David Belyavsky proposes. Grandmother's granddaughter
24-year-old gymnast from Udmurtia David Belyavsky won two medals at the Olympic Games in Rio: bronze in the uneven bars exercise and silver in the team competition. David came to the “NASH Radio” studio to visit “Lifts” in a new chic white BMW X4 with “David Belyavsky” license plates, which he received personally from the President of Russia. Sitting in the car with him was an honored master of sports of international class, two-time European champion in artistic gymnastics Emin Garibov, who made his debut as a commentator at the Rio Olympics.
The gymnasts told readers NSN everything about the life of athletes during the Rio Olympics: about food and sex, about fears and injuries, about robberies and corrupt police officers, about unfinished facades, treacherous taxi drivers and whether there is life after gymnastics.
— David, if you have several medals, do they give you a car for each one?
- No, only for the highest, for the rest - a monetary reward.
— How many days can you travel with these numbers?
— 10 days until I register and receive regular numbers.
— Was it presented directly in the Kremlin?
— Yes, right in the Kremlin.
— Were there people who could not come to the president?
- Personally, I don’t know anyone like that.
— What should those who don’t have rights do?
- They give him a driver or invite relatives.
— What did the president say?
— Congratulated, praised - well done, they coped with such a difficult situation, showed that Russia is ready to compete in any conditions. Supported our Paralympic athletes.
— Emin, many athletes are dissatisfied with the organization of the Olympics and the readiness of the sites. What can you say about the gymnastics arena?
— The gymnastics arena was fine - a good hall, a good platform. But in general, the organization was really very lame, and the level of the entire Olympics was below average. It feels like the tennis courts are located in an ordinary courtyard. Many buildings have unfinished facades hung with colorful rags.
— Is it difficult to comment on gymnastics?
— I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. I tried to comment as clearly as possible for any viewer. It seems to me that gymnastics can be more popular if viewers understand the nuances of what happens, how the element is performed, how difficult it is, how points are awarded.
— David, a question for you. A French gymnast broke his leg while performing a vault during a competition. Is it difficult to perform after an athlete suffers such a serious injury before your eyes?
“We were lucky that we were on a different shift and didn’t see this terrible fall.” I also didn’t watch the video posted later on the Internet. I only know that the athlete underwent surgery, and now he is doing well.
— Is fracture a common occurrence at performances?
- Not at all, this is a rare case. After all, very well-trained athletes perform at high-level competitions.
- What is your biggest fear, besides the fact that you might lose?
- Probably fall like a French athlete.
— Do the stands hinder or help?
- It depends. Once in Baku they even buzzed me because I could beat a local athlete.
— In Rio, was there a buzz at the performances of our gymnastics team?
- No, this didn’t happen at gymnastics, and I didn’t even hear about anyone being booed at the Olympics.
— At what age do children start gymnastics?
- Usually from four to five years old, but I came quite late - at eight.
— Emin, where can you leave gymnastics, where can you continue your sports career?
- In any sport, including difficult coordination ones. You can go to both ballroom dancing and barbell dancing without any problems. Because gymnastics develops all the physical qualities necessary for this. In practice, many who are not good at gymnastics continue their careers in the circus.
— David, with what intensity does the team train while at the training camp?
- Six days a week from 7:30 to 8:30 - exercise and two more workouts for 2 -2.5 hours during the day. Sunday is a day off.
— Aren’t you afraid of losing your form due to numerous special events: in the morning - a reception with the president, after the broadcast - with the Minister of Defense?
- Now you can rest a little. I’m lucky with my body - I don’t gain weight, although I eat whatever I want.
— Do gymnasts have any weight standard?
- No, we don’t have weight categories.
— Many men have a stereotype that sex with gymnasts is very interesting and fun. Can the same be said about gymnasts?
— Gymnasts are more interesting than female gymnasts.
— Are gymnasts’ beautiful figures the result of training or some initial data?
- Of course, the result of training.
— David, do you have a profession?
— Yes, I have a diploma from the Ural State University of Physical Culture, a work record, I am an instructor, I can train children and adults.
— Are you originally from Yekaterinburg? How long have you been to your native place?
