Alexander Karelin is young. Alexander Aleksandrovich Karelin - biography, life stories, achievements
Alexander Alexandrovich Karelin(born September 19, 1967, Novosibirsk) - the legendary Russian wrestler of the classical (Greco-Roman) style, statesman and politician, deputy of the State Duma of the VI convocation from the United Russia party, member of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1988), Hero Russian Federation (1997).
Three time winner Olympic Games(1988, 1992, 1996, in the category up to 130 kg), nine-time world champion (1989-1991, 1993-1995, 1997-1999), 12-time European champion (1987-1991, 1993-1996, 1998-2000), silver medalist of the 2000 Olympic Games, world champion among juniors in 1988, 13-time champion of the USSR, CIS and Russia (1988-2000). Cup Winner Absolute Champion world "1989. Four times awarded the "Golden Belt" as the best wrestler on the planet - in 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994. Winner of the IV international tournament "For the prizes of Alexander Karelin" (1995). Five-time winner of the international tournament in memory of Ivan Poddubny. Twice he was recognized as the best athlete in Russia. For the entire sports career won 887 fights and suffered two defeats. There are cases when rivals deliberately refused to fight Karelin.
Alexander Karelin at the age of 13 (his height was 178 cm, weight 78 kg) began to play sports in his hometown of Novosibirsk. In 1981, he enrolled in the classical wrestling section at the Electrotechnical Institute. Karelin's first coach Viktor Kuznetsov remained his only mentor for the whole sports life. In 1985, the first success came - Karelin became the world champion among youth.
In 1982, he took 3rd place in the championship of the city of Novosibirsk among boys, in 1983 - 1st place in the city championship among boys. in 1984 - 1st place in the championship of the RSFSR among young men (1966-67). In 1985, Karelin won the All-Union Tournament in memory of the "Young Guard" among juniors (1966-67), an international tournament in Belarus, at the USSR championship among juniors (1965-66), at the world championship among juniors ( born in 1965-67). This year he fulfilled the standard of the master of sports international class.
In 1986, Karelin won the following competitions:
- Championship of the USSR among juniors.
- IV Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the RSFSR.
- International tournament in memory of Ivan Poddubny.
- Spartakiad of the peoples of the USSR.
- European Championship among juniors (1966-67).
- Championship of the RSFSR.
Results in 1987:
- 2nd place in the USSR Championship, lost for the last time - to Igor Rostorotsky with a score of 0-1
- 1st place at the European Championship
- 1st place in the World Cup
- 1st place in the championship of the RSFSR
Alexander Karelin served in the 61st brigade (Polar Bears) of the Marine Corps of the KSF Naval paratrooper attack aircraft. In 1988, despite a concussion and a high temperature, Karelin became the champion of the USSR for the first time. He won for the first time against the leader of the USSR national team, world champion Igor Rostorotsky. The coaches of the national team were not satisfied with these results and in July they arranged an additional selection between the wrestlers, which was won by 21-year-old Karelin.
In the finals of the Olympics in Seoul, Karelin met with the Bulgarian Rangel Gerovski. Alexander lost the first period 2:3, but in the end he won 15 seconds before the end of the fight with his favorite technique - a “reverse belt” throw - 4:3. In 1992, in the final of the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Karelin won a clean win over the Swedish wrestler Thomas Johansson. In 1993, at the World Championships, in the very first fight with the American wrestler Matt Ghaffari, Karelin was injured: he injured two ribs on the right side. One - the bottom - came off, the other - next to it - broke. 20 minutes after the fight with Ghaffari, Karelin entered the fight with Johansson, who already knew about his injury. Karelin managed to pull him three times to the "reverse belt" and throw him, Karelin won with a score of 12: 1. In the final, he defeated Sergey Mureiko and again became the world champion. In 1994, at the World Championships, he defeated Hector Milan (Cuba) - the Olympic champion in weight class 100 kg. The culmination of the year was the "Match of the Century" in Greco-Roman wrestling between the national teams of the world and Russia, which took place in the Druzhba gym in Moscow. Karelin's fight with Hector Milan ended in 1 minute 29 seconds. The Russian team won with a total score of 9:1. In 1995, in the final of the World Championship, Karelin defeated Sergei Mureiko. In October 1995, the IV international tournament for the prizes of Alexander Karelin, Karelin himself took part in it. The culmination of the tournament was a duel between him and Matt Ghaffari, which Karelin won with a reverse belt with a score of 10:0. In 1996, in March, at the European Championships, in a fight with Dmitry, Debelko was injured again - a separation of the pectoralis major muscle. As well as three years ago, he reached the final, fought, literally, with one hand and defeated Petr Kotka (Ukraine). In Atlanta, he also dominated even with an unhealed severe injury. In 2 minutes he defeated African champion Omran Ayari, then achieved “clean” victories over Juha Ahokas (Finland) and Panagiotes Poikilidis (Greece). In the semi-final, he defeated Sergey Mureiko with a score of 2: 0. The fight with him was difficult: acute pain was the cause of "uncontrollability of the hand." At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, in the final, Karelin again defeated Ghaffari with a score of 1: 0. In 1997, at the World Championships in the final, Karelin defeated Mihaly Dyk-Bardos (Hungary) with his "reverse belt" with a score of 11-0. In 1998, at the World Championships in the final, Karelin again defeated Ghaffari on the “carcass”. In 1999, at the World Championships in the final, Karelin defeated Hector Milan with a score of 3-0. In 2000, at the European Championships in the final, Karelin defeated Sergei Mureiko with a score of 2: 0.
