Borzakovsky biography. Yuri Borzakovsky

18.04.2024

Borzakovsky Yuri (born in 1981) is a Russian track and field athlete. 2001 World Indoor Athletics Champion in the 800m race.

Yuri Borzakovsky was born on April 12, 1981 in a simple family. His mother worked as a janitor, and his father worked as a garbage collector. The boy, born on Cosmonautics Day, was named after Gagarin. Yuri was the eldest in the family and was an example for the younger children.

At the age of ten, he began training in the athletics section. The energetic and lively child enjoyed the training sessions. By the age of twelve, he achieved some positive results in this sport and received the nickname Kenyan.

Since childhood, Yuri has admired runners from this country and claimed that they have a different muscle structure, ideal for running.

However, the athlete himself has all the data to win various competitions. He is naturally endowed with enormous muscle strength: muscles make up 50% of the mass of his legs.

The amazing endurance and speed developed by an athlete on a treadmill is the result of constant training. Combined with tactical knowledge, on which half the success in middle-distance running depends, these qualities allow Yuri to win various competitions.

At the World Indoor Athletics Championships held in Lisbon in the spring of 2001, nineteen-year-old Borzakovsky beat all competitors in the 800 m final, finishing first and winning gold. He beat the silver medalist by almost 2 seconds and showed the second fastest time in the history of indoor track and field games.

Yuri Borzakovsky's tactical trick is a slow start and a fast finish. 500 m from the start, the runner catches up and easily passes his opponents, leaving them no chance. His advantage increases with almost every step, reaching tens of meters.

However, athletes from other teams do not like this style of running. So at one of the international tournaments, Kenyan Noah Ngeni, at that time the world record holder in the 1000 m race, hit Yuri, who was trying to get around his opponents, in the liver, and when he tried again, he received another sharp poke in the back.

In the fall of 2000, Yuri Borzakovsky married his beloved girl Irina, a student at the regional academy of physical education. The famous track and field athlete himself studies at this institution. The young family lives in the city of Zhukovsky, Moscow region, and the main source of income is the prize money that Yuri receives at competitions.

However, neither big earnings nor high-profile titles turned his head. Yuri Borzakovsky continues his daily training, hoping to become a prize-winner at the next competition.

Brief biographical dictionary

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As a boy, he became a football player and became a world and European champion in athletics. We wish Yuri good luck at the upcoming Olympics!

Biography

Yuri Borzakovsky was born on April 12, 1981 in a simple family. His mother worked as a janitor, and his father worked as a garbage collector. The boy, born on Cosmonautics Day, was named after Gagarin. Yuri was the eldest in the family and was an example for the younger children.

At the age of ten, he began training in the athletics section. The energetic and lively child enjoyed the training sessions. By the age of twelve, he achieved some positive results in this sport and received the nickname Kenyan.

Since childhood, Yuri has admired runners from this country and claimed that they have a different muscle structure, ideal for running.

However, the athlete himself has all the data to win various competitions. He is naturally endowed with enormous muscle strength: muscles make up 50% of the mass of his legs.

The highest achievements of Yuri Borzakovsky

Achievements:
Champion of the XXVIII Olympic Games (2004, Athens) in the 800m race
World Indoor Champion 2001,
European Indoor Champion 2000 (Ghent),
Silver medalist of the World Championships 2003 (Paris) and 2005 (Helsinki),
Bronze medalist of the World Championships 2007 (Osaka) and indoors 2006 (Moscow),
World record holder among juniors indoors, European record holder, Russian record holder in the 800 meter race

Interview with Yuri

Yura, at the age of 19, in infancy for a middle athlete, you already ran in the Olympic final. When did you become interested in running?
- It all happened by chance. At the age of 10, he went to play football at the sports school in his hometown of Zhukovsky. Two weeks later there were the first competitions. I thought it was football, but it turned out that it was running. I came to the finish line second. I was very happy and decided to stay.