— No, I’m from Votkinsk. The last time I was there was before the New Year.
— Did you go to Rio with a girl? Could you take someone with you?
— The problem is that only accredited persons are allowed into the Olympic Village. My girlfriend was in Rio, but lived separately.
— Were you forbidden to meet?
“It wasn’t forbidden to meet, but there was simply no time for it.” Competitions, training. Training, competitions - we didn’t have a single day off.
— Will a stormy night harm the upcoming performance?
- I think so, if it happens immediately before the competition. It's better not to release energy.
— Did you eat for money or for free in the Olympic Village?
— In the Olympic Village, any service is free: food, swimming pool, medical center, laundry, ironing.
— How did you like the food, did you miss the borscht and cabbage soup?
— They fed us borscht. A separate villa was rented where the medical center was located. You could spend the whole day there, relax and even eat borscht. I didn’t manage to get into the Russian House - the coach wouldn’t let us go anywhere else.
— Emin, how were the journalists received? Didn't the apartments where they lived look like shacks?
- It was possible to live. We traveled from our federation. At first I was there as a tourist, and then I received an invitation to commentate on the competition. And although I had enough free time, I practically didn’t go out anywhere, except a couple of times to the Fan House, because it was dark. There were a huge number of stories of robberies and attacks. For example, our famous swimmer, silver medalist Zhenya Korotyshkin, was robbed at two o’clock in the afternoon near the Russian House by guys with guns. We had to travel exclusively in groups, and it was better by personal transport, because taxi drivers specifically drove through favelas, where local guys took everything clean, and people returned back without their things.
— Did the Federation organize security?
“We had security, but the Brazilians themselves brought many military men with weapons into the city, since their police are mostly corrupt.
— What did you bring with you from Rio?
— Souvenirs, coffee, T-shirts with Olympic symbols, figurines with Christ.
— David, tell me, honestly, would you be upset if they gave you a Lada Kalina?
- I think no. And by the way, until yesterday we didn’t know what the car would be like, and assumed any option.
Big sport No. 4 (111)
Text: Dmitry Maslov / Photo: Platon Shilikov
On April 9, the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships starts in the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca. The Russian national team will perform at the championship with a significantly updated squad. However, it still contains names familiar to a wide range of fans. First of all, this is two-time Olympic medalist in Rio de Janeiro David Belyavsky. The correspondent and photographer of our magazine went to visit the leader of the national team at the Krugloye Lake base, where David told us about his training, signature element, family and plans for life after his athlete’s career.
Dossier
Born on February 23, 1992 in Votkinsk, Udmurtia
- Silver medalist of the 2016 Olympic Games in the team championship
- 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in uneven bars
- Four-time European champion (2013 – individual all-around, 2014 – team championship, 2016 – uneven bars, 2016 – team championship)
- Winner of four silver and two bronze medals at the European Championships
The composition of the Russian national team for the European Championship seems suboptimal...
Everyone on the team is ready at the moment. Champions of Russia, prize-winners. There is no point in speeding up preparation for Denis Ablyazin and Nikolai Kuksenkov - they are recovering from injuries according to plan in order to compete at the World Championships.
Senior coach Valentina Rodionenko noted in February that you were diagnosed with kidney stones. In what state are you approaching the tournament?
In good. The doctors did everything necessary, the stone came out. Health problems somewhat slowed down my preparation, so at the Russian Championship I did not have time to do everything I had planned.
What tasks do you set for yourself?
In the current Olympic cycle, the judging rules have changed. Let's see how the referees react, how prepared the opponents are, and whether anyone new has appeared. The main start of the year is the World Championship.
Will you be competing in the all-around in Romania?
No. I plan to compete on three apparatuses – pommel horse, uneven bars and horizontal bar. Russia will be represented in the all-around by Artur Dalaloyan and Nikita Ignatiev.
Have the coaches already announced the medal plan for the European Championships?
There was no such conversation. Usually before the start they simply tell us that we need to perform well. Perhaps such a plan is being drawn up, but the athletes are not informed about it.
In gymnastics, is it possible to go from a little-known athlete to a world leader in one Olympic cycle?