In 2000, at the Sydney Olympics, in the first fight, Karelin was opposed by one of the strongest opponents - Sergey Mureiko (Bulgaria). Karelin won this fight with a score of 3:0. In the second fight, Karelin defeated the strong Mihai Dik-Bardos (Hungary) on the "carcass". In the semifinals, he defeated Dmitry Debelko (Belarus). In the final, he met with the American wrestler Rulon Gardner. After the first period, the score was 0:0, according to the rules then in force, after the break, the athletes were put in a cross grip, the referee considered that Karelin was the first to open his hands, which was a violation of the rules, Gardner was awarded a winning point. As a result, the American wrestler won with a score of 1: 0, and Karelin lost the first fight in 13 years and received a silver award on September 27, 2000. After the Games in Sydney, Alexander Karelin ended his sports career.
Encounter with Maeda
In 1999, Alexander Karelin received an offer to fight according to the rules mixed martial arts with an invincible fighter from Japan Akira Maeda. Prize fund was $1,000,000. The fight took place on February 22, 1999 in Tokyo. In accordance with the Olympic Charter, Karelin did not have the right to participate in commercial fights, so the fight was held without remuneration. Karelin won this fight using his famous "reverse belt", since, according to the rules of the fight, he had to use only Greco-Roman wrestling techniques.
Results at the biggest competitions in 1987-2000
| Year | Olympic games |
Championship peace |
Championship Europe |
Championship THE USSR / Russia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1988 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1989 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1990 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1991 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1992 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1993 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1994 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1995 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1996 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1998 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1999 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2000 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Merits
Triple Olympic champion in the category up to 130 kg (1988, 1992, 1996), nine-time world champion (1989-1991, 1993-1995, 1997-1999), twelve-time European champion, Olympic silver medalist in 2000, world champion among juniors in 1988, 14- multiple champion of the USSR, CIS and Russia (1988-2001). He was the flag bearer of the national team at the opening of three Olympic Games: 1988 - USSR, 1992 - CIS, 1996 - Russia. Twice he was recognized as the best athlete in Russia.
The International Amateur Wrestling Federation (FILA) named Alexander Karelin the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of the 20th century.
Winner of the Fair Play Movement for Fair Play in Sports, founded Olympic Committee Russia, winner of the title "Siberian of the Year", established by the "New Siberian Newspaper" (1993 and 1995).
Cavalier of the Olympic Order "Palme d'Or" (2001).
Participated in the procedure for bringing the Olympic flame to the stadium at the opening of the 22nd Winter Olympic Games in Sochi on February 7, 2014
Since 1992, Karelin wrestling tournaments have been held in Russia.
Olympic champion Aslanbek Khushtov admitted that he adopted his “reverse belt” technique from Karelin.
Work and social activities
Alexander Karelin graduated from the Novosibirsk Motor Transport College, then the Omsk Institute physical culture. Since 1995, Alexander Karelin has been an employee of the Russian tax police. Rank: Colonel of the tax police.
Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation (1999, 2003, 2007, 2011). He was a member of the Duma Committee on Health and Sports, a member of the Commission on Geopolitics. Since December 2007 - Member of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.
Since 2001, Alexander Karelin has been a member of the Supreme Council of the United Russia party.
