In Omsk classical wrestling Alexander Kudinov is the real legend.

Name of this extraordinary person among those who in far 1950-1960 together with Yury Yakovlevich Sapozhnikov put in Omsk bases classical (now Greco-Roman)wrestling and forged the first Siberian victories on the All-Russian and international arenas. Future generations of Omsk wrestlers won't manage to darken for a long time glory of magnificent pupils of Alexander Kudinov who was repeatedly rising by the higher steps of podiums of the championships of Russia, the USSR, Europe and the world.

The courageous athlete, the strict trainer, the fair judge, the gentle husband, the careful father and the loving grandfather. In its difficult and contradictory destiny there are so much forms, but in each of them it always remained such what shall be the person loving the business, the homeland, the family, sincerely respecting colleagues, friends and acquaintances.

The deserved coach of Russia, the honourable master of sports of the USSR, the judge of All-Union category on wrestling Alexander Stepanovich Kudinov long ago on the deserved rest.  But in the 77 years with "tail" it in the good form.  There is no time to miss to the veteran, after all cares at him, as they say, too much.  It these pores leads the car on noisy and not always to safe city streets.  With pleasure is engaged in household and country chores, potters with grandsons and great-grandsons, visits wrestling tournaments, communicates with friends on former sporting battles on a carpet.  To the veterans of the sports who have devoted all the life to wrestling, is what to recall...

At sources of Omsk wrestling

Alexander Kudinov started being engaged in classical  wrestling at the end of 1952 when studied in Omsk river school.   The young guy who has arrived to the city on Irtysh from the small village of Izhtan of the Tomsk region, of course, more liked boxing, but the beginning athlete was made by a nose which often didn't bear shocks of partner rivals and foully bled.   It was necessary to switch to occupations rowing on boats. 

It isn't known, as though there was Alexander Kudinov's sporting destiny, if not his meeting with the talented trainer Yury Yakovlevich Sapozhnikov who has come in 1952 to operation in river school. In a year of trainings, in 1953, the wrestler took part in superiority of Russia among young men in Astrakhan. The debut brought to Kudinov only the 5th place. The next year, in the 1954th, youthful superiority of the country took place in Stalingrad (such name the modern Volgograd till 1961 wore) where the athlete in interests of a command had to appear one category above. And again 5th place. But after that Alexander Kudinov's tournament trainers of the national team noted and left the wrestler on collections to prepare for superiority of the USSR. However at these competitions because of an injury it didn't manage to appear.

Honourable master of sports

In 1955 began  the new stage  in Alexander Kudinov's life.  On tournament TsS "Water-transport worker" in Gomel the 19-year-old wrestler became a champion among adult athletes and executed the standard of the master of sports of the USSR.  And in September of the same year with the diploma of the graduate of Omsk river school it was called up for military service and sent to the Pacific fleet, to the cruiser "Kirov".  Alexander served only 6 months, trained on sporting basis of fleet, was the champion of Primorsky Krai.  In March, 1956, having returned after service to Omsk which has become for it native, it continued to train.  And in August of the same year I arrived on the first course of Omsk state institute of physical culture.

The prompt swirl of events began to whirl the young guy even more.  In 1958 he became the bronze prize-winner of superiority of Russia in Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod) and was included in composition of a national team of RSFSR.  In 1959 I benefited "silver" on the zonal tournament of Siberia which has taken place in Barnaul, and in the II sports contest of the people of Russia.  I took part in All-Union student's games twice.  In 1958 in Kiev the command which was prepared by Yury Sapozhnikov, took the 1st place.  In 1961 residents of Omsk managed to repeat "gold" success in the city of Tbilisi on the II All-Union student's games where Alexander Kudinov was a participant, the trainer and the representative.

As a part of a national team of Russia Alexander Kudinov appeared 7 years. During this time it once benefited "silver", twice "bronze" and still remained in a step from a podium twice, taking the 4th place. For these achievements the athlete was awarded ranks "The honourable master of sports of the USSR". In 1963 it became the second on Zaikin's Prize in Kishinev, and in 1964 on tournament in Astrakhan took the 4th place, having conceded to only the pupil Victor Igumenov.

Twice in 1963 and 1964 Alexander Kudinov became the winner of tournament on Prizes of "Irtysh", devoted to memory of trainer Yu.Ya.Sapozhnikova who was carried out on the arena of Omsk circus. In 1962 it took the second place, and in 1965 – the third, having again lost to the pupil Victor Igumenov who has become in 1965 the Omsk's first champion of the USSR, and in 1966 and the first in the city on Irtysh the world champion in classical wrestling.