I don’t remember such situations; usually development proceeds according to plan. Kohei Uchimura was second in the all-around at the Beijing Games, and first at the 2009 World Championships in London. Since then, his series of victories has continued. At the beginning of the four-year anniversary, new names always appear; the question is whether these gymnasts will be able to break into the first roles.
How fast is gymnastics developing in terms of difficulty? Would you beat Alexey Nemov?
On the crossbar - definitely not, for me it’s a lagging projectile. And in other events I could compete with Alexey. I competed at the Olympics for the first time in 2012, and since then elements have appeared that were previously considered impossible. An average of five such elements are recorded each year.
Do you have a feature, an ideal element?
In gymnastics there is an element named after me - the uneven bars dismount. Other gymnasts performed double tuck somersaults, but I decided to go further. I tried to do this dismount while bending over. Happened.
Does having your own element add much to the score?
First of all, it brings pleasure, and in terms of evaluation, it adds one tenth of a point compared to a regular forward dismount. This is significant.
What is more important – complexity or purity of execution?
My coach and I believe that it is better to perform a perfectly clean program than to do an extremely complex program “dirty.” The complexity will increase by a maximum of three to five tenths of a point, but on purity you can lose six tenths.
What is special about the new judging system?
We have not yet encountered it at the international level. As far as I know, they gave more deductions for shortcomings, so the cleanliness of the execution of the elements becomes even more important. In principle, this has always been my strong point, so I hope that the innovations will be beneficial.
How independent are you in drawing up a performance program?
We come up with it with a personal trainer, then agree with the main one. They may not approve due to uncertainty about certain elements. Let's say you planned something that happened literally once or twice in class. In this case they will say no. You can experiment during training. If the combination is executed stably and cleanly, they will give the go-ahead for its inclusion in the program.
Are you going to the European Championships with a new program?
I'm preparing it for the World Championships in Montreal. I make it much more difficult, primarily on uneven bars. I have to change to beat those who beat me.
What are you better at than Kohei Uchimura?
I am stronger on individual apparatus – uneven bars and pommel horse. On the rest, the Japanese have the advantage. If the apparatus score had been 3:3, real competition could have been imposed. At the moment, Kohei beats me in basic scores on four apparatuses. Without complicating the programs, I can only take it with perfectly clean execution.
If, for example, you announced a somersault of three turns, but did two, will the judges greatly reduce the score?
Only in the vault you have to declare what you are doing. But if you change your mind and make another jump, your score will not automatically decrease. If you simplify the somersault, you will simply lose it in the base. For a triple they will give 0.8 points, for a double - 0.3. Sometimes gymnasts prepare two combinations - one for qualification, the second, more difficult, for the final. If during the tournament you realize that you won’t get into the top eight with the first one, you can immediately do the second one.
Did any of the gymnasts surprise you during the competition?
Kohei Uchimura at the 2010 World Championships. He won the individual all-around, and in the finals on individual apparatus he began to perform completely different, complicated combinations. I was simply amazed at the Japanese stock of elements.
How long have you lived on Krugly?
I came to the training camp for the first time in 2005. We have three workouts a day - exercises, afternoon and evening. This is my job, I don’t experience psychological problems.
In your free time, can you go outside the base?
Certainly. But usually such a desire does not arise - after training, you just want to lie down and relax. On Sundays we sometimes go into town and go to the cinema.
Last fall you got married. How do you live away from your spouse?
We've been together for five years. They got used to my departures. After we signed, nothing changed. Masha lives in Yekaterinburg, sometimes she flies to me for a day or two.
Does she stop at the base?
I don't think this is possible. You've seen how strict the access system is here.
Would you like your child to become a professional gymnast and live at the base for years?
I think that I have a very interesting life. Much depends on the child himself. If he likes it and brings pleasure, I'm all for it. Gymnastics is useful - it develops all physical qualities. Even if you realize that it’s not for you, after a few years you can change your sport – there will be basic training.
From the outside, the life of a gymnast looks full of difficulties. Constant training, little free time, no time to even lie on the couch...
And what's good about lounging on the couch? When you’ve been at the training camp for a month and a half, you have a desire to go home and relax. But we understand why we endure. The goal is Olympic gold.