Do you regret football?
- We often play football during training. In the game you move and don’t notice a huge amount of acceleration, you get less tired psychologically. Football helps running.

How did your parents react to your sports activities?
- Fine. They are simple people. Father is a driver, mother is a janitor.

By today's standards, you got married very early. Where did you meet your wife?
- Irina and I went to the same kindergarten. Then they separated, the parents changed their place of residence. True, we only found out about this at the age of 16, when we met again and remembered our childhood. After this meeting we never parted. I began to look after her. And three years later they got married.

Do you remember when you proposed?
- We walked together, as usual, around the city. Then we came home. And something inside pushed me. I decided to tell Ira: be my wife. She immediately agreed. It was after the Australian Olympics. I then completed my task in Sydney - I made it to the finals. Using positive emotions after the wedding, I won the 2001 Winter World Championships. And in May last year a boy was born, they named him Yaroslav.

Svetlana Masterkova about Yuri Borzakovsky

Yuri Borzakovsky is an ideal athlete. He is very strong mentally. His tactics - a slight lag and a dash at the finish - are a win-win tactic. But only on one condition. If the athlete is in ideal physical shape.

This is how Yuri won the Olympic Games in Athens. However, if there was something wrong in the preparation during the season, it is very difficult to win with such tactics. Borzakovsky knows how to use it perfectly and due to this he has an advantage over his opponents.

Video

3 videos

Yuri Borzakovsky: “Victories at the Olympics are not so easily forgotten”

Russian runner Yuri Borzakovsky spoke about the upcoming Olympics in Beijing and shared his memories of his victory at the 2004 Games.

“The start at the national championship is preparatory. A kind of training for Olympic running: a race, the next day a semi-final and the next day a final. I had a race here, the semi-final the next day, and three days later, on the 22nd, I also had a race in Stockholm. There I want to work out the final. And, of course, I also train: training, training, rest, training. This is how Olympic running is practiced week after week, month after month. But in general, this Olympics will be easier for me psychologically, because I already have the title of Olympic champion.

I have never been to Beijing. Irkutsk has the same time zone, so I will go there on August 4th. I’ll undergo some kind of acclimatization and fly to Beijing three days before the start. I haven’t planned the Olympic running yet, because there are no race lineups as such yet. Then I’ll see what the draw looks like, find out my race and, based on this information, I’ll dance, how to run, what tactics to use. I calm myself down psychologically. If you start thinking about the Olympics, sleep immediately disappears. You get tired, your body is exhausted and wants to sleep, but thoughts about the start don’t let you sleep. As soon as you forget, you immediately switch off. Therefore, I try not to think about the race or counting elephants, but to remember my friends - how we went fishing with them. Or better yet, I’ll think about my family: my wife, sons Yaroslav and Lev, who are now relaxing with their mother-in-law at the dacha. They have already grown up, and they have their own friends and their own affairs there. With such thoughts I immediately fall asleep.

Yuri Borzakovsky: I always liked to run and win

About running: simple and yet incredibly difficult, amateur and professional, accidental and fateful.

800m finish, Athens Olympics, I'm 12 and watching it on TV. He became a legend then and remains so to this day. Having left many records and podiums behind him, he did not sink into oblivion and did not fade into the shadows, but continued to develop in the direction without which he can no longer imagine his life. Today he is not just an Olympic champion, but also the head coach of the Russian national athletics team -

Not long ago we had the opportunity to meet with him and talk about amateur and professional running, a podcast for running training in collaboration with Nike+ Run Club, the development of athletics in our country and a dream that must certainly transform into a goal in order to come true.

- Why do people choose running?
- In my opinion, running has become increasingly popular lately. It’s fashionable to be on trend, take part in races, and run in the morning. In recent years, we have been catching up with Europe by leaps and bounds in the development of running. This is probably happening because people have changed in terms of mentality and approach to sports. This is good news. A healthy lifestyle in almost everything: everyone strives to be slim and beautiful.

