Ivan Poddubny in old age. Ivan Poddubny is the invincible champion of champions. The life story of the great Russian wrestler. “I came out in height and face, thanks to my mother and father...”

Russian and Soviet wrestler, strongman, circus performer and athlete Ivan Poddubny is a prominent figure in the history of sports around the world. Before the XXXI summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Russian athletes were stimulated by stories of the best athletes, including the life and career of I.M. Poddubny.

short biography

Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny was born September 26, 1871 in a populated area Bogodukhovka Poltava province (now Cherkasy region in Ukraine) of the Russian Empire. He belonged to the family of Zaporozhye Cossacks.

Ivan inherited considerable strength and endurance from his father. He inherited a good ear for music from his mother. As a child, he sang in the church choir.

Job

From 12 years old Ivan Poddubny worked: first on a peasant farm, then as a loader in the port of Sevastopol and Feodosia. For about 1 year (1896-1897) he was a clerk.

Wrestling career

In 1896 Ivan entered the big arena for the first time and began to defeat famous wrestlers at that time: Lurikha, Razumova, Borodanova, Pappy. Thus began Poddubny’s career as a wrestler who became famous throughout the world - a six-time “Champion of Champions.”

First fight with Le Boucher

One of Poddubny’s most famous fights was 2 fights with a French wrestler Raoul Le Boucher. Their first fight ended in victory for the Frenchman: Le Boucher used the dishonest technique of escaping Poddubny’s captures by smearing himself with oil. At the end of the match, the judges gave him primacy with the wording “for beautiful and skillful avoidance of acute techniques”.

Revenge

At a tournament in St. Petersburg, Ivan took revenge on Le Boucher, forced the French wrestler to 20 minutes stay in a knee-elbow position until the judges took pity on the French wrestler and gave the victory to Poddubny.

In November 1939, in the Kremlin, for his outstanding services “in the development of Soviet sports,” he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR. Poddubny left the carpet in 1941 at 70 years of age!

Circus athlete and weightlifter

In 1897, Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny began performing in the circus as a weightlifter, athlete, and wrestler. With a circus troupe he traveled to many countries, visited 4 continents.

The period of war - the story of Poddubny's godson

In the city of Yeisk Krasnodar region Godson of Ivan Mikhailovich lives - Yuri Petrovich Korotkov. Poddubny lived there during the war. There are many stories surrounding the personality of the famous wrestler. incredible stories and legends associated with the period of the Great Patriotic War.

Stories and legends

Yuri Korotkov confirms some of them, as he witnessed what was happening. For example, what Ivan Mikhailovich walked openly during the occupation of Yeysk by the Germans with the Order of the Red Banner of Labor on his chest. To all the objections of those around him and the fear that he might be shot, he responded like this:

“They won’t shoot me, they respect me”

And indeed, the Germans respected the elderly fighter. When our people returned to the city, he was summoned several times for questioning by the NKVD. Poddubny did not understand what he had done wrong and said that they were asking him ridiculous questions and could not understand that he was a true patriot of his country.

"Saint" Poddubny

Another nickname for Ivan Poddubny is "Saint". Despite the fact that religion was practically banned in the USSR, many of his acquaintances called him a saint.

The reason for this was simple, although it was not without some mysticism: Poddubny simply always helped others. And it was when he was nearby that “miracles” happened. Once, by laying on of hands, he cured an acquaintance’s arrhythmia, another time, a neighbor’s chronic headaches...

last years of life

There is an opinion that after the war Ivan Maksimovich was starving. However, his godson refutes this:

“Poddubny received a good ration. I myself followed him to the meat processing plant and to the warehouse where rations were distributed to the military. Poddubny had a roomy bag for this, which he called a “gut.”

Before last day The “Russian hero” did not lose his strength and endurance: he worked tirelessly around the house, carried water in a 4-bucket container.

Ivan Poddubny died of a heart attack August 8, 1949. His body was buried in Yeisk in a park that is now named after him. Also in the park there is a monument to him and nearby there is a museum and a sports school named after. Poddubny.

There are not many reliable facts about the fate of the Russian strongman Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny. The information is recorded from the words of eyewitnesses and some episodes are contradictory. And yet she made it possible to compile the life story of a fighter who more than a century ago he defended the honor of the country on the stage of Europe and America.

Anthropometry

• Poddubny’s height and weight is 184 cm, 120 kg.
• Chest volume – 134 cm.
• Biceps muscle - 45.
• Forearms - 36.
• Necks – 50.
• Waist 103.
• Ankles – 47.

Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny: the beginning of a wrestling biography

Poddubny was born still in the Russian Empire in the Poltava village in large family. Years of life: 8.10.1871 - 8.09.1949. From his paternal Cossack ancestors, Vanya received a powerful physique and heroic strength. From my mother - an ear for music and peasant ingenuity. From an early age the boy helped around the house; at the age of 12 he became a farm laborer. Already as a teenager, in belt wrestling, he surprised with his remarkable power.

In his youth a guy fell in love the daughter of a local rich man, for whom he worked as a shepherd. Despite mutual feelings, there was no chance of becoming Vityak’s son-in-law. So that he doesn't do anything stupid, his father sent him away from the village. For several years, the future wrestler Poddubny worked as a loader in the port of Sevastopol. Every evening after hard work the guy fought with his fists with his comrades. Rumors about the strength of the loader spread throughout all Crimean ports. The meeting with graduates of nautical classes and weightlifters Preobrazhensky and Vasiliev became fateful. Their retelling of the biography of the famous athlete Karl Absa convinced Poddubny to train. He started carrying weights, doing gymnastics, plunged headlong into sports.

New coil

In 1896, the Beskarovainy circus came to Feodosia. The guy liked the tricks so much that he went to every performance. After the show, the troupe invited those who wanted to fight with them and receive a reward for winning. The defeat in the arena encouraged me to tirelessly carry 32 kg weights and a 112 kg barbell. As a result, the giant was accepted into the troupe of the Italian Enrico Truzzi.

At the age of 27, a different life began. Crowds came to see Poddubny’s tricks. The crowning number is the telegraph pole trick. He was placed on the shoulders of a strong man, with 20 people clinging to him from below. Under the weight it broke into pieces. Then the fight began with sashes, where Ivan had no equal. The rumor about the hero spread throughout the country.

Going international

In 1900, the fashion for French wrestling, known as Greco-Roman, came into fashion. The wrestler began to train and represented the country at the competition in 1903 in Paris, where 130 wrestlers participated. Poddubny pinned a dozen opponents until it was Raoul le Boucher's turn. The strange tactics of the Frenchman and the bias of the judges infuriated Ivan. After the tournament, the athlete decided to end his wrestling career. Friends persuaded him to come to his senses and wait for revenge.

Fate brought them together again in sparring at the St. Petersburg tournament. Ivan's revenge was cruel. He literally twisted the Frenchman to the laughter of the audience, until the judges took pity on the unfortunate Raoul. The next fight was with world champion Paul Ponsa, which he won.

From 1904-08 the Russian hero became unchanged winner the most important tournament.

By 1910 he had earned a lot of money and decided to change his lifestyle. The wrestler went to the village and started a farm. As a result, the lack of talent for business and the wife’s irrepressible demands led to financial ruin.

Personal life of Ivan Poddubny

Relationships never worked out for the athlete in his youth. After youthful passion, a little later feelings flared up for a 40-year-old circus performer, who exchanged him for another man. Then there was an affair with aerial gymnast Masha Dozmarova, but she fell from a height and was killed.

Poddubny's wife was Antonina Kvitko. She squandered her husband's capital and at the beginning Civil War fled the country, taking part of the collection of awards. In 1922, the “Russian bear” got married on the mother of the athlete under his charge and finally found peace.

Poddubny's tragedy

Before World War I Ivan return to the circus arena and started making a living doing stunts. What was it worth? Poddubny's cane, which he “accidentally” dropped on the feet of ill-wishers. They said that it was cast from cast iron to special order. In 1922, a 51-year-old heavyweight went to work at the Moscow Circus.

In 1939 he was awarded the title of Honored Artist.

Since the giant did not delve into politics, he was treated loyally under any government. During World War II, the Germans offered to move to Germany to train the younger generation. Ivan refused and began working as a bouncer in a bar. In 1945 he received an Honored Master of Sports. He spent his last fight on the mat at the age of 70, then retired and moved to the Sea of ​​Azov.

However, all these regalia did not help in life. In the post-war years, in order to somehow eat, Ivan Poddubny sold medals. The tiny rations were clearly not enough for the hero with a mountain of muscles. Perhaps, if he had not broken his hip in Yeisk, where he was not given proper care, he would still have lived. Genetics favored longevity. His grandfather died at the age of 120. When health problems began, Ivan decided to ask Voroshilov to put him on military pay. I didn’t have time to send the letter due to a heart attack. Ivan died in 1949 at the age of 77. In 1955, a book was published about the life of the Russian hero, and later a film was made (“The Tragedy of the Strongman”). Since 1962, classical wrestling tournaments have been held in memory of Poddubny.

Ivan Poddubny in video format

Ivan Poddubny- this name has become the embodiment of physical power and unyielding Russian character. A fight with him was a real test of strength for every fighter, and only a few dared to take revenge. Above all, he valued honesty in people, respected strength, and severely punished meanness and deception. Our article is devoted to the biography of the legendary “Champion of Champions” and a true Russian hero.

