Valery Kharlamov short biography. Hockey player Valery Kharlamov: biography, personal life, sports career, achievements, cause of death

Monday, January 14, 2013, marks the 65th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Soviet hockey player, two-time Olympic champion Valery Kharlamov (1948-1981).

Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, two-time Olympic champion Valery Borisovich Kharlamov was born on January 14, 1948 in Moscow.

Father, Boris Kharlamov, worked as a test mechanic at the Moscow Kommunar plant. Mother, Aribe Abbad Hermane (Begonita), was brought to the USSR as a girl in 1937 among refugees from civil war-torn Spain; since the 1940s she worked at the same Kommunar plant.

Valery Kharlamov first started skating at the age of seven, and in 1962 he began training in the hockey section. Soon, the coaches saw great athletic potential in Kharlamov and recommended him to the CSKA adult team, but the army club coach Anatoly Tarasov was not at first impressed with the player, mainly due to his short stature. In the spring of 1967, Valery Kharlamov shone in the final tournament of the USSR junior championship in Minsk and upon returning to Moscow he was nevertheless invited to CSKA.

Kharlamov managed to gain a foothold in the main team of CSKA in the 1968 season in a trio with Boris Mikhailov and Vladimir Petrov. In December 1968, Kharlamov was invited to the second USSR national team to participate in the international Moscow tournament (later called the Izvestia newspaper prize tournament) and immediately after the end of the tournament, Kharlamov, Mikhailov, Petrov were invited to the main team for two exhibition games with Canada. It was from these games that the famous trio Mikhailov - Petrov - Kharlamov appeared in the USSR national team.

In 1969, as part of the national team, the hockey player took part in the World Championships in Stockholm. The USSR team won the tournament, after which Kharlamov was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports.

In the 1970/71 USSR Championship, he became the top scorer, scoring 40 goals against his opponents. At the 1971 World Championships, Kharlamov brought gold medals to the Soviet team, hitting the Swedes in the final match. In 1972, at the Olympics in Sapporo, he became the top scorer of the tournament, and the USSR national hockey team won gold medals at the Olympic Games.

After the 1972 USSR-Canada Super Series, Kharlamov received universal recognition in world hockey, becoming one of the leading players of the national team in these games. At the end of 1975, the first games took place between the USSR and the NHL at the club level. The CSKA team had to play 4 games in North America, where Kharlamov was greeted like a superstar. According to the results of the overseas tour, Kharlamov was the best in CSKA in the goal + pass system, scoring 4 goals and giving 3 assists.

In February 1976, having put an end to the decisive match with Czechoslovakia (4:3) at the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Kharlamov became a two-time Olympic champion. In April 1976, at the World Championships in Katowice, he was recognized as the best striker of the championship.

On May 14, 1976, Kharlamov married 19-year-old Irina Smirnova, whom he had met a year earlier at the Rossiya restaurant. Back in January 1976, the young couple had their first child, son Alexander. A little later, their daughter Begonita was born.

On May 26, 1976, Kharlamov and his wife were in a car accident on Leningradskoe Highway in Moscow. The hockey player suffered a splintered fracture of his right shin, a fracture of two ribs, a concussion and many bruises. His wife was not injured. Doctors recommended that Kharlamov end his sports career, but after two months Valery took his first steps in the ward, and in the fall he began training. His return to the ice took place on November 16, 1976, the player entered the match against Krylia Sovetov, in which he scored one goal.

Kharlamov returned to the USSR national team in December 1976 at the Izvestia newspaper prize tournament and scored a hat-trick in the first match against the Swedes. At the 1978 and 1979 World Championships, when the USSR national team began to compete under the leadership of Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Kharlamov demonstrated confident play and helped the team win gold medals. However, the 1980 Olympic Games in Lake Placid were not so successful for the USSR team, losing to the USA team in one of the decisive matches. After the Olympics, the Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov trio was bombarded with accusations of poor play and proposals to end their careers as quickly as possible. The 1980/81 season was the last in hockey for the legendary player. Due to injury, he missed half the season and missed out on the World Championships. Valery Kharlamov scored his last goal in the USSR Championship on May 14, 1981 against Dynamo Moscow.

On August 27, 1981, Valery Kharlamov and his wife Irina crashed in a car accident on the 74th kilometer of the Leningradskoye Highway near Moscow. On August 31, 1981, the funeral of the victims took place at the Kuntsevo cemetery. Thousands of people came to say goodbye to the hockey player.

