AMBASSADOR OF THE III ALL-RUSSIAN WINTER SPORTS CONTEST OF DISABLED PEOPLE, WORLD CHAMPION IN PARATHAEKWONDO VIKTOR ALEXANDROV: "EVERYWHERE YOU NEED TO REMAIN A HUMAN»

Viktor Alexandrov suffered a serious injury at the age of seven, which caused him to lose his hands. But at the same time, he was able to become an outstanding athlete, and at once in two sports that seem to be outwardly unrelated to each other – swimming and taekwondo. And most importantly, he remained a cheerful, cheerful and active person. We talked to Viktor on the eve of the III All-Russian Winter Sports Contest for the Disabled, of which he is the ambassador.

Victor, what does this mean to you?

– It is a great responsibility to represent your region at such major competitions. But when I was offered to be the ambassador of the Spartakiad, I didn't even know the word, I asked again: "Where, where did you send me? "(laughs)

Will you follow the events of the Sports Contest, cheer for someone?

- Absolutely. First of all, for their fellow countrymen. In general, I will support everyone. For friendship.

Let's summarize your sporting achievements…

- Nine-time champion of Russia, champion and silver medalist of the World Championship, European champion. This is taekwondo. Until December, they were to be awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports. But because of the coronavirus, everything is slower. And in swimming-the winner of the European Cup, two-time European champion, master of sports of international class.

So there was swimming in the beginning?

- Yes, I've been swimming for 12 years. And in 2010, he came to taekwondo, the first competition – and a silver medal.

Let's start from the beginning, then.

- My father threw it in the pool, said: "If you want to live – you will swim out" (laughs). This was after the injury. I had it when I was seven: we're all electricians. That's it. At the age of 12, the first competitions in Dzerzhinsk near Nizhny Novgorod, immediately completed the candidate for Master of sports. At 14-masters of sports. At the age of 17, he won the European Cup, then the European Championship. But I never liked swimming, I liked contact sports more.

Is that why you switched to taekwondo?

"Yeah, I couldn't drag myself into the pool anymore. And I swam almost always without glasses and bleach burned all my eyes. Well, I didn't want to go swimming. And at one point, I was offered taekwondo, and I gladly accepted. Just my last competition was here, in the "Energy". I sailed, went up to the hall, got acquainted – as they say, it rolled in.

If you managed to become a 9-time national champion during this time, success, it turns out, came almost immediately.

- Yes. The base from the voyage made itself felt. I thought I had 76 medals, 30 of them with high-value pennies. I came to taekwondo-I already have a stretch, I have a breathalyzer.

And what exactly attracted you to taekwondo?

- Contact sport, since childhood I liked it. They were constantly messing around with their older brother, fighting in the yard. I had to learn to stand up for myself. I always liked to swing my legs.

 

Is Taekwondo a Paralympic sport?

– I recently became a member of the program of the 2021 Paralympics. But we have four classes, and they are going to leave two at the Games, K43 and K44. Well, they said, " If you can fight two-armed men, go to the Paralympics. Vitek, here, go." We will try our best. I am currently preparing for the Russian Championship on March 24-25 in Nalchik, and then we will see how it goes further.

If it's not a Paralympic sport, then you'll have to do a lot at your own expense. Is there someone helping you now?

- The Center for Adaptive Sports, Nadezhda Vasilyeva Bannikova, provides me with tremendous help. I bring the center credit points, medals, and they, for example, finance me trips to competitions. My coaches Roman Fedorovich Tsvetkov and Yevgeny Ivanovich Petrenko are real men, they are ready to help at any time, they support me in word and deed.

Where do you train?

- In the Energia sports Complex.

And how do you find partners for sparring?

– And I fight with all of them. Here the national team of the Krasnoyarsk Territory trains – here with them.

What has sport given you in your life?

– First of all, there are many good friends all over the country. It all started with swimming. No matter what city you come to, there are friends and acquaintances everywhere, who can even shelter you. Three days for sure (laughs).

You have traveled a lot not only in the country, but also abroad. Can you compare the attitude towards people with disabilities?

"I don't know... Europe, of course, is Europe. But we also have a normal attitude. You just need to stay human everywhere. Personally, I have no problems anywhere. Now I'm the only one from Zheleznogorsk who came to Krasnoyarsk – nothing, it's fine.

Is it a problem to go to training in Krasnoyarsk?

– Mostly you get tired on the road. Two hours there, two hours back-sitting, doing nothing.

Do you like any other sports? Would you like to try something else?

- Perhaps, speed skating. But here is the problem: there is no paracon skating. I was also involved in hockey before my injury. And after the injury – football, and only then went swimming.

What other worldly and sporting dreams are there?

"Just to keep it that way." I don't live in some abstract fantasy. When something appears, looms ahead, takes on a real shape – then I will strive for it.

Source: http://kraysport.ru/press-center/articles?id=10440