Who is he - Rafael Samurgashev? Samurgashev, Rafael Varteresovich Varteres Varteresovich Samurgashev – Honored Master of Sports, Olympic champion, multiple ex-World, European and Russian champion, vice-president of the Russian Wrestling Federation, deputy.

Rafael Samurgashev

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Suren Kazarov
Vladimir Stashkevich

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Rafael Varteresovich Samurgashev(born July 28, 1963, Rostov-on-Don) - Soviet and Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler, medalist of the USSR Championship (1989), participant in the Olympic Games (2000). Master of Sports of the USSR of international class. Honored Trainer of Russia (1995). Honored Worker of Physical Culture of the Russian Federation. President of the Interregional Association of Public Wrestling Associations of the Southern Federal District. Older brother of Olympic champion Varteres Samurgashev. Rafael Samurgashev – Winner of both Russian and international championships many times. He is a master of sports and an honored coach of Russia, who was able to lead Varteres Samurgashev to victory at the Olympic Games in Sydney. In addition, R. Samurgashev constantly helps children, “extorting” money from the federation for the construction of sports buildings and facilities for young children.

Biography

Rafael was born into an Armenian sports family. Father - Samurgashev Varteres Semyonovich (1937-2009), Honored coach of Russia in Greco-Roman wrestling. Mother - Samurgasheva Nelly Aristakesovna, Honored Coach of Russia in Greco-Roman wrestling, the only woman in Russia to receive the high title of coach in this sport.

He began wrestling at the age of fifteen under the guidance of Master of Sports of the USSR Suren Kazarov. In 1989 he became a bronze medalist at the USSR Championship. In 2000, he participated in the Olympic Games in Sydney as a member of the Armenian national team.

Family

Rafael is married to Tatyana Samurgasheva, they have 5 daughters: Larisa, Olga, Tatyana, Anna and Anastasia. The three younger ones play tennis and study in the USA, at the Nick Bollettieri Academy, which is located in Florida.

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Notes

Links

• - Olympic statistics on the website Sports-Reference.com(English)

Excerpt characterizing Samurgashev, Rafael Varteresovich

As far as I can remember, I have always been attracted to people's thirst for life and the ability to find joy even in the most hopeless or sad life situations. It’s easier to say - I’ve always loved “strong-minded” people. A real example of “survival” for me at that time was our young neighbor, Leocadia. My impressionable childish soul was amazed by her courage and her truly ineradicable desire to live. Leocadia was my bright idol and the highest example of how high a person is able to rise above any physical illness, without allowing this illness to destroy either his personality or his life...

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Varteres VarteresovichSamurgashev– Honored Master of Sports, Olympic champion, multiple ex-champion of the World, Europe and Russia, vice-president of the Russian Wrestling Federation, deputy chairman of the Committee of the Legislative Assembly of the Rostov Region on youth policy, physical culture, sports and tourism.

Varteres Varteresovich Samurgashev - Russian Greco-Roman wrestler, six-time champion of Russia (1998-2000, 2002, 2004, 2006), twice European champion (2000, 2006), twice world champion (2002, 2005), Olympic champion in Sydney (2000). Honored Master of Sports of Russia (2000). Knight of the Order of Honor (2001) and the Order of Friendship (2006).

Varteres Samurgashev was born on September 13, 1979 in Rostov-on-Don into an Armenian family. He began training in Greco-Roman wrestling at the age of seven under the guidance of Suren Kazarov. By the way, Varteres Samurgashev’s older brothers were also thoroughly involved in Greco-Roman wrestling. One of them, Rafael Samurgashev (sixteen years older than Varteres), became a bronze medalist at the USSR Championship (1989), was a participant in the Olympic Games (2000) as part of the Armenian national team

Since 1995, Sergei Zabeyvorota has worked with Varteres. In the late nineties, the young athlete was a member of the Russian junior team, in which he became the European champion (1998) and the world champion (1999) among juniors. In 1998, the young man won the adult Russian championship for the first time and began to be recruited into the Russian national team.

Samurgashev achieved his first major successes at the adult international level in 2000. After winning the European Championships in Moscow, he was included in the Russian team at the Olympic Games in Sydney. During the Olympic tournament, he defeated the current Olympic champion Pole Wlodzimierz Zawadzki, world and European champion Turk Sheref Eroglu, World Cup winner American Kevin Bracken, two-time European Championship medalist Georgian Akaki Chachua. In the final, he celebrated his triumph in a fight with the current Olympic vice-champion, Cuban Juan Luis Marena, thanks to which he won the title of Olympic champion.

After this major and unconditional success, Vartares Samurgashev decided to change the weight category - move from lightweight to middleweight. In 2002, in a new for myself weight category became the silver medalist of the European Championship and world champion. At the Olympic Games in Athens, he won three bouts against opponents from Sweden, Ukraine and Germany, but in the semi-finals he rather sensationally lost to the relatively less famous and titled Alexander Dokturishvili, who represented Uzbekistan. The victory in the bout for bronze over the Swiss Reto Buscher allowed him to win the medals of the tournament, but later Samurgashev himself called this result the most offensive failure in his brilliant sports career and explained it by a certain underestimation of his opponent and by the fact that his thoughts were set on the final fight ahead of time.

Throughout the next Olympic cycle, Varteres Samurgashev remained one of the leading representatives of the middle weight category. In 2005, he won the world championship in Budapest, and in 2006, the European championship, held in Moscow. In 2008, at the Olympic Games in China, in two starting matches he defeated opponents representing Denmark and Azerbaijan, but lost to the Hungarian wrestler Peter Bacsi in the quarterfinals. Subsequently, this quarterfinal match found itself at the center of scrupulous proceedings, since during its course, in one of the controversial episodes, the refereeing team decided to award three points to Samurgashev, but after the intervention of the vice-president of the International Federation of United Wrestling Styles (FILA) Mario Saletnig, this decision was cancelled. The Russian side tried to protest Saletnig’s actions as flagrantly violating the regulations. In 2009, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne recognized the correctness of these accusations, but the result of the fight remained in force.

The Olympic champion was planning to fully complete the entire next Olympic cycle, but in the summer of the next year after the Beijing Olympics, at the Russian Championships held in Krasnodar, while performing a roll-up, he received a double fracture of the jaw with displacement and was hospitalized in intensive care. Later, after this injury, he succeeded, but he was no longer able to return to his previous high athletic level. However, in 2009 there were also joyful events - Varteres got married. From this marriage four sons were subsequently born: Albert born in 2009, twins Suren and Semyon born in 2011, Rafael born in 2014.

In 2012, Samurgashev officially announced the end of his sports career.

In September 2012, Varteres Varteresovich became the head of the Rostov Region Wrestling Federation. In September 2013, he was elected as a deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Rostov Region (United Russia faction). During the next elections in September 2018, Samurgashev again became a single-mandate deputy in constituency No. 29. The Proletarsky district of the city of Rostov-on-Don and the Pervomaisky district of the city of Rostov-on-Don (part) are assigned to it. In addition, Samurgashev is an athlete-instructor of the Greco-Roman wrestling department, deputy for methodological work Director of the State Budgetary Institution of the Russian Federation "Olympic Training Center No. 1".

Samurgashev has two educations - he graduated from the Rostov State Economic University (2001) and the Kuban State Academy of Physical Culture (2005).

In the fall of 2012, the champion was awarded the Gold Medal of the Ministry of Sports of Armenia. Two years later he was awarded the title “Honorary Citizen of the City of Rostov-on-Don.” In addition, he is the owner of the medal “For Valiant Labor for the Benefit of the Don Region.” And at the height of Samurgashev’s sports career, in 2004, in Rostov-on-Don, a bronze monument “Varteres Samurgashev - the first Don Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling” was erected.

Varteres Samurgashev:

“The motto of our tournament is “On the mat – fight, behind the mat – friendship!”

