Phenomenon and king

“As you want, call me that,” said Alexander Bolshunov after the third golden finish. So they called it

Just do not destroy Johannes Klebo, who set off after the 20th kilometer of the last male ski race. He is also a king, but not now. Now the king is Sasha Bolshunov, who won this half-marathon in a korolevsky, not huge, but quite comfortable. For five and a half seconds, he was ahead of Ivan Yakimushkin and seven - his, as it seemed, the main opponent of Simon Kruger. At the two-time Olympic champion of Pyeongchang-2018, this mass-start was the only current Olympic chance. Having passed the coronavirus, the Norwegian was preparing for the marathon specifically, and the Bolshunov Olympic routes were held by the order. The Russian, of course, was the main favorite, but the marathon is a marathon.

The fact that the distance was transferred for an hour and almost twice due to the weather (minus 16 with the wild wind) should have been into the hands of the Norwegians-the best sprinter of the world of Clebo and the excellent distanceman Kruger. Until the 25th kilometer, one could still doubt that it was Bolshunov who would win-before that he had already twisted the leading ten, and could get tired.

Phenomena also get tired. And Bolshunov too. But not on this race. He rushed so that it was clear - the gold would not give out to anyone who managed to catch on.

The next jerk, already before the stadium, was gold. So simply become kings-from skiers to Bolshunov three times at the same Olympics, only four won-Nikolai Zimyatov in Lake-Plesides-1980, and then only the Norwegians-Bjorn Dali and Vegard Ulvang in Alberville-1992, again Dali in Nagano-1998 and Bolshunov Yohainnes Clebo in Pyeongchang. Where Sasha Bolshunov took silver four times.

As Bolshunov will say on Sunday, "probably correctly that I could not win gold then - thanks to this there was a great motivation." That which has become angrier at a distance is for sure. Even too much, because the desire to certainly become the first led to incidents, and rivals, especially the same Clebo, were not always to blame. It is no accident that the text about Bolshunov in March 2021 in the "new" was called "a phenomenon, but not a king." To become the king, it was necessary not only to swallow, but also to learn how to drop opponents to the finish alignment.

Previously, not only the strength was not enough, but also tactical wisdom. With the health of the native of the village of the Pill, thank God, it was normal, Father Alexander Ivanovich caught the hobby of his son in time, but there was also the presence of two qualities - talent and patience. He did not immediately began to win - he won the first serious reward at the World Youth Championship in the United States, and in the national team began with places in the second and third dozens.

He broke through to the Olympic Pyeongchang, where many leaders of the national team did not fall for well -known reasons. Those four silver of young Bolshunov seemed a miracle - if not for Clebo, who took gold over and over again. The Olympic fourth anniversary took place under the sign of the confrontation of two phenomena, two station wagons, one of which, namely Klebo, still remained a sprinter and a brilliant finisher. But Bolshunov, under the leadership of Yuri Borodavko, was gaining victorious experience as in yeast.

By the time of the Olympic starts on the Bryansk Unicum account, there were already 28 victories at the World Cup, the victory in the overall standings of the World Cup, two winnings “Tour de Sk” and one gold of the World Championship in Oberstdorf, where he won a fight in the Skiatlon with five Norwegians. In Beijing, he aimed at two gold, the third went with a bonus. By the way, before the mass starts, they and Klebo approached the nose-each in Beijing had two gold, one silver and one bronze.

After the victorious finish, Sasha Bolshunov, having kissed the snow and accepting congratulations from the coach Yuri Borodavko and the president of the Federation Elena Vyalbe, will say a lot of good things. And about the fact that he was ready one hundred percent - or rather, for all 50 kilometers, if the distance had not been reduced. And about the fact that "the more complicated to us, the easier it is." And about the fact that he does not consider himself great.

For the record holder, who took awards in all nine Olympic races, who had already ahead of all domestic owners of Olympic awards among men, is commendable. He dedicated the victory to his wife Ana.

His character, apparently, is difficult. But the fact that he was not too lazy after 20 minutes after the phenomenal finish to specially congratulate the last of the finish - the Greek of the Apostleus Angelis is worth a lot. Royal Act.