At the London Olympics, Alan Khugaev defeated Belarusian A. Selimov, D. Gadzhiev from Kazakhstan, Georgian V. Gegeshidze, and in the final he left no chance for the 2004 Olympic champion Karam Gaber from Egypt.
Alan Khugaev: “With such support that was in the hall, I simply had no room for error”
Olympic champion of the 2012 Games in London in Greco-Roman wrestling in the weight category up to 84 kg Alan Khugaev spoke about how the support of the audience helped him perform successfully.
“I came to the Olympics with a great desire to win my first Olympic medal. With the kind of support that was in the room, I simply had no room for error. I want to say a huge thank you to our fans. They were very supportive and I tried to do the best I could. I was able to realize my potential.
There was no such support at any competition where we competed. Against us were the same Turks, Iranians, who gather crowds of fans at many competitions. At the Olympics, Russian support was felt. Thanks to the support, as the players say, a second wind opens. It appeared here too,” FTP-Press quotes Khugaev.
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Gogi Koguashvili: “Khugaev is a real man, he glorified his country”
The head coach of the Russian Greco-Roman wrestling team, Gogi Koguashvili, commented on the performance of Alan Khugaev, who won gold in the weight category up to 84 kg, and also assessed the results of other athletes.
“Right now I’m overwhelmed with emotions, it’s very hard to say anything. Alan confidently walked towards this victory and proved to everyone, first of all to himself, that his work was not in vain. He is a real man and has glorified his country, his hearth and his loved ones.
– How much did Alan’s cut on his eyebrow hinder his ability to fight in the final?
-You know, there are hardly any wrestlers who haven’t been injured. Of course, the cut was very serious. But this is the decisive battle of the Olympic Games, and not the personal final of Alan Khugaev. We felt the support of our fans. Thanks to our country, which entrusted us with defending the honor of the Russian national team at the Olympics in London.
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Alan Khugaev: Half of my medal belongs to the coaches
Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, Russian Alan Khugaev (weight up to 84 kg), became one of the discoveries of London. He was not among the favorites - his best achievement was silver at last year's European Championship. A native of North Ossetia spoke about the thorny path to Olympic gold.
Alan, when did you finally believe that you would perform in London?
Last year, after winning the Ivan Poddubny memorial. Then I took second place at the European Championships. I dreamed of going to the Olympics since childhood. And after recent successes, I was already consciously heading towards the Olympic start. Every day I told myself: “I can do it, I will do it, I will make it to the Olympics, I will compete with dignity in London!” However, complete confidence came a couple of days before the May Russian Championship. I felt that I was in good shape and promised myself to win the national championship and do everything to perform at the Games.
The national team coaches spent quite a long time choosing between you and Alexei Mishin. The Russian Championship has become a key stage in the selection for the Olympics...
I completely trust the national team coaches. If they had told me: “Alan, you are not ready today, and it is better for you not to go to the Olympics,” I would not be offended, knowing that this is a professional point of view. I would start preparing for the next Olympic cycle. I completely trust the coaches. Team coach Goga Murmanovich Koguashvili did a great job and spent a lot of nerves. Mnatsakan Iskanderyan helps a lot. He was my second at the Olympics and corrected a bunch of mistakes. I think half of my gold medal goes to the coaches.
How did you manage to defeat the famous Egyptian athlete Ibrahim Gaber in the final?
He is an Olympic champion, and I was in a special mood for him. The coaches worked out his tactics. Gaber makes great shots. Therefore, I tried not to open up, but to transfer the work to the ground. And our tactics worked.
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They say that during a tournament the anticipation is worse than the performances themselves. After all, for the last two weeks of training camp I was thinking exclusively about the Games. And he wanted, and dreamed, and went to victory. After the tournament I felt empty.
During the preparation, the thought probably arose - what if it doesn’t work out?
Yes, that happened. But I didn’t want to let our country down. After all, the coaches were hesitant until the last moment about who to bring to London, and I wanted to prove to them that they were not mistaken
Now any of your opponents will have crazy motivation. Are you ready for the crowd to tune in to you?
The more interesting the struggle will be - you can’t look for easy ways. I'm ready for this.
Alexey Kiselev, "Sportbox.ru"
Alan Khugaev: gold with blood
Alan Khugaev, an Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, spent his last two fights on the way to the gold medal with a cut on his face and a bandage through which blood came out. Alan Khugaev spoke about his sports journey and about those who helped him become a champion.