In the individual all-around?
Not necessary. I can win the uneven bars competition, and victory in the team all-around is also possible. Such a medal would be the most valuable for the country. When judges and competitors know that your team is an Olympic champion, attitudes change.
Have you already decided whether you will continue performing after the Tokyo Games?
We still have to live until 2020. The main thing is that there are no health problems. Then we’ll think if we can stay – okay, no – it’s not scary.
Oksana Chusovitina changed her sports citizenship several times in order to compete at the Games. Are you ready to follow this path if, say, after Tokyo 2020 you do not qualify for the Russian national all-around team?
The rules for qualifying for the Games have changed. The team now includes four athletes, in the case of Russia these are all-around athletes. In addition to them, “projectiles” can personally qualify through performances at the World Cup. So now they won’t tell a gymnast: “We won’t take you to the national team because you only perform on one apparatus.”
Your family has a manicure salon in Yekaterinburg. How did the idea to start such a business come about?
We purchased office space. At first they planned to rent it out, but then decided to organize their own business. Masha studied to become a manicurist and knows the intricacies of this work. If things go well, we will expand. We are thinking about a second salon.
As far as I know, you have a plan to open your own gym...
I would like to pass on my experience to young athletes; I would like to develop gymnastics in Yekaterinburg. Now our halls, frankly speaking, are so-so. Everything is perfect on Lake Krugloye, but in the regions the conditions for training leave much to be desired. Yekaterinburg is a big city, but there are only two gymnastics halls. The first has not been renovated for a long time, the second belongs to the university.
Why did you move to Yekaterinburg?
I was born in Votkinsk, trained there. The gymnastics section was literally 50 meters from the house. I liked practicing, but there were no good results for a long time; I stood out only for the purity of execution of the elements. At the age of 14, there was a breakthrough in results, after which coach Peter Kitaisky invited him to Yekaterinburg. I agreed because there were no good conditions for preparation in my hometown, and it was difficult to allocate funds to travel to competitions. Sometimes we traveled at our own expense.
It seemed to me that in gymnastics you can immediately see whether an athlete is promising...
This is not entirely true. Many of those who beat me at the age of 14 now do not even aspire to be in the national team. I was constantly progressing. I remember at my first Russian championship among athletes of my age I took 46th place. And with each competition he rose in the final protocols. Largely due to the fact that physically I grew smoothly, there was no sudden jump in weight.
Are you satisfied with the attention to gymnastics in general and to yourself in particular?
After the Games in Rio de Janeiro, interest increased. Many spectators came to the Russian Championship in Kazan, took autographs and took pictures with the athletes.
You are an Olympic medalist, and the Russian national football team is losing to the Ivory Coast team without a chance. Nevertheless, football players are much more recognizable, and their income cannot be compared.
We sometimes discuss this topic with our Russian national team partners. Of course, this is not entirely fair. At the same time, football players receive a lot of criticism and negativity. I don't know if I would want to live under such pressure. From the matches I have seen, I can say that our players have no desire to win. I don't see the character. The British or Icelanders, even when they lose, are constantly charged with fighting.
Do you follow what is written about you in the press?
I'm looking through the publications. I accept criticism based on facts, but I don’t pay attention to criticism that is groundless. I noticed that many people write nasty things just to get a reaction from the athlete. I don't answer to people like that.
Can you imagine yourself in any other sport?
Never thought about it. Unless in difficult coordination ones, like figure skating. I think I could do it. I watch broadcasts of almost all sports, from all major competitions, European and world championships. I follow biathlon, I support Anton Shipulin, he is also from Yekaterinburg.
Biathlon has become popular in just a couple of decades. What needs to be changed in gymnastics so that interest in it rises to the same level?
I am sure that popularity depends primarily on PR and television broadcasts. The biathletes now have a good commentator; they show all stages of the World Cup. Seven races a week. The fans have trained the athletes and know them by sight. If gymnastics is shown in the same volume with a strong commentator, the effect will be the same.
I know people who claim that the secret of biathlon is unpredictability: a couple of inaccurate shots and the leader becomes an outsider.