Hereditary Cossack Ivan Poddubny.
Childhood and athlete's youth

Ivan Poddubny born on October 8, 1871 in the village of Bogodukhovka, Poltava province. Childhood and athlete's youth took place in Ukraine. He was from a family hereditary Cossacks, famous enormous power and longevity. According to rumors, Ivan’s grandfather lived for 120 years, however, there is no documentary evidence of this. However, the heroic power of the Poddubnys is an undeniable fact. The head of the family, Maxim Ivanovich, had powerful strength and a stern disposition. They tell how one day, already world famous, Ivan decided to show off his strength and tied a poker in a knot. The father calmly unbent the iron rod and gave it a good smack on the back of his careless son, so that in future he would not spoil things.

The father and his eldest son often entertained the villagers by staging belt fights - a favorite heroic pastime of Russian strongmen. Ivan more than once managed to lay his parent down on his shoulder blades, although he was always sure that he simply gave in to him. When the future champion was once asked if there was a person stronger than him in the world, he answered without hesitation: “There is - my father!”

From childhood, Ivan was accustomed to hard peasant labor: he helped cultivate the land and worked as a laborer for wealthy relatives. The strongman inherited an excellent ear for music from his mother and sang in the church choir on Sundays.

If fate had decided otherwise, the world might never have known about the “Champion of Champions” Ivan Poddubny. But in the life of the village strongman there came a time crucial moment, forcing him to leave his parents' home and go in search of a better life. This happened after they refused to marry off the girl with whom he was madly in love with Ivan. The parents were looking for a more profitable match for their daughter than a young farm laborer. Poddubny, who had a hard time experiencing this breakup, could no longer remain in his native land. In 1892 he moved to Sevastopol.

Becoming a "Champion of Champions" It started in Crimea. To earn a living, Ivan Poddubny gets a job as a loader at the port. Colleagues were amazed at his colossal strength and endurance. Ivan tirelessly carried heavy-duty boxes and bales along the gangway, without even bending under their weight. IN free time The strongman went to the circus, watching with delight the performances of acrobats and strongmen. One day he volunteered to participate in a Swiss wrestling match. The straightforward hero, who did not know all the tricks of this competition, was almost immediately knocked down.

The defeat forced the strongman to think hard and reconsider his lifestyle. Among his friends were avid fans of wrestling and weightlifting. They gave Ivan the idea do strength training. Poddubny begins to exercise every day with three-pound weights and a 112-kilogram barbell, and pours himself cold water. In addition, he sets for himself strict diet, completely eliminating tobacco and alcohol. Explores the intricacies of modern wrestling.

His re-entry into the arena was met with deafening whistles. Remembering the previous failure, the audience prepared to watch a boring spectacle. But the challenger surprised everyone by putting the circus strongman on his shoulder blades. Poddubny had a series of brilliant fights, defeating, among other things, the famous Russian wrestler Georg Lurich , and a duel with another famous athlete, Peter Yankovsky ended in a draw. After such a deafening triumph, the name of Ivan Poddubny thundered throughout Russia.

In 1897, he got a job with the Italian Truzzi Circus, which toured all over the world. Black Sea coast. Performs in the arena, demonstrating miracles of strength. So, in one of the rooms they broke a lamppost on his back. On the advice of a colleague, the athlete grows a lush mustache, which has since become his integral attribute.

World famous And
the most spectacular fights
Ivan Poddubny

One of the most famous fights of Ivan Poddubny took place during his circus tour in Novorossiysk. Quite quickly putting the massive Swedish wrestler Anderson on his shoulder, the Russian strongman made many doubt the fairness of the fight. Outraged by such rumors, Ivan invited his opponent to have a rematch. Having agreed with the organizers, the Swede agreed, but on the condition that Poddubny would lose.

The refusal could destroy the reputation of both the circus and the athlete himself, since the fight had already been announced, and all tickets for it were sold out in advance. Yielding to the persuasion of his colleagues, Ivan agreed to go against his conscience. However, at the sight of his opponent’s smug face, he couldn’t stand it. The Swede did not have time to come to his senses when he found himself hanging a few centimeters above the ground. Ivan Poddubny lay on his back, feigning defeat, and without visible effort held his squirming opponent at arm's length. Burning with shame, Andersen fled from the circus, amid the laughter and hooting of the crowd.

By 1903 in Russia Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny there were no equals in strength and sportsmanship. Among the strongest fighters Russian Empire he is recommended to participate in the World French Wrestling Championship. This type of martial arts was new to the athlete, but thanks to hard training and perseverance, he managed to master it in just three months.

