Biography
Alexander Yakushev belongs to the glorious generation of hockey players, which brought the Soviet team to the space level and made the whole world admire the invincible "Red Machine".
As part of the USSR national team and native "Spartacus" a lightning striker many times recognized as the best player of his role and won all conceivable titles, became the two-time Olympic champion and seven-time world champion.
Childhood and youth
Alexander Sergeevich Yakushev was born in 1947 in Balashikha. Father and mother worked at metallurgical production in Moscow. The family had three sons.
The boy early showed interest in sports, however, the ability was honed on football fields. By 12 years, Alexander was already part of the children's football "Spartak".
With the Sickle and Hammer plant, where the spouses of Yakushev worked, a hockey section was operating, and Sasha, carried away by a new sport, easily passed the selection into it. Parents Hockey's classes have not approved and hoped that the Son will receive a normal working profession. On matches with the participation of the Son did not like.
The "Spartacus" also had a youthful hockey team, and Alexander even got an invitation there, but continued modestly to train at the factory. However, in the first serious competitions, the coach of Spartak "youths" Alexander Igumnov saw talent in the boy and mad grip and did everything to get a gifted athlete into his club.
So in 1961, Yakushev will become its own in the Red and White Team and will be a nice victory with her for 20 years.
In the youth of Spartak, the 14-year-old scorer was younger than everyone, but did not inferior to comrades in mastery and perseverance. There was a high growth on the arm, which leveled a tangible difference with partners. Two years in a row, the guys became champions of the USSR in their age category.
1964 can be considered a sign in the biography of an athlete: Sasha moves from the junior team to the main composition. It happened almost by chance, since the position of the attacker at that time was clinked by the brilliant Boris Maitorem.
But the hockey player fell ill before a serious meeting, and a 17-year-old Yakushev was called for replacement, stably and brightly playing juniors. Alexander used his chance: in the match against the "wings of the Soviets" he scored his first "adult" puck and since then became a full-fledged player of the main composition.
Hockey
Tall, high-speed and technical forward with the submission of the Canadian journalist received the nickname "Yak-15", because really resembled the fighter. It was during the legendary super vessel with Canada, where the Soviet national team in 1972 under the leadership of Anatoly Tarasova did wonders.
There was someone to see, because Valery Harlamov was shone, Vladislav Tretyak and Boris Mikhailov, but it was Yakushev who became the most productive player, scoring 7 goals and gaining 11 points. Experts called him a better hockey player in 4 of 8 matches, and North American journalists were attributed to the rank of "immortal."
The path to these loud titles began in his native Spartak, with whom the first significant victory in the career Yakushev is connected - first place in the USSR Championship in 1967. The contribution of a young scorer to success was noting, and in the same year it is first called for the national team.
The first in the career of the World Championship in Austria, Alexander went to the reserve, but was able to reach ice and score the washer in the GDR gate. So, the first gold medal of the world championships he received not as a statist.
The Olympic Games in Sapporo (1972) Yakushev is already unshakable in the main composition of the USSR national team and leaves Japan with the title of Olympic champion.
After that, there will be the second super vessel with Canada in 1974, where hockey player will again become a record holder in the attack, writing to the asset 5 of the washers and earning 8 points.
In 1975, from the World Championship in Germany, Alexander will bring not only the sixth "gold", but will also be the best attacker of the tournament. Hockey player really can all: the puck he is obedient, throwing cutting and accurate, he is not afraid of the power struggle, although he prefers high-speed attacks.
Until the late 1970s, Yakushev will be mined with the victory team, including the second high-sample medal at the Olympic Games in 1976.
At the same time, the Golden Era "Spartak" is connected with the game of the attacker: with the participation of the star, the club becomes the champion of the USSR. Here the scorer manages to score 50 goals per season, and in 1976 Yakushev appointed the captain of the team.
Alexander Sergeevich's game career ended in Austria, where in 1983 combined it with coaching work. Then returned to the native Spartak already as the main mentor, by completing the highest school of coaches.
From 1998 to 2000, Yakushev headed the coaching headquarters of the Russian national team and survived, perhaps, the main professional drama. In 2000, at the World Championships in St. Petersburg, the team under his leadership ranked 11th, and this is the worst result in the history of Russian hockey.
Personal life
Alexander Yakushev - Odnolyub. The first love Tatiana became his wife. Young people met at sports fees, where the girl was represented by the ski section from the institute, met for 4 years, and then got married.
In 1994, the family experienced the tragedy - with unclear circumstances, their only daughter of Catherine died during the 21st year of life. There are no children's children.
Alexander Yakushev now
Alexander Yakushev lives in Moscow, is the president of the amateur "night hockey league" and the club "Hockey Legends", which united the famous Soviet veterans. Stars Commands meet with fans, organize master classes. For 2019, comrade games are scheduled.
Alexander Sergeevich, by virtue of age, is experiencing some health problems, it is known that in 2014 he suffered a heart attack. However, its stability and physical form can only be envied (the weight of a man is 89 kg with an increase in 190 cm). Champion and now enjoys training on ice.
In 2016, an autobiographical book was published "All thicker. About hockey and not only, "where the athlete is divided by the memories of the game past, talks about brilliant partners in youth, it is divided by the photo and details of personal life.
On November 12, 2018, a solemn ceremony was held in Toronto, where Alexander Yakushev was included in the Hockey Glory Hall, perpetuating his name in a number of greatest hockey players of all time. He became the rare player who won this honor without having a single match in the NHL.
Titles and awards
- 1967, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979 - World Champion
- 1967, 1969, 1976 - Champion of the USSR
- 1968/1969, 1973/1974, 1975/1976 - The best striker of the USSR Championship
- 1972, 1976 - Olympic champion
- 1972, 1979 - Order "Sign of Honor"
- 1975- Order of the Red Banner
- 1976 - Best World Championship striker
- 1995 - Order "For Services to Fatherland" IV degree
- 2003 - introduced into the Hall of Fame of International Hockey Federation
- 2011 - Order of Honor
- 2018 - introduced into the Hockey Glory Hall in Toronto