Special issue for the 50th anniversary of the USSR Master of Sports of international class in Greco-Roman wrestling, Honored Trainer of Russia, active member of the board of the Nakhichevan-on-Don Armenian Community

Rafael Samurgashev was born on July 28, 1963 in Rostov-on-Don. Master of Sports of the USSR of international class in Greco-Roman wrestling. Honored Trainer of Russia. Honored Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of Russia. President of the Interregional Association of Public Wrestling Associations of the South federal district.
He began wrestling at the age of fifteen under the guidance of Master of Sports of the USSR Suren Kazarov.
World champion among trade union teams. Winner of a number of international Grand Prix tournaments.
Winner of the USSR Youth Championship. Three-time champion of the RSFSR. Winner of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the RSFSR. Winner of the USSR Cup.
Participant of the Olympic Games in Sydney as a member of the Armenian national team. Three-time world champion among veterans.
"It's better to be a dog than your little brother"

The finger of fate... Only the Almighty probably knows when the moment of a person’s decisive step on his main path in life will come. Or maybe it doesn’t exist at all, this one single defining moment that will once and for all indicate the direction of movement through life. And this movement is not a straight line, but a complex labyrinth. And yet it exists, this pointing finger of fate. For example, a boy is running down the street, just to play football with Nakhichevan urchins just like him. And suddenly a short man, powerful in his movements, slows him down, looks into his eyes carefully and asks: is your name Rafael? And, having received an affirmative answer, he reports that he intends to talk with his father: they say, it’s time to get down to not frivolous running after the ball, but serious business - wrestling.
That's where we parted. Perhaps the young man would have forgotten about this fleeting meeting, but when he returned home, his father said that he had already received a call. It turned out that that man was the famous Don wrestler, honored coach of the republic Ruben Ilyich Bugayan.
“When he told me that I needed to engage in wrestling, to be honest, I didn’t feel much enthusiasm,” recalls Rafael Samurgashev. – It’s just much easier to kick the ball with your peers; you could do it in any free time. And regular training without a strict schedule is unthinkable. By that time, I already knew very well what a regime and a strict schedule were. Thanks to classes not only in general education, but also in a music school.
I was taken there, as I now understand, primarily to keep me busy and not have time to spend aimlessly on the street. Grandfather Semyon and his parents initiated piano lessons. I didn’t have a great love for music, but I couldn’t disobey my parents. Although music was not my element, it played a fairly big role. Most likely, it is to her that I owe the strength of my character. Just remember yourself as a child: it’s a sunny spring day outside, your peers are frolicking noisily on the street, you can hear the hits of the ball, and you have to sit at a musical instrument and bang on the keys for at least two hours, under the constant supervision of your mother. Sometimes I was ready to get a good slap on the wrist and run out of the house to play football with the guys, but I continued to sit obediently at the piano.
Yes, this is how my character was developed. Of course, I didn’t turn out to be Van Cliburn, but, having fulfilled my grandfather’s will, I completed my studies at music school quite successfully. In our family, the word of the elder is law. Now I understand that music lessons gave me a lot. Firstly, she developed very good memory, expanded my horizons, gave additional knowledge. But most importantly, it significantly limited going outside. And almost every exit ended in some kind of emergency. And the less I went there, the fewer such emergencies there were, which means it was calmer for my parents, and for myself.
So, the father told Rafael that Ruben Ilyich Bugayan had already called and asked if the son himself wanted to try himself in wrestling. He answered not very definitely, but generally in the affirmative, estimating that, perhaps, this would allow him to get away from music for some time. Eh, childish naivety. If only he had known that this would definitely not be possible... But here’s what he knew for sure: in the family it was established that if you take on a task, then no matter how difficult it is, bring it to the end. And since my father started talking about wrestling, this, of course, was not accidental. And then my father made it even more specific: you will go to Suren Sarkisovich Kazarov, he lives next door, and he trains not far from home - at the Labor Reserves sports complex. Despite all his cockiness, by the time he was in eighth grade at school, Rafael, to put it mildly, was not athletic; doing pull-ups on the crossbar a couple of times was already a serious problem. Few could believe this later, when serious victories came to him on the carpet, but that was exactly the case. Time had to pass so that, first of all, he himself realized the need for serious work on himself, not only in physical improvement, but also in comprehending the techniques and tactics of combat sports. In the meantime, he was glad that during one of the first training sessions he injured his finger. Now he was sure that this would help him leave the music school ahead of schedule.
“Unfortunately, that same day, in a conversation with my mother, I realized that this was not destined to come true,” recalls Rafael Samurgashev. “Mom listened to me, and then managed, as always, gently, but so that I could not object, to explain that the finger would soon heal, and one should always achieve the goal set in life. Besides, I am the eldest brother in the family, again this is the burden of the firstborn, and I should not set a bad example for others. I should only be a positive example for my younger brothers.
Without false modesty, I will say that I still managed to become an indisputable authority for them, of course, after my parents, achieving this not by brute force, but by personal example: showing that nothing is impossible in life if you put in maximum desire and effort. True, when the brothers grew up, I heard the following words from them, spoken, of course, in jest, which, however, assessed my methods of education: “It is better to be a dog than your younger brother.” With this joke, I think they were trying to emphasize my severity and high demands on them. But at the same time, I am sure that they understood everything correctly and that they love me as much as I love them. By the age of sixteen, I had already become involved in wrestling and was convinced that, even if by chance, I had done right choice, when I decided to engage in the sport of strong and resilient men.

"I can't stop halfway"

His path to big-time sports is instructive in many ways. For example, if a boy doesn’t succeed in something, he often gets bored with this activity quite quickly. And many simply give up doing it, at best they look for something else, and at worst they are satisfied with aimlessly wandering around the streets. Naturally, the role of a mentor is enormous in determining whether a child will truly love sports. Rafael, and then all his brothers, as they themselves note, were very lucky: on their life’s path they met such a wonderful specialist as Suren Sarkisovich Kazarov, not only an excellent carpet master in the past, not only a thoughtful teacher, but above all a kind, very a decent, sincere person who gave his children his heart without reserve. He knew how to establish such contact with young students that contributed not only to sports improvement, but, above all, to the formation and improvement of a person’s personality, to the revelation of the best in him, inherent in genes and family.
So, for almost two years, despite hard training, Rafael mostly suffered defeats in competitions. Those who are at least a little familiar with wrestling will understand what he means when he says with a smile that at that time his best result was three circles, and even then only when the lot gave him the opportunity to be in one of these circles free. Now you can smile, remembering that period of continuous failures, after you stood your ground, didn’t back down, and proved that you can do a lot on the mat.
– Something started to work out only after 1982. But the thought of quitting wrestling never arose, even when he suffered the most offensive defeats. Since childhood, it’s been like this for me: if I start something, I have to finish it to the end, no matter what the cost. I couldn’t and still can’t stop halfway. I think it came from my grandfather, from my parents. They are all, as they say, stubborn; I think this was passed on to me too. If I started something and it didn’t work out, it only stimulated me even more, forced me to analyze the reasons for the failure and work even more purposefully. It never even occurred to me that if something doesn’t work out, I can quit, retreat. Now, if everything had worked out for me right away, perhaps I could have quit. And when it doesn’t work out, well, no, I couldn’t back down.
Let us leave our hero for now at the stage when, suffering failures, he became increasingly stronger in the irresistible desire to achieve great heights in sports. And then, probably, the finger of fate showed him the correct vector of movement. But didn’t fate speak its weighty word at the moment when, at one month and three days old, he ended up on the operating table due to intestinal adhesions? The doctors were very cautious in their forecasts. On the one hand, how do you tell your mother and the whole family that the situation is very difficult and there is little chance of survival? On the other hand, the more faith that loved ones have in a favorable outcome, the greater the chance that this will happen. One mother knows how much mental strength it took to stay with her firstborn in the hospital, how unbearable it was to see the suffering of not only him, but also other children. Alas, not everyone turned out as well as he did. Grandfather was on duty at the door of the operating room, mother and father, and aunt could not find a place for themselves. And then the doctor came out and said that the operation was successful. And the time came when it was necessary to gradually, literally drop by drop, feed and nurse, which is what my mother did.
Many years will pass, and with her fourth son, Varteres, she will go through approximately the same path, nursing after a burn on her hand, and much later after being wounded, taking care of nutrition during weight loss and numerous trips to competitions. This, of course, is a completely different story, but how to separate one from the other in the biography of not only the eldest son, but also the entire family? The parental home is still located today on the very spot where, during the founding of Nakhichevan, one of the settlers who arrived in these places by order of the Russian Empress Catherine II settled - a very significant touch, isn’t it?
This is truly a family nest, at the highest level. If only because the first settlers of Nakhichevan can rightfully be considered the first Rostovites. So the roots of this family go back to the beginning of the city's history. A large, friendly Armenian family, carefully raising children from generation to generation, preserving and passing on a careful attitude towards faith, culture, language, and traditions.
His grandfather Semyon was also from big family, youngest of four brothers; each of them was extraordinary, noticeable in the work they were involved in. And their mother was one of the most ardent and consistent defenders of the Armenian cathedral, which was eventually demolished by the Bolsheviks. Until the last she fought against this barbaric decision. And she raised her sons to be responsible, hardworking people, with an active lifestyle, diverse knowledge and interests. Grandfather's elder brother traveled a lot, wrote down his impressions of what he saw, and thought about what path not only the family, but also the country would choose. Another brother was the director of the Krasny Metalist plant. And the youngest, Semyon, worked as a buyer and merchandiser. For his grandson, he was an unquestioned authority. Rafael grew up in his house, located nearby, on the same Fourteenth Line, and always found warmth and understanding there. My grandfather was a physically very strong man; in his youth he worked in a circus with strength acts. Who knows, maybe this family’s unique sports mentality also originates from here. Grandmother was a believer and consistently introduced her grandchildren to this. She constantly took them to the cathedral and taught them prayers. And this, like the life lessons learned from his grandfather, remained with Rafael for the rest of his life.