- Are there running habits of Europeans that we are far from matching?
- This probably concerns the audience more. The London Marathon was recently held, everyone watched it, there were a lot of spectators, even the Queen came out ( smiling). This is a huge support for those who fled. I think we will soon come to understand how important spectators are at a distance.

- How did your running story begin?
- My story started strangely. I got into running at the age of 10, when I joined the sambo section. It was a two-story children's and youth sports school. There is a sambo section on the second floor, and two halls on the first floor: tennis and athletics. I was studying on the second floor and saw how the guys on the first floor were playing football. I thought it was a football section. I love football, and all the guys there were friends from neighboring houses and yards. So I decided to sign up there. Our training went like this: we ran cross-country for about 5-10 km, then did gymnastics and stretching, and then played. This happened every day, and I think that this is right for a child to realize himself in the highest sport through team sports. A couple of weeks later there was a running competition. It was surprising for me: how can this be, after all, we are football players? I ran 600 meters and took second place. I liked running and I liked winning ( smiling). After that, I started running more purposefully. At about 16 years old, I won the Russian championship for the first time and then I decided for myself that I would run professionally.

They always called me Yurka the Ethiopian at the sports school. I was offended, I liked the Kenyans better.

- Did you already think about the Olympics then?
- It was 1997, summer. Back then there were still competitions “Golden League” (now “Diamond League”). I watched Wilson Kipketer on TV with my mouth open, he broke the world record that year. This was my 800m idol. After that, I set myself the goal of becoming first at the Olympics. I kept a training diary and there I drew a three-person Olympic podium. When I drew the pedestal, I put myself in first place, Wilson in second and the German Nilsson in third, who eventually also became Olympic champion in 2000. In 2004, this drawing was practically realized. I became the first, Wilson became, however, the third and instead of Schumann there was the South African Mulaudzi. Then my dream, which I drew seven years ago, came true. They always called me Yurka the Ethiopian at the sports school. I was offended, I liked the Kenyans better ( laughs). There's actually a lot to remember. So gradually I came to professional sports.

- So it all started with a dream?
- My dreams gradually became my goals. Throughout my sports career, I set a specific goal for myself and until I achieved it, I didn’t stop. As an athlete, I achieved all the goals I set for myself.

- Where to start running at a more conscious age?
- I think we need to start with walking. To begin with, walk a few kilometers, from 5 to 10. Then gradually switch to running so as not to injure your ligaments. If you suddenly start running while overweight, it will be fraught with problems. If you start with walking, it will be correct; your body will begin to get used to it. If someone’s weight or preparation allows them to start running right away, then again I won’t advise running a lot, about 2-3 km to start with. You can also combine running and walking, gradually increasing the pace and volume. But the most important thing is that all this brings pleasure and is not a burden, that’s why it’s amateur running, you have to love it first of all ( smiling).

Do you think a competitive moment can motivate a person to start exercising and how much?
- Of course, the competitive moment is very useful for everyone. For both amateurs and any athlete. There is, of course, a downside, but I think it won’t affect amateurs, it’s more about professionals. Some people run certain distances at a certain speed in training, but cannot do so in competitions due to psychological pressure. Amateurs do not have such speeds and such a burden of responsibility, so I personally have not yet seen a single negative result from an amateur athlete who ran faster in training than in competition. It's because of the adrenaline and the atmosphere.

- Can we say that amateur running is a challenge to yourself?
- Participation in such starts is a competition with yourself and, if I may say so, it is a kind of motivation to catch on with a stronger opponent when you run the distance. If this is a training process, then, as a rule, you train alone or with friends, and usually you are approximately equal in your level of training. And at a race, 10, 20 thousand people come together, the strongest of the strongest are running in front of you, because of this, additional motivation appears.

Psychological attitude is very important for both professionals and amateurs. How to get ready for a serious distance?
- You must always purposefully pursue your plans. If a person is determined to run a marathon, then he must understand that he is ready for this. Under no circumstances should you be afraid of this, go to the start knowing that you will do your job as easily and simply as you could go to the store for bread. Of course, in addition to this, you need to correctly distribute your strength, and this can only be done through a well-structured training process. In this regard, it’s easier for amateurs, but for professionals it’s different: some have acclimatization, others end up in a pit. They are already working hard.