At the tournament, which brought together famous athletes from all over the world, the Russian wrestler won 11 victories in a row. In the final, Poddubny had to fight with a young but promising athlete Raoul Le Boucher . The fight was extremely tense, the initiative passed from one opponent to another. However, it soon became clear that the Frenchman was outright cheating by smearing himself with oil before the fight. According to all international rules, the fight should have been stopped immediately and the victory should have been awarded to the Russian athlete. However, there was a lot of money at stake, which decided the outcome of the confrontation.

The judges made a very dubious and illogical decision to wipe down the French wrestler every five minutes. Within an hour, Poddubny failed to put the enemy on his shoulder blades, and Raoul Le Boucher was declared the winner on points. The decision of the panel of judges was met with deafening whistles. By that time " A russian bear"managed to captivate the French public, who were extremely outraged by the unsportsmanlike behavior of their compatriot.

For the honest and straightforward Poddubny, this defeat was a real shock. Not wanting to be a puppet in the hands of greedy businessmen, he decides to leave the sport. But a year later he returns to take part in the world championship in French wrestling, held in St. Petersburg. Here he again met his offender. Realizing that this time defeat could not be avoided, Raul offered his opponent a substantial bribe for the loss.

Ivan Poddubny answered the way he knew best - harshly, but within the rules. During the fight, he forced his opponent to kneel and held him in this position for a quarter of an hour, until the judges took pity on Raul, asking him to be released. By that time the Frenchman was already on the verge of hysterics.

In the final battle Poddubny managed to defeat the great Paul Pons . The fight lasted almost two hours, after which the Frenchman was completely exhausted and presented an extremely sad sight. Under the deafening roar of the crowd, the Russian wrestler laid him down on his shoulder blades, becoming the new world champion in French wrestling.

Another interesting one fight of Ivan Poddubny occurred in the summer of 1904 in Moscow. His opponent was famous for his rudeness and unsportsmanlike behavior Johann Abs. The fight was so fierce that within half an hour the fighters literally smashed the stage decorations to pieces. Finally, enraged by his opponent’s antics, Poddubny threw him out of the lists. A few minutes later he came back, dragging the struggling German by his belt, and with all his strength he pressed his forehead against the floor of the arena. Abs soon came to his senses, but he remembered the lesson taught by the Russian hero for the rest of his life.

In 1908, at a tournament in Berlin Ivan Poddubny defeated the German champion in the decisive battle Jacob Koch. And the day before, the German recklessly tried to bribe the Russian champion. The next day, the German press came out with revealing materials, branding Koch as a swindler and a coward. And Poddubny, in the apt expression of one of the journalists, has since been called “ Champion of champions».

"Golden" period in It is generally accepted that the years 1905-1910 were when the Russian athlete dominated the fight, leaving no chance to his opponents. During this time, he managed to become a four-time world champion. Ivan Maksimovich kept his awards in a separate chest, which by the end of his sports career weighed more than 30 kilograms! Tired of the behind-the-scenes intrigues of big-time sports, the wrestler decides to stop performing and retire.

Return to native land.
Personal life of Ivan Poddubny

Return to homeland passed without unnecessary pomp. The family greeted Poddubny with great warmth. Even Maxim Ivanovich, who repeatedly threatened to hit the prodigal son with shafts because he appeared in public “in a shameful state” (in wrestling tights), changed his anger to mercy.

Using the money accumulated over the years of performances, the athlete bought his own estate and 120 acres of land, which he divided among his closest relatives. That same year he married the first beauty of his village - Antonina Kvitko-Fomenko. But alas, the former champion did not have a calm and happy life. The farm quickly fell into disrepair, and his wife, having appropriated part of his rewards, ran away with her lover. For the honest and respectable Poddubny, his beloved’s betrayal came as a bolt from the blue. Black melancholy took possession of the “Champion of Champions”, almost driving him to the grave. Much later, Antonina repented of what she had done and begged for forgiveness, but she never received it.

However, this was not the first time that a gullible hero became a victim of female cunning. While working in the circus, he started an affair with the beautiful tightrope walker Emilia, but she, having played with his feelings, ran away with a fan. Poddubny once bitterly joked about this that if anyone managed to lay him down, it was only women.

Talking about personal life Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny, one cannot fail to mention his main love - a circus acrobat Masha Dozmarova. Masha performed mind-blowing stunts under the circus big top, without any insurance, and she paid for it by falling to her death during the performance. A piece of the “Russian Bear” himself died along with her.

With my last wife, Maria Semyonovna Mashonina, Ivan met in 1922 while touring in Rostov-on-Don. The athlete lived with her until the end of his days.