Grandmother's father was also physically very strong. He died tragically in an accident, but his heart, as doctors noted, was unique. Unfortunately, grandfather Semyon also passed away early. He was a little over sixty when in 1974 he went to the operating table for an ordinary hernia, but, alas, his heart could not stand it. Such a loss is always experienced very acutely, but especially at the age of eleven. For Raphael, it became both a pain that time does not heal, and a stage of growing up, and a certain moral criterion that guides him through life.
“My grandfather taught me that family is the most important thing,” he mentally seems to fly away to those times when such important communication for both was possible, “that it must be big and friendly, where everyone wants only the best and knows how to work.” , respect elders, care and love each other.

Non-random chance

According to these traditions, a handsome young man named Varteres met a pretty, soft and modest girl named Nelly. He went into the studio where she began to work.
“Our mother Nelly was born and raised in Rostov,” continues Rafael. – While studying at school, I became interested in sports and achieved quite serious success, winning the title of RSFSR handball champion as a member of the Rostov region national team in 1959. The team took sixth place at the USSR Championship. It is difficult to say what successes in sports she would have achieved in the future, but fate decreed otherwise. They often talk about the chance meeting of our parents. But sometimes people also control events. One of his acquaintances told young Varteres Semenovich that a new student had appeared in the atelier, smart and calm, “a Komsomol member, an athlete and simply a beauty.” And so, “by chance,” the acquaintance took place.
Dad did not like to remember his childhood, which occurred during the difficult war years. In order to provide all possible assistance to his family, he began working at the age of fourteen, having mastered the specialty of a mechanic in the Metalist artel. And although he wage was small, she was a good help to the family. At the age of seventeen, without interrupting his work, he graduated from the DOSAAF driving school and received driver license. After being drafted into the army, he served as a driver in an aviation unit in Sevastopol. And upon returning home three years later, he only rested for one day. And he immediately sat behind the wheel of an old truck.
During his service in the army, he matured, matured, and realized that he needed to study. Difficulties never frightened him. Without interrupting his work, he first graduated from a technical school, and then from the Institute of Cooperation. I think that all the difficulties and trials that befell him on the path of life strengthened him in the opinion that all children need to be given a higher education. He did just that.
Dad himself did not engage in sports thoroughly, but led, as they say now, a healthy lifestyle, observing a daily routine. When my brother Alik and I grew up, he got us up every day at six in the morning for a run. This is how he maintained his shape. We always had weights in the yard, although until a certain time I was not interested in them.
And so, I repeat, “by chance” two young, beautiful, and most importantly, purposeful people met. Most likely, this was real Fate. They simply could not pass each other by in life. Then they admitted that they liked each other from the very first meeting. The acquaintance grew into a great feeling, although I think we can also talk about love at first sight. After the wedding, my mother faced the difficult question of choosing: to continue active sports or devote herself entirely to her family. She made a choice in favor of family. They complemented each other perfectly: a strict but fair father and a gentle, caring mother, a real keeper of the hearth. But at the right moment, she also knew how to be demanding and firm in relation to the children, and was constantly and purposefully involved in raising each of us.
Over the years, you gradually understand all the advantages and disadvantages of being the firstborn in the family. Of course, parents, as a rule, are delighted with the fruit of their love, considering it the very best... I have already gone through this myself as a father, a man. But at the same time, it is with the first child that parents learn all the problems of upbringing that they knew only theoretically, gaining experience for raising others. Being the eldest child in the family has both its advantages and its disadvantages, I think so. Of course, the younger ones listened to me, but I heard that I couldn’t do this or that because I was the eldest. Or, on the contrary, I must do this or that for the same reason.
And yet I am really happy that I grew up in a large family. Firstly, from childhood I learned to take care of the younger ones. And secondly, I always knew that I had brothers and a sister who were also ready to be with me at any moment.
In our family, the main things were love for children, respect for elders, and comfort. Dad did not hold major leadership positions, he had no time to think about his career or politics, he worked to provide for and feed his large family as much as possible. We lived, like most in the country at that time, not luxurious, but not poor either. It was a house that you always wanted to return to, knowing that people dear to you were waiting for you there. And this was a huge merit of our mother.

“The house I wanted to return to.” It is no coincidence that Raphael used this particular image. Sports life is such that as you achieve high level In order to achieve mastery, we increasingly have to leave home and go to training camps and competitions. But when you have such a warm and welcoming home, so many relatives, friends, who sincerely worry about you, it helps a lot both in the sports trials themselves and in difficult work on yourself. This can be seen in the course of Rafael’s sports career, and even more clearly in the example of the sports life of his younger brother, Varteres, who managed to conquer all the most important peaks of world sports.
And his ascent was connected with the path of his older brother. Everything that for one reason or another did not succeed was then embodied by Varteres with the direct participation of Raphael.

