Heroes of the Winter Games in Pyeongchang

Gallery "Novaya Gazeta"

The world followed the events in South Korea, but to discuss victories, defeats, competent and not very Olympic “selection”, as well as doping, judges and other scandals for a very long time. The New Gazeta compiled a gallery of the heroes of the 2018 Games, which surprised not only medals.

Mark McMorris

In March 2017, at one of the tournaments, he broke his jaw, left hand, several ribs and pelvis, tore the spleen and damaged his left lung. Doctors pulled him out of the world, but gave a disappointing forecast. Mark's relatives were preparing for the worst, but after 8 months the Canadian, who could not sit for a long time, eat and eat independently, again took up a snowboard. Doctors rubbed his foreheads and decided to seriously study the body of a 24-year-old extremal after he pulled out a bronze in a slope. “I'm like a phoenix bird,” McMorris joked. And you can’t argue.

Seoon Adigun and Akuom Omeoga

The Nigerian "ice" racer focused under the approving exclamation of the stands. They lost to the Olympic champions from Germany for 7 seconds, and from the penultimate crew were behind 3.5. For Bobsleya, where hundredths decide everything, this is an eternity. But the language does not turn to call them losers. And not because they remained alive in Bob. And because they themselves created the federation and built a training overpass at their own expense, which brought them to Pyeongchang. Looking at such enthusiasts, people begin to play sports. Even in Africa, where few people watch winter games.

Elena Vyalbe

The legendary skier and the head of the FLGR was not allowed to the Olympics through the front door, but it, without accreditation, went to Korea with a “cunning way”-as part of the Olympic veterans. Vyalbe spent the entire tournament in the stands, like a simple fan, inspiring the national team and actually being at her helm. In difficult times, she breastfeeding her detachment, convincing everyone that there would be victories. Julia Belorukova, Natalia Nepryaeva, Anastasia Sedova, Anna Nechaevskaya, Denis Spitsov, Alexander Bolshunov, Andrey Larkov, Alexey Chervotkin. In each of the 8 (!) The awards of these guys who have declared themselves loudly, there is a merit of a strong and wise woman.

Esther Ledetsk

At two years old, she got skiing, at five - on a snowboard. The coaches advised her to make a choice, but the baby shook her head and betrayed: “I will be engaged in both. If you are against it, I will find other coach. ” When Czech was ahead of the mountain queen Anna Fight on a giant slope, many decided that the snowboarder was simply lucky. When a week later Esther repeated the golden trick in slalom on the board, everyone took off their hat. Ledetsk herself at a press conference after the first triumph did not take off his glasses, since "did not make up." And after the second, she went with her mother to celebrate historical success (none of the women won as part of the same Olympics in different sports) to a regular eatery.

Martina Sablikova

For well -known reasons, the Russian skating was deprived of the help of her mentor Pavel Abatkevich in Korea and supporting the teams. It seemed that there was nothing to catch. But the Queen of Konkov from the Czech Republic came to the rescue, offering her services. “Martina is the only person who himself approached me and invited me to train together. Of course, I took advantage of such a gift, ”Natalya said. Ironically, a distance of 5000 meters, they fled the last in one pair, and Voronin flew to sensational bronze, not without the participation of the Great Sablikova, who, after the finish, raised her hand and hugged her tightly.

Sergey Ridzik

Seven years ago, a skier of Monchegorsk graduated from a technical school with a degree in an electric gas welder and gathered in the army. But the scouts from the Freestyle Federation persuaded him to engage in ski on. Sergei could not get to the Olympics in Sochi, and in 2017 his career and life almost broke off after a fall in the Italian waters. “I received several fractures - ordinary and compression. I almost paralyzed me, ”Ridzik later admitted. After this, they usually finish, but Sergei made the impossible: he not only made his way to Pyeongchang, but also won bronze - the first medal for Russia in this discipline. Just look at how he finished!

Patrick Chan

The three-time world champion, ending his career, failed to get to a reward in a personal tournament, becoming only the 9th. But in team competitions, a native of Ottawa, who made a great contribution to figure skating, shook the antiquity and won an arbitrary program, actually deciding the fate of the gold, which he dreamed about. Chan was also remembered by the fact that, unlike partners in the Canadian national team, he sincerely applauded rivals, including Russians, after their successful rental. “Thank you for everything, Patrick! We will miss you, ”said Tatyana Tarasova after his performance. And it is difficult to disagree with her.

Nikita Tregubov

“We are not experiencing any discomfort, we work calmly,” said a 23-year-old skeletonist before the start. And only after the final race he showed everyone his black, in calluses, his hands told, as in the absence of coaches and servicemen, he himself polished the runners for two days and prepared sledges to himself and his partner Vlad Marchenko. Nikita was struck, who was not going to initially go to games without a flag, and on the highway, stably fulfilling all four attempts, which allowed him to get such a labor in every sense silver. He devoted the award to his beloved grandmother: "She was waiting for this Olympics and did not wait."

Marit Bjorgen and Noriaki Casai

It is not customary to talk about the age of women, but the 37-year-old Norwegian skier won five medals in Korea (two of them gold) and turned into a record holder of all time, overtaking the very ulrondalen (now she has 15 Olympic awards). The Japanese Noriaki is far from Marit far away. In terms of trophies. But on the other hand, in his 45 years, the Japanese jumped from the springboard at his 8 (!) Winter games. The story of the sports where the master flew such long -lived, also did not know. And if Marit is now going to nurse with his son, then Noriaki launched the skis to Beijing 2022: “I showed here only half of what I can. Four years later, you will see me the present. ” We will wait.