Return of the champion.
Conquest of the New World

Having survived his wife’s betrayal and sold off his failed household in order to cover the debts of negligent relatives, Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny decides to do what he has always done best - fight and win. Return of the Champion was a resounding success. In the spring of 1915, he holds two victorious fights against Alexandra Garkavenko, nicknamed “Black Mask”, as well as his friend and one of the strongest fighters in the world -.

During the troubled years of the civil war, the invincible “Russian Bear” did not support any of the warring parties, promoting only sports and healthy image life. World famous helped him and his family get through it hard times. However, it became more and more difficult for the legendary athlete to earn a living in the “land of the Soviets” every year, and he made the difficult decision to leave for America.

Conquest of the New World began by the Russian champion in 1925, when he was already 55 years old. However, even in mature age He was in such good health that he was allowed to participate in the competition without question. In the United States by that time, freestyle wrestling was very popular, fights in which often had the character of a bloody spectacle, without any rules.

Ivan Poddubny, who valued sporting honor above all else, was simply not ready for this. In the very first fight, the opponent tried to grab the Russian hero by the mustache, which he greatly regretted in the next minute. The Soviet press widely covered the successes of the “Champion of Champions,” turning him into a tool of socialist propaganda.

Fight with the invincible American champion Joe Strencher, famous for its steely grip, ended in a draw. Soon after it Ivan Poddubny decides to leave a country alien to him, where everything is subordinated to the cult of money, and sport has degenerated into an ugly spectacle that promotes violence and cruelty. Having broken all contracts and at the same time losing fabulous money, in 1927 he returned to his homeland.

Leaving the sport.
Years of war and occupation

Back in Soviet Union, Ivan Poddubny continued to perform as a circus wrestler and strongman. Despite the fact that he had already crossed the 60-year-old mark, few young athletes could compete with his strength.

One of the few who managed to put the “Russian Bear” on his shoulder blades was a young Ryazan wrestler Ivan Chufistov . This happened in 1924. After that defeat, Ivan Maksimovich hugged his opponent and said with a sigh: “I lost not to you, but to my old age!”

In 1939 for outstanding sporting achievements Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny The Order of the Red Banner of Labor was solemnly awarded, which the athlete was very proud of and did not remove even during the years of fascist occupation. In addition, he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR.

In 1941, Poddubny announced his leaving sports. Together with his wife and adopted son, he settled in the resort of Yeisk, where a couple of years earlier he bought a cozy house with a large garden. Here the former athlete experienced years of war and occupation. He flatly refused to leave the surrounded city, citing the fact that he was already old and had nothing to lose.

And again worldwide fame Poddubny became his ticket to life. The Germans invited him and his family to go to Germany and train young athletes, but the Russian hero responded with a firm refusal. For such insolence, anyone could be thrown to the wall without trial or investigation, but the German leadership, appreciating the courage of the elderly athlete, left him alone. Moreover, in order to feed his family, he was asked to work as a security guard in a billiard room. The old athlete agreed to this and honestly fulfilled his duties. Quite a few tipsy fascist soldiers were reasoned with by the stern “Russian Bear”, which they were quite proud of and boasted to their colleagues that Ivan Poddubny himself threw them out of the door.

Sunset of life.
The tragedy of the strongman

Sunset of life the legendary athlete met in poverty and oblivion. In 1945, he was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, but no financial assistance was provided to the outstanding athlete, even a request for a daily free bowl of soup remained unanswered. In order not to die of hunger, Poddubny sold the remaining awards. IN last years he practically did not walk due to a compound fracture of his leg. This time Ivan’s good health failed him – the damaged bone stubbornly refused to heal. The life of the legendary "Champion of Champions" Ivan Poddubny broke in 1949. He died from heart attack at the age of 78 years.

The great athlete was buried in Yeisk, modestly, without celebrations. Much later, grateful townspeople installed a tombstone on his inconspicuous grave with the carved inscription: “Here lies the Russian hero.” And in 2011, a monument to the great athlete was unveiled in Yeisk. A museum has been opened in the house where Ivan Maksimovich spent the last years of his life.

In memory of the “Champion of Champions,” several documentaries and feature films were shot, including: “ Ivan Poddubny: The tragedy of the strongman» (2005) and " Poddubny" (year 2014). The role of the legendary strongman in the last film was played by the famous Russian actor Mikhail Porechenkov.

Interesting facts from biographies
Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny

IN biography of Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny there are many facts indicating that the life of the “Champion of Champions” sometimes hung by a thread. The first time this happened was during his Parisian tour. Raoul Le Boucher, mindful of his humiliating defeat, hired four thugs to deal with the offender. But the raiders did not know who they had contacted. Having received a fair beating, they returned to the employer with nothing and began to extort money for the damage caused. The next morning, the French wrestler was found at home, beaten to death.