Classic scoundrel

At first, Rafael, like Varteres later, was engaged in freestyle wrestling. In comparison with the classical style, as the Greco-Roman style was called in those days, it was less developed on the Don. Even then, the republics occupied a dominant position in freestyle wrestling North Caucasus. And although historically Rostov had glorious traditions in freestyle wrestling, they, alas, were gradually lost, even despite all the efforts of such enthusiasts as Suren Kazarov. But gifted athletes still appeared. In his generation, one of the most capable was Rafael Samurgashev.
He won the right to compete at the USSR Youth Championship, which in itself already says a lot. In the weight category up to eighty-two kilograms, he claimed to reach the finals, giving a very serious fight to the favorites, including the future two-time Olympic champion Makharbek Khadartsev. A very confusing situation has developed. The Rostovite finished the decisive match for reaching the final with a wrestler from North Ossetia with a victory. In any case, they raised his hand, announcing that his opponent was removed from the mat for passively conducting the fight. But, as it turned out, it was too early to celebrate victory and being among the winners. The coach of the Ossetian team threw all his considerable authority into overturning the judges’ decision to remove the athlete from this team. And the wrestlers were returned to the mat.
There were about thirty seconds left until the end of the match, and by that time the opponent was leading by one point. As a result, he retained this advantage. So the judges’ intrigues threw the Rostovite back to fifth place. Unfortunately, he had to face something similar later more than once. And he always experienced these moments with great pain. It happened that emotions overflowed, but what to do if you become a victim not even of a judicial error, but of collusion? Any athlete who has come a long way will say that it is best to endure, work and prove that doing so is unworthy. By and large, Raphael did just that, especially when going through the journey with Varteres, making every effort to ensure that something like this did not interfere with his brother, as it had interfered with himself at one time. And in the situation described above, he decided: since this is what they do in freestyle wrestling, he will move on to classical wrestling.
Moreover, the great wrestler Vladimir Stashkevich persistently convinced both him and his father to do so. He saw the potential of the young athlete and understood that in classical wrestling he had a better chance of fully developing it. And I tried my best to promote this.
They got together in 1982. Fruitful cooperation lasted more than two years. But, alas, at the end of 1984, Vladimir Stashkevich passed away, and this is still one of the biggest losses for Rafael. And his first success is associated with the name of this mentor. They went to Novorossiysk for the All-Union Hero Tournament Soviet Union Savitsky. Weighing up to eighty-two kilograms, Rafael did not leave his opponents a single chance. And he fulfilled the standard for Master of Sports of the USSR.
In fact, he went to those competitions without yet having sufficient experience in performing in this style of wrestling. But Stashkevich taught him to somewhat transform the passes into his legs, to make a grab higher, and this began to bring results. A great wrestling technician, the mentor paid a lot of attention not only to improving technique, but also to tactics and psychological preparation. For example, he taught me not to initially concentrate on upcoming contractions. He instilled in the student that there was no need to think in advance about all the opponents that he would meet. Sometimes it’s better not to know at all; you need to tune in to one upcoming fight. But prepare yourself as if this is the last and decisive battle. Go out not to fight, but to fight. Only with this attitude will it be possible to move on. And prepare for each next opponent as if it were your last.
This advice from a seasoned master contained that precious grain of experience that any young fighter needs. And for someone as promising and emotional as Rafael was at that moment, this is even more important. Therefore, he remembered Stashkevich’s advice for the rest of his life. The mentor was against him losing weight, he believed that he should not exhaust himself with this, he should move to the category of up to ninety kilograms. But at the Union championship among youth, Samurgashev still competed in the category up to eighty-two kilograms - and was finally convinced that the coach was right. At that championship, he had four fights, constantly leading the score, but he was clearly not enough for the endings precisely because of the weight cut.
The decision was made to move to a different weight. And at the next national championship, in his transition from youth to adults, he won the highest award in the category up to ninety kilograms. It was a breakthrough, convincing me that the work was not in vain. Alas, Stashkevich was not destined to see this triumph, to the achievement of which he made such a great contribution. The next year, 1986, proved that progress continued. Rostov that year hosted two major wrestling competitions - the RSFSR championship and an international tournament dedicated to the memory of Ivan Poddubny. Samurgashev won both convincingly, as well as the USSR Cup.
He actively gained experience international competitions, and there he showed his best side, winning tournaments in France, Sweden, and Norway. At the national championship he won a bronze medal and won a prestigious international tournament in Zaporozhye.
On the initiative of coach Vladimir Kiselev, three Rostovites as part of the national team went to the World Championship among trade union athletes. And they achieved a very noticeable result. Samurgashev became the champion in the category up to ninety kilograms, and Grigory Chinibalayants and Shamil Magomedov won silver awards.
But despite the seriousness of these achievements, we also had to deal with all sorts of near-sports, behind-the-scenes games, as a result of which those who, based on sportsmanship, won this right, did not always end up on the national team at the main competitions. This affected not only Rafael Samurgashev, but also many other gifted Don athletes of that generation: Kamal Musaev, Shamil Magomedov, Sergei Dyudyaev, Sergei Zabeyvorot, Sergei Bulanov...
Rafael Samurgashev's last trip as part of the USSR national team was to the USA, where he excelled at an international tournament, and then made a significant contribution to the team's victories in three match meetings. It seemed that there were still many competitions and victories ahead, but times have changed dramatically, the collapse of the Soviet Union hit everyone hard. Samurgashev had to end his career in big sports.
“Potentially, I probably could have achieved more in sports,” he sums up that period of his life. “But times have changed, and a lot depended not only on the athletes, but also on the coaches, their relationships with each other and with certain wrestlers. And previous generations often encountered scoundrels, and ours, alas, too. If the same Sergei Dyudyaev still got a chance and became the world champion, but he was still not accepted to the Olympics, then Kamal Musaev, Sergei Bulanov, Shamil Magomedov were not given a chance at all. And Gennady Ermilov became a two-time world champion largely because he left for Zaporozhye for a while. All this hurt painfully and left a mark on my soul. But every cloud has a silver lining; apparently, we had to go through this too. This is how my approach to business was formed, which I tried to implement a little later, when I was elected president of the city wrestling federation, and then, when I already headed the regional wrestling federation.

Federation Affairs

At first, his appearance in the leadership of a public organization seemed surprising, especially to himself. He didn’t plan anything like this at that moment, but the situation was such that it was necessary to take decisive steps as soon as possible to save the wrestling halls in the Regional House of Physical Culture, where over many decades a galaxy of masters had grown up who glorified their hometown and country on all continents , at all major competitions, from the European and World Championships to the Olympic Games.
At a time when many sports centers were repurposed, turned into warehouses, beer halls and other things in the same spirit, they intended to turn the wrestling halls of the Regional House of Physical Culture into a casino. Having learned about this, Rafael Samurgashev decided that he would not allow this to happen under any circumstances. But in order to save the halls, it was necessary for the city wrestling federation to exist. The regional federation, which was then headed by Pyotr Armenakovich Chinibalayants, was active and authoritative, but it was legally impossible to transfer these halls to it for operational management. And Chinibalayants had been eyeing Rafael for a long time, seeing in him great potential as an organizer. He convinced him to take on this difficult, but vitally important job for the further development of this sport. As a result, Rafael was unanimously elected president of the city federation. They managed to defend the halls, and they then served faithfully for a long time as the main training base for wrestlers.
Pyotr Armenakovich gradually, skillfully and purposefully prepared Rafael for further work as president of the regional federation. And when he felt that he was ready for this role, he handed over the reins of government, remaining nearby all these years, a wise adviser, as the honorary president of the federation.
Thanks to this, many very important initiatives have been implemented. This includes the creation of wrestling centers in secondary schools, where, on the initiative of the regional federation, carpets were laid and qualified trainers were sent, which made it possible to significantly intensify all work to introduce children to this wonderful sport.
The initiative to hold an international tournament for the cadet age group in Rostov, which has become a good tradition, was remarkable. This year it was held for the thirteenth time. And it invariably becomes the brightest holiday for everyone - young athletes, judges, specialists, wrestling veterans, and numerous fans of this sport. The stands are always full. Among the winners and prize-winners of this tournament were athletes who then won medals at the World, European, and Olympic Games.
Islam-Beka Albiev, Roman Vlasov became Olympic champions, Zaur Kuramagomedov, Arsen Julfalakyan became Olympic medalists. Awards at the European and World Championships were won by several other athletes who grew and matured thanks to the tournament for the prizes of the Samurgashev brothers. It is invariably organized in an exemplary manner, and the hospitality and cordiality of the hosts is legendary. The honorary guests of the tournament over the years were three-time Olympic champion, Hero of Russia Alexander Karelin, Olympic champions Levon Julfalakyan, Mnatsakan Iskandaryan, Alexey Mishin, Khasan Baroev and many others.
The active members of the regional federation are being skillfully and consistently formed, which has now truly become powerful public organization, guiding the development of wrestling in all respects: from children’s sports to higher mastery, from developing the base to improving the calendar, from ensuring continuity in the work of coaches to promoting wrestling.
It is indicative how the club named after the Samurgashev brothers was created. First, a specialized hall was created, on the basis of which a school named after the Samurgashev brothers was then opened. The complex allows you to develop not only wrestling, but also weightlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, tennis and other sports. There are opportunities for accommodation, organizing quality meals, and conducting training camps. This is an excellent example of how to approach the development of children's sports. Unfortunately, how many children's sports schools that do not have their own sports facilities are forced to work on rented ones, which significantly reduces the efficiency of their work.
The federation is making great efforts to move forward with the issue of creating a specialized martial arts palace in Rostov. Everyone is aware that it is necessary. And if the federation’s initiative is supported, such a base will definitely appear in Rostov.
And how important and effective was the initiative of the regional federation and Rafael Samurgashev personally to perpetuate the memory of the great Don wrestlers and coaches. Memorial plaques are installed on the houses where they lived; traditional competitions, usually for children, are dedicated to the memory of these wonderful people. The development of children's sports, the constant increase in the mass participation of children, and the support of coaches working with them are priorities for Rafael Samurgashev.
It is no secret that in many sports there is a very acute problem of attracting young people into the coaching profession and ensuring continuity. In wrestling the situation is different. At one time, Rafael Samurgashev took serious steps aimed at introducing, as they say, fresh blood into the coaching department. A number of leading athletes who completed their sports careers were trained and recommended for work at the Olympic Reserve School. They gain experience and become more and more confident as competent, promising mentors. And the current successes of Don wrestlers at youth and youth championships of the country, Europe and the world are the result of their work.
At the same time, experienced coaching staff have been retained, concentrated in the sports training center, which allows young mentors to improve and grow even more purposefully. And now Rafael Samurgashev has come up with a new initiative: he appealed to the Rostov mayor’s office and the City Duma with a petition that the streets in new building areas be named after the Olympic champions. Moreover, he is talking not only about wrestlers - about representatives of the most different types sports, who wrote golden pages in the chronicle of the Olympic victories of Rostovites.
And not so long ago, the work of the regional federation received a new powerful impetus for development. Olympic champion and two-time world champion Varteres Samurgashev was elected its president. He delves into social work that is new to him, looking for modern ways to solve many problems. And the older brother, as always, is nearby, helping with advice, teaching, supporting.
Rafael himself remains president of the Interregional Association of Public Wrestling Associations of the Southern Federal District. This is the base region, which is traditionally very well represented in the national teams of all age groups, including the national team. And a lot depends on how systematically and effectively the work on developing the entire complex of sports wrestling, including not only freestyle and Greco-Roman, but also women’s, will be carried out.

