Ilya Zakharov: photo, biography, interesting facts about the athlete

In St. Petersburg, in the family of athletes, on May 2, 1991 the future champion was born, the boy Ilya. Zakharov lived there for long. Rather, he was only born there, and spent all his childhood in Saratov, where his parents moved.

My father was engaged in officer's all-around, and the mother of the boy was a candidate for a master of sports in volleyball. At the time of her birth, her son worked as a physical education teacher in one of the St. Petersburg schools.

Biography of Ilya Zakharov: active child

From childhood, the future champion differed from his peers with excessive activity. There was so much energy in him that the boy now and then got into some stories. The search for adventure is the main feature of Ilya in his childhood.

By the age of six, the boy had a flat foot. The doctor who observed the small patient, advised parents to give Ilya to the pool. At that time a friend of the family worked there. He even suggested that his parents attach a boy to jump in the water.

Occupation of this sport allowed to direct all of Ilya's energy in the right direction. The set has long since ended. But the boy was still accepted into the group, which was headed by coach Tatyana Korobko.

Ilya did not share his parents' desire to go swimming. He ignored the coach's demands in every way and did not want to swim in the pool. Tatyana Korobko sometimes had to even push Zakharov from the curbstone into the water.

But a year later everything changed radically. Ilya could not imagine himself without sport. Jumping into the water has become not just a hobby or a hobby. They became part of the boy's life.

Ilya dreamed of devoting himself to football, but doctors forbade him to engage in this sport. But I was advised to try myself in diving. And, as it turned out, the advice turned out to be efficient.

Beginning of diving classes

A year later Zakharov took part in competitions among peers and won the first medal. By the age of nine, Ilya has established himself as a future prize-winner, sportsman and pride of Russia.

In 2004 he successfully passed the selection for the master of sports. After that, Zakharov began to take his first prizes. And two years later he became the winner of the competition among school students.

Tatyana Korobko, the coach of the children's team for diving, saw for the boy a great future. Ilya Zakharov participated in the junior championship of Russia. And although he did not win the prize, he had a goal - to become a winner and win a gold medal at the Olympics.

The dream came true. Ilya Zakharov, the Olympic champion, became not just an athlete, but an Honored Master of Sports of Russia in diving. He takes part in the 2012 Olympic Games in London and wins gold in diving with a three-meter springboard.

Awards and titles

In 2007 he took part in the Russian Cup competition. He jumped from a ten-meter springboard, won the victory, earning the highest scores. In Aachen, in Germany, Ilya, along with Kuznetsov, took second place in jumping from a three-meter tall tower.

But that's not all. In Saratov, he won the individual program, winning a bronze medal for jumping into the water from a three-meter springboard.
A year later he became the owner of two medals, received at the Russian Championship for his mastery in diving with Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Another gold was paired with Viktor Minibaev for diving from the tower at ten meters. A year later, Ilya Zakharov, whose photo was placed on the front pages of the newspaper, won three golds in the competition for diving from three meters and ten meters high, paired with Minibaev.

Service in the army and study

In 2007, he became a student of the State University of Physical Education, Sports and Tourism in Moscow. At first he planned to get an education in the specialty of "sports manager".

However, the sports career was the reason that he was unable to give proper attention to training. Therefore, he abandoned the idea of becoming a sports manager, replacing the faculty with coaching.

In 2011, I decided to pay my duty to the Motherland, becoming a soldier of urgent service. He believes that every man must fulfill his military duty. Ilya Zakharov went to the protection of the federal service of Russia. Returning, the guy continued to prepare to participate in the Olympics.

The athlete is not married. But there is a favorite girl - Nadezhda Grechushkina. He had already asked her to marry him. Hope agreed. Wedding lovers plan to play next year.