The players of the USSR national team, who at that moment were in Winnipeg for the Canada Cup, could not attend the funeral. They held a meeting at which it was decided to continue participating in the tournament and win it. Soviet hockey players fulfilled their promise, beating the Canadians in the final with a score of 8:1.

After the accident, the children of Valery and Irina Kharlamov were raised by their grandmother Nina Vasilievna Smirnova. Having matured, Alexander became a hockey player, played in the lower North American leagues, was a player in the capital's Dynamo, CSKA, Novokuznetsk Metallurg, and tried his hand at coaching work, then went into business. Begonita studied rhythmic gymnastics and became a master of sports.

Over a 15-year career, Kharlamov played 438 matches for CSKA, scored 293 goals, played 123 matches as a member of the USSR national team Olympic Games and world championships. The striker became a multiple champion Soviet Union, five-time winner of the USSR Cup. Kharlamov is a two-time Olympic champion, an eight-time world champion, the best scorer of the 1971 USSR Championship and the 1972 Olympic Games, the best hockey player of the USSR in 1972 and 1973, the best striker in the world in 1976.

Kharlamov is a holder of two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of the Badge of Honor, and the medal “For Labor Valor.” In recognition of Kharlamov's services to the club, he was assigned the 17th number in CSKA, his name is immortalized in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

One of the divisions of the Continental Army is named after Kharlamov. hockey league(KHL) and the main trophy of the Youth Hockey League (MHL). The Kharlamov Cup is made of precious materials by the famous sculptor Frank Meisler. For the first time, the Kharlamov Cup was awarded to the champion of Russia in hockey among youth teams in 2010 - the Magnitogorsk team "Steel Foxes".

On May 18, 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) named the symbolic six best hockey players over the hundred-year existence of the federation. .

On October 30, 2009, the Central Bank of Russia announced the release into circulation of a commemorative silver coin with a portrait of Kharlamov.

On September 14, 2012, participants in the legendary first USSR-Canada Super Series in 1972 were awarded commemorative rings. Valery Kharlamov's ring was handed over to his relatives.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Valery Kharlamov was the greatest Soviet hockey player, known throughout the world for his unique playing technique and invaluable victories for the USSR. Kharlamov’s many tournaments and well-deserved victories made him a legend of his time.

The CSKA forward made his team famous throughout the world. What was Valery Kharlamov like during his lifetime - a virtuoso legendary hockey player with an impressive biography.

Valery Kharlamov: biography, p birth, childhood and adolescence

On January 14, 1948, a child was born into a Moscow family of factory workers. The mother of the newborn Valeria was a Basque woman named Carmen. She was brought to the USSR as a teenager during the Spanish Civil War. Father Boris was Russian by nationality.

The young people met at the Kommunar plant, where both worked during wartime. At the time of the birth of the child they were not scheduled. When the baby was three months old, the young couple formalized their relationship. A little later, little Valery gave birth to a sister, Tanya.

Valera really enjoyed playing football, but hockey became her real passion throughout her life. The main role in his passion for hockey was played by the fact that when sport competitions hockey from the plant, the father always took his little son with him.

Boris put the boy on skates at the age of 7 so that Small child didn’t freeze in the cold locker rooms waiting for dad to return from the game on the ice. It was then that Valery Kharlamov became a hockey player. In his further biography, only three passions can be traced: hockey, wife and children.

In 1956, the time came when refugees were given the opportunity to return to their countries and the boy, along with his mother and sister, went to Spain to his mother’s homeland. He lived there for some time and even managed to study at a Spanish school.

In 1961, after suffering from a sore throat with serious complications, the boy was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease and doctors made a terrible diagnosis - a heart defect. There was no longer any question of any sport. Doctors even banned trips to children's summer camps.

But thanks to his dad, who did not agree with the doctors’ prohibitions, Valera started skating again in the hockey section at the age of 14. Mom was not aware of what was happening for a long time. The first coach in the teenager’s life was Vyacheslav Tazov. In subsequent years, the boy coped with his illnesses, and doctors declared him healthy.

Kharlamov Valery: photo of the golden troika

Talent young player They noticed immediately, but his small stature, unsuitable for hockey, became an obstacle to getting into the adult team. Anatoly Tarasov was the head coach of CSKA at that time and he believed that Valery Kharlamov would not become a hockey player. The athlete’s further biography (wife, children (photo)) proved the opposite.