In 1919, Poddubny was almost killed by the Makhnovists, and in 1920, the Chekists miraculously did not shoot him, mistaking him for an enemy of the people. In Kerch, a White Guard officer shot at him. The athlete was saved from imminent death only by the fact that the shooter was dead drunk and therefore missed, slightly scratching his shoulder.

The symbol of truly heroic strength of Ivan Maksimovich was his famous cane. Made to special order, it weighed 16 kilograms! Not everyone could even just lift such a weight, and the athlete himself walked with her so easily and naturally, as if she were carved from wood.

It's hard to believe, but IvanPoddubny was a convinced vegetarian. He did not recognize meat in any form. He ate mostly porridge and was very fond of borscht and cabbage pies. The appetite of the “Russian Bear” was to match his colossal strength, but at the same time, the athlete never suffered from obesity, but on the contrary, he always remained valiantly strong and fit.

Of course, heroes, like Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny– these are unique and naturally gifted people. However, it is absolutely not necessary to be a descendant "Champion of Champions" or become a vegetarian to help unlock the potential inherent in each of us. Intensive work on yourself and perseverance in achieving goals is the secret to the success of all natural athletes. But we must not forget about proper nutrition. To improve your physical performance, it will be useful to include complexes of vitamins and minerals in your daily diet.

Ivan Poddubny was born in the Poltava province in 1871 in the family of a hereditary Zaporozhye Cossack Maxim Ivanovich Poddubny, whose entire family was famous for its strength. Ivan also inherited from his ancestors a big increase, phenomenal strength and extraordinary endurance, and through his mother, who sang beautifully, a keen ear for music. As a child, on Sundays and holidays he sang in the church choir.

From childhood, Ivan was accustomed to hard peasant work, and from the age of 12 he worked as a farm laborer. Father Maxim Ivanovich himself was of heroic stature and Herculean strength. Many years later, Poddubny will say that the only person who is stronger than him is his father.

In 1893-1896 he was a port loader in Sevastopol and Feodosia, in 1896-1897 he worked as a clerk at the Livas company.

In 1896, in the Feodosia circus of Beskaravayny, Ivan Poddubny defeated very famous athletes at that time - Lurikh, Borodanov, Razumov, the Italian Pappy. From that moment his wrestling career began.

Since 1897, he performed in circus arenas as a weight lifter and wrestler (he started with Russian belt wrestling, and in 1903 switched to classical (French) wrestling). He has repeatedly performed on tour in Russian cities and abroad, visiting about 50 cities in 14 countries.

Although he lost some fights, in 40 years of performances he did not lose a single competition or tournament. He repeatedly won “world championships” in classical wrestling among professionals, including the most authoritative of them - in Paris (1905-1908).

At the beginning of May 1915, in Yekaterinoslav (in the building of the old circus near Ozerka), he defeated the champion Alexander Garkavenko (“black mask”), and two days later - over another champion Ivan Zaikin.

During the Civil War he worked in the circuses of Zhitomir and Kerch. In 1919 he defeated the best wrestler of the Makhnovist army in Berdyansk. In 1920, he was arrested by the Odessa Cheka and sentenced to death, but was soon released.

In 1923-1924 he worked at the State Circus, then spent 3 years on tour in Germany and the USA.

On February 23, 1926, all the telegraphs on the planet “trumped” about him: “The other day, Ivan Poddubny defeated the best wrestlers of the new world in New York, winning the title of “American Champion.” Six-time champion Among the professionals, Mira amazed everyone not only with his phenomenal strength and skill, but also with his athletic longevity, because in 1926 he was 55! He always asked to be recorded as a Russian wrestler.

In 1927, in Arkhangelsk, he defeated the famous Vologda wrestler Mikhail Kulikov.

In November 1939, in the Kremlin, for his outstanding services “in the development of Soviet sports,” he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR.

During the war he lived in German-occupied territory in the city of Yeisk. He refused to go to Germany and train German athletes, saying that “I am a Russian wrestler. I will remain that way"

He left the carpet in 1941 at the age of 70. During the post-war years he lived in terrible poverty; for the sake of food he had to sell all the awards he had won.

Ivan Maksimovich died on August 8, 1949 in Yeisk, a small resort town on the coast Sea of ​​Azov, from a heart attack.

He was buried there, in Yeisk, in the city park that now bears his name. A monument to him is also erected here, and the I. M. Poddubny Museum and a sports school named after him are located nearby.

On Poddubny’s grave is carved: “Here lies the Russian hero.”