For amateurs, the most important thing is to have fun. Yes, if you run a marathon, it’s a unique feeling, but I think that you will get maximum pleasure once you cross the finish line.

- How do you feel about people running with headphones?
- The first reason why people run with headphones is that it’s distracting, on the one hand, on the other - you can’t hear your breathing, you don’t know how hard you’re breathing, it’s inconvenient for you to control your pulse. So there are two things here. If you control your pulse and breathing and at the same time have time to listen to music, then one does not interfere with the other. But professional athletes never use headphones. During warm-ups only, maybe sometimes. At one time I didn’t even use them during warm-ups, maybe only during cross-country. But the music restored me, not turned me on.

How do you feel about trail running? How much does running in the mountains help prepare for road distances?
- Many athletes who switch from trail running to road running feel relief ( smiling). It’s simply easier to run on the highway: there are no hills and it’s much easier to change lanes. I have a friend whom I infected with running. At first there were 10 km, 20 km, then a marathon, then 70 km, 110 km somewhere in the forest. He also suffers from this; it’s easy for him to switch from one surface to another. For such people there are no obstacles, at any distance and with any obstacles. We must strive for this, the main thing is to do everything gradually.

- What can help you breathe correctly?
- I would advise running according to your pulse. Everyone has their own, my maximum was 180 beats per minute, some have 220. You need to run up to the threshold if you are doing some kind of work, but in no case exceed the threshold of anaerobic metabolism (TANO), then you will be comfortable. PANO is exceeded only if you do some kind of developmental training. As a rule, amateurs ask coaches or find training programs on the Internet, for example, the NRC application - Nike+ Running Club. They recently released a podcast with my workouts. You need to do everything strictly according to plan, but focus on your individual speed.

- What should not be neglected during running training?
- Both amateurs and professionals need to do a good warm-up before training. Stretch your joints so that you are warmed up, it is better to stand for 5-10 minutes, twist your knees, ligaments, feet, arms, legs. And accordingly, when you have already completed a cross-country run, you need to do a good cool-down at the end of the workout. Because stretching relaxes the muscles after running. You need to stretch it carefully. If the training was ordinary, then the muscles are very easy to stretch, but if it is intense, then you need to be careful, since the muscles are under tension. Before and after running, be sure to stretch, then there will be much fewer injuries.

- What else would you advise runners to include in their training?
- In fact, yoga is very good, it is also a kind of stretching. Anyone who loves yoga can include it in the training process. In addition, you can include some games: basketball, volleyball. But within reason, so that it is not traumatic. For example, I combine running with football. I love playing football, I participate in various amateur tournaments. Sometimes I run cross-country on Friday, and on Saturday I already have a tournament. Last Saturday I also had a tournament, but I felt that I didn’t do my best in training, so I came home, changed clothes and ran another 10 km. This is fine. If it’s already hard for a person to run, then you can switch to something else, physical activity. You can run and do general physical training. Here you need to get in shape by switching.

- What mistakes can people make when choosing equipment?
- I advise you to run in specialized shoes, which are needed for long-distance running. I've been wearing Nike Pegasus shoes my entire life, but I recently tested out the latest model, the Nike React. It seems to me that it is ideal for those who want to start running. Soft foam, good impact - what you need. But, of course, everyone has their own, focus on your individual characteristics.

- What about the equipment?
- You need to focus on the air temperature, based on this, choose the form in which you will run and understand at what intensity you are running. If it’s cross-country, then you can wear a regular windbreaker, leggings and a T-shirt. If there is an intense cross-country race, then you need to dress lightly, but at the same time understand that when running to the finish line, you must dress in dry and warm clothes.

