Very often, the athlete’s main advantages are not his physical characteristics and short-term results, but his strong character, ability to hold a punch and not give up. Without this, it is impossible to get ahead of rivals in fierce competition and prove their strength.
All these qualities are possessed by a talented swimmer and a strong personality - Julia Efimova. She had to fight not only with rivals, but also against the system, an unfair punishment, because of which she did not want to be allowed to the Olympic Games. How the character of the champion was formed, the biography of Yulia Efimova will help to understand. Swimming is a sport for hardworking and strong character. And this article is about this.
Childhood
Julia was ready for difficulties from birth. She was born in turbulent 1992, in even more turbulent Grozny. When she was one year old, her family left the war in Volgodonsk. Mom wanted her daughter to do dancing or acrobatics. For some time she was engaged in these disciplines. But the dad’s last word is swimming!
Julia Efimova seriously began to play sports under the close supervision of her father. Soon her parents began to realize that the girl needed a change of scenery. Dad could not treat his own daughter with all severity. Therefore, it was decided to give Julia to train for the famous specialist Irina Vyatchanina.
Efimova at age 13 moves to Taganrog and begins a new life. Many styles are offered in a sport such as swimming. Julia Efimova did not immediately decide on her discipline. She tried crawl, butterfly stroke. Father wanted to make her a spinner. But at one point, she made a choice - breaststroke.
Sports career: start
In recent years, Russian swimming was not the highest achievement. Julia Efimova as if was born to catch up. She begins to swim at major international competitions at the age of 14. At the European Championships in Budapest, the girl was able to enter the six strongest.
A year later, the athlete wins three gold at the short-water continental championship. The swimming of Yulia Efimova was admired by all fans and experts. According to the athlete herself, a gold medal in the 100 m segment was a special surprise for her. The distances of 50 and 200 m in the breaststroke style were considered crown for the girl. The key to success was her brilliant cornering work, which is especially valuable for short water competitions.
In 2008, in Eindhoven, Julia Efimova continues to methodically collect awards of various denominations. On her favorite two hundred meters, she again becomes the first. To the gold medal, the girl adds silver medals at a distance of 50 m and in the combined relay race 4 x 100 m.
The most important starts for any athlete are the Olympic Games. It is they who show what he really is. In competition with the strongest rivals, the swimmer shows the fastest results in his career. At the Beijing Olympics, I had to fight with the leaders of world swimming - athletes from the United States and Australia. Julia did not let the team down and performed great. For a 16-year-old athlete, 4th and 5th place at the first Olympics is an excellent result.
Career heyday
Memorable for Julia is 2009. At competitions in Rome, she wins the first gold of her world championships in her life. She turned out to be the strongest of all at a distance of 50 m. In addition, she managed to get silver at a distance of 100 m. By the way, Yulia's gold medal was the first award of the Russian team in this tournament.
A year later, new victories at the European Championships follow. At the main starts of the four-year period in 2012, Russian swimming can present a real superstar. Julia Efimova goes to London for big awards. Quite a bit is missing up to the silver medal. But to begin with, bronze is an excellent result.
The progress of the athlete is obvious. Every year, Julia is getting faster. But a new impetus is needed for development. In 2011, she makes a difficult decision - to move to the United States. This country is the leader of world swimming in recent years, the best conditions for athletes are here. In a short time, Julia successfully learns the English language and begins to train with California specialist David Salo.
The results are not long in coming. A year later, at the world championship, she overtakes the strongest athletes on the planet and takes first place at a distance of 200 m. In addition, Julia sets a world record at a distance of 50 m. It seemed that no one would stop her at future Olympics.
Doping scandals
Troubles begin in 2014. In one of the nutritional supplements that the athlete took, a prohibited drug was discovered - dehydroepiandrosterone. The girl is suspended from the competition for a year and a half. Julia did not deny her guilt, but claimed that she would never intentionally take doping in her life. This is a tragic mistake and carelessness - nothing more.
This was the first serious test for Julia outside the pool. Nevertheless, immediately after the end of the disqualification, Yulia Efimova does not leave swimming. She wins the finals of the 100m breaststroke at the World Championships in Kazan with brilliance.
War of Rio
Nowhere are they punished for a crime twice. But the World Doping Agency decided differently. The scandals that hit the entire national Olympic team did not pass over Julia either. It was decided to disqualify for the duration of the 2016 Games all Russian athletes ever caught in doping. Julia Efimova automatically lost the right to speak in Rio. Despite the obvious injustice of such a decision, the Russian Federation removed itself from the problems of the athlete without making any efforts to protect the good name of Efimova.
For her rights, the girl rushed to fight alone, like a real fighter. The lawsuit took place in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. And in early August, a verdict was issued that confirmed the absurdity of Julia’s discrimination and allowed her to go to the Olympics. Then Julia Efimova raised to a new level. Rio submitted to the Russian athlete. Despite the attempt of the stands to boo her, Julia speaks with dignity at distances of 100 and 200 m, taking silver in each of them. Who knows what the results would be if the athlete did not waste her nerves and strength in litigation.
Personal life
Like every young and attractive girl, Julia always had a lot of fans. There were rumors about a relationship with the son of her coach, Arkady Vyatchanin. In 2015, everyone found out that her boyfriend was Nikita Lobintsev. Incidentally, he is also the winner of two Olympics - in Beijing and London.
In addition to swimming, Julia is also interested in design. In previous interviews, she said that she was trying to draw in her free time. The most difficult thing in sports, according to her, is not only to compete. Sometimes difficult trials await the athlete outside the arena. Julia Efimova showed her true character and did not break under the weight of unfair accusations, restoring her good name.