Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics Alina Kabaeva May 12 turned 40 years old. Irina Viner compared her smile with the sun and openly called her a favorite. She was idolized by fans around the world. But Kabaeva's career was not cloudless. Before moving to Moscow, she was not recognized in her native Tashkent. For the sake of a place in the Russian national team, Alina had to lose weight hard and keep the weight off. Olympic gold was conquered only on the second attempt. In addition, injuries and a year-long suspension allegedly due to doping lay on the way to the top — subsequently, the Court of Arbitration for Sport found Kabaeva innocent.
What made her the strongest? How did your relationship develop with Irina Viner? Was it easy for men to find an approach to the main beauty of world sports? Sport represents the rules of life of Alina Kabaeva.
«When I was little, I slept with objects»
Alina has a sports family.
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» Dad was a footballer, he had a base in Kibray (a village near Tashkent). We went there. It's nice when everyone at the stadium thinks that your dad is a star, they talk well about him and everyone loves you too.»
Alina's mother played basketball, sister Leysan also went in for gymnastics and fencing, but, unlike the future champion, she never gravitated towards sports.
- «I could dance for hours at home. I declared myself: «Here I am, people's artist, folk words, folk music, Alina Kabaeva.»
- “My mother brought me to gymnastics. So I was the first to run from the locker room to the gym to be the first to get on the run. There were a lot of girls, everyone took a turn. I had such data that I didn’t even have to warm up. mashed».
- «When I throw an item, I ask his forgiveness, because it seems to me that everything on earth is alive. I believed in it and still believe it «When I was little, I always slept with objects. Everyone laughed at me, they said: «But how do you sleep with a hoop?» I put it near the bed. I kiss my objects before going out. Even after training, I thank them.»
br>»Wiener took me on the condition to lose weight»
At the age of ten, Alina managed to perform at international competitions for Kazakhstan. Due to the work of the father, the family periodically changed their place of residence. Mom saw great potential in her daughter and therefore took her to Moscow aiming at Irina Viner. Away from unfair treatment.
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"It was hard in Tashkent. Even if I performed well, and rivals —bad, they still became the first. That is, they didn’t love me,” Alina recalled. like a frog. She performed well, smiled, did some interesting things, but took places far from her beloved podium. She deserved with all her little being to come to Moscow and train with us and meet me. «
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Alina experienced defeat very painfully and cried all the time. But the prospect of moving was perceived without enthusiasm.
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«When my mother said that we would go to Moscow, I was not very happy. I could not imagine how I would live without my grandmother. Because my grandmother loved me terribly, and I especially.»
In Moscow, Kabaeva was to like Wiener. And she coped brilliantly.
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«Irina Alexandrovna first looked at me in her room, then invited me into the hall and said:» I will leave this girl. «With one condition, if I lose weight and I will be in good shape.»
For the next three days, Alina literally ate water for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A bottle of water and nothing else — she even refused the offered salads.
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"Mom went home and cried. She said: «I'm walking along this path, when I think that you're left there alone, it becomes bad.»
wp-content/uploads/2023/05/a9e2c3a14be929269b11227d96e787d9.jpg»/what a good gymnast»
Thus began the adult life of Alina Kabaeva in the capital. She lost weight, trained hard, performed well and became stronger.
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"With an open mouth, I looked at Amina Zaripova and Yana Batyrshina. I learned from them and it helped me a lot. It's easier to train with stars. I now understand the little girls who are looking at us — they want to do everything the way we can.»
«Irina Aleksandrovna praised me very much. Especially when I lost weight and began to show more and more results. Once she praised and said: «But you still know how to smile.» I began to smile and never forgot about it again.
Viner never hid her special sympathy for Kabaeva: “Alina always worked out her talent unquestioningly and with great love. Therefore, she was my favorite. In terms of work. I love her because she is so talented, smart, hardworking and, most importantly , very, very beautiful».
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"I always understood that I was a good gymnast, because I was constantly told about it. They gave compliments. Whoever comes into the room. I remember when I first arrived in Moscow, football players were training at the base. And somehow one of them looked into the hall. And I had a ball, so childish, still childish. I did it so well, and he stood and looked, not looking up. He patted me — it was very nice.»I never look at rivals and do not adapt to anyone. I train as I need, I get up at what time I need. Let them adapt to me if they want.»
«If you're tired «, anyway, go to the end. The exercise will end — then you will stop. Even if something hurts, I don’t notice it. «
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“Before the 2001 World Cup, they wanted to shoot me for a television film. Nothing happened — I refused. I wasn't angry, I was in myself. I knew that if I suddenly lost, I would blame everyone. The camera that followed me, the cameramen that filmed, I will blame everyone. I considered it a bad omen and asked me not to shoot. I will always have time to give an interview, but I may not have time to win the World Championship. shouted: «Alina, please come out»
The higher the results became, the more temptations and invitations to secular parties appeared around. Kabaeva refused them. She did not lack male attention, but she was very selective.
Wiener trusted the student in this matter, knowing that for Alina sports came first.
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«Oh, she's a very smart girl. «I know, Irina Aleksandrovna, that all men cheat. But the main thing is that when I get married, I don't know this.» It was a 15-year-old child speaking.»
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“At the Sydney Olympics, I was sure that I would win. All bets were on me. When I dropped the hoop, I thought I was going crazy. I didn’t know how to behave. I ran after him and thought:“ This is a dream. ”I finished with a smile and no one «I showed my feelings. And even when I looked at my grades on the monitor, I only remembered good things. I was glad that the gold medal went to Russia, that is, we coped with our task. But when I realized how many people hoped for me, and I let them down, I felt ashamed to return to Moscow. But it turned out the other way around. Everyone called and asked not to quit sports. «
Alina did not quit, although at first there really were such thoughts:» I thought: I will quit this gymnastics, I have already given it so many years. But then I realized that my dream has not yet come true. I am only eighteen. win the Olympic Games».Viner appreciated in Kabaeva not only talent and diligence, but also the ability to show character at the right time.
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" , honey, and your moment of truth has come. If you are an athlete, if you are Kabaeva, then you will get together. And if you are sour cream, then you will die with sour cream. And she got ready,» the coach said.
The secret of the legendary Kabaev smile is in her sincerity.
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"I don't just smile like a fool. I have a smile coming from my soul. I like the program, music and I am charged with it. The worst thing is, if you get goosebumps from pleasure, then I can forget about the subject altogether. That's why I'm always in control.»
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"I always dreamed of crying on a pedestal at least once. The flag, the anthem of Russia is such a solemn and touching moment. But all the same, my great joy prevails over everything else, and I can’t cry at all.
Alina really didn’t cry anymore. Even taking the gold of the Olympics in Athens four years after the Sydney disappointment, she did not shed a tear.
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"There is no second Alina in the world. I consider her the biggest and brightest star in sports and my life. It wasn’t better, it isn’t, and it will be, maybe only in 100 years, I don’t know,” said Irina Viner.
During her career as an athlete, Alina Kabaeva won Olympic gold and bronze, 15 gold medals at the World Championships and nine gold medals at the European Championships. The gymnastics she showed — feminine and technically complex, requiring unique flexibility and endurance — is still considered the standard by many experts and fans.
In preparing the material used quotes from Alina Kabaeva and Irina Viner from the film «All the Gold of the World», released in 2002.