- How not to eat before the start?
- In fact, you don’t need to eat a lot before running; you shouldn’t eat about 2-3 hours before, because it will take a long time to digest. You don't need to eat meat, but you need something light. If there are important competitions, then it is better to remove meat from the diet altogether for three days and switch to carbohydrates, because they will provide more energy. I advise you to eat as much as possible in the morning, and at lunch, as best you can, of course, eat less fried food. Have a light dinner and end the day with kefir.

- How to recover at the finish line?
- The best recovery is sleep. Also various drinks, multivitamins. Each body is individual. But the best thing is sleep and restorative procedures in the form of a bath or sauna. The bathhouse restores very well.

– this is my life, my pleasure, my drug in the good sense of the word. He is always with me, wherever I am, since childhood, and he will be with me until the end of my days.

- Do you follow the competitions?
- Yes, sure. In particular, I watched the London Marathon, I was very interested in how Mo Farah would run, he was third. Of course it was hard for him in the end. I follow his preparations on Instagram. He is a competent athlete, I like his tactics in preparing for competitions. We need to take an example from him. He is a pro in his field and a great example. I even go to other competitions; just recently there were competitions at the sports school where I grew up. There are very young guys there. We are trying to revive and support children's and youth sports. I can go to any competition, so I always welcome it. I try to attend a lot of sporting events, despite the fact that I am extremely busy. I try not to refuse anyone, and let those I refuse understand me, because I still have my job.

- What does running mean to you?
- This is my life, my pleasure, my drug in the good sense of the word. He is always with me, wherever I am, since childhood, and he will be with me until the end of my days. Why? Because I love running, it's my everything.

2008

Yuri Borzakovsky successfully started the new season, winning the 800 meters at the international tournament “Russian Winter” with the best result of the season in the world. He also performed well at the European Cup. But at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Yuri was left without a medal. True, it was not his fault - during the 4 x 400 meter relay, Maxim Dyldin, who was running in the penultimate stage, fell and passed the baton to Borzakovsky last. Even Borzakovsky himself was unable to help the team out.

I don’t suspect permanent champions of doping

“I talked to Max, and he admitted that his opponent pushed him in the fight for an advantageous position on the track,” recalls Yuri. — The push was not frankly rude and boorish, it just happened unexpectedly, in such a situation he could not stand on his feet. And I, having taken the baton far behind everyone else, had already lost the incentive to give my best on the track. I just reached the finish line so that our team would be given sixth place.

— Was the confident victory of the young runner from Sudan Abubaker Kaki Khamisa in the 800-meter race at the World Championships a surprise?
- 1 minute 44.81 seconds - a very decent result. And the triumph of this runner really came as a surprise to me. I had never heard of him before. In such cases, the athlete cannot be suspected in advance of using any drugs. But practice shows: if some constantly, year after year, run at the world level, like, for example, the Kenyan Bungei or Mulaudzi from South Africa, then there is no reason to suspect them of anything. Unlike those who, as the song says, “came from nowhere and went to nowhere.”

— What are your immediate plans?
— We have training camps in Cyprus until April 20. Our group is my coach Vyacheslav Evstratov and there are seven of us runners with him.
I love training in Kyrgyzstan

— You managed to win “Russian Winter” using rather unusual tactics...
“A huge amount of work was done during the fall. At the beginning of the season, my coach Vyacheslav Makarovich Evstratov and I increased both the volume of work and the intensity. I completed all four quarters of the distance at Russian Winter in the same time. We specifically worked out a similar running schedule in training.

— And where do you train now?
— Before the Meteor stadium was built in my native Zhukovsky, I had to go to training either to the Olympic base in Podolsk or to Moscow. The one-way journey took an hour and a half, and sometimes more. I only experience difficulties in winter.

