Vladimir Gomelsky: biography, interesting facts

Famous Russian journalist, commentator and writer Vladimir Gomelsky played for the basketball team of CSKA. At the age of 22 he became a master of sports of international class. Four times I received the champion trophy and the USSR cup.

Childhood and the first steps in sports

Vladimir was born on October 20, 1953 in the family of professional athletes Olga Zhuravleva and Alexander Gomelsky. His father was one of the most famous and triumphant basketball coaches, and his mother the champion of Europe and the Soviet Union in the same sport.

The boy showed interest in basketball from early childhood. His parents taught him to play, and his grandmother trained the Leningrad club "Spartak". They had in their apartment the first cup of European champions, made in the form of a basketball ring and a net. It was on him that Vladimir Gomelsky learned to fulfill his first throws with a toy ball.

In 1961 he entered the Riga school, where his mother taught physical education. When Vladimir was 8 years old, he was transferred to an educational institution with in-depth study of English. At the same time, he began to train in the SKA children's team.

Career in CSKA, study and military service

When Vladimir turned 20 years old, he first got in the starting line-up of the famous five of CSKA Moscow, played against the Latvian team "Zalgiris". After the summer exams in 1973 he took part in many tournaments.

He became the champion of the USSR three times in the basketball club of CSKA. In 1975 he won the friendly Spartakiad. However, Gomelsky Vladimir Alexandrovich received little playing time, as his father was the coach of the team.

He managed to study at a prestigious university and simultaneously take part in a big sport. However, in 1976, he missed military training at Moscow State University and, as a result, was expelled from a prestigious institution. Gomelsky was drafted into the army service. Literally a few months later he became a junior lieutenant. Nevertheless, Vladimir could not accept the expulsion from the university. He turned to the dean of the faculty, Mikhail Solodkov, a great admirer of sports. As a result, he allowed the young man to pass the state examinations. But officers and servicemen were prohibited from training at the full-time department. As a result, the athlete received an academic certificate instead of a diploma of higher education.

Disappointment and the beginning of the trainer's path

In one of the matches with the Dynamo team, he was seriously injured. As CSKA player stated: "Basketball is a game in which they show persistence and will to win." However, Vladimir received a rupture of the tendon. He had a complicated operation, but he could not recover.

The famous athlete began a crisis. He experienced great stress after a sudden career termination at such an early age. Close people in every possible way tried to support him, and the CSKA club offered the post of the head of the children's basketball school. Vladimir agreed to take up coaching. A year later he was appointed assistant to the main mentor doubles CSKA.

In 1979, a young team of the second team went to the USSR championship. The first game of his wards had been quite successful. However, a duel with the Tbilisi "Dynamo" did not do without a scandal for the coach of CSKA. "Basketball is a sport game, not a street fight," one of the commentators said.

Personal life of a famous sportsman

His wife, Larisa Konstantinovna, is a master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics. They have two children - Ilya and Olga. Vladimir lives and works in Moscow, he devotes all his free time to his family. They like to have a rest in a country house in Bronnitsy.

A former basketball player is interested in literature. Vladimir Alexandrovich boasts a large home library. His favorite authors are Ray Bradbury, the Strugatsky brothers, Isaac Asimov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Anton Chekhov. He collects penknives and listens to music by Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Fausto Papetti.

In addition, Vladimir Gomelsky is a fan of the CSKA basketball club. Supports the hockey team "SKA", as it is trained by his close associate Boris Mikhailov.

Career journalist

The first debut of the famous player and athlete took place in the television program "Best NBA Games". In 1990 he began to comment on the games of the regular season of the NBA basketball league together with his father. After that Vladimir Gomelsky took the post of deputy producer of the ORT channel. His work aroused great interest on the part of many sponsors.

In the early 2000s he headed the management of sports programs of the RTR channel and commented on the Olympics in Sydney. A few years later, Vladimir began a fruitful cooperation with the NTV-Plus television company.

At the moment, Vladimir Alexandrovich Gomelsky continues to comment on the state television channel. He is an outstanding personality in the world of Soviet and Russian sports!