Hero of the Russian Federation (1997), awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1989), Honor (2001), "For Services to the Fatherland" IV degree (2008), Certificate of Honor of the President of the Russian Federation (2013).
Candidate (1998), Doctor (2002) of Pedagogical Sciences. Dissertations are devoted to sports topics.
Honorary resident of the city of Novosibirsk.
Family
Alexander Karelin dedicated all his victories to his wife Olga. There are three children in his family: sons Denis and Ivan, daughter Vasilisa. Son Ivan is engaged in Greco-Roman wrestling, daughter Vasilisa - rhythmic gymnastics. Alexander Karelin's parents lived in Sedova Zaimka for a long time.
Information about income and property
According to official figures, Karelin's income for 2011 amounted to 3.1 million rubles. Karelin, together with his wife, owns two land plots with a total area of 15 thousand square meters, a residential building with an area of \u200b\u200bmore than a thousand square meters, 7 cars and 3 motorcycles.
Karelin Alexander Alexandrovich(1967) - famous Russian wrestler (Greco-Roman), Karelin A.A.- Master of Sports, three-time Olympic champion (1988, 1992, 1996), nine-time world champion, twelve-time European champion and thirteen-time national champion.
Alexander Karelin was born on September 19, 1967 weighing 5 kg near Novosibirsk in the family of a driver and an employee. From childhood, Alexander respected sports: he ran skiing, hunted, and swam skillfully. Only at the age of 13 he begins to engage in the Greco-Roman wrestling section, where Viktor Kuznetsov becomes his only coach. At the age of 15, Karelin broke his leg at youth competitions, but this was precisely the turning point in choosing this sport as the main one.
In 1984, Alexander became a master of sports of the USSR, in 1985 a master of sports of international class. Since 1986, he has been a member of the USSR national team.
Alexander Karelin warmed his only defeat to the world champion in heavyweight champion Igor Rastorotsky, but a year after that he became the world champion in the youth team.
When selecting a participant for the 1988 Olympics, the debutant Karelin was selected through the most severe selection. So far, there have been two candidates: two-time champion world Igor Rastorotsky and a participant only in youth competitions Alexander Karelin.
I decided everything last Stand between these two athletes. Karelin was also invited to carry the banner of the country, although before this case only honored athletes were appointed flag bearers. Karelin won the victory and in Seoul he also performed brilliantly, taking gold.
Four years later, in 1992, at the Olympics in Barcelona, Karelin brilliantly conducted all the sparring. Almost all the fights were won by him ahead of schedule in less than 2 minutes. Karelin beat only one athlete from Finland on points. And again victory and again gold.
A year after the Olympics in Barelona, Alexander received the world title for the fifth time, which especially during the entire championship, Karelin fought with a broken rib, showing his determination and stamina.
During a duel at the European Championships in Budapest, Karelin came off pectoral muscle, but he not only finished all the fights, but also took his wife to the airport and only after finishing all the cases he went to the hospital. The injury was so serious that the doctors forbade Karelin to train for 2 months, and no more than 3.5 months remained before the start of the Olympics in Atlanta. Alexander decided to hide the seriousness of the operation, continued to train and had a great time at his third Olympics, and also received the Golden Star of the Hero of Russia.
In 1999, Karelin became a member of the State Duma and a member of the health and sports group. And in the last Olympic Games in Sydney (2000), he already acted as a "playing" deputy. Participation brought him silver.
After this Olympics, Karelin decided to leave the sport.
Except sports achievements Karelin is also spiritually developed, being a doctor of pedagogical sciences - a dissertation on the topic “ sports training wrestlers of high qualification”, on the scientific works of which more than one generation of athletes grew up.
Currently, the athlete lives in Novosibirsk and brings up three children with his wife Olga.
Achievements of Alexander Karelin:
3-time Olympic champion of Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta
silver medalist at the Sydney Olympics
9 times World Champion
12 times European Champion
13 times champion of Russia
Dates from the biography of Alexander Karelin:
September 19, 1967 was born near Novosibirsk
1981 started Greco-Roman wrestling
1986 lost once to world champion Igor Rastoretsky
1989 Participation in the competition for the world title with a broken rib.
1996 - a serious injury to the pectoral muscle, which could put an end to a sports career.
In 1996, at the Atlanta Olympics, he became a three-time Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling.
1999 became a deputy of the State Duma and a member of the health and sports faction.