A dream come true - a goal achieved

Rafael Samurgashev is approaching his fiftieth anniversary as active and purposeful as he was ten, twenty years ago. At one time, at thirty-five years old, he took a decisive step towards returning to the carpet. And it wasn’t just that I wanted to feel the unique atmosphere of wrestling competitions again. During his sports career, he had many injuries: he broke ribs, tore tendons, and the meniscus, although in that case there was no surgery, it was possible, as the athletes say, to be repaired, without negative consequences. But all this not only did not stop, but on the contrary, it stimulated him in the desire to return to the carpet. He speaks about the main motive for returning as follows:
– Around 1995-1996, when Varteres had already begun to show results, I decided to return to the mat to be with him all the time, to show by personal example that if you want, you can overcome anything. I started training fully again. And I went to the Olympics only because of this. I ended up in a group with a Kazakh and a Cuban. The Kazakh lost to the Cuban, and I won against him. In the meeting with the Kazakh I would have been satisfied with even one point, but they didn’t give me one, although, if we look at it objectively, I earned several then. So I could easily have gone higher, but remained ninth. But this was completely unimportant, the main thing was that Varteres was successful. The qualifying group he was in at the Sydney Olympics was immediately dubbed the “group of death.” There were the 1997 world champion, Turk Seref Eroglu, and Atlanta Olympic champion, Pole Wlodzimierz Zawadzki. Only one of them could get out of it and continue the fight for Olympic gold. The weigh-in took place on September 23rd, and the competition itself began the next day. The morning program lasted from nine thirty to twelve. Usually the coach named Varteres his opponent before the fight and prepared him for this particular fight. Therefore, I hoped that he would not find out the composition of the “death group” ahead of time. But after the weigh-in, I saw my brother sitting dejectedly, in far from the best mood. In response to my question about the reason for this mood, he only pointed the index finger of his right hand somewhere behind his back. Looking in the indicated direction, I understood everything: the names of those in this group were displayed on a huge electronic board.
I realized that no words would help here, but would only worsen the situation. It flashed through my mind that once upon a time, when I was just starting wrestling, I asked him a question about what he wanted to achieve. To be honest, I was waiting for an answer in the sense that he wants to become the national champion, but he was suddenly taken aback by the answer. Champion of everything, he said then, as he snapped. And he always had this mindset - to become the best at the world level. Thanks to him and his willingness to work hard to achieve this goal, he came to participate in the Olympics. By that time he had already won the European Championship, and was even recognized as the best wrestler there.
So I asked him as calmly as possible:
– Who is the best wrestler in Europe this year?
“I...” he answered, still not understanding anything.
-What number did you pull out?
- First.
- So prove that you are the best wrestler in Europe.
I realized that I had chosen the right tone when Varteres, smiling, replied: “I will win against them.”
And he kept his word. Eroglu beat with a score of 6:2, and won against Zavadsky 8:0. By the way, he defeated him before the Olympics - in the finals of an international tournament in France.
On the morning of September 25, Varteres met in the quarterfinals with American Kevin Bracken, who sought to fight in a tough manner, dictating his will to his opponent. But his brother managed to take control of the match and carry out more effective attacks, which brought him victory with a score of 11:5. In the evening of the same day, Varteres had a duel with his long-time offender - the experienced and well-trained Akaki Chachua from the Georgian team. It was he who cooled my brother’s ardor two years ago at the European Championships, when he made his debut at competitions of this level among adults. Then, during the match, Varteres took the lead, but got so carried away that he missed a counter-attack from an experienced wrestler and was defeated. But all defeats and victories were carefully analyzed, analyzed, and appropriate conclusions were drawn in order to avoid mistakes in the future. My brother became two years older and much more experienced. And therefore he did not give Chachua a chance to win. With a 7:4 victory, Varteres earned a spot in the final, securing at least Olympic silver. And at the same time he took revenge for the unfortunate defeat two years ago.
And I spent the final on my knees, praying to God for my brother. Now I believe that in a few moments you can live your whole life. I prayed to God throughout the fight, but it was during these minutes that everything flashed before my mind’s eye: our family, my brother’s childhood, his perseverance in achieving his goal and thorny path from top to top...
On the twenty-sixth of September the final was scheduled for seventeen o'clock local time. It was decided not to change the daily routine. In the morning, Varteres and coach Sergei Zabeyvorota took a routine walk around the Olympic village. Along with them was Murat Kardanov, who also faced the final fight. At noon, my brother did a light half-hour workout to maintain general tone, then there was lunch and sleep.
Sergei Zabivorota and my brother Alik, who filmed all the fights of his opponent in the final, Cuban Juan Luis Maren, studied the fighting tactics of this athlete quite well and, together with Varteres, chose an unusual fighting style. Unlike previous fights, when the brother was active, this time he “tied” his opponent’s hands, depriving him of the opportunity to act actively. Precisely for the absence active actions Maren was placed on the ground. Varteres was able to perform a roll-up technique, which was awarded one point. The minimum score remained until the end of the allotted six minutes. If none of the wrestlers managed to score three points, overtime was awarded according to the rules in force at that time. This was the most intense moment. The brother took the Cuban to the ground, earning another point. And when he began to carry out the “roll-up”, he found nothing better than to twist his brother’s fingers in an attempt to free himself from the grip, which is prohibited by the rules. As a result, the Cuban received a warning, and Varteres received another, victorious, golden point.
He remembers, and those old emotions come to life again in his soul. As if in an uncontrollable impulse, bypassing everyone and everything, he then flew onto the carpet, throwing Varteres up in his arms. How then the whole family hugged in the stands. And the father briefly said to the eldest: well, you still achieved your goal, thank you. To which he replied: we achieved this as a family. And that was the holy truth. Together they accomplished what seemed impossible. The main peak was conquered. And earlier than the other - the world champion. But the time came, and Varteres conquered it too, twice, just like, by the way, the European one.

