The Paralympic movement in the world has existed since 1976. This is a tremendous opportunity for people with disabilities to prove to everyone around them, but first of all to themselves, that they are strong in body and spirit. Paralympics of Russia have brought many victories to our country. This story is about them.
Andrey Lebedinsky
Andrei Anatolyevich was born in Khabarovsk in 1963. From an early age he was fond of shooting, since his father was an avid hunter and often took his son with him to the forest. Actually, he taught Andrey the first shooting lessons.
Later, at the age of fourteen, the guy got into the bullet shooting section , where he demonstrated his skills. At fifteen, he became a candidate, and at seventeen - a master of sports. The guy was predicted a great sporting future. In 1981, he won the USSR Championship in bullet shooting.
But in 1984 there was a tragedy, as a result of which Andrei lost his leg. For a whole year he underwent treatment and rehabilitation, and in order to pay for this, Lebedinsky had to sell his equipment.
But as soon as the doctors gave the go-ahead, he returned to the sport, without which he could not imagine his life. He made his debut in the national team in 1996, having won three medals at once (two gold and bronze).
Paralympic athletes of Russia have always amazed with their incredible willpower and courage, but Andrei Lebedinsky went a very difficult way to the desired victories. In 1999, he received an injury to his right eye, and practically lost his sight. And this happened a year before the Olympics. All 365 days, Andrei learned to aim with his left healthy eye and trained from morning to night. As a result, in Sydney he became only the third. But Athens and Beijing brought two more long-awaited gold to his piggy bank.
Now Andrey Anatolyevich lives and works in Khabarovsk, coaching children in a sports school.
Albert Bakaev
Albert Bakaev was born in the capital of the South Urals. There, in Chelyabinsk, he began his first steps in sports. He began to go to the pool at the age of seven and already at fifteen became a master of sports in swimming.
In 1984, a disaster broke into his life. In training, he received a serious spinal injury. Doctors could not do anything about it. Albert was paralyzed. Everyone thought that the fate of a successful athlete and a talented student of a medical academy was decided. He is now confined to a wheelchair. But Albert proved to everyone that his life was not over. He began to train again, to participate in the competitions of swimmers with disabilities.
He has won several victories in the championships of the USSR, many in the championships of Russia. He became the 1996 Paralympic champion and won several more medals from the World and European Championships.
In addition to his sports career, like many Russian Paralympics, Albert was engaged in social activities. Mostly at home, in the Chelyabinsk region, but also was a member of the country's Paralympic Committee.
Albert Bakaev died of a heart attack in 2009.
Rima Batalova
Rima Akberdinovna since childhood was visually impaired, but this did not prevent her from achieving incredible heights in her sports career.
Since childhood, she has been involved in athletics in the section for people with visual impairments. Then she graduated from a college in the field of "Physical Culture", in 1996 she received higher education at the Ural Academy in the same specialty.
She began to play for the national team in 1988, when her first Paralympics took place in Seoul. And triumphantly ended her career in 2008 in Beijing, winning gold in running at several distances.
Paralympics of Russia continue to amaze the whole world. Rima Batalova is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the thirteen-time champion of the Paralympics and the eighteen-time winner of the world championship.
Olesya Vladykina
Not all Russian Paralympics whose biography is considered in this article have limited opportunities from birth. The beautiful girl Olesya Vladykina was born completely healthy, in Moscow, in 1988. From early childhood, she was engaged in swimming in a sports school, demonstrating success. She became a master of sports. But after entering the university, sports faded into the background.
In 2008, a terrible tragedy happened to the girl. She and her friend rested in Thailand. Their sightseeing bus had an accident. A friend died on the spot, and Olesya received severe injuries, as a result of which the girl's arm was amputated.
To escape from heavy thoughts, she literally a month after discharge returned to the sport. And six months later, her triumph took place in Beijing, where Olesya took the gold at the 100 meter breaststroke distance.
In London, she repeated her success and again set a world record at this distance.
Oksana Savchenko
Many well-known Russian Paralympics have several state awards for their achievements. Oksana Savchenko, a girl who has suffered from visual impairment since childhood, was no exception.
Oksana was born in Kamchatka. Doctors did not notice any features in the condition of the child and calmly discharged mom and baby from the hospital. Anxiety was sounded by parents when the girl was three months old. Her pupils were too dilated. Having completed all examinations, ophthalmologists were diagnosed with congenital glaucoma.
Thanks to the efforts of her mother, Oksana was operated on in Moscow, but her vision in her right eye could not be restored. The left sees, but very badly. Due to his state of health, Savchenko was not recommended to engage in heavy sports, and then mom gave her daughter a swim.
Now Oksana is the owner of three Beijing and five gold medals won in London. In addition, she is a multiple world record holder at her own distances.
Like many Russian Paralympics, Oksana received a diploma of higher education: she graduated from the Bashkir Pedagogical University (specialty - physical education) and the Petroleum Technical University in Ufa (specialty - fire safety).
Alexey Bugaev
Alexey was born in Krasnoyarsk in 1997. He is one of the youngest athletes in the "Most Famous Paralympics of Russia" top. The guy received recognition at the games in Sochi, where he won gold in slalom and super-combinations (skiing).
Alex was born with a terrible diagnosis - "congenital anomaly of the right hand." Parents gave the boy to the sport so that he strengthened his health, found friends and simply adapted to life. Alpine skiing Alexei since the age of six. At fourteen, he already ended up in the country's Paralympic team. And it brings him success!
Mikhalina Lysova
Paralympics of Russia, whose biography is an example of fortitude, perseverance and victory over oneself, usually come to sports with the submission of their parents. Mikhalina got into the ski section by accident. The older sister took the baby with her to training, because she simply had no one to leave with.
Mikhalina also wanted to try, but because of poor eyesight she had to be very tight. Her first coach recalls how stubborn her character was. The guys did not give her a discount, but she adapted to compete with healthy children. But, of course, there was no need to talk about special successes.
Everything changed when the girl got into the Paralympic team. Now she is a three-time champion of the games in Sochi.
Alena Kaufman
Russian Paralympics, whose names and surnames are still little known, are not going to end their careers after the first victories. So, biathlete and skier Alena Kaufman, despite the recent birth of her daughter and a rather big list of achievements, competes further.
Alain from childhood suffered from a diagnosis of "weak grasping reflex." But, since her parents were active athletes, the girl did not have to choose. As soon as she learned to walk, Alena was put on skis.
Despite her state of health, Alena performs in biathlon, and shooting is easy for her. This is one of the strengths of her sports career.
In Sochi, the girl won two medals of the highest value and replenished the piggy bank of her champion gold.
Famous Russian Paralympics are actively engaged in public work, helping children like themselves to believe in themselves and their strengths. For her work, Alena became the winner of the "Return to Life" award.