In Ossetia, all young people choose to fight. This sport comes first here. At the time when I started doing this, we all went to freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling was just developing, Khasan Baroev was taking his first steps. It cannot be said that I myself came to the Greco-Roman wrestling hall. This happened thanks to my personal trainer Vladimir Uruimagov. He came to our hall and picked me up. He was a friend of our family, so they didn’t argue with him at home and let me go to Greco-Roman wrestling. At first there wasn’t even a proper training room. There was a very small gym, about 50 people trained there. They opened a gym for us at a regular school, and we trained there for a couple of years. After 5 years, Greco-Roman wrestling began to actively develop. Then I moved to Moscow. Moved to the Torpedo club. Alexey Kim was then the president of the club. He accepted us, gave us housing, the conditions were good. And from then on I began to gradually move into adult wrestling. We competed well in the youth team - world champion, and took second place in Europe. Then we moved on to adult wrestling, the first Russian championship, the second, and then we reached the Olympics.
Your father Anatoly Khugaev experienced a certain fear of the phrase “Olympics participant” when his son went to Foggy Albion, to England. I would like to ask you if you are grateful to any specific coach who led you to this peak, to this victory. Who would you name among those who shaped you as a great athlete?
Many trainers provided assistance. From childhood I started with Vakhtang Gagloev. He taught me how to do my first somersaults. He laid the foundation, and for two years we learned about the struggle. Then we had the head coach of the republic, Inar Tsimakaev, and we also worked with him a lot. But we started doing the toughest, most serious work with Vladimir Borisovich Uruimagov and Alexei Kim. On behalf of the entire team, I would like to say that we have a very strong team, very strong competition. And in each weight there were people who could replace anyone, the entire roster, and would have fought no less worthy. And this is the merit of the entire coaching staff and head coach, management, because we have complete order in the team. We always prepare according to a very strict regime; we were absolutely ready for the Olympics. I would like to say thank you to the head coach. Coach Natsakan Iskandaryan was also responsible for me, many thanks to him. Gogi Murmanovich Kobashvili conducted his work. All medals are his merit. I would like to thank them.
Vakhtang Gagloev admitted that during the Olympics he lost 5 kg of weight, he was so nervous and worried about you. In particular, he said that he was especially nervous before your last fight. He stated that when Alan came out and grappled with the big Egyptian, at some point his faith even left him. Tell me, this last tense moment when you grappled with the Egyptian, did you yourself doubt the ending, what would happen?
No, when you get to the final of the Olympic Games, it doesn't matter who you're fighting: a big Egyptian or a little Brazilian, maybe this is your last chance. And it would be foolish to hope and think that this Egyptian is big and silver will be enough for me. But I went out to beat him and was confident in myself.
What are your plans for the future?
There are many plans. I would like to rest a little for a couple of months and gradually start training, because I am going to train further.
Were you received in the Kremlin on the occasion of the victory you won?
Yes, just yesterday, August 15, we went to a reception with the president. He presented us with awards and congratulated us. Then from there we went to the Minister of Internal Affairs. There we were also well received and congratulated. Thanks everybody. We were not left unattended.
Are your impressions good?
The best impressions, because not everyone gets to the president and receives some awards from him. It's nice that all this does not go unnoticed.
Did the President of Ossetia congratulate you?
The President of Ossetia even called me when I was in London, congratulated me and said a lot of warm words.
Greco-Roman wrestler Alan Khugaev recently became the winner of the most prestigious international tournament of the Ivan Poddubny Grand Prix series in Tyumen. This is his first serious “adult” success. And what a one! In the final, a young athlete from Ossetia defeated Alexei Mishin himself, an Olympic champion who had not lost to anyone in Russia for seven whole years!
The debutant’s success was as unexpected as it was natural. Alan Khugaev walked towards him firmly and purposefully. He became the champion of Russia among youth three times, won gold at the European standard and a silver medal at the world junior championship.
Khugaev comes from Vladikavkaz, where he began training in Greco-Roman wrestling with the famous coach Vladimir Uruymagov, who literally took him by the hand to the gym.
Sports career, family, wrestling plans, life interests - all this became the topic of conversation between Alan KHUGAEV and deputy editor-in-chief of the Ossetia Sports website Zalina PLIEVA.
– At what age did you start playing sports?
– In 1999, on the basis of school No. 15, where I studied and graduated from. There, Vladimir Borisovich opened a Greco-Roman wrestling section. It turns out that I was ten years old then.
– Is Uruimagov your permanent coach?
“I got back on my feet under the leadership of Vakhtang Gagloev, a wonderful person. Then, when I grew to a certain level, he handed me over, so to speak, into adult struggle, to my current mentor.
– What then?
– We went to Moscow and continued working there. In other words, my professional sports development began in the capital.
– Do you remember the first competitions in your life?
- Yes. It was some kind of republican tournament. We fought with the freestyle fighters then. I remember that I lost.