Ranks
Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1939)
Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1945)

Awards

Order of the Legion of Honor (1911)
Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1939)

Memory

In the USSR, memorials to Poddubny began to be held in 1953.
Since 1962, international tournaments in memory of Poddubny have been held.
Soviet films about Ivan Poddubny: “The Fighter and the Clown” (1957). The role of Poddubny was performed by Stanislav Chekan.
“Know ours!” (1985, Kazakhfilm film studio). The role of Poddubny was played by Dmitry Zolotukhin.
“Ivan Poddubny. The Tragedy of the Strongman" (2005, documentary).
“Poddubny” (2014) The role of Poddubny was performed by Mikhail Porechenkov.
An icebreaker ship is named after him.

Interesting Facts

Poddubny weighed about 120 kilograms. In 1903 (Poddubny was 32 years old) at the French wrestling championship in Paris, he was given a medical card: height 184 cm, weight 118 kg, biceps 46 cm, chest 134 cm at exhalation, hip 70 cm, neck 50 cm.
In the spring of 1906, during Ivan Poddubny’s stay in Yekaterinoslav, visiting his friend, historian of the Zaporozhye Cossacks Dmitry Yavornitsky, their mutual friend, famous artist Nikolai Strunnikov painted his portrait, in which he depicted Poddubny as a Zaporozhye Cossack. It is kept in the Dnepropetrovsk Historical Museum.
During the occupation of Yeysk by German troops in 1941-1943, Ivan Poddubny continued to defiantly wear his Order of the Red Banner of Labor. The Germans allowed him to open a billiards room at a military hospital, which allowed him to survive the occupation.
One day a representative of the German command came to Poddubny and offered to go to Germany to train German athletes. He refused: “I am a Russian wrestler. I will remain that way."
Ivan Poddubny had a steel cane, weighing 1 pound (16 kg), with which he constantly walked.
The name “Ivan Poddubny” is borne by one of the four pleasure boats in Feodosia seaport, launched in Taganrog in 1972.
In wrestling circles, a legend is told about how in 1905 in Paris, after graduation Russo-Japanese War, Poddubny came into conflict with a Japanese master who was in France at that time hand-to-hand combat. The Japanese offered to sort things out in a fight, to which Poddubny agreed. Poddubny’s Japanese opponent said through an interpreter that in honor of his country’s victory over Russia he would spare the life of his opponent, after which the fight began. Possessing high level fighting techniques, the Japanese easily coped with all the attacks of Poddubny, who could only rely on wrestling techniques and his colossal physical strength. However, at that moment, when it seemed that nothing would help the Russian wrestler cope with an opponent unusual for him, an unexpected thing happened - the Japanese evaded another takeover attempt, but Poddubny managed to grab the edge of the fluttering kimono with his hand. After this, Poddubny grabbed the Japanese and broke his femur through the knee. However, there is no documentary evidence of this story, although it was voiced in documentary film Alexandra Smirnova “The Tragedy of the Strongman. Ivan Poddubny" (the film was shown on the Rossiya channel in 2005).

Ivan Poddubny (sitting in the center) with his brothers

Ivan Poddubny is a famous Russian, Soviet professional wrestler, athlete and circus performer. This is a real legend, a Russian hero, to whose performances people gathered full halls in our country, in America, Germany, France, Italy.

Childhood

Ivan Poddubny was born in the village of Bogodukhovka (Poltava province) on October 8, 1871. His father Maxim was a descendant of Zaporozhye Cossacks. Ivan took after his father, inheriting remarkable physical strength from his parent. From his mother, who sang well, the boy inherited a keen ear for music. The Poddubny family was poor, Vanya was accustomed to hard peasant labor from an early age, and from the age of 12 he began working as a laborer for rich fellow villagers. On Sundays, the hero Poddubny could be seen in church; he was a singer in the church choir.

When Ivan was 22 years old, he went to Crimea. This trip was vital, the guy did not want to leave his native village at all, he left to earn money. The time has come to start a family, and a bride has been found - the beautiful Alena. The girl grew up in a wealthy family, for this reason her father categorically did not want to marry his beloved daughter to the poor Poddubny. Ivan thought that he could earn a lot of money, and then Alena’s father would come to terms with his daughter’s choice. In reality, everything turned out differently, new life experiences quickly erased the love from Ivan’s head, and he forgot about the girl. For three years, the young hero worked as a loader in the ports of Sevastopol and Feodosia. Familiar sailors, surprised by the strength young man, introduced him to the training system.

First steps in sports

In 1896, Poddubny first appeared in the ring, and it was from that moment that the sports biography Russian hero. Ivan was an ordinary spectator who came to watch the performance of the Beskaravayny circus. He watched the athletes' performances with great interest. After one of the numbers, the entertainer invited the audience to take part in the duel. Poddubny entered the ring. The longshoreman emerged victorious from the fight with titled athletes who performed “on their belts.” That's how it began new life.