In 2000, at the Sydney Olympics, he was a silver medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling and ended his sports career.
three times became a deputy of the State Duma - 1999, 2003 and 2007, since 1999, adviser to President Putin V.V. in physical education and sports.
Interesting facts of Alexander Karelin:
He fought numerous times with injuries that damaged his arms and legs, but he always fought to the end.
At the 1962 FIFA World Cup in the game with Uruguay, Netto, being the captain of the USSR national team, asked not to count the dishonestly received goal, for which he received the respect of others. Karelin's candidate and doctoral dissertations became the basis for training young wrestlers in effective combat.
When Karelin is asked what he dreams about, his answer is "about the general welfare."
Karelin Alexander Alexandrovich (born in 1967) - Russian athlete(Greco-Roman wrestling), Honored Master of Sports (1988). Three-time Olympic champion (1988,1992,1996), world champion (1989-1991, 1993-1995,1997-1999) and Europe (1988-19%, 1998-2000).
Since 1988, he has been the permanent (thirteen-time) champion of the country.
Alexander Karelin was born near Novosibirsk. He began to engage in Greco-Roman (classical) wrestling in the section of the Novosibirsk Electrotechnical Institute since 1981. However, on this he sports interests have not ended.
The boy loved to hunt, ski and swim. His first and only mentor was and still is the Honored Coach of the USSR V. M. Kuznetsov.
In 1986, Karelin suffered the only defeat - he lost to world champion Igor Rastorotsky. But a year later, the athlete became the world champion among youths and was included in the main national team of the country.
Karelin went to the Olympics in Seoul (1988) due to the fact that he won the fight with two-time world champion Igor Rastorotsky. The debutant performed brilliantly, winning a gold medal.
Four years later, in the Olympic Barcelona, the athlete once again proved his invincibility in Greco-Roman wrestling. He finished four of five fights ahead of schedule: in 1.5 minutes he defeated the Canadian Andrew Bordow, in 2 minutes he defeated the Cuban Rossel Mesa, in 15 seconds - the Romanian Ion Grigorash.
In the final, Karelin demonstrated his high professionalism and indestructible strength to the world champion, twenty-time Swedish champion Thomas Johansson. The foreign athlete lasted no more than 2 minutes.
In 1989, Alexander won the world title for the fifth time in a row. Later, journalists found out that for almost the entire championship, the athlete went to the mat with a broken rib.
In 1996, in Budapest, at the European Championships, he also competed with an injury (a pectoral muscle came off in a duel with a Belarusian wrestler), but he never even thought of withdrawing his candidacy from the competition.
Karelin's health was undermined; doctors strongly advised him not to take part in the Atlanta Olympics. But to convince someone strong wrestler the planet was out of control. Stay away from the storm Olympic life and Alexander could not let his team down.
The athlete was rewarded for his willpower with the victorious anthem that was performed in his honor at the Olympic Atlanta (1996). In the same year, Alexander Karelin was awarded the "Gold Star" of the Hero of Russia.
After the Olympic Games in Sydney (2000), where the athlete became a silver medalist, he decided to leave the big sport.
Brief Biographical Dictionary
"Karelin Alexander" and other articles from the section
Today, the 50th anniversary is celebrated by a block man, three-time Olympic wrestling champion Alexander Karelin, who has not lost a single fight for 13 years. He - the best sportsman centuries. No options.
Unprecedented winning streak
A wrestler will never become the most titled Olympian. Only one medal is played on the carpet, and the high competition and traumatism of sports makes examples of several victories in a row isolated. This is not swimming for you: swam 50 meters - a champion. Another 50 - again the champion. He began to wave his arms in a different way - again a champion. He waved with his comrades - a great champion.
Alexander Karelin did not just win three Olympics and stopped one step away from the fourth. He did not lose to anyone for 13 years and during this time he won three Olympics, won 9 victories at the world championships, 12 at the European championships and 13 victories at the national championships. In official fights, Karelin lost only twice. At the USSR Championship in 1987, he lost 0: 1 to Igor Rastorotsky, and in 2000, in his last official fight with the same score, he lost for the first time to a foreign opponent, American Rulon Gardner in the final Olympic tournament in Sydney.
Survivor. Why the clumsy fat man managed to defeat Karelin
Roll Gardner put death on his shoulder blades so many times that the victory over Karelin was a trifle for him, and not the sensation of the century.
