Antson Ants

Olympic champion in speed skating (1964) at a distance of 1500 meters. European Champion. All-around champion of the USSR in 1967, silver medalist of the USSR championship in 1965 and 1968., Bronze - 1966. Sports Society "Kalev" (Tallinn).

.... The first coach Ants Antson athlete Olaf Ollmann liked and skate. He liked the other more economical, as if it had not demanded the efforts of race-flight European champion, world and Olympic Leningrader Boris Shilkova. And when a student who had just crossed in the winter with a cinder track on the ice, has grown so much that it's time to show it 'in light', Ollmann decided that the practice Ants will be the Shilkov. And on arrival in the team Antson just said: 'I and my coach are very happy that I got for you'. He was still not very well spoken in Russian.

With Tallinners experienced coach was not easy. Taciturn, to take nothing for granted at once, constantly kept an eye on everything that was done by a coach, he was even more frightening Shilkova. Because all the time it was necessary to prove its case, the behavior itself that forced the athlete, his concentration, thoughtfulness and honesty, for that would be viewed as the shadow of incomplete trust. But as time passed, and stubborn Estonians saw the truth of the new elements that tried to tell him Shilkov. I once rode in training though confused, enormous eyes under black eyebrows looked as if he saw a rainbow in the winter sky.

. - I think I caught a moment of shock! How easy!
. - Excellent! And try not to lose it to roll, remember.

. Coach terribly afraid that the precious crystal, in search that took so much time, may suddenly disappear
. But Ants did not miss his fire-bird. At the European Championship-64 Number One was considered the favorite disciple of Konstantin Kudryavtsev Yuri Yumashev, not knowing defeat in any startup. But the desire to win at Antson was so great, and training - both physical and technical - has been so thoroughly that he won the laurel wreath. The most expensive in this victory was the fact that Ants broke all personal records, especially good was the result of the lorry - 2.09,8, the same lorry, which gave the Estonian Olympic gold Innsbruck. The morning of the sixth of February Innsbruck Olympic Ice Rink does not bode well. Thick fog, snow ... The mood is not spoiled by one of Ants. And after finishing Dutchman Librehtsa opinion was one thing: if anyone will improve his result - 2.12,6, then for a split second. So Matusevych not got out of the magic of twelve ...

And then start the next race. In the first direct Antson fled, as if entangled in the web: Running tough, transfixed, as if someone was strangling him, bend down to the ice. But if suddenly Ants escaped from someone's grasping hands - and it turned out that a lot of forces. And on the last line he saw before him for almost nothing. All dvoilos. Hardly noticed the finish line. Made a few more steps and ... fell, as if caught on something. It turned out skate hit a snow roller. After the finish of force was so small that the weightlessness of snow was enough to topple the mighty athlete with the feet. All gave. Do nothing? Only by finishing the last race excitement gave way to a complete and undivided happiness. It was a reward for titanichessky work, which is sometimes a little afraid of himself and coach, but bravely served Ants. The reward for those sleepless nights when he again and again to scroll in the brain completely new ways of running, trying on to him the details of new sensations. Ants raised his head. The sky cleared the misty mist, smile sun. And again he suddenly saw a rainbow in the winter sky.

Today Ants Antson head of the department of sports at the office of the central part of Tallinn.