— The entire Russian team spent December and February in Portugal. Why didn't you go with the team?
— Evstratov’s group, including me, has already chosen Cyprus. One of the reasons: our coach is already 76 years old, and he can hardly endure long flights. And in Cyprus, I think, the conditions are no worse than in Portugal. Soon we will go to Kyrgyzstan, which I already know well, to Lake Issyk-Kul. There, the service is gradually improving, and prices for accommodation and food are lower than in Western Europe and even in Russia. And hotel staff are trying not to lose clients from Russia. The places there are wonderfully beautiful, the environment is good. And despite the fact that the place is high-altitude, the terrain is quite flat. When we get there, even my middle-aged coach tries to do some exercises, walking and even jogging. Probably the atmosphere there adds strength.

Barracuda on a hook

— Have you traveled to many countries in recent years? Where did you particularly like?
— I almost never have the opportunity to see anything other than stadiums, hotels and airports. But sometimes there are exceptions. I remember the wonderful excursions around Rome. And in Cyprus, during training camps, there is enough time to explore the sights of the island. Including those related to ancient Greek history and famous myths. There are also Orthodox churches there. Last time I brought home a beautiful icon from Cyprus. But all these joys are overshadowed by separation from family.

— You’re not taking your wife and sons with you this time?
- I'll leave it at home. For two reasons. Firstly, my wife Ira is not a free person. She works as a fitness instructor at the Meteor stadium in Zhukovsky. She has 12 people in her group. If you are constantly absent and abandoning your players to other coaches, this will not have a positive effect on your professional reputation. In addition, she is now intensively taking courses at the photo academy, and will graduate at the end of spring. Then we'll go somewhere. And experience shows that taking two sons at once on foreign trips is very troublesome and tiring. The youngest, Leva, is two and a half years old, the eldest, Yaroslav, is five. They are too small for such long trips. Thank God, grandmothers help out - both mother and mother-in-law. But in the summer, my wife Irina and I and a large group of relatives went to Egypt on a tourist trip.

— What are your most vivid impressions?
- Firstly, a minimum of training and the opportunity to sleep as much as you want. Ancient monuments, of course. And the most vivid impression for me, as a passionate fisherman, was a trip on motor boats along the Red Sea. The fishing is excellent! And tuna was caught, and barracuda, and tiger fish. We pulled it all out of the water ourselves, while the boat was driven by a local sailor. And two hours later, all this fish was prepared for us according to local recipes.

— Does your wife approve of this hobby?
“So she’s just as much of an amateur as I am.” And he knows how to do everything correctly, including gear, baits, and other fishing tricks. When I live at home, we try to go to some body of water every week. I also fished on the Volga and the Black Sea. But a busy sports schedule, of course, limits our fishing passion. And sometimes, when I come back from a long trip, I don’t want to leave the house at all, but just be with the children.

— Your eldest commented very funny on your father’s performances a year ago...
— For some reason, Yaroslav calls the stadium, and indeed any other place of my training, the Olympics. I wanted to go to the “Russian Winter” to cheer for me, but I caught a cold. I stayed in Zhukovsky with my sister, worried in front of the TV.

Footballers take too much care of themselves

— Besides athletics, what sports are you interested in?
— If I have time, I enjoy watching many competitions. Lately I’ve been following biathlon with particular passion. Interesting are cross-country skiing and boxing. And, of course, football and hockey. By the way, many years ago I came to the athletics section by mistake. After training, the runners played football among themselves, and I thought - the football players are practicing. I played... and stayed with coach Lyubov Miroshnichenko.

— Which teams do you support?
— There are no preferences in national championship matches. I don’t support either Dynamo, which I’ve been a member of for a long time, or the Moscow region Saturn and Khimki. But I worry very zealously about the Russian national teams. Although, I must say, I have an inexplicable love for Russian football players. I saw them training and at first I was just surprised. But it became clear why they usually barely move their legs in the second half. A very gentle training regimen, especially in terms of general physical training.

— Among your serious hobbies is music. I had a chance to listen to you sing into the microphone, accompanying yourself on the guitar. What does the repertoire consist of?
— I don’t understand musical notation. I even get confused with the names of the chords. So I catch most of the songs by ear. If I hear something and like it, I play it on the guitar. There is no permanent repertoire. True, lately I have become interested in electronic music.