Total superiority
Karelin's victories were achieved not simply due to class, luck or coincidence. He didn't need to win with his teeth, throwing winning shots on last seconds. Imagine if Michael Phelps was always a body lead and Usain Bolt finished 10 meters ahead of his pursuers. Karelin always won easily and confidently. To do this, he had two armor-piercing trump cards - amazing physical strength and the “reverse belt” crown technique. “Before me, few people did it among heavyweights, although this is a very practical technique. With a good amplitude, he gave 5 points of advantage. Two "reverse" - a clear victory, quickly and beautifully, you only need to give everything twice, ”San Sanych explained his choice.
Sports Behavior
In Japanese sumo wrestling, winning is not enough to become a yokozuna (great champion). The athlete must be a role model outside of the mat as well. Karelin was just that. He strictly adhered to the three "NOTs": do not make excuses, do not complain, do not blame. Opponents sometimes tried to use dirty tricks against Alexander, but he always punished them within the rules with his signature tricks. People sometimes found out about his injuries at the last moment, since he never complained of pain, and he took all the blame for the defeat from Gardner, not trying to blame what happened on the referee's mistake. Even in the only MMA fight in his career, he used only Greco-Roman wrestling techniques, as he considered it ignoble to hit an opponent in the face.
"I don't beat children." Karelin crushed the world champion in fights without rules
Legendary Russian wrestler Alexander Karelin took down Japanese MMA master Akiro Maeda in one fight in his farewell fight.
Victory Through Pain
All these 13 years of injury did not bypass the legendary wrestler, but he performed in such a way that no one even knew about them. Back in 1988, with a crack in his hand, he won the qualifying bout for the Olympics against Rastorotsky. Inspired by the victory of the young Siberian, Mikhail Mamiashvili suggested that Karelin be entrusted with carrying the banner of the Soviet Union, since this guy would definitely not back down and surrender. At the 1993 World Championship, already in the first fight, San Sanych broke two ribs. His main rival Swede Thomas Johansson soon found out about this, but he did not manage to take advantage of it. Karelin took him to the reverse belt twice and won ahead of schedule. In 1996, he won the European Championship with a torn pectoralis major. Simply put, he defeated everyone with one hand. The injury was so serious that it called into question the performance at the Olympics, but Karelin did not even think of withdrawing from the competition for the main start.
Timely care
Not every great athlete can leave on time. Having already descended from the top, many continue to perform, show average results and thereby lose their great heritage. Karelin hung up the wrestling shoes on a nail immediately after the defeat to Gardner, although for a few more years he could have performed at the very high level. But a really great person understands everything and knows exactly his time, no matter how much he wants to extend it even a little bit. The wise Karelin did not think about himself, but about the sport and gave way to the young, because a few months before the Games, the American was defeated by 20-year-old Yuri Patrikeev, who lost the competition to Karelin.
Three-time Olympic champion Alexander Karelin officially recognized by the International Federation fight the best wrestler Greco-Roman style of the 20th century.
For me, only one place matters - the first, - Karelin once said. - A second or tenth - it does not matter. This is defeat.
“The only thing I, I confess, regretted,” says the coach of the champion Kuznetsov, “is that Karelin has never, in my memory, used all his power in fights. He used to ask him: "Sasha, make a "reverse belt" for me personally." This is his trademark and my favorite technique: when you throw an opponent over your back onto the carpet from the height of your own height. And he always felt sorry for those who fought him. After all, a throw is always a humiliation for a partner.
Karelin was born on September 19, 1967 near Novosibirsk. His father worked as a dump truck driver, his mother was an employee. Both are large builds. Sasha was born weighing five kilograms! From childhood, tall beyond his years, he hunted, famously skied, and went in for swimming. But he took up wrestling only at the age of thirteen, when he was head and shoulders above his father. And it's not a fact - Karelin would have become a wrestler if it weren't for the first and only coach - Viktor Kuznetsov. At the age of fifteen, Sasha suffered a broken leg at a youth competition. But it was after this severe injury that he made the final choice in favor of classical wrestling.
In 1986, Karelin suffered his first defeat, losing to world champion Igor Rastorotsky - 0: 1. Until 2000, it remained the only one. A year later, Alexander becomes the world champion among youths and gets into the main national team of the country.