Knocked out the carpet, strengthening the will

Everything that is possible in world sports has been achieved. But Rafael is not the type to go into a calm rut, without an impulse towards some new goal. He found these goals in his work as president of the federation, but also reached new heights on the mat. He competed at the World Veterans Championships four times. The first time was at thirty-five, when he won the highest award in the category up to ninety-six kilograms and was recognized as the best wrestler of the championship.
And then he competed three times for heavyweight awards. And he became first twice more. And once he had to be content with a silver award, but then, at the championship held in Hungary, the judges were too interested in the Hungarian athlete winning. Rafael took revenge at the next championship - in Odessa, without leaving his opponent a single chance, without giving him a single point, as the wrestlers say, having crushed the enemy in all respects. With that, he completed his performances at competitions among veterans. But he continues to go out on the mat regularly; for many years he has maintained a constant regimen: training every morning, from nine to eleven o’clock. Jogging, playing wrestling basketball, exercising on the mat.
Once upon a time, at the height of his sports career, he received a back injury, due to which he could not train for two months. And he felt so bad that he was forced to see doctors. At first they even diagnosed a microinfarction, but then they figured out that the reason for this condition was different. Just because there was such a break in training. For the rest of his life, Rafael remembered what an experienced doctor told him then: you can’t help but train, your heart is big, it’s used to pumping blood in a certain mode, and when you deprive it of this, problems are quite possible. Therefore, even when traveling around the world, Samurgashev does not deviate from his usual rule - to train every day. And every day he remembers with great gratitude how his father got him up to go jogging at six in the morning, how later, when his son became interested in wrestling, he did everything in his power so that his son could progress.
“When my level of skill was not yet worthy of being called to the training camp, he helped, paid for these training camps so that I could be there and learn from the strongest wrestlers,” explains Rafael. “And only thanks to his persistence, while at these training camps, I learned to fight. In fact, I came straight to college without going through all the necessary schooling. And I learned from professional athletes, whom I asked to be taken as partners and, so to speak, to knock out the rug with me. So I grew up, strengthening my will and character. I am very grateful to my father for not allowing me to leave my chosen course even one step, neither to the right nor to the left.
After graduating from school in 1980, Rafael, as his father insisted, became concerned about receiving higher education- entered the Higher Technical College. I worked for a week in the central technological laboratory of the Rostselmash plant, studied at a university for a week - that was the approach in this educational institution. He graduated from high school in 1986 and continued to work at Rostselmash until 2001, where he also trained.
He especially remembers the period when an experimental group was created, uniting promising wrestlers, which began to be trained by one of the brightest athletes of his generation, international master of sports Vasily Lartsev. Alas, this did not last long. He also remembers that he was prepared for the victorious championship of the Soviet Union in 1985 by such an extraordinary master as Viktor Fesenko, who continued the work of his father, the winner of the first USSR championship, held in 1924. Restless, persistent, infinitely devoted to the fight, Fesenko bothered him at home. Family, children - nothing bothered the coach, he had the task of preparing Rafael for the national championship, and he solved it brilliantly. As a result, at that championship Samurgashev gave only one point to his opponents in all matches until the final. And in the final he fought with an opponent who later became his main one in many competitions - Potapov. Thirteen seconds before the end, Rafael was losing 2:6, but then managed to earn five points and won 7:6. In the fights with Potapov, the battles were serious; As a rule, everything was decided by one point, which tipped the scales in one direction or the other. The final match between them in Rostov, at the international tournament dedicated to the memory of Ivan Poddubny, followed the same scenario. Then Rafael managed to snatch the decisive point, and became the champion. And what the tension was can be judged by the fact that his mother, who was in the stands at that moment, was taken to the hospital. And the same thing happened to my father at the USSR championship in Tambov. Oh, it’s a hard thing to root for your son when he’s struggling. And the parents went through all this four times, with each of their sons, but especially, of course, with the eldest and the youngest. Both joy and pain - the parents’ hearts empathized with everything. And this is also a sport. And this is also the secret of his enormous educational power.

“If I was born like me, I would go crazy”

The creation of his own family also convinces of this. He was in tenth grade when he met his future wife, Tatyana, who was finishing ninth grade at that moment. And now they have been together for thirty years, raising five daughters.
“I built my family in the image and likeness of what my grandfather and father had,” says Rafael. – And we raise our children in faith in God, respect for all the values ​​that were instilled in us. The two eldest daughters are already married. Lara gave us three grandchildren - Atom, Rafik and Garik. Olya has two children - Vovochka and Victoria. The three youngest daughters - Tanya, Anya and Anastasia - play tennis and study in the USA, at the Nick Bollettieri Academy, which is located in Florida. The Williams sisters and Kournikova studied there, Sharapova and many other famous masters train there. My daughters wanted to play tennis, and I had to send them to this academy. In the summer they train here at Olympic, and in the winter there. The youngest daughters are fifteen, eleven and eight years old. Not only are they progressing in tennis, but they have also mastered English and are now learning Spanish. They compete and play in their age groups. What will happen in the end, only God knows. But I am already pleased that my daughters are doing something they like, they are busy training and studying all day. They will see the world and be erudite. As for sports results, we won’t make any guesses.
There was a time when I was worried that God had not given me a son. But now I think that maybe this is for the better. If someone else like me had been born, I would probably have gone crazy with him. Girls somehow smooth out my explosiveness. I am a restless person by nature, and often uncontrollable. So I thank the Lord all the more for our meeting with Tatiana and for all five daughters. This is my greatest happiness.

Not out of the ordinary

And now the answers to the questions in the questionnaire, which will add many bright and convincing touches to the portrait of the hero of the day.
- Favorite season?
- Winter autumn. Many, on the contrary, love spring and summer, when it is much more comfortable. But I am such a person, as they say, not from the general series. When most people feel good, I somehow don’t feel good. When it’s hard and you have to go through difficulties, I prefer it.
- Times of Day?
- Night. It’s difficult to live by the regime, but I try to stick to it. True, I fall asleep late, but by eight in the morning I’m already on my feet. As they say, who gets up early, God gives him.
– Favorite dish?
- At one time I loved him very much fried potatoes with cutlets. Now I’m trying to adjust my diet, as they say, keep in shape, stick to more healthy eating. Therefore, more vegetables, fruits, boiled, ground. I removed potatoes and bread from my diet altogether.
- Drink?
– Pure still water. And from alcohol - vodka. True, this is how it is with me: I can’t, like others, drink fifty or one hundred grams - that’s all. I just don't understand this. If you sit down in good company, then, as they say, from the heart, with pleasure. But when, for example, it’s hot, I never sit down. At some moments I may not touch alcohol at all, that’s no problem.
- Color?
- Black and white.
- Holiday?
– First of all – Easter, Victory Day, New Year. Faith, family, devotion to the homeland are the foundations, this is sacred.
- Book?
– To be honest, it’s always easier for me to grasp the essence from oral speech. At school and college, I immediately grasped everything, as they say, on the fly. I have always strived and strive to gain knowledge, but more from personal communication with different people, Internet, means mass media. If I don’t know something, I never hesitate to ask those who are better versed in this area. I need to learn constantly, so the more questions I ask, the more important answers I get.
- Music?
– Prokofiev, Khachaturian... Epic, patriotic, national melodies.
- Movie?
– All of Gaidai’s comedies.
- Actor?
– There are great ones, of course – Evstigneev, Smoktunovsky. There are outstanding comedies, like Frunzik Mkrtchyan and Savely Kramarov.
– A sport other than yours?
– Now it’s definitely tennis. When my daughters became interested in it, I tried it myself. It turned out that this is very good view sport, which gives a person a lot not only in terms of pure physical training. You have to be able to think and make the right decisions just as quickly as on the mat. And how much dynamics, beauty... Now I play it myself, I really like it.
- Country city?
- Russia, Rostov-on-Don.
– Favorite type of leisure?
– I really like to travel and try to do it regularly. I’m always going somewhere, I’m happy to return home, the feelings that overwhelm you at this moment are sometimes beyond words. And I go again, and I come back again. Already traveled all over the world. Every now and then you hear: things are bad here, but somewhere abroad is much better. And I will say this: everywhere has its own problems, and often they are about the same as ours. The difference is in mentality. I see those people who have gone abroad for permanent residence. Yes, in some ways they became more comfortable, but in some very significant ways it became much more difficult. And they didn’t belong there, and they don’t belong here anymore.
- Car model?
- For me, there is only one brand of car in the world - Mercedes, and everything else is just cars.