After a brilliant game in Minsk, Valery was offered an audition for the army club. After the training camp, the young man changed physically, acquiring the shape necessary for the game.

After three daily training sessions, a series of victories and a significant number of goals scored against the opponent, Main coach admitted that Kharlamov is a virtuoso, talented player on the ice.

In 1968, the talented CSKA forward went to defend the honor of the country in the fight against the Canadians. Two games were played in two days and after that a golden trio appeared in Soviet hockey: Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov. This was the legendary basis of our team, the pride of Soviet coaches. Guys, how the best players were taken to the Stockholm championship in 1969.

There are some discrepancies in the sources regarding the first goal Kharlamov scored in this championship. The first opinion says that the striker scored his first goal for the Americans in the 38th minute. According to the second version, the first goal was scored in the game with the Swedes, and not with the Americans. After a series of impressive games in 1969, Kharlamov’s team became the world champion, and the entire legendary trio were awarded the title of Honored Masters of Sports.

These three young talented people created a magnificent trio on the ice, whose game was radically different from all other teams with its power moves and virtuoso play. The guys complemented each other’s play and proved their professionalism every time they went on the ice. Valery Kharlamov became the first hockey player to raise the game to new level. His biography became an incentive for generations, and the cause of death became a sorrow for the entire Soviet people.

Olympian

In 1970, Kharlamov was considered one of the most professional players in hockey. In 1971, he was the country's top scorer with a record number of goals scored against the enemy. At the world championship with the Swedes, Kharlamov led the team to victory with his turning point.

At the Olympic tournament, the Soviet team won five games and tied one game. The team took first olympic place. The second victory at the Olympic Games came to Valery in 1976 in Innsbruck and became the last for the hockey player. In April of the same year, Kharlamov became best striker in the world championship.

Games with Canadians

In 1975, Soviet hockey players went to Canada to play 4 games. The fans gave a standing ovation to the legendary Soviet player. The Canadian players did not play a completely fair game, using prohibited forceful techniques.

As a result, our team lost the championship to the ice owners, although Valery Kharlamov did everything to win. In his biography, his professional development occurred thanks to his parents.

Willpower, the desire to win - this was in the talented scorer's blood.

Personal life and children

Many may think that due to his workaholism and constant training, Valery had no time left for his personal life. This is not so: Valery Kharlamov’s wife’s name was Irina Smirnova.

The couple met on the dance floor, and the girl was sure for a long time that her boyfriend worked as a taxi driver. Her eyes were opened to Valera’s profession by her mother, who was not too lazy to follow the guy. By the way, the Kharlamovs’ wedding was quiet, however, the parents of the husband and wife were not familiar with the chosen ones of their children for a long time.

In 1975, Kharlamov’s son Sasha was born, and in 1976 the young successful hockey player tied the knot with Irina Smirnova, Sasha’s mother. At that time, Irina was 19 years old. Later, the girl gave birth to her chosen one another daughter, Begonita. The young family was given a three-room apartment.

Valery's wife loved him very much. When the family had an accident in 1976, Irina suffered much less than her husband. She not only helped Valery recover, but also supported him in his desire to continue his hockey career. And already in December of the same year, Kharlamov took to the ice again.

The marriage of the Kharlamov couple lasted only five years.

Children of Valery Kharlamov

Irina gave Valery two babies. The children of Valery Kharlamov were born with a small age difference.

Son Alexander became a famous hockey player, played for CSKA and hockey clubs USA. He was looked after by CSKA players Kasatonov and Fetisov, which the boy was very proud of. In 1997, his son was born, named Valera in honor of his famous grandfather.

Begonita’s daughter was a professional rhythmic gymnastics professional. Became a master of sports. She successfully married and gave birth to two daughters - Dasha and Anna.

The parents of Sasha and Begonita were not destined to see their grandson and granddaughters. They died in a car accident in August 1981. The Kharlamov couple was buried at the Kuntsevo cemetery.

First accident

In the year when Valery’s son was born, a tragedy occurred - the Kharlamovs were in a car accident. Irina was not injured, but Valery had multiple fractures, a concussion and bruises. Doctors forbade the guy to play, but thanks to his persistence and love of hockey, he began to develop his body while still in the ward and began to recover.