“I first saw Karelin in Moscow, at a training camp in Olympic village two years before the Games in Seoul, - recalls the Olympic champion of Seoul Mikhail Mamiashvili. - The guys and I were sitting in the dining room and naming when he entered and stopped at the door. He looked big, awkward and very young. And clearly did not know where to put own hands. But something else struck me - the Karelian look. It was the look of a man who knows exactly what he wants. Then Karelin was just getting close to the adult team. But already in Olympic year it was clear to me that he came to the team for a long time.
There were not so many supporters of Karelin performing in heavyweight at the Games in Seoul. Then the two-time world champion Igor Rastorotsky rightfully claimed the main role in the team. But qualifying championship USSR Rastorotsky lost. However, he was left with a chance: the question of who exactly would go to Seoul was to be decided in a specially organized tournament.
Maybe it was then that Karelin himself understood and formulated for himself the basic truth: “Life gives everyone a chance. It is important that you yourself be ready for this. Karelin won the last qualifying fight with Rastorotsky.
And in Seoul, when the inevitable question arose in the team about who would carry the team flag at the opening ceremony of the Games, Mamiashvili proposed a debutant. That was a definite risk. It has long been customary to trust the banner to those whose victory at the Games did not cause the slightest doubt among those around them.
Mamiashvili, the then captain of the wrestling team, explained why he named Karelin's name: “When Sasha fought Rastorotsky - that very decisive fight - few knew that his hand was seriously injured - a bone cracked. I saw him struggle. And I realized that if you need to die on the carpet to win in Seoul, Karelin will die, but he will not lose.
In Seoul, in the final, Alexander lost one point to the Pole Grabovsky in thirty seconds, but in the end he won.
Four years later, in Barcelona, Karelin was again the standard-bearer, having also replaced Mamiashvili as team captain. True, the banner was different - white - of the United Team. However, paradoxically, our team has never been more united. For themselves, they still, albeit for the last time, were one team.
In four fights out of five, Karelin won ahead of schedule: in a minute and a half he sent Canadian Andrew Borodow to rest, in two and a half - Cuban Rossel Mesa. The Romanian Ion Grigorash took 15 seconds. In the final, the world champion, twenty-time Swedish champion Thomas Johansson did not last longer than the Canadian wrestler. And only Finn Juhu Ahokas Karelin won on points.
“When I stood on a pedestal,” Karelin recalled, “most of all in my life I would like to hear the Soviet anthem. We grew up on it. And a new generation should grow up on new hymns.”
A year after the Games in Barcelona, Karelin became the world champion for the fifth time in a row. And only upon the return of the team from Stockholm to Moscow it became known that throughout the championship he fought with a broken rib in the first fight.
That championship to some extent became historical for journalists. Johansson, a long-time Karelinian counterpart, who officially announced his retirement on the eve of the championship, for the first time managed to soak up the dry score of his fights with Karelin: in the penultimate fight, desperately trying to grab the Russian wrestler by the ribs, the Swede won back a point, which became the reason for the appearance of a whole photo report in the Stockholm newspapers the next day . "Here it is, this moment!" Below it was: "And here's what happened a little later." 
It was better for the Swedes not to look at the rest of the pictures.
When Karelin was asked in Moscow why he didn’t withdraw from the competition due to an injury, the answer was a blank look: “Remove? I'm the captain!" This phrase was everything. And the responsibility for his team, for the first time performing on the world platform under the Russian flag, and pride in the five victories it has already won at the European Championship in Istanbul, and much more, including pity for Johansson, whom he, Karelin, ruined the holiday. (“I really feel sorry for him. After all, if you look at it, it was I who spoiled the blood of a good man for the last five years.”)
True, the Swede Karelin "compensated for" the failure. During the championship in Finland, Alexander made happy a hefty fit man holding a child by the hand. Karelin signed on the outstretched T-shirts and baseball caps, saying goodbye, slapped the man on the shoulder. It was Johansson!
On March 28, 1996, in Budapest, in the semifinals of the ninth European Championship for himself, Karelin was again injured. In a duel with the Belarusian wrestler Vasily Dibelko, his pectoralis major muscle came off. The injury could not even be anesthetized - the muscle came off right under shoulder joint, and the risk of affecting the nerve endings was too great. Karelin categorically refused to withdraw from the tournament.
In addition to the usual captain's arguments (“I went out on the carpet - fight”), there was another one: his wife Olga was watching Karelin from the podium. Then he will say: “It is very difficult to fight when they look at you like that.” And only after putting Olga on the plane, Karelin went to the hospital.