In Russia, Ivan quickly became famous. The chairman of the St. Petersburg Athletes' Society invited the wrestler to take part in the World Championships, which took place in Paris. Ivan was not familiar with the French style of wrestling; he had to quickly master this technique. Titled athletes competed against the “Russian bear”. Poddubny won eleven fights, but he failed to defeat the Frenchman Boucher.

The cunning opponent smeared his body with oil, Poddubny’s hands only slid over it and could not grab it. The judges recognized Boucher as the winner of this fight.

The defeat did not break the moral foundations of the Russian hero; he himself never used dirty methods in the ring. Victory at any cost did not interest him at all.

Two years later, in Paris, athletes from all over the world gathered again for the championship, where Poddubny expected a real triumph. For the next three years he takes part in many fights in different countries world and emerges victorious everywhere. Journalists called this athlete “champion of champions.” The Russian hero knew no peace; his whole life was spent on wheels, consisting of continuous travel. Now he had the money to start his own home and family, but there was no time. In 1910, Poddubny decided to leave the sport.

Career in the circus

The athlete returned to the circus arena when he was 42 years old. He worked in Zhitomir, in Kerch, in 1922, having received an invitation to work in the Moscow Circus troupe, he moved to the capital. At that time, the strongman was already 51 years old, but he did not complain about his health. He had no contraindications for working in the circus. This verdict was made by the medical commission after examining Poddubny.

After some time, the athlete settled in Petrograd, where he also worked in the circus. The artist’s financial situation left much to be desired, for this reason he agreed to tour America and Germany. The performances of the Russian hero were sold out, but in 1927 he wished to return to the Soviet Union. There were rumors that in the United States the wrestler managed to earn a lot of money, which is still in the account of an American bank. The athlete worked in the circus until he was 70 years old, this was his personal record.

Personal life

The love for Alena, a girl from her native village, quickly ended. The next chosen one of the strongman was tightrope walker Emilia. This capricious, materialistic girl needed a wealthy man. Ivan loved her with all his heart, and Emilia only played at love, forced the hero to fulfill all her whims and caprices. Poddubny was saved from this difficult, unequal relationship by a wealthy admirer of Emilia. The woman left Ivan and left with her new lover.

When Poddubny began working in Kyiv, he met the gymnast Mashenka. Warm feelings arose between them; for the first time, fate did not place any barriers in love for Ivan. The girl reciprocated his feelings, and the young people enthusiastically made plans for the future. However, soon a tragedy occurred - during her performance, Maria fell from the trapeze and crashed.

And only at the age of forty Ivan found marital happiness. Antonina Kvitko-Fomenko was a recognized beauty. The couple purchased a plot of land, built a house, and started farming. Everything was fine, but Antonina was desperately bored, Ivan was often away from home, he had to go on tour. When he returned from his next tour, he did not find his wife. She ran away with the officer. A few years later, the fugitive realized her mistake and tried to return, but Ivan could not forgive the betrayal.

Last love Poddubny's strongman became a wonderful woman, Maria Mashonina. She was a widow, the mother of his student. Ivan admired the beauty and sensuality of this woman. He lived with her until the end of his days. They did not have children together, but Ivan Maksimovich considered himself happy father, treated Mary's son as to my own child. The happy family settled in their own house in Yeisk, which Ivan was able to build with money earned in the United States.

• From childhood, Ivan Maksimovich kept himself within strict sporting boundaries. He weighed 120 kg, the strongman’s height was 185 cm. The strongman walked everywhere with a steel cane, which weighed 16 kg. In 1910, he had a huge number of awards - badges, gold medals, the total weight of which reached 32 kg.
• In 1898, Kiev circus performer Akim Nikitin advised the athlete to grow a mustache to show his belonging to the Zaporozhye Cossacks. It was at this time that the famous photograph of Poddubny in a Circassian coat with gazyrs and a dagger appeared.
• There have been attempts on the life of the Russian hero more than once. The first time this happened was in the Zhytomyr circus, where drunken anarchists shot at him. This was in 1919. Almost the same incident occurred in Kerch, where a drunken officer shot at an athlete. These are not all the misadventures of the famous wrestler; he spent some time in the dungeons of the Odessa Cheka, survived the betrayal of his beloved women, and the death of the gymnast Mashenka.

Cause of death

In August 1949, the athlete died. The official cause of death is heart attack. However, doctors believe that this disease was provoked by prolonged malnutrition. The athlete's heroic body needed good nutrition. The food rations that were issued during these years were too meager; Poddubny’s body could not function normally.

The widow of Poddubny did not have the funds to put a monument on her husband's grave. After the intervention of the press, eight years later, a monument was erected at the strongman’s resting place with a beautiful inscription: “Here lies the Russian hero.”

Exiled

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