Biography
Under photos of Ilya Zakharov in "Instagram", ragged comments - the "greatest jumper of modernity", "King", "the person who won everything." With the latter and do not argue. Athlete - Olympic champion, winner and winner of world and European tournaments. And most importantly, Zakharov is the destroyer of the myth on the inaccessibleness of competitors from China.Childhood and youth
Family Ilya waited for the son of his son in St. Petersburg (this happened on May 2, 1991) and then moved to Saratov. Father was engaged in officer all-around and skiing. Mother, a candidate for a volleyball sport masters, taught physics at school. She led hyperactive, and the child suffering from the pool flatfoot.
Ilya did not very much attracted the idea of playing sports, and first time in the classes of Tatiana Krakoko, he saw in every way from the jumps and just floated. But after a year, starting stands and springboard became an integral part of his biography. About the beloved football, which brought fractures and bruises, I had to forget. In return, the dream came to win the gold of the Olympic Games.
At the age of 13, Ilya received the title of Master of Sports and finally decided to associate life with jumping into the water. Having matured, Zakharov entered the university of physical education, sports and tourism.
Originally planned to obtain the education of the manager, but the rapidly developing career did not allow to find enough time to study. Therefore, the young man chose a specialization of the coach, although not once in the interview stated that he did not see himself later in this amplua.
Sport
Ilya received the first and most important reward in 2006 on youthful national competitions among students. The following year, in a pair with another Evgeny Kuznetsov, went to his first international tournament. In German Aachen, the jumper became the first on a 10-meter tower. In addition, he received silver for a pair jump and bronze in an individual program.For 7 years, Duet Zakharov-Kuznetsov did not have competitors in terms of the complexity of the program. Partners of Ilya, champions and prize-winners of world and continental competitions, together with him, became Viktor Minibyev, Gleb Galperin and Igor Koriankin.
In the individual standings at the athlete for the autumn of 2019, 13 Cups of Russia gathered, 2 silver medals of the world championships, as many gold and 4 silver from the European Championships.
Russian jumper is one of the few performers of an element of ultra-si bringing maximum points - 2.5 turns ahead with three screws. 3.5 turns back, for which even the Chinese are not taken, brought Ilya the highest sample award in the London Olympiad, by the way, the first after a 32-year break. Duet version 4.5 turns ahead with the scound of the judge was rated by silver.
At the first after London, the European championships errors in the program did not prevent Zakharov to get ahead of competitors and get another gold medal.
Success made a young man think about further career. Before the victory, he planned to leave the sport, but then declared the readiness to perform on games in Rio de Janeiro. Alas, that tournament was for Ilya the failure: in synchronous jumps with the Kuznetsov - the 7th place, and in the individual - dropsy still at the stage of qualifying. Nevertheless, the British Jack Lo's winning immediately asked when Zakharov leaves and give him quietly jump.
Save motivation was to participate in the competitions of the strongest jumpers of the world, brought personal bronze and gold in a duet. Twice the triumphant was the performance at the Universiade in Taipei. Then the list of awards was replenished with medals of the stages of the global series.
In 2018, the first European Summer Sports Championship in the history took place. Kuznetsov and Zakharov won in the crown synchron from a 3-meter springboard and divided the 2nd and 3rd places in the personal championship.
Personal life
With my wife, the champion studied in the same school. Communicated at the level of greetings, while once a friend called billiards. He was with a girl, and Ilya, so as not to go alone, invited Nadia. During the 2012 Olympic Games, the guy made an offer, and in December, a couple played a wedding.
The personal life of Zakharov is intertwined with sports. The girl for 2 months learned to ski to be able to relax with his beloved in the mountains, accompanies him at competitions. The spouses are engaged together in the gym, they make long cycling rugs, which take the daughter of Alice.
The sport of Ilya does not imply impressive external "dimensions". With growth in 177 cm, it weighs 70 kg. He has a mascot for good luck - a rifle bullet and a tradition to tie the copper ribbons to the knot, "so that they do not leave." Explore jumper falls in Penza or Moscow. In his native Saratov, according to him, "the pit was excavated and buried there a lot of money." The city administration promised to build a swimming pool by 2020, in which the athlete dreams of opening a children's school.
Hobby Zakharova - Counter-Strike, fishing, reading and watching comedies. Favorite actress - Angelina Jolie, singer - Grigory Leps.
Ilya Zakharov now
In early 2019, Ilya successfully suffered a knee surgery, won individual bronze and gold in a duet at the Russian Championship and managed to take the world championship in Korea. However, the recurrence of the injury did not allow to perform, and the partner Evgeny Kuznetsov, who jumped in Synchron with Nikita Schleicher, was content with only the 5th place. The national team gave way to China in the team championship and lost the Olympic voucher in this form. European competitions in Kiev also passed without Russian.Management imposes hopes for the return of Zakharov, his participation in the World Cup and the Olympiad in Tokyo. Moreover, in 2020, the Chinese clearly aimed to win the whole pedestal of honor in aquatic species. At a high level, the British, who train the former special forces. Ilya is now hardly the only one in the team who rivals know, afraid and respect, like anyone else.
Given the age of the athlete and trauma of classes, future games may be final in his career. And put a "precious" point would be a gift and myself, and fans. In the meantime, Zakharov said that it does not plan fundamental changes in the program and supervised jumps. The champion restoring the former form has already been at the collection of team in Bulgaria.
Sports achivments
- 10 gold holder, 6 silver and 3 bronze medals of the European Championship
- Golden, bronze and 5 silver medals of the world championship
- Golden and Silver Medals Olympics 2012
- Holder 3 gold, silver and bronze medals of the Summer Universiade
- 13-fold winner of the Russian Cup