Sixth cash register

– Favorite saying or motto in life?
“There is only one motto: go forward, don’t stop there.” This is the most important thing in big and small. And I try to instill this in my children. And I explained it to Varteres at one time. Even to be convincing, I once brought him to the ticket office at the airport in Moscow. And this was in those days when it was difficult to buy a ticket. And I ask: what will you do if three ticket offices tell you that there are no tickets? He answers: I don’t know. I told him: we need to go further, to the fourth, fifth... And he answered: what’s the point, it won’t happen anyway. Well, come on, try it. And what do you think - the ticket was found at the sixth ticket office. My grandfather told me: life is like this, there will always be difficulties, problems that, at first glance, cannot be solved; never give up, don’t stop, achieve the goal you set for yourself.
– I remembered a photograph in which a very small Varteres is sitting next to Alexander Karelin. You once told me that it was no accident that he ended up there.
– Of course, I set this goal for myself from the first minute: to achieve the biggest victories in sports. And when, for various reasons, things didn’t work out for me, I had to bring this matter to the end with my younger brother.
– Varteres says that if it weren’t for your support, such a brilliant sports career would have been simply impossible.
– Without detracting from what I did, the most important thing is still in him, he really wanted it himself - this is the key to everything that happened later. The rest just needed a little adjustment and tweaking. No matter how gifted a child is, if he does not have a passionate desire to achieve the maximum, no matter what those around him do, nothing will work out. He wanted to achieve results, to be like me in this endeavor. And he carried out the tasks one hundred percent, he did not need to be adjusted or controlled, he did everything conscientiously. It really was in his blood. And if there were ever moments when he couldn’t stand it, it was quickly cured, and he again got back on track and stubbornly moved forward.
– Historical figure, with whom you would like to communicate, if possible?
– With the rulers of the country who were just annexing our state. It was not easy, but that is why these people remained in history as great. And those who, at best, kept, and at worst, gave, are much less interesting to me personally. I like the hard fist and wisdom of those who collected.
– What is your greatest success?
– This is my family – my wife, daughters.
– Most bitter disappointment?
- Death of grandfather. For me it was a huge loss, the most terrible.
– What is your most memorable tournament?
– Armed Forces Youth Championship. Before that, I lost everything I could, but now I reached the finals. And in the duel for first place he led with a score of 8:0. According to the rules that existed at that time, if I had earned two more points and the score became 10:0, I would have been awarded an early victory. It was in Zhitomir, I fought with Yura Kovalev from Ukraine. Before the end of the first period, there was still an opportunity to roll up and earn these two points, but I didn’t do it. And I fought in the category up to eighty-two kilograms, and lost weight. Then I was in a sports company, in the army, and I was just starting to succeed in something after a long period of failures. How Sergei Zabeyvorota and Mikhail Trofimenko, who also participated in these competitions, motivated me with all possible and impossible means! It turned out that the most effective thing was to give him a good blow before going out on the carpet to get him angry. So they regularly weighed it out to me before contractions. And since everything was going well, no one wanted to change the method, including myself. By the way, both of them then became winners. And in the second period I managed to lose ten points to my opponent. In attack, he was good at “rolling up” and lifting him to the back belt, but in defense against the same techniques he was not doing well. And my opponent did them no worse than me, so the final score on the scoreboard was 10:8 in his favor.
– Do you have an unfulfilled sports dream?
– Everything came true for me; what I planned was achieved. Not personally, but with the help of his younger brother. But this doesn’t matter anymore, the main thing is that we conquered all the peaks together.
– Do you have sports dreams?
– Yes, and especially when for some reason I don’t go out on the mat. So I start to dream about it - a fight, a duel, a battle... And immediately I go to the mat again.
– What would be considered the strengths of your character?
– Perseverance.
– What about the disadvantages?
- Hot temper. True, I leave quite quickly afterwards, but this is already the second time. I understand that such outbursts of emotions do not bring anything good to anyone, especially to those who are nearby - family, friends, friends. I try to restrain myself, but it still happens.
– When this happens, it is especially important that those around you understand.
“That’s why we are creating such a team.” And basically it has already been created. We understand each other and are not offended. Each has its own pros and cons, its own shortcomings. If a team understands this and knows how to separate the main from the secondary, then this is a team in the full sense of the word. And if this understanding is not there, it is not a team, and nothing in common will work out. There will be no serious deeds or achievements.
- And in the family?
– It’s the same in the family. Those close to me understand that I can lose my temper. My wife and children know: even if this happens, either they will come up first, or I will. We cannot be offended at each other for a long time; we understand that there is the main thing that makes us a real family. We can already see from the situation whether he has moved away or not, we can already joke, laugh, have fun. We find mutual language, that's why it's family. And if we only get offended, this will no longer be a family, in the sense as we understand it.

The goal disappears - apathy sets in

– Bad habits?
- Vodka again.
– What attracts people?
- Sincerity and decency.
– What repels?
– Direct opposites of these qualities, which, alas, have become much more numerous lately. Insincerity, lies, scoundrels... Unfortunately, we have to deal with this too often. A person commits deception without even thinking, without realizing what he is doing in the end, just to get a benefit for himself personally. But there were times in Russia when a person’s honest word was enough, which was a guarantee. Reputation was valued; if a person tainted it with lies or something else unworthy, society rejected him. And today there are a dime a dozen examples where a decent, professional person is oppressed, while scoundrels prosper. Competence is not needed, the price is completely different.
– How do you feel about animals?
- I love it very much. Because of this, I don’t go hunting. I can just go to the forest, look, enjoy the beauty of nature. I had dogs at home, but parting with these faithful friends is so hard, so now I don’t keep dogs.
- Hobby?
- Trips. Skiing, winter or water.
– Ideal vacation – place, time?
– This is something I can never determine. I never had an exact place or an exact time. At any moment, I sat down and drove off.
– How do you prefer to relax on weekdays?
– Come home calmly, communicate with the children, watch something interesting on TV.
- Dream?
– I would use a more precise word – goal. What was originally dreamed of became goals. Often, at first glance, some of them seemed unattainable, but in the end everything worked out, no matter how difficult it was at times. Even now I cannot say that these are dreams, these are precisely goals, they have moved to this stage. So I think they will appear again and again as the previous ones are achieved. As soon as I lose my goal, a kind of apathy sets in, and I not only don’t like this state, but I’m also afraid of it.
– Which country, besides Russia, is closest to your spirit?
– There is no such country, only Russia. I repeat, I have seen the world, lived in many countries and am convinced that there are problems everywhere. They’re just less visible from afar, but when you plunge into life there, you get to the bottom of it, and you see that the problems are about the same. So there is nothing better than the homeland.
– If you hadn’t become an athlete, what could you have become?
– Most likely, I would not have become anyone, I was a very spoiled and weak child.
– After sports, it’s a fact that many find it very difficult to find themselves in everyday life. How was it for you, how did you find yourself in the position of head of the federation?
- I didn’t find it. I want to say a big thank you to Peter Armenakovich Chinibalayants, who saw some potential in me, organizational skills and directed everything in the right direction. The nineties were difficult times; everything began to decline, including sports. They wanted to make each room outlet, warehouse or casino. It so happened that people turned to me and said that they intended to turn the wrestling halls of the regional physical education center into a casino. I had only a few days to prevent this from happening. And I succeeded. The contract was terminated, the halls remained to serve sports, wrestling, and children.
In order for this base to be rented by someone, a city federation was needed. And at that moment only the regional one existed, but only the city federations could transfer the halls for free use. I had to open one, which was what Pyotr Armenakovich Chinibalayants, who headed the regional federation at that time, insisted on. And I was elected president. To be honest, I didn't plan anything like this. But when I found out that they wanted to take over the halls for a casino, there was no limit to the indignation. Generations of wrestlers grew up in these halls, glorifying Rostov and the whole country throughout the world, and suddenly - a casino. I did this not because I needed anything, but so that the children could train there, take their minds off the street, and become stronger not only physically, but also spiritually. These were the first steps, and then Pyotr Armenakovich began to teach me, prompt, advise, guide me correctly, and that’s how he made me a leader.
– You always had the potential for this.
“Perhaps, but he could very well have gone in a different direction.” But, on the other hand, when it came to wrestling, my native sport, about its future, it was enough to strike a match for me to light up - go ahead, prove that our team is the best. And I had a brother who wanted to achieve results and be like me. This stimulated me automatically. So it turned out to be tied on both sides; as they say, there were rails, and it was no longer possible to get off them.
– When Varteres ended his career, you probably had a difficult stage: there was no very powerful incentive, the main goals were achieved.
- Yes, it was like that. We thought for a long time with Pyotr Armenakovich, Vasily Vasilyevich Lartsev, and other people I respect. It was decided that fresh blood needed to be injected into the regional federation. Varteres was elected president, and I remained president of the Southern Federal District Association, helping my brother delve into a new business for him. He sees ways to make the work of the federation even more modern, dynamic, and effective. And thanks to this, I begin to get excited again, I become interested: new goals, movement towards them. The most important thing is that today the blood in the federation is boiling again, we must use this for quality work with children, educating new Olympians.
– As a child, what did you want to become?
– When I was little, I wanted to become like my dad – a store director. And then he strived for sports results, he wanted to become a champion of Europe, the world, and the Olympic Games. And gradually he became the champion of the republic, the USSR, the National Cup, and the world champion among trade union athletes. And then, with Varteres, we won everything that I myself could not achieve.
– Did you have any idols, whom you wanted to emulate as a child?
– Again, thanks to the family – grandfather, father, mother. And although my grandfather and father, alas, are no longer alive, I still continue to learn from them. Even today there is a lot that I can and need to learn.
– Did you get any from your parents as a child?
- Of course, and only for me as the eldest. For everyone, including the younger ones.
– What do you value most in women?
- Intelligence, beauty and preferably silence. True, this is too much of a pipe dream; sometimes it seems that one mother gave birth to all the fair sex in this regard.
– Have your criteria for treating a woman changed with age?
- No. How a boy fell in love with his wife in his youth and still love her very much. I thank her for going through with me over these thirty years all the hardships and adversities that happened before. Which even today shares with me both joys and hardships. I am very grateful to her. It used to be very difficult for her, during the moments of my formation, my struggle, then again my formation, now a new struggle, when we went with Varteres... She always understood and supported me.