— A couple of years ago, it seems, you worked part-time as a disc jockey in some clubs?
— Yes, this hobby was interrupted for a long time due to that tragic car accident in which a person died. Such shocks, of course, dampen the mood and desire to hang out for a long time. But recently I have resumed my disc jockey experience. Although my main income continues to be sports. Working as a disc jockey is more of an active holiday.

Ovett is ready to adopt me

— Have you developed friendly relations with any of the track and field athletes?
- Of the great champions of past years - with Steve Ovett. We were introduced to him when I was not even twenty. Having learned that I was born on April 12, 1981, he immediately figured out that exactly 9 months before that day I had won the Moscow Olympics, and with a serious expression on his face he told me: “Yes, it’s me. I remember in Moscow, after winning the 800-meter race, I had a good time - so you were born, so talented.” Afterwards we met several times, and he jokingly calls me his son. But he says he is ready to officially adopt. I recently met another Moscow Olympic champion in the 1500 meters, Sebastian Coe. But he has become a big official and behaves more solidly and seriously.
Of the current famous foreign athletes, I am friends with the world champion in the 1500 meters, Ukrainian Ivan Geshko. And almost all of the champions at my distance have already finished competing. Apart from me, the only people left were the Kenyan Bungei and the South African Mulaudzi. Although they are almost fellow countrymen in our Russian understanding and look very similar, I became much closer friends with the Kenyan. He is a very open, friendly guy, we even call each other and communicate via email.

— Have you ever had such an idea: to train with him in Africa in the winter?
— He himself constantly invites me to Kenya. He has an agricultural farm there. You can eat the best natural products. But, at least until the Olympics, I have no right to take that much risk. I don’t have immunity to African infections; I might catch some kind of fever. When you train a lot, illnesses take hold more easily. I often catch colds in Russia, and when traveling abroad I have constant digestive problems from food that is unusual for my Russian stomach. Although, of course, I would be interested in going. I have been very worried about my Kenyan friend in recent months as there has been widespread unrest in Kenya. But then he reassured me with the message that he had moved his family to Italy. And yet, I think experienced fighters will be able to pass the test in Beijing better. I never wish for my victories. But I hope I will perform no worse than in Athens 2004.

Data
The case is not closed

Many Russian fans, of course, are interested in how Borzakovsky’s case ultimately ended in connection with the car accident in Zhukovsky.

A year and a half ago, Borzakovsky hit and killed a man with his car. But the investigation established that the driver was sober, did not exceed the speed limit, and did not violate traffic rules. While the victim was dead drunk and suddenly jumped out onto the roadway from behind a car standing at the side of the road. The investigation, and then the judge, did not see any crime in Borzakovsky’s actions.

The common-law wife of the deceased brought a claim, and at first everything was settled amicably. But when it turned out that the “opposite side” was a famous and wealthy person, requests rose to an unimaginable level. There are no charges against Borzakovsky, but the case is still not closed. Neither the plaintiff nor her lawyer have yet made themselves known. As informed people say, Borzakovsky himself is ready to help the victim’s family, especially since the deceased left behind a small child. But financial assistance before the case is closed may look like an attempt to pay off.
My wife and friend are responsible for the site

Recently, Yuri Borzakovsky's hobbies have included alpine skiing and the Internet.

Yura, at the age of 19, in infancy for a middle athlete, you already ran in the Olympic final. When did you become interested in running?

Everything happened by chance. At the age of 10, he went to play football at the sports school in his hometown of Zhukovsky. Two weeks later there were the first competitions. I thought it was football, but it turned out that it was running. I came to the finish line second. I was very happy and decided to stay.

Do you regret football?

During training we often play football. In the game you move and don’t notice a huge amount of acceleration, you get less tired psychologically. Football helps running.

How did your parents react to your sports activities?

Fine. They are simple people. Father is a driver, mother is a janitor.

By today's standards, you got married very early. Where did you meet your wife?

