Athletes of Yakutia achieved outstanding victories: the first champion of Olympic Games on sailing in the USSR Timir PINEGIN, the Olympic champion in weightlifting Vladimir GOLOVANOV, Olympic champions in free-style wrestling Roman DMITRIEV and Pavel PINIGIN, the silver prize-winner of Olympic Games on track and field athletics of Evgeny KOLODKO both numerous champions and prize-winners of the world, Europe, the USSR, Russia, Paraolimpiysky games.

But Alexander IVANOV similar to triumph in Tehran in 1974 the Soviet and Russian schools of free-style wrestling don't remember anything.

Then Yury ShAHMURADOV was the head coach of USSR national team on free-style wrestling. I in 2010 happened to talk to it with it at his place in Makhachkala within long 4 hours. When he told about Tehran-74, his eyes burned, the voice sometimes passed to a recitative, it changed, anew enduring those events.

White sun of Tehran

Then in free-style wrestling by tournaments of the highest level there were Olympic Games, the World Cups and Europe, superiority of the USSR, Tbilisi and Teheran tournaments.

Alexander Ivanov at the beginning of 1974 won the Tbilisi tournament called "Small World Cup".

Now test by Tehran was necessary.

In Iran wrestling – almost main national sport, has long traditions and long history. Readers of advanced age can remember the legendary Iranian movie "Mazandaransky Tiger", cult not only in Iran, but also to the USSR telling about the simple rural guy wrestler, become the favourite of all country.

Iranians expected to win weight categories 48, 52, 57, 62, 68, 74 of kg, and on 52 kg to occupy all pedestal.

On 52 kg there were 30 participants – more, than on other weight categories.

Carrying out tournament in the huge room containing 60 thousand people was a graphic evidence of popularity of free-style wrestling in Iran. Tribunes simply roared and rattled – shouts merged with a thunder of drums.

"Hammer, keep it up!"

The first rival, the Iranian, Alexander Ivanov quickly pressed shovels on a carpet, having made a masterly revolving object.

Yury Shakhmuradov was delighted: "The good fellow, the beginning is!"

The second rival, too the Iranian, Alexander took for feet, lifted, turned in air and threw shovels on a carpet.

Tribunes roared, hammered drums. But Alexander then yet didn't understand that Iranians, judges of beautiful wrestling, started supporting him.

Shakhmuradov exulted: "Hammer, keep it up!"

The Iranian, very nimble and careful appeared the third rival again. But also it got on Alexander's reception – in air his heels only flashed and he didn't understand how it appeared shovels on a carpet.

Here the tribunes which have already learned a surname of the unknown wrestler, started chanting amicably: "I-fa-nop-py! I-fa-nop-py!"

Shakhmuradov: "In you give, Ivanov, the handsome!"

On the fourth circle against Alexander there was an Iranian who has also won clean all previous fights. Alexander started taking from him point behind point, tribunes blew up after each successful reception of the Soviet wrestler: "I-fa-nop-py! I-fa-nop-py!"

To the Iranian remained, except how to go nothing for broke, but here he was caught by Alexander, made a lightning mill, then put on the bridge, began to approach shovels of the Iranian to a carpet. Gong!

After the fourth bright victory of the guy from far northern Yakutia about which Iranians had no concept, tribunes thought up a new way: started beating rhythmically feet on a floor – it turned out impressively. There was at them any conductor who gave a rhythm to drums.

Shakhmuradov all repeated: "Nice victory! Here it is our school! To equal on Ivanov! " From Alexander Fedor BAUMBAH, the champion of the USSR didn't come unstuck: "Come on, we, Siberians! " Other Siberian, great Ivan YARYGIN was quiet: "Sascha, then in Yakutsk we will celebrate!"

"Great pekhlevan"

Fifth circle. As soon as Ivanov left in a hall – tribunes rejoiced: "I-fa-nop-py! I-fa-nop-py!"

When shovels of the fifth Iranian adjoined to a carpet – on tribunes rose and started singing. It was unexpected.

Shakhmuradov couldn't restrain: "Excellent, it is a lesson, a model of wrestling". The world champion and Europe Vladimir GULYuTKIN strong embraced Alexander: "Iron Yakut!"

When Ivanov went to a locker room, Iranians began to resort to him and to concern him, sentencing "Pekhlevan!"

The sixth rival, Iranian Kulan ASKARI came to a carpet almost on all fours – other way to resist to receptions of the Soviet wrestler trainers of the national team of Iran couldn't think up. But Alexander even the creeping forced to fly and land on shovels.

On tribunes the indescribable began. Under a roar of drums people jerked to a carpet, started concerning the great wrestler to absorb his force and dexterity. Tribunes chanted: "Pekhlevan! Pekhlevan!"

All USSR national team came running, hardly managed to bring Alexander out of a hall in a locker room.

Shakhmuradov only swung the head: "Sascha – the hero! " To all I spoke: "Such I yet didn't see! Such never was!"

The giant Is banished by ANDIEV, future double Olympic champion, slowly expressed admiration: "Lysander, , the man, yours wrestling– abeautifull, give a hand".

Here great Iranian wrestlers entered into a locker room Abdullah MOVAHED, Golamrez TANTI and Imamali HABIBIS, started congratulating Ivanov in eager rivalry. They told that Iran perceives now "Iskander" Ivanov as the new national hero sent by Allah to win against all best wrestlers of the country. According to them, never any wrestler so stunningly won Iran therefore now Iranians call Ivanov "great pekhlevany".

Seventh, last circle

Tribunes raved: "I-fa-nop-py! I-fa-nop-py! ", "Pekhlevan! Pekhlevan! " Drums, rhythmical blows of tens of thousands of feet.

Against Ivanov there was absolutely suppressed Iranian.

When Alexander threw the rival revolution through himself and laid on shovels – fans of beautiful and spectacular wrestling fell into fury. Giants Yarygin and Tediashvili standing on the alert put Alexander on the mighty shoulders and incurred through a dense police corridor to a locker room.

Shakhmuradov summed up tournament: "Ivanov's matchless, tremendous performance. It is the wrestling symphony!"

Then there was the whole army and police operation on Ivanov's conclusion from a locker room to the bus. The crowd several times broke through chains of soldiers and police officers, in a dump broke bus glasses. The bus was accompanied by police on motorcycles.

In 36 years Yury Avanesovich Shakhmuradov remembered: "I saw many competitions, outstanding victories. But such that all huge stadium was torn to welcome the winner, such apogee of delight and admiration never I saw".

Tehran-74 – one of the biggest triumphs of the Yakut people. Next year forty years when other country applauded courage, skill and a celebration of the Yakut wrestler will be executed.

We need to remember our this triumph with pride. They say that only those people which remembers and respect the heroes – are worthy the future.

Source:

Ivan USHNITSKY, sports journalist, "Yakutsk evening"