- How did you fight? You have one technique, they have another.
- As they could. Besides, it was a small children's tournament.
– Tell me honestly, when people confuse you with freestyle athletes, don’t you get offended?
- Of course not. What's offensive about that? I never even correct it. Almost one sport.
– If this is so, why didn’t you choose freestyle, where there is probably a lot more freedom?
– I didn’t think about it at the time. Vladimir Borisovich is a friend of our family. He came to our house and took me into the hall with him. That's how I became a classic.
Tyumen. Grand Prix "Ivan Poddubny". Khugaev attacks Mishin.
– Today, ten years later, don’t you regret that you didn’t resist then?
– Now, definitely not. And before, I won’t hide, such thoughts often flashed through my head. It’s not news to anyone how thorny the path of an athlete is.
– Communicating with you, I was convinced of this.
– I must pay tribute to my teacher, since my victories are, first of all, his merit. Moreover, when we are at training camp, he is both our father and mother. He even cooks for us personally so that we don’t have to eat anything.
– What does your menu usually consist of?
- Various kinds of soups, pasta, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables - in short, everything healthy.
– Do you have a favorite dish?
– Traditional pies, out of discussion. I also love “zykka”, potatoes in any form, and my mother’s compote as a drink.
– Outside of training, what do you do with yourself?
“I’ll tell you straight away, I don’t like to sleep.”
- You are a rare specimen. All athletes only dream of getting enough sleep.
– Sleep only beckons when you have to go to training. And on weekends I don’t feel like sleeping.
– What do you usually do?
– At the first opportunity I go to the cinema - this is my weakness.
– What kind of cinema do you prefer?
– I watch everything that is interestingly filmed and that makes sense. I can even have fun with cartoons, and with great pleasure.
– Your hobby is not boring. Surely you're having fun with company?
- Well, yes, with close friends.
- Who are they?
– There are both athletes and non-athletes. I won’t single out anyone so that there are no offenses.
– We know almost everything about the Ossetian freestyle wrestling school. What, in your opinion, are the prospects for the Greco-Roman?
– When it first opened in Vladikavkaz, you could count us on one hand. And now I know that the generation growing up is very “classical”.
- And in more detail...
– I recently attended the republican championship, and about 300 people definitely took part there. This is super progress! We used to be given certificates for victories, but now children are rewarded not only with medals and diplomas, but also financially. And this is a good incentive not only for an adult wrestler, but also for a very young one. In general, any success inspires you. I know from myself that after this, every boy goes to training with great desire and works out much harder.
– The kids have examples of whom to look up to – in the person of the Olympic champion Khasan Baroev, and now in you after your victorious performance in Tyumen.
– Thank you for such a compliment!
– Let’s dwell a little on your enchanting victory. How did you manage to crush such a strong opponent as Olympic champion Mishin, who was simply unaccustomed to losing in Russia?
– Indeed, Lesha has been number one in our weight class for seven years. As for winning, I just really wanted to become a champion. At some point I realized that this was a real desire and tried to make it come true. I prepared for these competitions in full force, during training I worked on every little detail with my mentor.
– Are you friends with Baroev, and what is your relationship with our other champion Rustam Totrov?
“He’s our ringleader, I’m also friends with him.” Rustam in general is the soul of the team. His sense of humor is enviable.
– It seems to me that Hassan is also okay with humor?
– You’re right, it’s never boring with them.
– In general, if we take our Russian team, what kind of atmosphere reigns within the team?
– Without any doubt, we have strong competition, but this is exclusively on the mat. And in life we are all on good terms. It sounds kind of banal, but it's actually true.
– Alan Khugaev’s signature move?
- “Side”. It’s hard to explain in words; you need to see it in action, in practice, to make it clear.
“I hope that someday I will have such an opportunity as a viewer.” What can you say about women's wrestling?
– Thank God, there are no women in our style. This is because in Greco-Roman the emphasis is more on physical strength, which in the fair half is still not so great. Although, in principle, I don’t see anything wrong with the fact that girls do wrestling in general. If someone likes it, let them do it for their health. By and large, it makes no difference to me whether someone does weightlifting or gymnastics.
– Would you let your girlfriend lift weights?
– I can’t bend my heart, I definitely don’t.
- Which ones do you like?
- Cheerful and decent.
- I know you’ve already found the one and only...
– I can’t hide anything from you! It's been a year since Fatima and I got married.
- How did you meet?
– Back at school, we studied together.
– Does she always support you or can she be capricious sometimes? Are you constantly at training camps and competitions?
“We don’t have any problems about this in our family.” She knew who she was marrying. To be honest, everything is fine at home - peace and harmony.