In gymnastics there is also the effect of surprise: it is not clear who will win. Everyone is nervous, everyone can fall on the apparatus. Another thing is that our event has become very complex, and an untrained person cannot determine whether an athlete did a two- or three-turn somersault. But I am sure that it is interesting to watch the performances of gymnasts, because people masterfully control their bodies.
Blitz survey
Favorite AthleteCristiano Ronaldo. I like his style of play more than Lionel Messi
If not gymnastics, then
I thought about this a lot, but I still haven’t decided
To call a career successful, you must
Become an Olympic champion. One gold medal is enough
At 40 I will
The owner of the gym where I will train athletes. More like a director than a coach
The prospect of becoming a State Duma deputy
I'm not interested in this
Would you like to become popular? Let's say, like Dima Bilan
As for Bilan, definitely not – his work does not appeal to me. But in terms of recognition, maybe. For some time. And if you like it, then for a long time
I will live after my career ends
In Ekaterinburg
Favorite vacation spot
Dubai, where you can combine a beach holiday with excursions
Favorite place to compete
Japan, specifically Tokyo. I like the city, the people, the attitude
Where would you like to visit
Already been in Australia and other continents
After finishing my career I will allow myself to eat
I don’t have weight problems, so I don’t limit myself when it comes to food.
The Olympic Games mean, if not everything, then a lot for athletes. Arriving at the main competitions of the four-year anniversary, they fully concentrate on completing the assigned tasks. But sometimes at the Olympic Games there are athletes who can surprise with actions that are not directly related to sports. Like, for example, the Russian gymnast David Belyavsky. Soon after the team competition, in which the young man won an Olympic silver medal as part of the Russian team, he hastened to arrange a surprise for his girlfriend Masha Mikhailova. Yes, what - David proposed marriage to her!
“The guys just won a medal,” Masha recalls in an interview with Metro. “We went to congratulate them.” And here we are standing with the guys from the team, talking. Suddenly, gymnast Nikita Nagorny pretends that he needs to answer the phone. Taking his mobile phone, he tells David: “Minister of Sports Vitaly Mutko is calling! He asks to congratulate you. He tells you to check your pockets!” And then David takes out a box with a ring. At first I was confused and started to panic. Imagine for yourself - my young man, in Russian equipment, with a medal around his neck, kneels in front of me, hands me a ring and asks me to marry him! Of course I said "Yes!"
In Brazil, Masha did not wear the ring - she was afraid that it would be stolen.
“But on the way home, in France, I put it on - and I’ll never take it off again!” – the girl assured us.
David Belyavsky admitted to Metro that before the presentation of the ring he was even more nervous than before the battle for silver.
“The idea to present the ring after the award ceremony came immediately, I didn’t think about it for a long time,” David tells Metro. – There were other options. If there was no medal, I would have done it later! Of course, I was worried, maybe even more worried than before approaching the projectile!
For several days now, Masha has literally been glowing with happiness. David's proposal came as a huge surprise to her!
– My guy is one of those who knows how to surprise! – admitted the bride to Metro. – Although he himself tells me that he is not a romantic. Apparently, now he has learned it (laughs). Although he has arranged surprises before. One day I flew to see him in Yekaterinburg from Novosibirsk. David organized a candlelit dinner at home, presenting a bouquet of teddy bears! I love them very much. He knows this, and for my last birthday he gave me a clubfoot that is as tall as me! Oh, how bright it was, I will remember it for the rest of my life!
The girl tries to keep up with her beloved and also pampers him with something:
“Every time he comes back from training camp, I do something - either cook, or buy a gift.” David is rarely at home, so I want him to have the most “delicious” time possible. Most of all, David loves my signature dish - turkey in cream sauce. And also baking.
Masha’s closest friends were the first to know about David’s action.
– One of them, Katya, received the ring six days before, so she reacted very violently! – Masha laughs. – My girlfriends often asked me: “Well, when, when is the wedding?!” After all, we have been dating for more than four years! But I never rushed him. A person must make this decision for himself. Although personally, I realized a long time ago that I wanted to live with David for the rest of my life.
Of course, Masha’s mother, Galina Yuryevna, was also one of the first to learn about David’s creativity.
