Paralympic champion in athletics Andrei Vdovin - the best in the world at an unloved distance

Andrei Vdovin was born 27 years ago with a diagnosis of “cerebral palsy”. Despite this, he believes that he was lucky: a mild degree of cerebral palsy does not interfere with living a normal life, although he puts his difficulties. As a child, Andrei often lay in hospitals, and once became ill with meningitis. Because of this, now it is physically difficult for him to run 400 meters-a distance at which he is the best in the world among the Paralympic in his class.

Fonbet - partner of the joint project of Novaya Gazeta and the Paralympic Committee of Russia

A gift of fate

“From the outside you can’t even say that I have problems with the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, they did not tease me, did not despise - grew like an ordinary teenager. I think that I have achieved such success early enough, since I did not have psychological pressure that they often have on the disabled, ”the athlete said.

Andrei spent his childhood and youth in Nizhny Novgorod Dzerzhinsk, now he moved to Nizhny Novgorod, but still almost every day comes home to train. Since childhood, the boy went to sports sections and to the gym with his father, mainly due to the fact that his parents did not want him to sit at home idle. In addition, playing sports helps with cerebral palsy.

“People with cerebral palsy have muscle hypertonus, constrained movements. But thanks to physical activity, hypertonicity goes away. If we talk about the echoes of the disease, it is difficult for me to stand still for a long time: my left leg does not completely bend, and the whole support goes to the right one, which is why it starts to get sick, ”says Andrei.

In addition to the gym, Andrei, together with his father, went to “Football with men”: Vdovin Sr. was fond of football all his life and played in a team of veterans. At one of these games, Andrei was offered to begin to train with a football team of the disabled “Nizhny Novgorod”. But he did not engage in football for long: coach Galina Kosheleva came to one of the training (her athlete is still trained) and offered to go to athletics, as Andrei ran well. For some time he combined training on running and football, but soon he completely focused on athletics.

“At first I was very indifferent to the run, I did not understand what the interest of wrapping circles in the stadium, and athletes, among the players, jokingly called“ light cutlets ”among the players. But somehow it spun, spun, and now I have been running for ten years, ”the athlete laughs.

The first serious results came almost immediately: in 2011, at the All -Russian Spartakiad of Disabled, Vdovin won in the finals in running 100, 200 and 400 meters. Two years later, the athlete won the World Cup and was preparing to go to the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. However, none of the Russian national team to Brazil went due to disqualification.

“I am humble to my sports career. And I perceive it as a gift of fate: there are competitions - super, no - it means that it is necessary. When we were not allowed, there were no thoughts that "this is the end" and "I spent in vain for the past five years." Plus there were other competitions that somehow compensated for the non-confusion in Rio, ”Andrei recalls.

In parallel with sports, Andrei received higher education: undergraduate and magistracy in computer science in the Nizhny Novgorod Polytechnic. But, the runner is recognized, study captivated him much less than sport. Therefore, he is very glad that thanks to the state, who, including financially supported athletes who did not go to the Paralympics, was able to continue his career:

“If I went to Rio, it could break me: to win the paralympics at the start of my career, everything is easy and fast ... How to win a million in the lottery and spend it right away. And here I have been involved in sports for almost ten years, I understand how it is all given, and I’m already happy to just go to the Paralympics in Tokyo. Not even to mention victory, the gold of the Paralympic Games is just something incredible. ”

"I will endure"

At the Paralympics in Tokyo, Vdovin fulfilled his dream - to become a Paralympic champion, and won the race of 400 meters. In running 100, 200 meters, which the athlete actually like much more, he came the second.

“I always feel bad after a finish of 400 meters, and therefore I do not like to run this distance. I have intracranial pressure, narrow vessels and at the temples very much hit every time I run 400 meters: at least 49 seconds, at least in 52. Other athletes ran down more slowly for a second, caught my breath and went that my head will explode now, nauseous for another 15 minutes after the finish, ”says the athlete.

“400 meters are endurance running, 100 and 200 meters - for speed,” the athlete explains. After a race of 100 and 200 meters, Vdovin does not feel bad.

“There were thoughts to complete 400 meters, train only 100 and 200 meters, but I understand that 400 meters is my most real chance to compete for gold in Paris. Therefore, I will endure, ”Andrei argues.

What exactly the runner will do after the end of his career, he does not know for sure, but he is sure that his activity will be associated with paralympic sports and the development of this movement. To do this, he receives an education that allows you to be as a sports functionary.

“Through sports, disabled people can realize themselves as much as possible. In Russia, if you are a disabled person, then you are considered weak. Due to the Paralympic sports, you can understand that you can achieve any goals, overcome yourself and feel strong, despite the diseases.

So that people do not sit at home and do not feel inferior, do not consider themselves unnecessary and did not be afraid to go banally on the street, it is necessary to develop the Paralympic movement, ”Andrei believes.

And in order for other athletes to do the opportunity to do what they love, 100 thousand rubles in the framework of the Fonbet charity program “The Stavka for Good” will be transferred to the Parasport Foundation.