– How did you meet your wife?

– At school, at the evening dedicated to the Seventh of November. I was in tenth grade, and she was in ninth grade.
When will you grow up?
– Have you made new friends or lost old ones lately?
“I’m already at that age when you can only lose, God grant that this doesn’t happen for as long as possible.” There are never too many real friends; for example, I have two. True, I am lucky that there are still many brothers, but there should not and cannot be many friends. By the way, both friends became relatives to me: I baptized the daughter of one, and baptized the other myself, as well as his children.
– How do you feel about jokes?
- Very good. Sometimes I tell the story myself, but sometimes I forget, but I always listen with constant interest.
– Can you remember a funny incident from your sports life?
– There are a lot of funny cases concerning our generation of wrestlers – Sergei Zabeyvorot, Mikhail Trofimenko, Sergei Dyudyaev and many others, but it would hardly be right to make them public. It’s better that we remember them in our circle.
– What can push you away when meeting a person?
– Dirty shoes.
– What is it useless to ask you?
- To borrow money. They say correctly: if you want to find an enemy, borrow money.
– What action do you regret that you didn’t do?
“I definitely did everything I wanted.” Therefore, there is nothing to regret.
– What book would you not allow your children to read?
– About all sorts of horrors, base things in the spiritual and moral sense. But we must always remember that little can be achieved in education simply by prohibitions. We must try to shape the personalities of children in such a way that they themselves can give a correct assessment of everything that life encounters and preserve themselves as individuals.
– Least favorite food?
– Semolina. For as long as I can remember, it was difficult for me to eat even a spoonful.
– Least favorite clothes?
– Yes, there was no such thing... In my youth I didn’t like to wear a tie, but this is familiar to many wrestlers, the neck is appropriate for the sport. But then nothing, I got used to it. And now even more so - I’ve lost weight, my neck is no longer the same.
– What is more difficult for you: listening to words of gratitude or apologies?
– For me it’s definitely gratitude.
– What can you do with your own hands?
- A lot of things. A friend and I laid stone and worked with wood when we built the hallway. I also sharpened the parts at the factory. I can master any job, I’m not afraid of it at all.
– What characteristic of youth would you like to return?
- And I just didn’t lose him. As my dad said, may he rest in heaven: when will you grow up? And I answered that I wasn’t even going to, I would always remain a boy in some ways. I feel the same as in my youth, I behave the same, I joke the same. In other situations, however, you have to restrain yourself, but the boy still breaks out.
– The amount of cash without which you feel uncomfortable?
– And I generally go without money and I’m not nervous. I've gone through everything in my life - today I have money, tomorrow I don't have it. This is life, and you shouldn’t create problems for yourself about this.
– What do you not have time for every day?
– It’s very embarrassing to say, but the most important thing is to visit your mother more often. And this despite the fact that we live almost two steps away from each other. Of course, we always communicate by phone, but I understand perfectly well that mom is always waiting. So here we need to talk not about a lack of time, but about the son’s conscience. This is the mother who did everything for us, and we need to devote as much time to her as possible.
– Ideal woman?
- Mom, wife, aunt.
– Ideal man?
- Grandpa, dad.
– The element of comfort that is most difficult to live without?
– Naturally, you get used to comfort. But for me there is no problem being in even the most spartan conditions. During my sports life I went through everything: I slept in the halls on carpets, and traveled in common train carriages. When you fall out of your usual comfort, the hardest thing is the first couple of hours, and then you get used to it. In this regard, I am rebuilding very quickly.
– Are there any realities of Soviet life that you miss?
– Yes, of course, there are many of them. The same sports system, which was the best in the world, opportunities for every child to engage in their favorite sport, to reveal their abilities. Constant confidence in the future. Pride in a country that was respected throughout the world. And this happened, first of all, because they were afraid. And all the citizens were pleased that we were strong. Today, of course, we are recruiting, but we would like to reach the level that we had.
– Can you name three characteristic signs? modern Russia?
– Patriotism, respect, pride are lost. Often we even have to explain that when the national anthem is played, it is customary for everyone to stand up. All this needs to be restored, as they say, with mother’s milk. Patriotism must be in the genes. And take the problems of interethnic relations. We grew up at one time, and for us it didn’t matter at all who was of what nationality. We have always been and still are judged by whether a person is decent or not. And his religion or nationality does not play any role. I have friends all over the former Soviet Union; No matter where you call or come, everyone is happy from the bottom of their hearts, all problems are instantly solved. Whatever nationality or religion each of us is, we are always together in joy and sorrow, we help and support each other. And those who strive to constantly escalate, one way or another play the national card for the sake of some of their mercantile interests, are the enemies of our country. This must be resolutely stopped.
– How many days of vacation can you afford at one time?
“I can’t stand anywhere for more than two weeks, that’s the maximum.” And the most comfortable is seven to ten days.
– If it were possible to call into the past, who would they call?
- Grandfather. I believe that his soul is with us and he knows everything. It would be very interesting and extremely instructive to listen to his opinion about what happened and what will happen.
– What type of charity would you be happy to spend money on?
– Only for children, so that they train, grow, and achieve success. I do this to the best of my ability.
– What irritates people the most?
- Rudeness.
– Which of the mortal sins (pride, envy, greed, gluttony, lust, despondency, anger) seems not so mortal to you?
- Anger. Everything else is scoundrel. I understand that anger is bad, that I can offend a person with my explosion. And that’s why I often apologize for not holding back.
- Life's dream?
– So that the lineage does not stop with our children and grandchildren, the surname continues with dignity. So that our sports family continues its traditions not only in wrestling. So that we are healthy and happy, so that God protects us all.
Alexander MITROPOLSKY
Photo from the Samurgashev family archive