– Somewhere in our souls we were already ready for this! – says the happy mother to Metro. – We managed to fall in love with him, I say this absolutely sincerely! If you believe in fate, then this is the case! I am a mother, and my maternal instinct tells me: “They will be together!” We wish them happiness.
Galina Yuryevna is one of David’s big fans as a gymnast.
“Of course, we watch his performances, sometimes he comes to tears,” she admitted. – We are happy, less often we are sad. But I’m sure he will still surprise us! We believe in him!
Galina Yuryevna assures that David has a lot of positive qualities. Masha told Metro why she fell in love with the gymnast:
– When I saw David for the first time, I immediately noticed what beautiful eyes he had! I also really value his attitude towards life. He knows how to enjoy simple things - ice cream, carousels. He taught me to find more joy in the little things. I also respect him as a person and an athlete. How much effort he puts into his work! He is a very stubborn person, he always goes to victory. And he is very kind - I don’t remember him ever refusing to help anyone. Well, David treats me with trepidation. This is the first relationship in which I feel like a real woman!
David regularly goes to competitions - at first Masha was very afraid to follow his performances.
“Sometimes, of course, I came to the hall, but then one of his friends always sat with me to tell me what exactly David was doing, whether everything was all right with him. Now I watch all of David’s competitions, but my heart skips a beat every time. I feel like I can't even breathe when he performs. It’s very hard to watch, the emotions are overwhelming. And for these emotions that he gives me at tournaments, I love him too. After every medal my loved one receives, I cry with happiness!
Masha confessed her feelings to David eight months after they met. But the athlete himself did this only last year. Masha doesn’t hold a grudge against him for his long silence.
“I remember he brought me a big bear with the inscription: “I love you!” – Masha laughs. – I've been waiting for this for so long! But I didn’t rush him, because I always felt that he loved me. By his attitude towards me! David is the most precious thing in my life. I already miss him. Every meeting with him is like a holiday! I'm counting down the days until my dates. Finally I got mine! I really wanted to get married. And now, after some time, I want to have children. In the meantime, I’ll watch David perform at the Olympics in Rio - he’ll have his next finals very soon...
A fan of the Universiade hero - gymnast from Udmurtia David Belyavsky - became his girlfriend
At the Universiade in Kazan, our fellow countryman David Belyavsky became one of the 13 most successful athletes in terms of the number of awards. Earned a gold, silver and two bronze medals! Together with David’s grandmother, who specially came from Votkinsk to Kazan, his girlfriend, Maria Mikhailova, also supported the athlete.
I saw it on TV and fell in love
We met David on the night of January 1-2, 2012. It fell to me like a New Year's gift! True, I found it myself. I was switching channels on TV and came across gymnasts performing. And she noticed David’s gaze. He was so focused and piercing,” recalls Masha. - Yes, and David himself is very nice. From the first second, it was as if something clicked for me. I immediately found him on social networks and wrote.
There was no fear that she would become just one of many fans.
David was not yet so popular then. This bunch of fans appeared after the European Championships and the Olympics in London. In fact, I’m now wary of talking about this, so as not to give others reasons to do the same,” Maria laughs. - I try not to be jealous of fans. After all, David remains with me. This is the main thing.
Disappeared on the first date
For the first month of dating, the young couple communicated only on the Internet. David went to competitions and training camps. And they lived a thousand kilometers from each other. David is in Yekaterinburg, Masha is in Novosibirsk.
By the time we agreed on the first meeting, a month had passed. “I really wanted to see him,” says Masha. - And I’m also an adventurer, so I decided: come what may, and went to Yekaterinburg. While I was getting there, I was terribly afraid.
The fears began to come true. He was supposed to meet her at the airport. But David was nowhere to be found.
It turned out that he just left and returned a minute later. The first meeting was very timid, David was shy, and in order not to show my excitement, I talked a lot,” says Masha. - But the next day we no longer wanted to part.
Live together
Now the guys live together in Yekaterinburg. There the athlete bought an apartment, the design of which was done by Masha. She also works in a beauty salon and enjoys drawing. Not an athlete or a model, as you might think. A good figure is the result of frequent trips to the gym.
