Vladimir Kuts

(7.02.1927 - 16.08.1975)
Vladimir Kuts was born on February 7, 1927 in the village Aleksin Trostianetsky district of Sumy region. Father and mother of the future Olympic champion worked at a sugar factory. According to them, Volodya grew strong, strong and sturdy boy. However, special skill did not differ, was that kind bumpkin, for which he received the nickname Puhtya.
. In 1943, when the advanced part of the Red Army reached Alexina, 16-year-old Vladimir Kuts voluntarily joined its ranks, assigning a couple of extra years
. At the front was the liaison to the headquarters of the regiment. Then he was sent to study at the artillery school in Kursk. However, to the destination and the boy did not get: on the road train was hit by bombing, and Kutz lost all documents. He had to return home in Aleksino, where it has long believed dead.
Autumn 1945 Kutz left to serve in the Baltic Fleet: first was a simple artillery officer, then promoted to commander of calculating the 12-inch guns. Ibid first came to the track during a competition in honor of Victory Day. His victory was so impressive, that from that moment he began to send to all competitions on the run, and everywhere he turned out a winner. Many wondered if his success, as he had never suspected fat Kutse such abilities.
Meanwhile, without even a coach, Vladimir year by year to improve their performance. For example, in running for 5000 meters, he showed the result of higher standards 2-th position. Only in the spring of 1951 he was lucky to meet in Sochi with the famous coach in athletics Leonid Khomenkov, which is specially made for Kutsan Coaching. After that it was involved in a number of competitions, in most of which came out the winner Vladimir. In the winter of 1954 fate brought him with coach Gregory Nikiforov, who took him seriously. Since then Kuts was planned to train under his guidance.
. Season 1953 was very successful for the athlete, who last spring was in obscurity: two silver medals at the IV Festival of Youth in Bucharest, two gold - at the national championship, all-union record at the end of the season.
. In 1954, the athlete has gained the first major victory, setting a world record at the European Championships in Bern, after which he became one of the favorites coming into Australia XVI Olympic Games
. The Olympic Games began on Nov. 22, 1956
. However, three days before the opening of the incident, which nearly left Kutsan behind these events.
Kutz was an avid car enthusiasts and shortly before the Olympics bought a "Victory". But apparently, plenty of hitting on her did not, therefore, barely arriving in Melbourne, decided to catch up in a strange land. He persuaded one Australian to give him a ride in his car within the Olympic village. He agreed. Vladimir sat in her coach Nikiforov, his colleague Klimov and sat behind the wheel. And then something unexpected happened. Apparently not calculate their action (the car was foreign, the steering wheel on the right side, and its engine was twice as powerful than the "Victory"), Kuts tore the car up and crashed into a pole. In this accident, he received a dozen different wounds, which had to heal in a local emergency station. This event, of course, did not escape the ubiquitous eyes of reporters, and in the evening the same day, the newspaper trumpeted that the hope of Soviet athletes - Vladimir Kuts - seriously injured and is knocked out of games. To refute these rumors, Kutsu had personally come to the dances in the Olympic Concert Hall and on the dance floor to demonstrate that he is absolutely healthy.
. First statement Kutsan at the Olympics (sprint at 10 000 feet) on 23 November
. This race involved fourteen athletes, but the undisputed favorites were two: Kutz, and Englishman Gordon Pirie. Most specialists preferred the Englishman, who shortly before the Olympics in full-time duel not only beat Kutsan at a distance of 5000 meters, but he took the world record. But this time everything turned out differently. E. Chan wrote:
"Only the athletes themselves and the real experts know how hard it is during the long, grueling races stayerskogo make even short acceleration. And in Melbourne Kutz suggested glued to him Peary as many as three such leap of 400 meters each. It was indeed a race between life and death. And after the third breakthrough, although the finish is left only about a mile, Piri surrendered. Hardly her feet from fatigue, he passively watched as one after another of his rivals avoid the moment when, with his right hand habitually Kuts triumphantly crossed the finish line. "
Kuts ran 10 000 meters in record time. But his main rival Peary crossed the finish line only eight. He was very exhausted, barely breathing, while Kutz was able to run a whole lap. Peary said then: "He killed me with his quickness and change of pace. He is too good for me. I could never run as fast. I could never beat him. I did not have to run ten thousand meters. "
Having won the first gold medal, Kutz and soon won the second: in the running for 5000 meters. And this was preceded by a very dramatic events.