By the end of the year, Valery scored his first goal after rehabilitation in a game against Krylia Sovetov. Even his opponents and their fans applauded Valery Kharlamov, a hockey player with a capital letter. His wife played an important role in his biography. She was a reliable, faithful companion until the very end.

End of career and death of a hockey player

In 1981, Kharlamov planned to end his career and remain as a coach in order to raise future athletes. Having won for the 11th time with CSKA, he was awarded the European Champions Cup. But after a serious conversation with the coach, Kharlamov agreed that he physical form did not allow him to play with the Canadians in the upcoming tournament. Remaining in Moscow, after a short period of time, the hockey player died in an accident.

All the passengers traveling in the car died: Valery, his wife and her cousin. The hockey player left behind two small children. At the time of his death he was only 33 years old. On August 31, 1981, a funeral took place at the Kuntsevo cemetery. Thousands of people from all over the USSR came to say goodbye to the great striker. His team's players were not at the funeral because they were in Canada. They dedicated their victory to the legendary scorer, beating the Canadians 8:1.

After the death of Valery Kharlamov, a great hockey player with an impressive biography, his children were not left alone. Valery's associates helped Sasha become a professional hockey player. Begonita also tried herself in professional sports, namely rhythmic gymnastics. The girl achieved the title of master of sports. Valery’s mother died in 1987, and his father passed away in 2010.

Valery Borisovich Kharlamov was born on January 14, 1948 in the Moscow region. This is a famous hockey player of the Soviet Union, Honored Master of Sports, eight-time world champion, two-time Olympic champion, forward for the CSKA team and the Soviet national team. The biography of Valery Kharlamov will be presented to your attention in the article.

Parents

His father Boris is Russian and has a profession as a test mechanic. While Begonia's mother is of Basque nationality, her profession is a revolver turner.

Begonia experienced a rather difficult childhood: she grew up in a specialized boarding school and worked in a pioneer camp. It is worth noting that at that time all children were evacuated from military points. This was explained by the fact that the Soviet Union did not want to leave children in the hands of the predatory Franco regime. Belgium, France, Denmark, Great Britain, Switzerland and Mexico responded to the call for help.

Kharlamov’s parents met at a dance party at the Kommunar plant. For a long time they were not painted due to the fact that Begonia was only interested in Boris’s housing. And only 3 months after Valery’s birth they officially registered their marriage. Soon after this, their daughter Tatyana was born.

Childhood and youth

As the biography of Valery Kharlamov testifies, his childhood was always full of playing hockey and football. Sports inclinations were immediately noticeable. All the other guys admired him and imitated him.

His father first put the future champion on the ice at the age of 7, when he himself went to hockey training with his factory team.

The biography of Valery Kharlamov contains information that at the age of 13 he became seriously ill with a sore throat, which caused serious complications to the functioning of the heart and cardiac muscle. Due to a detected heart defect, doctors forbade him to practice physical culture, lift weights and attend pioneer camp. But, despite all this, Kharlamov’s father thought differently. And at the age of 14, he took him to sign up for a hockey club at a new summer skating rink. The mother knew nothing about this: the matter was secret, because she would certainly have expressed her disapproval of this idea. It is worth noting that at that time boys of 15 years of age were recruited into the section, and none of the coaches knew that Valery was only 14. The father committed deception for the sake of his son. Of course, the case was soon solved, but the young hockey player was not expelled from the section, because he interested everyone very much with his outstanding abilities.

Once every three months, Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is presented to your attention in the article, visited the Morozov hospital with his father, where he was examined by doctors. Soon, thanks to sports, he overcame all diseases, and clinic specialists declared him completely healthy. After this, hockey training was no longer a secret to anyone and took a serious turn.

Sport school

Later, the boy began to attend the CSKA school and already at the age of 19 joined the main team sports club. He was one of the best players in the children's youth sports school. But, despite his success, the coach did not have high hopes for him due to his short stature. For the same reason young hockey player was sent to the second league of the army team. But, as you know, it is impossible to hide real talent, and in the very first season of the game between military districts, Valery was able to score 34 goals against the enemy. Everyone, including Moscow coaches, learned about this success. After which they began to come to his team’s games and became direct witnesses of his tremendous successes.

So, by their common decision, Kharlamov was included in the main roster of the CSK team. At the same time, the famous troika appeared: Petrov, Mikhailov and Kharlamov. Together they used their strong style and achieved the highest results in the game. Valery Kharlamov's career took off rapidly even when he was 20 years old. He became the youngest world champion in the Soviet Union.

