#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. The Path of a Champion forum brought together over 120 athletes from various sports schools in the city. Participants had the chance to ask leading coaches their questions and discover the secrets to achieving mastery and staying motivated for daily training.
Among the distinguished guests there were Sergey Ustimov, a celebrated master of sports in Greek-Roman wrestling and a three-time world champion; Alexey Nurkenov, director of the Sports Support Fund in Norilsk and an international master of sports in karate; Maxim Trofimov, coach of the Russian national boxing team and a master of sports in boxing; and Victor Gushchinskiy, an international master of sports in athletics and a finalist at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. This impressive lineup promised a wealth of valuable insights for attendees.
The idea for the forum came from Alexey Nurkenov, who recently participated in a similar event in Vladimir and wanted to bring that experience to Norilsk:
“In Vladimir, the forum focused solely on karate. Along with me, leading karate practitioners from around the country were invited, including Mehman Rzayev, a graduate of the Norilsk karate school, and Ernest Sharafutdinov. We initially planned for the forum to last two hours, but we ended up talking for over four. Parents of young athletes and the kids themselves asked important questions about sports, studies, and life. I loved the idea, especially since we recently had three-time world champion come to Norilsk for the Baskakov’s tournament, and there are truly exceptional athletes here. I’m grateful to the Norilsk sports administration and its head, Alexey Lyagin, for supporting the forum and taking on its organization”.
More than a hundred young athletes gathered at the city cultural center. Given their young age, most questions revolved around how and when the speakers started their sports journeys and what they enjoyed about them.
“I was hoping for deeper questions. For example, in the city of Vladimir, someone asked me: “Did you ever want to quit karate?” – and I explained to the kids how to avoid burnout in sports, who supported me during tough times, and what motivated me. The audience in Norilsk asked similar questions, but they were more specific. At first, the kids were shy, but later everyone wanted to ask something. Overall, I’m pleased with how the meeting went. I believe we should make these events larger, attracting more children, parents, and of course, speakers who can share their experiences and discuss their lives, including how they deal with challenges, successes, and hard work”.
Coach Maxim Trofimov, another speaker at the forum, shared that it was his first time at such an event, and he believes it is especially beneficial for young listeners:
“I’m sure that we need to involve parents as well. I always emphasize that the connection between the coach, the child, and the parent is crucial in sports. From our side, we could help educate a larger community of parents on how to support their children in any sport and address their pressing questions. I was glad that we were asked about overcoming challenges and how to mentally prepare for competitions. The kids were also curious about how to balance sports with school and personal life. The meeting was informative, and I’m confident that this forum has a bright future and is essential for the younger generation”.
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