfilled the norm of the master of sports of Russia. The daughter of the hero of our article, Vasilisa, is a master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics.
Karelin from December 1995 to December 1999 served in the Federal Tax Police Service of Russia. Alexander resigned due to the fact that he took the post of deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation (December 1999). In total, Karelin was elected to the State Duma 5 times.
Awards: Gold Star of the Hero of Russia, Order: Friendship of Peoples, Honor, "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV degree. In 2013, he was awarded an honorary diploma of the President of the Russian Federation.
By the way, Karelin is one of the twenty-five best athletes around the world in the twentieth century. He is on a par with such legendary personalities as Pele, Muhammad Ali, Larisa Latynina.