As it turned out, the victory of the "top ten" cost Kutsu very expensive: doctors found in his urine, blood. To organism recovered, took time, but it was not an athlete: November 28, he was to participate in the next race. Then Kuts decided to abandon the race. They say it supported the team, but an official of the Sports Committee, who was also there, said: "Vladimir, you should run because it does not need you, and our country!" In addition, the official promised an athlete if he wins a general's pension. In short, Kutz went the distance. And, of course, won, won the second gold medal.
Throughout the stay of the Soviet team in Melbourne against its athletes, and especially against Kutsan, there have been several provocations. For example, once with Vladimir on the street "accidentally" ran a striking blonde, who introduced countrywoman athlete (supposedly also from the Ukraine) and invited him to her guests. However Kutsu wits and endurance tactfully evade the more intimate acquaintance.
. On another occasion, at the very end of games, during a press conference arranged by the dock-tailed, some lady ran up to his desk and with a cry of "Red rat!" shook out of the bag on the table, eight rats, painted with red paint
. Kuts and this time he restrained himself.
Unfortunately, the triumph of a runner at the Olympic Games in Melbourne was the last in his career. After her it increasingly became concerned about the health. Athlete tortured pain in the stomach and legs. He revealed an increased permeability of venous and lymphatic capillaries (it was an echo of the events of 1952, when he fell into the icy water and his legs badly frostbitten). In February 1957, doctors Kutsu stated bluntly: "Throw the race, if you think to live", but he did not cast. In December of that year he went to the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo in the competition "Corrida San Silvestre". But the outcome of his speech there was a lamentable: it came eighth. However, this defeat did not make him throw treadmill. For several months, he trained intensively and in July 1958 the first, in Tallinn, the national championship once again came out on the treadmill. And cruelly lost by coming to the finish last. In 1959 Kutz officially announced it was closing speech at the sports arena.
Throwing speech, Kuts completely switched to study: he entered the Leningrad Institute of Physical Education, hoping in the future to become a trainer. Finished it in 1961, he began to train runners in the Central Sports Army Club. It seemed that in front of him waiting quite a happy fate. However ..
Returning soon to Moscow, Kutz became much give away. According to witnesses, he drank a horrible, devastating for three days 15 bottles of vodka. And as he then received a decent general's retirement (350 rubles), problems with drink and snack he had never encountered. These wild spree of Olympic champion could not stop neither his friends nor relatives. And soon on this ground left him second wife. For the athlete took the mind only when it struck right-handed stroke. Thanks to its good health Kutsu then managed to recover, though some. But even then finally drink he never threw. Always drink a day for 400 grams.
In the last years of his life Kuts cherished a dream to raise a worthy student. And in the early 70's, this dream seems to be beginning to come true: his pupil Vladimir Afonin managed to improve the record of the USSR, all these years belonged Kutsu. Young athletes included in the national team, which in 1972 went to the Olympic Games in Munich. However, there Afonina expecting failure. Apparently, she had finally been unsettled by Vladimir.
One day in August 1975 Kutz again quarreled with his ex-wife. Returning home, he drank hard, and then swallowed a dozen pills luminal and went to sleep. When the next morning with him came his disciple to awaken to the gym, Kutz was already dead. What it was: a suicide or a simple accident, no longer installed.
On the day of death of the famous athlete in Nice were big international competitions. They were in full swing when suddenly the announcer told viewers that in Moscow at age 48, died Olympic champion Vladimir Kuts. And the whole stadium stood up to honor the memory of the great master.