Khugaev Alan Anatolyevich (born April 27, 1989 in Vladikavkaz) is a Russian Greco-Roman wrestler, 2012 Olympic champion (London) in the up to 84 kg category, 2011 European vice-champion, 2012 Russian champion, Honored Master of Sports of Russia.
Interview after the 2012 Olympics:
Olympic champion Alan Khugaev: Now my family will not starve!
The Soviet Sport correspondent met with Alan Khugaev, who told how he managed to win the Olympics, although before that he had only won the Russian Championship. And that for the prize Alan wants to build a Greco-Roman wrestling hall in Ossetia.
“HOW DID YOUR EYE DAMAGE? I DON’T EVEN REMEMBER!”
The hardest thing was when I first came to the competition. I wanted to become an Olympic champion so much that I was very nervous. The first fight turned out to be unimportant. But I managed to take the gold with God’s help,” Khugaev said.
- When did you hurt your eye?
I don't even remember. At every competition, someone cuts my eyebrow. I don't pay any attention to it at all.
- The final with the Egyptian Ibrahim turned out to be very beautiful.
He is, after all, the 2004 Olympic champion. But my attitude is the same for everyone. In the final you have to fight until the last drop of blood! The coaches and I thought about how to beat Ibrahim tactically. And they guessed right.
-What were the tactics?
- He's more playful. That's why I didn't get into the fight with him. I wanted to resolve all the issues on the ground.
- You are from a football city like Vladikavkaz.
Yes, I really love football. Even yesterday after the weigh-in I wanted not to think about wrestling, but turned on the match. I saw how Alania beat Terek (5:0) on Saturday. And I even went to the stadium for the game with Spartak.
- What position do you play?
- Always a striker!
- What are you stronger at - wrestling football or wrestling basketball?
- It's one and the same thing. Pushes and hooks are allowed. We often grind like this during training.
“A CHICKEN IS NOT A BIRD, A WOLLISM IS NOT A WRESTLER”
- How long have you been in sports?
Since 1998. It turns out that he is 14 years old. It was unpleasant when I lost the Poddubny tournament last year. An incomprehensible decline began. I just fell into a hole. But I pulled myself together and took the Russian championship. I did everything to get to this Olympics and prove that I am worthy of representing our great country.
- How did you get out of the hole?
Thanks to the family. The little daughter helped a lot. I looked at her and wanted to do something. Thank you very much to all the family.
- Is it true that you were almost forcibly taken into Greco-Roman wrestling?
No. My personal trainer Vladimir Uruimagov led me to my first mentor, Vakhtang Gagloev. From an early age I studied with great desire.
- Freestyle wrestling is more popular in Ossetia.
But not everyone can go to freestyle! I decided to become a classic and I was not mistaken. My father was into freestyle wrestling, but he didn’t interfere.
- Did you argue about this?
So, little jokes. It’s like “a chicken is not a bird, a freestyle wrestler is not a wrestler.” Although freestyle wrestling is wonderful, I love it very much. No less than Greco-Roman.
“I WANT TO BUILD A HALL IN OSSETIA”
- Why does Russia, with rare exceptions, take gold only in wrestling?
This is our trump card. We train a lot. Like the others, I hope we will win medals in other sports. There's still time to catch up.
- Imagine that you are given a golden ticket. Which Olympic competition will you go to?
We already walked with Khasan Baroev before the weigh-in. We decided to have some fun on Saturday and looked at the swimming finals. I wish I could see football. All my life I dreamed of visiting English arenas.
- Roman Vlasov said that his family lived hard. And yours?
I don't like to complain. But there were times when they went and looked for money to survive. The problem of families with below average income. Although I never went hungry. They always bought me something to eat with the last of their money. They knew that I needed to train.
When I was younger, I didn’t understand these sacrifices. And now I try to help my family myself so that no one suffers from hunger. So that everyone is dressed and wearing shoes. And I understand that after this victory I provided for my family for a long time. Now she won't go hungry. I dreamed about this too.
- What will you spend your bonus money on?
I want to find people to build a Greco-Roman wrestling hall in Ossetia. Let it be ours personally, the classics. Of course, we are supported in the region. But I myself want to help our sport.
- How old were you when you got married?
- At twenty. This never interfered, it only spurred me on - that I needed to feed my family, my parents. The family is average: father, mother, older brother, wife and daughter. Aida is only four months old. Just a baby! I've seen her a few times. I'm very rarely at home. But when I get home, I’ll pick it up and just watch. My wife sends photos and videos every day. However, this is not enough. I’ll come to the Olympic Village now - and first of all I’ll go to Skype. I miss you very much!