By character, hockey player Valery Kharlamov was distinguished by courage, perseverance and the will to win. He never whined or complained. I always worked on my mistakes and achieved the pinnacle of results.

At the peak of glory

40 goals scored at the USSR Championship brought the 23-year-old athlete the title of top scorer. And a year later Valery Borisovich Kharlamov becomes best hockey player tournament as part of the Soviet Union team and wins his first gold medal. A little later, having won 4 USSR championship titles, becoming a three-time world champion and a two-time European champion, he was recognized as the best hockey player in Europe.

His beautiful and pure style of play mesmerized millions of fans and caused excitement among opposing goalkeepers. Canadian hockey players were especially afraid and disliked him. And they even gave him the nickname “Baby” for his resourcefulness and wild stubbornness. But despite this, even they recognized him as a true champion.

It is worth noting that Kharlamov became the first and only hockey player whose portrait was hung in the Museum of Hockey Glory.

Meeting your future wife

After another achievement, Valery Kharlamov and his friends went to a restaurant. In the next room, a young group was also walking in honor of the birthday of one of the girls. The young guys of the team invited those ladies to dance. Kharlamov then invited a pretty girl named Irina. At that time, she mistook her short partner for a taxi driver, but still had fun dancing with him. Valery really liked Irina, and he did not leave her side throughout the entire evening, and at the end of the celebration he offered to give her a ride home. Then the future wife of Valery Kharlamov was finally convinced of her guesses about the profession young man, but still allowed herself a ride.

At home, like a decent girl, she shared her story with her mother, who was distrustful of her daughter’s companion. After several weeks of communication, the mother asked Irina to show her young man at least from afar. After that, my mother calmed down a little, because she recognized Kharlamov by his face not as a taxi driver, but as a great athlete. And of course, she shared her amazing information with her daughter.

Children of Valery Kharlamov

In the 28th year of Valery’s life, the couple had their first child, Alexander, who in the future will follow in the footsteps of his father. And a little later their daughter Begonita was born. At that time, Kharlamov had already become a six-time world champion and a two-time Olympic champion.

It is worth noting that even after the birth of two children, Irina and Valery were never officially introduced to their parents. And they never saw their grandchildren. But at one point Kharlamov’s friends intervened in this matter. They made every effort and still forced the young family to go to the champion’s parents on March 8th. And after that evening, Valery himself went to his mother-in-law to meet her.

Road traffic accident

In the spring of the same year, a young couple was involved in a car accident on the way home. The children of Valery Kharlamov at this time were under the supervision of their nanny.

The car crashed into pieces and was beyond repair. Valery received numerous fractures and a severe concussion. Valery Kharlamov's wife Irina also suffered serious injuries.

An ambulance was called by random witnesses to the disaster. After which the victims were immediately taken to the hospital. The athlete spent the next two months in the hospital without getting out of bed. His teammates visited him regularly and even brought a workout machine to his room to keep him in shape.

After another 4 months, Kharlamov returned to the ice again, which further won the hearts of his fans.

Cause of death of Valery Kharlamov

In August 1981, on Leningradskoe Highway, a husband and wife were involved in a second car accident. She became the cause of the death of Valery Kharlamov and his wife. They left their children orphans.

The cause of the tragedy was poor-quality asphalt laying: a 5-centimeter protrusion formed at the border of the new layer. In addition, the truck driving in front was completely filled with spare parts.

None of the teammates could say goodbye to the talented and young hockey player, since at that time they were all in Canada. Having learned about the tragedy, they promised to win the match in memory of Valeria and kept their word, winning with a score of 8:1.

His name was also immortalized in the Hall of Fame international federation hockey and the National Hockey League.

The game number “17” was forever imprinted in the wonderful 2013 film “Legend No. 17.”

Also, 10 years after the tragedy, a monument was erected at the site of the traffic accident.

Life of children after the death of their father

After the death of the athlete, Alexander and Begonita lived with their grandmother Nina (Irina’s mother). Both children were actively involved in sports, following the example of their deceased father.

As a result, Alexander became a hockey player for the CSKA team, played in the USA, got married and is raising his son Valery. And the daughter became a master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics, got married and gave birth to two daughters - Daria and Anna.

5 years after the accident, the mother of hockey player Valery Kharlamov passed away.

