At present, sport is an integral part of people's lives. Some are engaged in it to maintain their shape and promote health, while others are professionally involved. Sports stars are famous all over the world. Their achievements are much talked about and written in the media. Which of them are considered the brightest sports stars?
Larisa Latynina
This absolute Olympic champion, the absolute world champion is a sports star of Russia. This is the most titled athlete. The gymnast is considered the strongest Olympian of the twentieth century. For the entire period of performances at the Olympics, she received 18 awards. Until 2012, no one exceeded the athlete in their number. In addition, in 1957, at the European Championship, Latynina was awarded a full set of gold awards.
After leaving sports Latynina began to teach. She has the title of Honored Coach and Worker of Physical Culture of the Russian Federation.
Alexander Karelin
This classic-style wrestler is a Soviet and Russian sports star. In sports circles he was called Alexander the Great. He is included in the list of 25 best athletes of the 20th century in the world, and his name is listed in the Guinness Book of Records, since for thirteen years he has not lost a single match.
His homeland is the city of Novosibirsk. At the age of 13, Alexander began to engage in Greco-Roman wrestling. His coach was Viktor Kuznetsov. He became the only coach of Alexander for his entire sports career. Karelin is a three-time Olympic champion, a nine-time world champion, and a twelve-time European champion. He spent more than 880 fights, of which he lost only two.
Sergey Bubka
Pole vaulter became a bright star of Russian sports. Most of his records were set in the Soviet period. Sergey is the first person in the whole world who managed to conquer a six-meter height with a pole. For ten years no one could break his record. And the triumphant result of 6 meters 14 centimeters in the open air so far no one could even repeat.
Currently lives in Ukraine.
Fedor Emelianenko
This is a four-time world champion in mixed martial arts and a nine-time Russian champion in sambo. He began practicing martial arts at the age of ten. He practiced judo, sambo. During his studies and military service he did not leave training. After the army, he began to compete and became the best MMA fighter in heavyweight.
Nikolay Andrianov
This gymnast is one of the most titled champions of the Olympic Games. He has fifteen Olympic medals. Of the thirty awards received in world and European championships, seven are gold medals.
His first and only trainer was Nikolai Tolkachev, who not only engaged in sports with him, but also educated him.
After the end of his sports career, Nikolai worked as a children's coach, was the director of a sports school in Vladimir. In 2011, Andrianov died at the age of 59.
Alexander Popov
The swimmer, who defeated Europe 21 times, the four-time Olympic champion, is another Russian sports star. At the end of the twentieth century he was recognized as the most outstanding swimmer in the world.
He began swimming at the age of 7 years. At 10, he had already won the 25 meter race.
In 1996, an assassination attempt was committed on Popov. He received serious stab wounds. After a complex operation, Alexander quickly got in shape thanks to many years of training. After that, he successfully participated in competitions at various levels, including the Olympic Games.
Vladislav Tretyak
This hockey player has become a sports legend. With his success, the goalkeeper has gained worldwide fame. He was invited to play by many famous clubs. However, Tretyak remained loyal to the USSR team.
Vladislav has been involved in sports since childhood. He began with swimming and diving. But from the age of 11 he came to the CSKA children's sports school. Started with an attacker, then became a goalkeeper. Parents did not take seriously the boy's hobby until he began to receive money for games at the age of 15. A real hockey player’s stellar career began with meeting coach Anatoly Tarasov.
As part of the Soviet national team, Tretyak became a ten-time world champion and a three-time Olympic champion. After completing his sports career, he switched to coaching.
