ARTAMONOVA (Voronin) Inga G.

ARTAMONOVA (Voronin) Inga G. was born in 1936 in Moscow. Soviet athlete (speed skating), Honored Master of Sports. Champion of the USSR and the world.

1957. World Cup. Finland. All the participants finished the competition competitions, took off his skates, were simply spectators. A Artamonova had to travel another distance - a victory lap with a laurel wreath.

This circle - one of the most memorable experiences in life. Fifth distance - a beautiful, pleasant. World Champion, only one of all athletes, not in favor of four of the five distances. And about who is in favor of the fifth race, learn at the last minute.

Inga slowly rolled through the stadium. From above, from the snow stands, her feet flying flowers. Finns cheered and shouted Russian word: 'Zdo-ro-in! "

. Inga escaped the circle, and tears of happiness, transparent, gleaming in the rays of searchlights, rolled down his cheeks.

. The audience demanded more and more time to ride the stadium.

. But no sooner had she done a few steps, I noticed that the platform started to drop, and fans descend on the snow rolls down
. They ran to champion - thousands of people, men, women, children ...

Had to stop. At the same moment, hundreds of hands reached out to Inge - and she did not manage to figure out how ended up in zero gravity, planted up with these hands. Laurel wreath fell down. He picked up and also began to shake. And the champion, and a wreath!

How can it be carried to the rink, she does not remember. After about half an hour to knock on the door. A tall man and, lisping, said in Russian:
- We are a little rejoiced. Your wreath dismantled for souvenirs. Now, thousands of people in his life will preserve the memory of your victory ... Sorry ...

With these words he laid a wreath on the cot. Or rather what was left of the wreath - a broom with seven leaves.

So it did not have to Inge hold in your hand that a wreath of laurel noble. Rimma Zhukova calmed champion:
- Do not worry: you will have more than one such trophy. Believe me.

Artamonov believed ...

She won four laurel wreath. So many, I dare say, none of the Soviet konkobezhek in the XX century has not received. Venkov - and thus the victory - could be more, but at twenty-one year - at the apex - tuberculosis, crept up to the world champion, takes her out of control. Took years. Best Years. Inga already written off not seeing the reason for success. No it did not believe. And she alone, proud and unbending, forgot about diseases and troubles, has worked steadily for the future. And in 1962 Medeo she won five gold medals, champion of the country - at all distances and in all-around, set four world records. And beat them on a high-skating rink, running on which it was particularly difficult - affected with lungs. Yet Inga made his feat - many of her world records were kept five to seven years! But she did not know about. She was no longer alive ...

Never lost a start in 1962, Inga Artamonova was the third time world champion. She seemed to be back in youth sports and for a time forgot about the disease. Inga dreamed to speak at the Olympic Games-64 in Innsbruck, but ... leap years have always been unlucky for the 'Ice Queen'. In 1964, the acute attack of ulcers brought Inga down. Eighteen months in the middle of the season she spent in hospital. Dr. Inge advised to stop playing sports, but if she succumbed to the persuasion, it would change itself - no longer Inga! And Artamonova continued to speak.

Leap year was for her test. Let the cruel, offensive, but the test for life-affirmation. A year later - in 1965, she again was not on the planet equal. It seemed that she was riding in the Finnish city of Oulu to the World Cup to formalize the right to be called stronger, faster. The fourth time!

On the day of arrival of our team in Oulu was twenty below. Women swathed in fluffy scarves and fur hats, the hotel the first thing ran the rink. But the entrance to the stadium was closed. What? Inga Artamonova remembered his mischievous childhood in Petrovka and invited young girlfriends ... climb over the fence. They agreed.

The ice was like glass. Skates for it not clung. Inga thought she had simply dull skates, bent to check the blade and ... at this time at full speed and crashed into the bench. As she broke her leg, remains a mystery.

Her friends helped her get to the hotel 'Arina'. Two days before the start had to stay in bed. So much for 'to formalize the right to be called fast'!

Newspapers of various countries, putting forward suggestions to the championship, unanimously took place Artamonova absolute winner. One of the Finnish journalists told me that their editorial has already had an essay on Inge called 'Four times undefeated', which detailed the future of competition. It was told everything, down to the smallest detail. More precisely - to foresee, dreamed. There were only bear results.