Thanks to David, I began to understand gymnastics. Moreover, she became a part of my life. I know his programs, I know which elements are difficult for him. I see what a huge amount of work it is,” says Masha.
Masha and David live together, but are not planning a wedding yet.
It’s interesting that Maria doesn’t watch David’s performances:
I can’t watch the competition because I’m so excited, I usually listen. My breathing stops, my heart beats wildly, I only exhale when I jump off the apparatus.
The girl also manages to run a David fan club - she runs a group about him on a social network.
By the way, Masha is 4 years older than 21-year-old Belyavsky. But this doesn’t bother the young people at all. The girl is sure: a person is as old as he feels.
Most of the time, Masha still sees David only on the Internet.
It's not easy to build long-distance relationships... But we always support each other mentally. I whisper to him - just go out and show what you can do best. Evenings on Skype and hundreds of SMS, that’s how we communicate when we’re not together,” the girl smiles sadly.
David and Masha love to give each other pleasant surprises.
One day I arrived, and dinner was waiting for me at home, a bouquet of soft toys and him. David constantly makes me happy, even though he says he doesn’t know how to make surprises! - says Masha. - David is very kind and very modest, that’s why I love him!
Masha doesn’t think far into the future:
Our relationship is serious, but we are not planning a wedding yet. Now David's career comes first, and I fully support him.
A student from Izhevsk captivated a Swiss chess player
When 20-year-old Izhevsk resident Alina Badretdinova came to the Universiade as a volunteer, she was very upset. Instead of working as a journalist, which she, a journalism student, was counting on, she was appointed head of the media tribunes.
It was necessary to seat journalists and photographers and help them if necessary,” says Alina.
But the worst thing, as Alina thought, was that she had to work at chess competitions.
I imagined stooped nerds in glasses sitting for hours at the boards in deathly silence,” the student recalls. - But when I finally saw the chess players, I was stunned! Standing in front of me were tall, handsome, pumped up guys.
Alina liked the tall blue-eyed blond guy the most. He did not sit at the board, but moved from one table to another.
It was very scary to approach him, firstly, I was simply embarrassed by the handsome young man, and secondly, I was not confident in my knowledge of English, says Alina.
Alina and Felix met at the Universiade.
Chance helped. As a volunteer, Alina should be aware of whether athletes need her help. She turned to Felix, the coach of the Swiss national team, with this question. This is how communication began.
When the words ran out, the translator on the phone and good old gestures came to the rescue, so our communication was sometimes like playing “Crocodile” (when you have to guess the word by gestures. - Ed.), says Alina. “We had a particularly funny conversation the first time: in order not to remain silent, I began to tell him that Felix the cat advertises cat food on Russian television. Felix laughed heartily.
They met every evening. Felix told Alina about Switzerland. For example, about the fact that residents of the country must know four languages. In return, the girl taught her Swiss friend Russian and Tatar words. Felix behaved like a true gentleman - he did not allow himself anything unnecessary in a relationship: the maximum was a kiss on the cheek after a walk.
Now Felix and Alina continue to communicate on social networks. And they really hope that the meeting in Kazan was not the last.
A native of Votkinsk, gymnast David Belyavsky has been in the Olympic Village of Rio de Janeiro for 8 days. He arrived there with the national team on July 25 and has already gone through an acclimatization period.
I thought it would be hotter here, since the climate is different. But everything turned out to be tolerable, in the evenings we even wear a sports jacket,” says the athlete. – We are still getting used to it here, we train twice a day, we managed to go on an excursion to the statue of Christ and to the Atlantic coast.
At the age of 14 he went to Yekaterinburg to build a career
As a child, David was very restless, and his grandmother Lyudmila Viktorovna, who raised him, sent the boy to gymnastics.
He spun and spun, could not watch TV calmly, he was restless. He climbed the walls and tore everything in the house. “I decided: that’s enough, I’ll send him to the gymnastics section,” says the grandmother.
David left at eight in the morning and returned home at seven o'clock. But constant training did not interfere with studies.
At school meetings they always set him up as an example: “Go and ask how David manages to train, study and get good grades.” He was an excellent student. Besides studying and sleeping, he didn’t need anything else,” says the grandmother.
