On October 8, 1946, the future figure skating star Alexander Gorshkov was born. Moscow is his hometown. The boy skated and began active training at the age of six. The child had to be torn between a secondary school and a figure skating school. After graduating from an educational institution, he enters the Institute of Physical Culture. It happened in 1964. In 1970, Alexander successfully graduated from an educational institution in which he continued intensive training to improve figure skills.
Biography: Alexander Gorshkov and his first steps in sports
When Sasha was six years old, his mother Maria Sergeyevna, in a conversation with her classmate’s mother, found out that in Sokolniki he was going to figure skating school. It was at that moment that the idea came to send the child to sport. Both mothers made friends with each other, one day they took the boys by the hands and took them to a school for beginner skaters. The first months of his stay at school at Alexander passed in difficult conditions. He practically did not succeed, and he was immediately enlisted in the ranks of the underperforming. The school was divided into levels, and Sasha got to classes at a more primitive level.
Alexander’s mother did not agree with this state of affairs and was not going to put up. Once, Maria Sergeyevna took her child by the hand and forcibly brought him to an advanced group. By a lucky coincidence, at that time there was a new coach in the group who was not familiar with the whole composition. The teacher decided that Sasha was sick for a long time, so he did not see him among the students. So Alexander Gorshkov remained in the group of a higher level, and, as it turns out after, not in vain. It was here that he met his future partner Lyudmila Pakhomova.
Elena Tchaikovskaya
A special role in the life of a novice skater was played by the coach Elena Tchaikovskaya. After all, it was she who considered the future champions in two young people. At that moment, when Elena had just started working with young talents, she herself was a young and inexperienced coach. And nobody, in principle, believed in a pair of Lyudmila and Alexander, except for Tchaikovsky.
Three young talents began working together to create a new style in figure skating, which is called the "new Russian style." The beginning of their work was laid in May 1966. Six months later, the couple debuted at international competitions.
Lyudmila Pakhomova
The best years in Alexander's life were associated with the name of Lyudmila Pakhomova. Mila - as he affectionately called his partner in sport and in life. At that moment, when they first met, Pakhomova was already a pretty famous person. Together with her former partner Viktor Ryzhkin, the girl was already the champion of the Soviet Union. Against the backdrop of such a stellar personality, the unknown Alexander Gorshkov, whose photo you see in the article, looked very faded. But Tchaikovsky continued to believe that her students had a good future.
Sports achievements of a pair of Pakhomova and Gorshkov
Thanks to hard training and the trainer's belief in the duet's success, the first results appeared a couple of years later. In 1969, Alexander Gorshkov and Lyudmila Pakhomova made their debut at the European Championships, where they took an honorable third place. World Championships brought them more successful indicators. There, they turned out to be weaker than the current champions Diana Towler and Bernard Ford. Despite the fact that the representatives of the school of the new Russian style lost the titled pair, the British noted the professionalism and successful future of the young skaters.
The results were not long in coming, and already in 1970 Alexander Gorshkov and Pakhomova became European champions. The further career of the couple was very successful. They became world champions a total of six times. And even after they once gave the first place to the German couple, the next year they took revenge at a very good level. No one else had questions about leadership.
In general, the couple constantly had to prove their superiority not only in the fight against German athletes. The competition had to endure from the masterful figure skaters of the USA, Great Britain, Germany and many others. The guys constantly had to prove that they are the best. They did not have the right to make a mistake.
Olympic Games
In 1976, the couple had to make their debut at the Olympic Games in Innsbruck. However, shortly before this event, Alexander Gorshkov underwent a serious lung operation. Despite the difficulties with his health, the man recovered and took part in the first such serious competitions in his life. At the Olympics, the duo once again proved that nobody is better than them. The couple went into a huge gap from their pursuers and took the Olympic gold home to Moscow.
As for Elena Tchaikovsky, she took gold at two consecutive Olympic Games, however, with another pair.
First marriage
The perfect pair on ice turned out to be the perfect pair for creating a family. From the very first joint steps that young people took on the ice, a spark ran between them. They began to experience not only respect and sympathy for each other. They felt more serious feelings start to flare up in them. As a result of this, already in 1970 the couple got married. The wedding took place immediately after the skaters took the lead in Ljubljana.
The sports career is short-lived, and a year after the successful debut at the Olympics, the couple completed it. Lyudmila decided to continue to be implemented as a coach, and Alexander as a sports functionary.
In 1977, the couple had a daughter, Julia. The woman could not give proper care and devote a large amount of time to her child. Lyudmila and Alexander went headlong into a sports career, and Julia's upbringing was under the control of her grandmother.
In 1978, Lyudmila already became the coach of the Soviet Union team. And I must say, the girl turned out to be a very successful mentor who was able to bring up more than one duet of champions. However, to be a long time at the peak of popularity she did not succeed. A year later, a tumor was found in Lyudmila, with which she fought unsuccessfully for 7 years.
Tragedy in the life of a titled skater
The disease was not going to recede, and Lyudmila could not find time to fight it. She always ran to the ice, refused medical care. Perhaps that is why fate decided to punish her for such a negligent attitude to her health.
In 1985, Mila celebrated her last birthday. In general, she spent the last six months in the hospital, and she simply did not have physical strength to practice hard on ice. During the time spent in a hospital bed, the former skater was even able to write a book. Lyudmila took her last breath on May 17, 1986. She was only 39 years old …
Continuation of the sports career of the Olympic champion
After leaving Gorshkov, Alexander Georgievich continued to improve himself in sports. He was a sports figure skating coach until 1992. In the same year, he headed the Russian Olympic Committee. In 1998, he became chairman of the ice dance committee. Often, Gorshkov was invited to various sports competitions as the chief judge.
A pair of Pakhomova and Gorshkov was inscribed in the Guinness Book of Records for the six-time championship. Also in Moscow, a figure skating school was opened, which bears the name of great athletes. In 2010, Gorshkov became president of the Russian Figure Skating Federation.
Lyudmila Pakhomova and Alexander Gorshkov: daughter of a star couple
The only daughter of the great skaters Julia is incredibly similar to her mother. When the great athlete and talented coach passed away, her daughter was only 9 years old.
Despite the fact that a competitive, sporting spirit reigned in the family, the girl did not follow in the footsteps of her famous parents. Julia herself dreamed of a ballerina career from an early age. She did not want to connect her life with ice due to the unwillingness of her grandmother. She was categorically against it, because Lyudmila's mother knew what it was like to educate the future Olympic champion. What are inhuman burdens and how hard it is morally. However, Julia did not happen to become a ballerina, because the girl is quite tall - now her height is almost 2 meters.
After joining the ballet school, the girl was offered to become a basketball player. And Julia herself decided to become a fashion designer. At the age of 18, she left for France, where she planned to begin a serious career as a fashion designer. Learning your favorite business has paid off. Julia began to show promise as a budding fashion designer. There she found her fate and soon married a French citizen. A few years later, the girl returned to her homeland and got a job at Bosco Chilegi. Now she works with fashion collections, which she purchases directly from France.
Julia herself in frank conversations about her mother often tells how she misses her. As she talks to her, she often asks for advice. Mom stays with her throughout her life. Lyudmila was born on December 31, so for Julia it is always a sad holiday, in which she devotes more time to the memories of her mother. Julia and her father must go to the cemetery that day. Then the family would seem to be reunited again. Here you can be silent and talk about what disturbs the soul.