Valery's father died in 2010 after unsuccessful stomach surgery. Their last years he lived with his daughter Tatyana.

Alexander and Begonita are still invited to TV shows to talk about the lives of their parents and what actually happened on that tragic evening.

Kharlamov Valery Borisovich (1948-1981) - the brightest star of Soviet hockey of the 70s of the XX century. One of the most outstanding hockey forwards in the world. Multiple world and USSR champion. Honored Master of Sports.

Valery Kharlamov was born in 1948. As a child, the future famous athlete was sick a lot. At the age of thirteen he even suffered from paralysis right hand And right leg. In order to recover, I had to spend several months in the hospital. After this, Valera took his health seriously: he began to play hockey and football.

Already in the first hockey battles, the bright sports talent of the young athlete was revealed. What was it? Firstly, Valery had an inexhaustible supply of energy and endurance: he could rush around the hockey field all day long. Secondly - and this is perhaps the most important thing - he had simply fantastic dexterity and dexterity. Therefore, he could easily dribble past any hockey player.

As a fourteen-year-old boy, he joined the CSKA hockey team (it should be noted that Kharlamov played for CSKA until his death in 1981). V. Kharlamov’s first coach was Viktor Georgievich Erfilov. This is how he describes the game of Valery Kharlamov in one of the matches of CSKA against Spartak: “And at some point Valera breaks through with the puck to the blue line. Two Spartak defenders rush at him at once. Both are powerful guys, tall, broad-shouldered. Valerka next to them he looked very small. He stopped in front of them, his face was frightened, he was about to cry, his nose was already wrinkled.

The defenders also stopped, it was still interesting to look at the crying forward - you don’t see it every day. They stopped, and Valerka immediately started using his legs, picked up speed and drove around them. The defenders were just turning around, and the smiling Kharlamov was already one on one with the goalkeeper and sent the puck into the net with an accurate throw.”

Some time later, in 1966, Kharlamov began training with Anatoly Vladimirovich Tarasov, the senior coach of CSKA and coach of the Soviet Union national team. However, he was now playing for the Army's first men's hockey team. The athlete played only a few matches, and then was sent by order of Tarasov to the city of Chebarkul along with famous hockey player Gusev.

There he truly managed to realize his sporting talent and skill: in his first playing season alone, the young hockey player scored 34 goals in class “A”! The history of Soviet hockey has never seen anything like this.

Then Valery was taken to Moscow again, and he, together with Petrov and Mikhailov, formed the so-called troika, which began to victoriously win almost everything hockey matches in Soviet Union. So, for example, in just the first two rounds of the 1968 USSR Championship, Kharlamov scored 14 goals, Petrov - 17, and Mikhailov - 18!

It was from this moment that Valery Kharlamov’s ascent to the heights of the hockey Olympus began. On Moskovsky international tournament 1968-1969 The CSKA army team, playing with the Canadian team, managed to score 4 goals against the opponents. The Canadians lost with a score of 4:3. As a result, by the end of 1969, Kharlamov received the title of Honored Master of Sports, became the world and European champion and moved to the first national team of the USSR.

In March 1969, he again experienced the happiness of triumph: at the world championship in Stockholm, he scored 6 goals and, in addition, made 7 assists. This is what Ulf Sterner, one of the best hockey players in Swedish and world hockey, said about Valery Kharlamov’s game: “In our game, Kharlamov was a diamond. What a jump from the spot, what dribbling, passing, shooting - everything was ideal! But there was also courage, courage !"

In 1970, Kharlamov became the world champion for the second time, and in 1971, at the world championship in Switzerland, for the third time. This dizzying success is explained by the fact that Valery, in addition to brilliant athletic talent, also possessed extraordinary intelligence and artistry, as well as amazing dexterity and speed. At the same time, the hockey player always played in the legendary troika together with Petrov and Mikhailov. The fact is that each player seemed to complement the athletic qualities of the other two hockey players.

In 1972, at the Olympics in Sapporo (Japan), V. Kharlamov performed together with Anatoly Firsov and Vladimir Vikulov. However, this did not negatively affect the game of the outstanding hockey player. On the contrary, he performed passionately, to the limit of his capabilities. There he created a real sensation. In the match with the Americans, on fast speed passing the puck to each other, Valery and Vikulov raced across the hockey field and scored a goal. At the same time, the public could not even notice who sent the puck into the opponent’s goal: Kharlamov or Vikulov? The Olympics brought the hockey player the laurels of champion as part of the Soviet Union national team.