The trainer always shall be near

After that 29-year-old skilled wrestler Kudinov decided for himself that it is time to it to transfer to trainer's operation completely. By then it already had a brief practical experience. After all Alexander started working with young athletes in 1958 besides thanks to the instructor Yury Sapozhnikov. Then the trainer decided to support the pupil and his young family in which the two-year-old daughter grew. Exactly at that time in group Kudinov there were young children from school No. 1 – V.Igumenov, N.Volkov, the Item Zenkovsky, O. Tchurkin, N. Burukhin. In two years, in the 1960th, the national team of Omsk under the leadership of high trainer Alexander Kudinov benefited in Angarsk a zone of Siberia on young men, and then in Leningrad for the first time took the 1st place on superiority of the country. More similar success young Omsk wrestlers didn't achieve never. After that achievements of the young trainer invited in OGIFK to wrestling chair. In 1962 on youthful superiority of Russia in Nalchik our command took the 2nd place. From this point Alexander Kudinov switched to operation with adult athletes.

From Alexander Kudinov's memories:  "As the trainer who prepared a command in 1961 for the II All-Union student's games in Tbilisi where it took the 1st place, I was awarded by the diploma and a medal.  In 1963 in Kishinev the 1st All-Union tournament on Ivan Zaikin's Prize was held, us invited there.  I was the trainer, the participant and the representative.  We took the 1st place in a team competition.  Wrestlers V. Petrov, A.Karmatskikh, I.Kalyuzhny, A.Kochnev benefited also the first places in personal superiority.  N. Kochnev and I took in the weights the 2nd places.  More us to these competitions didn't invite".

In the early sixties on a wrestling mat Victor Igumenov's era began. In 1961 on superiority of "Spartak" in Volgograd residents of Omsk took the 2nd place a command place. Victor Igumenov became the first in the weight category. Same year it benefited superiority of the USSR in Kiev, and in the 1962nd became the champion of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions, having executed the standard of the master of sports of the USSR. To peaks of sporting glory Victor Igumenov took the following step in 1964 on superiority of Russia in Astrakhan where became the champion. In 1965 Alexander Kudinov's pupil won the first gold medal and in the USSR championship in Riga. In total on its score of such victories will be six!

In 1966 Victor Igumenov won the first victory in the World Cup. And from this point in its questionnaire in the graph "trainer" near Alexander Kudinov's surname there was a surname – Vasily Viktorovich Gromyko.

From Alexander Kudinov's memories: "In 1966 Victor benefited the first World Cup and began to write as trainers me and Vasily Viktorovich Gromyko. It was its decision though , probably, should be informed on it. For its victories in the World Cups I five times got awards on 250 rubles and when Abbots became the USSR's first 5-fold victor of world championships, I received 500 rubles. Only 1750 rubles. At that time it was big money".

Hafiz Timashev was Alexander Kudinov's who has become the champion of the USSR the second pupil.  Together they worked 4 years.  After Timashev's victory in national championship some "well-wishers" asked the wrestler:  "Whom will he write the trainer?  " The athlete as though without understanding, on what these people hint, diplomatically responded:  "I have one trainer – Kudinov A.S.  ".  Probably, it he also signed to itself(himself) a sentence.  After all at that time Vasily Gromyko was already head coach of national team.  And to receive in instructors of such principal is means, to guarantee itself a place in the principal USSR command.

During selection on the European championship which took place on the international Poddubny's Prize tournament in Riga, Hafiz Timashev became the bronze prize-winner, having won against future champion of Europe Velinga from GDR.    However on the continent championship the pig-headed athlete all the same didn't get.    Instead of it the wrestler was switched on in a national team of the USSR from Uzbekistan Sharaburov who has lost in that championship of the Old World, in the second circle.  

From Alexander Kudinov's memories: "I asked Vasily Viktorovich Gromyko – why Hafiz Timashev isn't switched on in composition of the national team? On what he responded that so decided trainer's council. The true reason was absolutely another".

In 1982 Kudinov was stimulated to go to Kemerovo to the pupil V. Kovalyova.  Didn't allow to work in Omsk as the trainer to it any more.  Someone didn't like high achievements and an international recognition of his numerous pupils, and to someone Alexander Stepanovich's rigid and uncompromising character.  The skilled trainer in Omsk was necessary to nobody and went in job searches to other city.  It was necessary to feed a family.

In Kemerovo it worked 3 years, having visited with the pupils pupils of technical training college all Kuzbass. Resetting to Omsk took place in 1985. At first he worked the trainer in SPTU-21, then the director and the trainer at wrestling Centre which was based on Dolgirev Street in SPTU No. 7 which has moved later to the Left coast.

