Gymnast Anton Goltsutskov won dozens of medals in Russia and Europe, climbed the “bronze” to the Olympic pedestal in Beijing. Back injury deprived him of support for leadership and future in professional sports. Which helped to survive difficult times and fulfill the dream?
Satisfied, albeit tired, I came home dinner. Finally passed all the doctors, received admission to the upcoming Olympics in London … Vera, my future wife, covered it on the table. I sat down, took a spoon – and then it seemed to jam me! Sharp pain in the back, already tears from the eyes. I slowly fell on my side. Cold sweat, I can’t get up, move my feet –
too. At that moment, I did not even think that I would soon have to learn to live again ..
In childhood
… I was born in a closed town of Seversk in the Tomsk region. Dad brought me to the gymnastic hall. He was engaged in heavy athletics in his youth, so the sport is in our blood. In training, I raised my head every now and then: dad looked at me from the balcony, and it was happiness. I tried my best to make him smile. He loved him madly.
The gymnast should be elegant: the gait is light, from the hip. I was small, hooked – but sought to become the first. Gymnastics was easy for me, I caught a high from classes. Could learn a new element in one day, was ready to spend the night in the hall. When I was 6 years old, my beloved dad died. And then the sport became a real outlet, it was the only thing that distracted from the grief.
In the national team
A few years later, my coach, Leonid Yuryevich Abramov, was invited to the national team with another student from our city. The coach said: “I will not go without Anton. I trained it, how to quit now?” – and took me with him. So for the first time I got to the Sports base of Lake Krugloye, where the team is being trained.
Until 2001 I went there several times a year at my own expense, the costs were not paid to me. Mom worked in three works so that there was money at least on the road to the base, but the rest was not enough. In the dining room, I ate for the elders porridge, but I didn’t get yogurt and chocolate anymore. Slept on down jackets because they didn’t give a bed.
Since then I love feather beds: I have a real one at home, like in the village, grandmothers. But I relate to sweets. I began frantic progress: in a year of training, I won the Russian Championship. I was listed in the youth team, for three years I was not taken to adult-I think because of my character.
I say what I think, I do not like it when they lead me. Has always been self -confident. A year before Beijing, when he handed over a combination to the coach, he said: “The future Olympic champion accepts”. He cursed: “Do not croak!”, And I:” I do not croak, I set myself up “. Many, of course, did not like my behavior. I have never perceived sport as a job – maybe that’s why the result was.
Once the senior coach of the gymnastics team Leonid Arkaev arrived at the base. His boyalis, like fire. Kremen man, one look at one look is clear. He spoke in Russian with foreigners – and they understood it, not even knowing the language! Arkaev went into the hall. Everyone was quiet, scattered in the corners. But I am not a timid dozen, moreover, it was prepared well.
Raised his hand – and if the gymnast does this, then now he will show the combination. Arkaev, as an experienced trainer, said on the machine: “Come on, you can”. I have completed a dual -somersault in Zherdyakh from a large turn, in our national team no one has done this yet. He asked: “Man, where are you from? You are standing on the estimate?” I say “No. Well, he added more oils to the fire, said that no one has been putting me for three years. And right from training, I was taken to an adult team. I began to bring two, three, or four medals a year – as Antonovka is growing on the apple tree!
In confusion
2012 came, the Olympiad in London was approaching. I was 27 years old, for gymnastics it is a lot. In addition, I then relaxed, gained weight. The back was sick for several months. I suffered, drank painkillers. Well, where is it thin, it is torn there. To get admission to the competition, athletes need to undergo a medical examination. There you need to perform exercises with a serious load.
Gritting my teeth, I did what was required, and went home. There it was grabbed to me, and I ended up in the hospital. Doctors could not decide on the diagnosis for a long time, found a rupture of ligaments of the spine, hernia of pieces of forty, displacement of discs – accumulated injury. Lay and sneezed. The upper body acted, but the legs – no.
Vera and I then just started living together, but she threw a job to take care of me. I carried me to the toilet. I once told her: “Listen, we are not used to each other. You probably go your way, but I can handle it myself. »Tears on my eyes are full when I remember it. But she remained. I was actively treated.
I escaped from the hospital before necessary, and began to train in a squeeze. I was preparing for the Olympics, making plans … And suddenly a call from journalists: “Anton, how do you comment that you are not in the national team?”I rushed to the base, went to the leadership. The conversation was short: everything is so, I’m not going to London, I have no more attitude to the national team. At one point, due to the injury, I lost what I saw the meaning of my life-big sport.
In search
From that moment, a completely different life began, complex, unusual. After all, athletes how? Your task is to come to the base, practice, eat, practice again, relax. All! And suddenly I found myself in completely different conditions. Friends turned away from me, a sudden “loser”. There was no apartment, work and money too.
Sometimes for dinner we had a bag of soluble noodles for two. My loved ones know that I’m a real optimist. And although after the injury it was really difficult for me, I understood that sooner or later everything would be formed. He believed in this, but did not stop looking for work in sports schools and clubs. As a result, luck turned to face me. This is how it happened.