Chukarin Victor is a gymnast whose biography is known to many residents of the former USSR. In the 1940-1950s, he became a legend in Soviet and world sports. Victor Ivanovich combined universal physical preparation, circus virtuosity, dexterity and dedication. Chukarin devoted his whole life to gymnastics. This article will describe a brief biography of the athlete. So let's get started.
Start of classes
Viktor Ivanovich Chukarin, whose biography is described below, was born in the village of Krasnoarmeyskoye (Ukraine, Donetsk region) in 1921. Soon the whole family moved to Mariupol. There Victor met with gymnastics. His first coach was physical education teacher V.P. Popovich, who saw talent in the boy. He taught Chukarin the basics of gymnastics and instilled a love for this sport. After graduating from school, Victor entered the metallurgical college. But he was more and more fascinated by gymnastics. Therefore, the young man decided to change his educational institution. He moved to Kiev and applied to the gymnasium.
Master of Sport
In the capital of Ukraine, Viktor Chukarin, whose biography is also well known to most modern gymnastics fans, met Ajat Ibadulaev (absolute champion of the USSR). The athlete became the mentor, friend and role model for the hero of this article. Soon Victor was in the city team. In 1940, Chukarin fulfilled the standard of master of sports at the Ukrainian Championship. The young man had ambitious plans ahead, but they were violated by the outbreak of World War II.
Captivity
Chukarin Victor, whose biography is in most sports encyclopedias, immediately went as a volunteer to the front. In the fall of 1941, he was captured and went through all the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. The athlete returned home only in November 1945. Viktor was sent to work at the Azovstal enterprise as a physical education instructor. Over time, he returned to gymnastics, often training in the evenings. But his physical form was greatly affected by his stay in the camps. Therefore, at 24, Chukarin began with the basics. In the same period, the young man entered the Institute of Physical Education (Lviv).
Competitions
In 1946, Victor Chukarin, whose biography was full of various events, went to the USSR gymnastics championship. The athlete took only 12th place. The following year, Victor performed more successfully and became the fifth. Then Chukarin appeared coach - Peter Timofeevich Sobenko. He headed the gymnastics department at the institute, where the hero of this article studied. Victor became a favorite student of Sobenko. The cooperation was successful, and in 1949, at the Championship of the country, the athlete defeated the champion of the USSR Ajat Ibadulayev.
Olympiad
Victor Chukarin, whose biography was an example to follow for gymnasts, had been preparing for this event for a long time. The athlete practiced a lot and hard. For this reason, he made a splash at the Olympics in Helsinki in 1952. Victor won 4 gold - exercises on horseback, vault, absolute and team championship, also 2 silver - bars and rings. Chukarin repeated his triumph in 1956 at the Olympics in Melbourne. Here Victor replenished his own piggy bank with medals of all virtues: 1 bronze (free performances), 1 silver (exercises on a horse) and 3 gold (bars, absolute and team championship).
Leaving Sports
After this grand victory, Chukarin decided to end his career. He finished performing, but did not leave gymnastics. Victor Ivanovich switched to teaching activities. Back in 1950, he received the specialty of a trainer and teacher at the Lviv State Pedagogical Institute. In 1963, the hero of this article became an assistant professor at the gymnastics department. Eight years later, Chukarin headed it and worked in this position for a rather long period. Thanks to the efforts of the former athlete, a strong gymnastic school appeared in Lviv.
Last years
In addition to teaching at the institute, Viktor Chukarin, whose biography is presented above, coached the national team. He shared his experience with young athletes, raising several dozen sports masters. In 1972, he was awarded the title of Honored Coach of Ukraine. In the same year, he became a judge of the international category and coach of the Olympic team of Soviet gymnasts. Viktor Ivanovich died in Lviv in 1984.