. The die was clearly not in favor of Inga - at all four distances she had to flee in the first pair, to lay the rest of the way, give them a hand graphic.

. All the forces it has invested in the first distance - has decided to immediately stun opponents.

. It is hard to convey that she felt after the first victory
. 'Joy? Doubt. But still, complacency. She succumbed to the bait, agreed that the victory is already assured.

And for this calmness instantly paid with their defeat in the lorry - a distance which is always considered her where she found one of his best world records. Artamonov lost Vale Stenina. This, however, not very bothered. Vale was not afraid to lose, she's a friend of team. But that proved to be ahead of Dutchwoman Steen Kaiser Korean woman Pil Hwa Han, worried.

Although Artamonova remained on the sum of two distances in the first place, anxiety did not leave her all night. She was not afraid, there was just alert ... Such a heightened sense especially helped her on Sunday - the second and decisive day of the championship.

Again she opened races. At this time paired with her kicked off of twenty typist from the Dutch city of Delphi Steen Kaiser. This girl managed to beat the eve of Inga and now again to beat the famed Muscovite in the race.

Inge went to the inner track. Hence, two turns, it could go against the wind. And both of these small rotation. The fight was only the first polkruga. And then ran away from Inga 'flying Dutch' thirty meters ...

From how to speak Valentina Stenina to thousands of meters, depended not only propiska laurel wreath - Moscow or Sverdlovsk. If luck Stenina also became world champion three times, as Inga. A Artamonov when a happy coincidence indeed be leaving from Finland 'four undefeated'.

Stenina ran fast, but at the finish stopwatches recorded the result of almost two seconds less than Inga. At last the same distance Artamonova flew as if on wings, she had no doubt of success.

And then there was the highest step of the podium. Happy smile. Her, Ingina, smile. Same one for which she was fond of all rinks planet.

. That evening I called the hotel 'Arina': 'How are you feeling? What do you think? After all, the main thing has happened ... '

. Inga no secret of joy:
. - Finally! I was the fourth time absolute world champion
. No other athlete after the war, when the skates are truly mass sport, failed to ensure that fell to my lot.
. - Add, - I said to her, - write down what you feel, what do you think that your personal impressions are not erased newspaper estimates, not replace each other.

. In Moscow, she showed me leaflets, written in the dark northern night 'Arina': 'It is unbelievable! Runs into the locker room, I am surrounded by boys, asking pins and autographs
. 'Well, you know, that was again the strongest? " - Ask friends. Oh, girls, I'm so glad. And for us for all. Again with the victory on his native land! With the victory!

Sadly winked at me the northern lights, flaring up over the icy North Sea. I have a good mood - has received many telegrams from friends and strangers, but dear to me.

I do not find a place of happiness. I wander around the room, dreaming of the dawn, which joins the hotel window, slipped on the pillow, woke me to say:

. 'This summit - not the last, Inga! Climbing not end there - there is still a whole life! "

. But this peak was the last
. Inga tragically died before the age of 30 years (killed her husband Gennady Voronin).

Again and again I think about it, I remember her ...

She was full of charm and human kindness. Say about her, that she was a good man - means nothing to say. Inga was a real man. What she has done in sports, will not cease to agitate the minds of fans and sports scientists. Here it remains, as in a fairy tale. Inga Artamonova deed: the girl, . seven probolevshaya TB, . became the master of sports of rowing, . four-time world champion skates, . exceeded more than ten world records, . twenty-seven times won the individual championship of the country ranges,
. But is this dry arithmetic will tell you about Inge eloquently? No, of course.

Inga was a cheerful and witty conversationalist. Knowledge of literature and cultural areas were indeed remarkable. She was the unofficial champion among champions of knitting. In 1965 he won the prize for the Kirov dancing, was reputed to be a skilled cook. Inga perfect draw - even as a child dreamed of being an architect or designer,'s English ... And now - the tragic loss.

She died a short time - just a few minutes. And, feeling that he was dying, Inga could not accept that do not let them see the last time a gray and watery skies of Moscow, not merely with the winter. She ran up the stairs. But before ...

And when thousands of Muscovites farewell to lay his champion, in Moscow struck first frosts. Winter has come to say goodbye to Inga ...

And it was snowing, snow, snow ...