Irina and I went to the same kindergarten. Then they separated, the parents changed their place of residence. True, we only found out about this at the age of 16, when we met again and remembered our childhood. After this meeting we never parted. I began to look after her. And three years later they got married.

Best of the day

Do you remember when you proposed?

We walked together, as usual, around the city. Then we came home. And something inside pushed me. I decided to tell Ira: be my wife. She immediately agreed. It was after the Australian Olympics. I then completed my task in Sydney - I made it to the finals. Using positive emotions after the wedding, I won the 2001 Winter World Championships. And in May last year a boy was born, they named him Yaroslav.

And who is the boss in your family?

My wife says I am. But sometimes it shows the opposite. It happens that Ira is wrong about something, she is aware of it, but she tries not to show it to me. He says: I’m older than you, which means I’m right. She really is a year older. But when she needs to answer for something, she says: you are the eldest in the family, you sort it out. (Ira later deciphered: “Married means to her husband, he is the most important!” - V.R.)

As a child I fed the whole family

What does a young wife do besides raising a child?

She is a needlewoman, a seamstress by profession. Maybe for fun, sew yourself a dress or suit. Before the birth of her son, she managed to work as a secretary. Now a housewife. And even before that I was involved in athletics and ran. Nowadays, too, to keep fit, he sometimes goes for a run in the forest.

A small child probably doesn’t let you sleep at night, do you have to get up often?

To be honest, they let me get enough sleep. I don't get up. Everyone understands that I have a hard workout tomorrow and I need to be in shape.

Do you live separately from your parents?

We are currently living with our mother-in-law. After victories at the World and European Championships, they promised me better living conditions. But for some reason this process took a long time. And my coach, Vyacheslav Makarovich, arranged a meeting with the governor of the Moscow region. We arrived and talked about our problems. Boris Gromov gave me a three-room apartment. Now the construction of the house is nearing completion. By the way, a modern stadium for track and field athletes will be built in Zhukovsky. We went to look for housing and got a whole stadium in addition - great! There is already a project, the place has been cleared, and by the summer they will probably have time to lay the path.

Who cooks for you and your wife at home?

In the kitchen now either the wife or the mother-in-law is in charge. I don’t want to brag, but I can also make a lot of different dishes. I like to cook cabbage soup, for example. When I was unmarried and living with my parents, I had to cook often. My mother and father are at work, and I also have a younger brother and sister. As the eldest, he cooked dinners and fed the whole family.

Athletes are usually interested in cars, are you an exception?

Yes, I really like driving a car. But unlike my brother, I don’t like to dig into them. Thank God my car doesn't break down.

And what model?

I learned to drive a V8. After the European Championship, I got some money and changed my old car to a “nine”.

What sports plans do you have for this year?

My coach and I decided to skip all the winter competitions. We want to be better prepared for the main start of the season - the summer World Championships in Paris.

But what about the “Golden League”, where the winner receives several tens of kilograms of gold. Don't want to become a millionaire?

To be first, you need to win all the summer starts of the Golden League. To do this you will need to give it your all. Maintain peak form for three months. I'm still young for such loads. At some stages, of course, I will participate. But we must remember that the championship in Paris is ahead. And next year - the Olympics. In my opinion, a small Olympic gold medal is worth more than a pile of gold bars of the highest standard.

Yuri is not an alien

They say that Borzakovsky recovers faster than other athletes from physical activity and his heart works differently than others. And the reason for this is his naturally slow pulse. For comment, we turned to the President of the Sports Medicine Federation, Lev MARKOV.

Yuri has a very good heart from birth, and also a very trained one. It pumps oxygen better than competitors and helps the runner use his strength more effectively over the course. As for the pulse, these are rumors. He is not an alien, as some people think. And the fact that even on the eve of the competition Yuri had a cold, but went out and defeated everyone, should not be surprising. The reason is simple. When a person is sick, all the reserves of his body are mobilized. And they help you quickly adapt to new loads. The body seems to turn on additional power and work to the maximum! But only if the person has a very healthy heart.