From Alexander Kudinov's memories: "In 1966 Victor benefited the first World Cup and began to write as trainers me and Vasily Viktorovich Gromyko. It was its decision though , probably, should be informed on it. For its victories in the World Cups I five times got awards on 250 rubles and when Abbots became the USSR's first 5-fold victor of world championships, I received 500 rubles. Only 1750 rubles. At that time it was big money".

Hafiz Timashev was Alexander Kudinov's who has become the champion of the USSR the second pupil.  Together they worked 4 years.  After Timashev's victory in national championship some "well-wishers" asked the wrestler:  "Whom will he write the trainer?  " The athlete as though without understanding, on what these people hint, diplomatically responded:  "I have one trainer – Kudinov A.S.  ".  Probably, it he also signed to itself(himself) a sentence.  After all at that time Vasily Gromyko was already head coach of national team.  And to receive in instructors of such principal is means, to guarantee itself a place in the principal USSR command.

During selection on the European championship which took place on the international Poddubny's Prize tournament in Riga, Hafiz Timashev became the bronze prize-winner, having won against future champion of Europe Velinga from GDR.    However on the continent championship the pig-headed athlete all the same didn't get.    Instead of it the wrestler was switched on in a national team of the USSR from Uzbekistan Sharaburov who has lost in that championship of the Old World, in the second circle.  

From Alexander Kudinov's memories: "I asked Vasily Viktorovich Gromyko – why Hafiz Timashev isn't switched on in composition of the national team? On what he responded that so decided trainer's council. The true reason was absolutely another".

In 1982 Kudinov was stimulated to go to Kemerovo to the pupil V. Kovalyova.  Didn't allow to work in Omsk as the trainer to it any more.  Someone didn't like high achievements and an international recognition of his numerous pupils, and to someone Alexander Stepanovich's rigid and uncompromising character.  The skilled trainer in Omsk was necessary to nobody and went in job searches to other city.  It was necessary to feed a family.

In Kemerovo it worked 3 years, having visited with the pupils pupils of technical training college all Kuzbass. Resetting to Omsk took place in 1985. At first he worked the trainer in SPTU-21, then the director and the trainer at wrestling Centre which was based on Dolgirev Street in SPTU No. 7 which has moved later to the Left coast.

In 1990 Alexander Kudinov finally left sports. The retirement age was not far off, and future pension should be earned – to look for more highly paid operation. It went on Oxygen plant, created crew which showed high performance of work, earning on 700-800 rubles a month.

Life after sports doesn't seem to Alexander Stepanovich boring.   Such people as Kudinov, are occupied never.   However, now duties at it more house and economic.   Wrestling remained only in communication with friends, in memories, diplomas, diplomas, medals and the black-and-white photos returning the veteran in his complete of events uneasy youth. 

Alexander Kudinov's achievements

As the trainer Alexander Stepanovich Kudinov prepared commands for different tournaments which repeatedly came to an end with victories of residents of Omsk. His pupils benefited competitions TsS "Water-transport worker" – 5 times, "Petrel" – 6 times. In 1973 in Tyumen the Omsk command benefited the championship of Russia. In 1974 in Krasnodar residents of Omsk took the 2nd place.

During the period from 1960 to 1977 Alexander Kudinov prepared more than 50 masters of sports, among which deserved master of sports, 5-fold world champion V.Igumenov, the world champion among railroad workers Y.Grigoriev, champions of the USSR: V.Igumenov (6 times) and Hafis Timashev (1 time), champions of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions: V.Igumenov, A.Gladyshev, V. Sadykov, A.Minibayev, N.Grekhov, champions of RSFSR: V.Igumenov (5 times), Y.Krikukha (2 times), N. Koksharov, V. Shpilkin.

Alexander Kudinov's pupils became the deserved trainers of the USSR (V.Igumenov, V. Borman), the deserved trainers of Russia (A.Minibayev, A.Zelenin, Y.Krikukha, Page Novakovsky, A.Manzorov, Century Zborovsky, H.Timashev), one – the deserved trainer of Republic of Belarus (V. Derunov) and one more – the deserved trainer of Uzbekistan (A.Ustinenko), judges of the international category (A.Minibayev, V. Tkachenko, Y.Krikukha, V.Igumenov, Page Novakovsky), professors (V.Igumenov, Y.Krikukha, Page Novakovsky, N.Volkov).

Photo from Alexander Kudinov's personal archive

Text: Andrey Tchizhov

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