By the way, at that time Belyavsky looked up to 4-time Olympic champion Alexei Nemov, he wanted to win and win like him.
But in Votkinsk, athletes went to competitions at their own expense. But in David’s family, finances were difficult. And when David was 14 years old, coach Sergei Zakirov suggested leaving for Yekaterinburg.
“When I took his little one to Yekaterinburg, there was a lump in my throat and I wanted to cry. David asked: “Grandma, I won’t have friends there, why are we going to this city?” I consoled him, calmed him down as best I could. Then he quickly became friends with the boys, they lived as one family. “I came twice a year,” recalls Lyudmila Viktorovna.
The result met expectations. At the age of 16, David, as part of the Russian junior team, became the silver medalist of the European Championship. In London in 2012, at the Olympic Games, as part of the team, he qualified for the finals and took 6th place, 5th in the overall championship, and 7th in the pommel horse.
“Rings are not mine”
– I’m doing well with floor exercises - in this event I always make it to the finals at the European Championships. Last time I was second, now I’m fourth. “Horse” has recently started to work out well, which is why in Bern I managed to become second on this apparatus. But rings are more difficult. First of all, in terms of physical fitness. There you need to create static elements. That's not mine. Jump - with a good base it goes well, the main thing is to do everything, a big plus for all-around. On uneven bars I have now raised my basic score, this is one of my strongest events,” Belyavsky admitted in an interview with the portal.
Also for Rio, the athlete lifted the basic elements on the uneven bars. If previously preparation allowed you to qualify for the finals, now you can hope for awards.
The main competitors of the men's artistic gymnastics team are the Japanese. Six-time Olympic champion Kohei Uchimura consistently shows good performance on all apparatuses.
BY THE WAY
Belyavsky and his girlfriend opened a beauty salon
For 4.5 years, Belyavsky has been dating Maria Mikhailova, who moved to him from Novosibirsk to Yekaterinburg. This year the couple decided to start a business and opened a beauty salon.
We have wanted something of our own for a very long time. Of course, we have no experience in business, we learn everything as we go,” Maria admitted. - We mainly focus on the nail studio, but we have a master who specializes in eyebrows, eyelashes and makeup; we recently started doing braids. Things are looking up. I myself work as a master - I draw beautiful designs, almost paintings on my nails. I think that at the start it is very important to leave clients happy in everything, and no one will work for you as hard as you do! There are plans to open a second salon.
Maria herself did the interior design of the salon. He says it has become the new home for the teddy bears that David brings from all over the world.
We decided to create a cozy corner where people wear slippers and are treated to delicious coffee or lemonade. We started with wallpaper with bears and panels,” says the girl. - Our salon has become a home for bears, the collection is constantly replenished, now there are about 40 of them. We don’t give them names, since they are all foreigners; we distinguish them by nationality. The very first bear arrived from the last Olympics.
By the way, on August 6, the girl flies to Rio to support her athlete. He says this is important for David. Besides, they still rarely see each other.
He comes home once a month for about a week. Over the course of 4.5 years, I have already become accustomed to always waiting and greeting him, and the relationship is only brighter because of this. While he’s away, I’m immersed in work and training, we’re online for each other all the time, we solve all issues the same way as if we’re nearby! I'm no longer afraid of fans. I am confident in him, and his attitude towards me, with trepidation, still leaves no doubt!
The couple is not talking about marriage yet. Although, Maria admits that they have been living as a family for a long time.
KP DOSSIER
David Belyavsky– Russian gymnast, Honored Master of Sports. Born in Votkinsk (Udmurtia) on February 23, 1992, a student of the Lokomotiv Youth Sports School (Ekaterinburg). Multiple champion of Russia, absolute champion of Europe. He won 4 medals at the XXVII World Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan, including one of the highest standard in the team championship. He was awarded a Certificate of Honor from the President of the Russian Federation for high sporting achievements. Winner of the 1st European Games 2015 in Baku. The inscription on the left hand, Desipere in Loco, is a quote from the “Ode” of Quintus Horace Flaccus. Translated, it means “Be crazy when it’s appropriate.” Participant of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Education – higher, Ural State University of Physical Culture. He continues his master's studies in St. Petersburg.