Lyudmila Pakhomova is a famous ice dancing figure skater who entered the history of sports with her partner and husband Alexander Gorshkov. They are six-time champions of Europe and the whole world. In 1976, having shown the magnificent staging of Kumparsita tango, they deservedly received gold medals and became champions of the Olympic Games. Their duet was bright and interesting.
And although she lived only 39 years old, Lyudmila Pakhomova was very famous. The biography, cause of death, the personal life of this unique woman has always been of interest to journalists and fans. The most interesting thing is that in the young Pakhomova none of the coaches, except Ryzhkin, saw the champion. She was called the hopeless and most ordinary skater. Yes, those who did not believe in her success and sports career were mistaken.
The first steps on the ice of Luda Pakhomova
In the military family of the Hero of the Soviet Union Colonel Aviation Alexei Konstantinovich Pakhomov under the new 1946 daughter was born. Father, being a colonel, dreamed that his daughter would become a paratrooper officer. But Lyudmila went the other way.
At 7 years old, the schoolgirl Lyuda was taken to the stadium and recorded with the figure skating coach. The girl was engaged without much pressure, did not stand out. Attending training, she tried, but did not give special hopes. Coaches have not yet seen in her a good skater and champion. After leaving school, his father (and he already became a general) firmly decided to take his daughter to aviation, so that she would go in for parachuting. The chance meeting of her mother with V. Ryzhkin played a big role in the future career of the future champion. Victor at that time, coaching the Union team, decided to return to the big sport in order to engage in a new kind - ice dancing. Remembering Mila, her grace, plasticity and incredible artistry, he proposed to become a trainer and partner for the girl. For a long time, Lyudmila Pakhomova could not make a decision. Her biography could be completely different if not for cooperation with Victor.
Work with V. Ryzhkin
The athlete was determined just before the European Championship (1965), deciding to speak with Ryzhkin. However, the competition was held without the participation of a couple. The management considered that they are not yet experienced skaters. They got to Bratislava at the European Championship and the World Championship in Davos a year later - in 1966, where they won their gold medals.
Their duet was disharmonious, it was clear that the couple would not be able to work together. Although Viktor Ryzhkin was recognized as an experienced trainer and a strong partner, for Luda, someone else needed a slightly different temperament for performances. As a result, the duet breaks up. But the famous remains Lyudmila Pakhomova. A photo of her often adorns the front pages of Soviet newspapers and sports magazines.
She offers to train together Gorshkov. By this time, the athlete was already twice champion of the USSR.
How did the Pakhomov-Gorshkov duet appear
A. Gorshkov before meeting with Pakhomova was not a famous person. And I didn’t dream about a sports career. Mom brought little Sasha to the school of figure skating. A year later, the coach, not seeing in him a special talent for this sport, transferred the boy to a group of weak students. Gorshkov, after several years of training, performed on the ice singly and in pairs, but no one in him saw talent and, moreover, did not suspect that the middle peasant would become the champion and partner of the already famous Pakhomova.
Lyudmila’s offer to work on ice in pairs turned his whole life upside down. She was already known throughout the world, and also received the championship title of the union in ice dancing in singles. Gorshkov, realizing that his partner is much stronger than him in choreography and more experienced, trained with all his might to not only justify Mila's trust, but also not to let her down.
First victories and championship
Everyone was wondering why, in partners, she took herself a completely unknown and unpromising skater with the first rank. But after a few years, the couple became a step higher than the British - legislators of ice dancing. The coach of Gorshkov and Pakhomova was E. Tchaikovsky.
On large ice, Soviet athletes were very inferior in professionalism to foreign ones. Difficult training and perseverance led the couple to victory at the 1969 World Cup. They deservedly received silver. And a year later they win the championship and the title of world and European champions. Their performances are not like the work of other duets. Lively and funny productions with elements of folk art were filled with complex sports tricks. Their ice dancing was beautiful and vibrant.
In 1970, Lyudmila Pakhomova graduated from GITIS and at the same time received a second diploma confirming her world championship. Champion skaters do not stop there, continue to train hard, inventing new productions with heavy sports tricks.
The winter of 1975 brought a new victory. The couple, having arrived at the competition in Copenhagen, win it. Not having time to enjoy the success, Gorshkov after filming in a cold room gets sick. On the way to Moscow, he becomes completely ill. An experienced pulmonologist and surgeon M. Perelman saved Sasha from death. Three weeks - and Gorshkov was already ready to go to America, where the World Cup was held. As a result, he refused the competition, showing up with Luda only in a demonstration performance, performing the song "Romance".
Despite the recent operation, Gorshkov continued to train. Pakhomova Lyudmila Alekseevna was a strong woman with an imperious nature. From the outside it seemed that she was forcing her partner to work hard. However, Gorshkov himself recalled that thanks to Luda’s perseverance, he quickly got in shape, as if there was no operation.
Calgary incident
In Calgary, at the World Cup, the couple had an unpleasant situation that could seriously spoil the future of the skaters. It was rumored that the incident was specially tuned by rivals to remove strong competitors. Before the performance, Lyudmila and Alexandra were pumped out by doctors after severe poisoning. They went on ice in a terrible state. But, as always, they performed with dignity.
In 1976, ice dancing was first included in the list of competitions of the Olympic Games. Lyuda and Alexander get a gold medal here by participating in the performances of the White Olympics. In the same year, the star duo becomes a family.
Strong in spirit Lyudmila
Pakhomova Lyudmila Alekseevna was a very strong spirit and strong-willed woman. She devoted herself to her favorite pastime in its entirety. Working on ice became life for her. And nothing could stop her from showing herself worthily and as a true professional. Once on the ice, at the Prague Skates competition, her partner’s skate accidentally cut her leg. No one noticed that Lyudmila Pakhomova was dancing, experiencing terrible pain. The wound was bleeding heavily, but the woman continued to show her party with complex tricks. She was taken to the hospital only after the performance assessments became known.
Family and career
It so happened that the star couple, speaking, each time showed new heights of skill. The next time they couldn’t afford to perform worse or at a level with the last match. And this was the basic rule of Luda and Sasha. But there came a moment when victories ceased to please, and the conquest of new peaks did not seem so welcome. They were tired and wanted a quiet family happiness and home comfort. Once the skaters, having come to the coach of Tchaikovsky Elena, announced that they were leaving the ice and finishing their performances.
At a farewell party, Lyudmila Pakhomova and Alexander Gorshkov danced on the ice before the guests who arrived their famous “Kumparsita”.
Soon they have a daughter, Julia (1977). Ludmila's mother brought up and took care of the child. The skater herself plunged into coaching.
Serious illness
In 1980, Luda became very ill. Relatives, relatives and doctors did not hide the seriousness of the situation. And the woman understood that chemotherapy was not prescribed to treat colds. After another consultation she was urgently required to undergo a serious and very long treatment.
Operations and therapies were exhausting. But Lyudmila Pakhomova found the strength to continue her coaching activities, participated in competitions and sports camps, and detailed the classes for her students. The skater did not want to admit herself sick and weak, although her condition worsened every day. Cancer of the lymphatic system did not respond to treatment and burned her body. The disease could be stopped if Luda took the treatment more seriously and clearly complied with the instructions of the doctors. But she, constantly running away from the hospital, went to the gym to become skate.