After the operation, which took almost three hours (only one and a half liters of blood was pumped out of the hematoma), the leading surgeon of Hungary, Istvan Berkes, said that Karelin would be able to fully train in two months. There were a little more than three months left before the Games in Atlanta.
Karelin weighed all the pros and cons for a very long time in order to continue to fight. He asked that the details of the operation not be published for at least a couple of months. And the scar wasn't too big. The surgeons who operated on Alexander - Berkes and Attila Pavlik, kept their word. And after the Games, Karelin from Hungary was sent congratulations on behalf of all the hospital staff: they say, with such a scale of the gap, it could not have occurred to anyone that he would participate at all.
The final heavyweight bout at the '96 Olympics was terrifying. Karelin's rival, an American of Iranian origin, Matt Ghaffari, raged. The stands raged: more than anything else, they, in fact, dreamed of seeing an American in the final. Music raged under the arches - from the famous "Rocky-4". Absolutely calm in the hall was only one person who had no right to lose. Including because the banner Russian team on the opening day of the Games, he still carried it.
When the fight ended with a score of 1:0, Karelin remained standing on the carpet. And there was no smile on his face.
Once he came to wrestling, desperately dreaming of becoming a world champion. And in Atlanta he said: "All the world championships put together are not worth the Olympics." 
After the Games in Atlanta, in an interview, the outstanding actor Yuri Nikulin, speaking about Karelin, remarked: “What I especially like as a former clown is that he has sad eyes.”
At a ceremony in the Georgievsky Hall of the Kremlin, when he was awarded the star of the Hero of Russia, Karelin, seeing Nikulin among those present, asked to be introduced - he thanked for the kind words.
“They don’t live that long in sports,” San Sanych once joked sadly in his address. Why did I dream of performing in Atlanta? The guys in the team got it: they say that Belarus has its own three-time Olympic champion - Alexander Medved, but not in Russia. This is wrong. But in general, I believe that a person, whether an athlete or a coach, should have the right to leave. Fulfilled the contract - and does not owe anything to anyone. It just doesn't work. Take Mamiashvili - he is a terrible fanatic, the whole team rests on him. How will I drop it? And most importantly, there is simply no one to take my place yet.
Karelin went on a record - his goal was to win in Sydney 2000. Alexander held the last test at the European Championship in Moscow and, as always, won. The championship was interesting because Karelin acted as a "playing" deputy. In December 1999, he was elected to the State Duma of Russia. Alexander Alexandrovich became a member of the State Duma Committee on Health and Sports.
Karelin's team name is shorter - San Sanych. Mamiashvili says:
I don’t even remember when exactly Karelin began to be called that way. I myself have been six years old and in the eyes, and behind the eyes I call him by his name and patronymic. How else can we emphasize the full degree of respect for him?
Until the final of his fourth Olympiad, Alexander was advancing confidently as always. Many Russian fans, athletes, officials gathered on September 27 in the wrestling hall, anticipating the new triumph of the Russian hero. Alas, Karelin did not win. The fate was decided by one point awarded by the judges to the American wrestler Gardner. Many people think it's unfair. Karelin did not look for excuses for bad refereeing: “I didn’t win. So, he lost. Well, an American grabbed me by the legs. So what? I've been hung up all my life. All this talk is for the benefit of the poor. It would be easier for me to lose to my own. Anyone but an American. Because I consider myself a representative of the strongest wrestling country in the world.”
In 2002, Karelin defended his thesis for the degree of Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences at the Academy of Physical Culture. Lesgaft (St. Petersburg) on the topic "Sports training of highly qualified wrestlers".
All the same, Karelin lives in Novosibirsk, being an honorary resident of the city. Together with his wife Olga, he brings up sons Denis and Ivan and daughter Vasilisa.
“I began to be at home less,” says Karelin. - Stopped exercising twice a day five days a week. There are more opportunities for creativity. However, the responsibility has also increased.
One young man asked me recently: "What are you dreaming about?" - "On the general welfare." "You're not interested," he concluded. And I really dream that people around were happy. And the further, the more urgent the dream. I understand its special demand and necessity. Everyone should be able to work and receive adequate compensation for their work. Adequate according to civilized, and not according to Russian standards. Now, if the level of wages in our country becomes the same as in highly developed countries, the level of crime and other bad things will be simply insignificant. When this happens - and prosperity will come.