And then, in 1972, there was a victorious defeat of the Canadian hockey team in Montreal, which glorified the name of Valery Kharlamov throughout the world. There he showed his fantastic mobility and resourcefulness, and also taught the NHA stars a lesson in the superiority of speed over mass and mastery over strength. His masterly play literally stunned his opponents.

Ken Dryden, one of the best goalkeepers of the Montreal Canadiens, said the following words about the game of the Soviet athlete: “When he was on the ice, you couldn’t take your eyes off Mr. Kharlamov for a second. I realized this after the first meeting in the fall of ’72 years when he scored two goals for me. He shot the puck accurately, hard and, most dangerous of all, often suddenly."

It should be noted that in the game the Canadian “pros” used illegal, dirty methods of fighting against Kharlamov, because in a fair competition they could not do anything against the fast and dexterous hockey player. A real hunt was organized for the athlete. Two Canadian players - Clark and Ellis - sought to neutralize Kharlamov in any way they could. It got to the point that they even tried to hit Kharlamov on the knee with a hockey stick. However, this did not stop Valery from attacking the opponent’s goal again and again and scoring goals.

And here’s what Valery Kharlamov himself said later about this match: “No, we weren’t afraid of them. And not because, of course, we considered our opponents weak. That would have been stupid. During our previous trip to Canada, we saw matches of professionals, we knew what they are capable of. However, we believed in ourselves. This belief was nurtured by the victories of several generations of our hockey players. Moreover, Vsevolod Mikhailovich Bobrov was with us, who in 1954 was the hero of the sensational victory over the Canadians, when the Soviet team was also predicted to lose."

In 1973, playing at the World Championships in Moscow, the trio of Kharlamov - Petrov - Mikhailov again showed themselves at an extremely high level, scoring 43 goals, while the entire Soviet team had 100 goals! The Czechs were completely defeated.

In 1976, the CSKA hockey team again became the world champion, and Kharlamov was recognized as the best striker in the world. At that time, Valery was only 28 years old. But joy sporting success, which thundered throughout the world, were overshadowed by the accident. Valery was driving a car with his wife and began to carelessly overtake another car. Suddenly, a truck appeared around the bend, and Kharlamov’s car crashed into it. As a result, the athlete received a concussion and a complex comminuted fracture of the leg in the ankle area. Valery, showing miracles of will and perseverance, managed to restore his health and returned to big-time hockey.

It was thanks to him that in 1978 the USSR team in Prague became the world champion. First, the professionals of the National Hockey League were defeated, and then the Czechoslovakian team. In 1979, the USSR national team, which included Kharlamov, again defeated all opponents, becoming, once again, the world champion. However, in 1980 our team had to experience the bitterness of defeat. In this regard, the next year Kharlamov was not allowed to play in the Canada Cup championship, although in the final tournament of the 1981 European Champions Cup he was recognized as the best forward. And in August 1981, this best Soviet hockey player of the 70s of the 20th century died in a car accident...

During his short sports career, Valery achieved truly fantastic results. Let's list some of them.

He played 123 matches at the World and European Championships, as well as the Winter Olympics, scoring 89 goals against opponents. At the same time, this famous hockey player played 438 matches in the USSR championships, scoring 293 goals. He became the champion of the USSR 11 times (an unprecedented event in the history of Russian hockey) (in 1968, 1970-1973, 1975, 1977-1981), 8 times was the world champion (1969-1971, 1973-1975, 1978 and 1979) and 8 times - European champion (1969,1970,1973-1975, 1978,1979 and 1981). In addition to this, V. Kharlamov was the champion of the Winter Olympic Games in 1972 and 1976, and in 1980 he became the second prize-winner of the Olympic Games.

To these titles, which this outstanding hockey player earned through hard work, it should be added that he was the second medalist of the USSR championships 3 times (1969, 1974 and 1976), 2 times the second medalist of the world championships (1972, 1976), 1 time - third prize-winner at the World Championships (1977), 2 times - second prize-winner at the European Championships (1971, 1972), 2 times - third prize-winner at the European Championships (1976, 1977). To top it all off, Kharlamov was a five-time winner of the USSR Cup (1968,1969,1973, 1977, 1979) and only once a finalist of the USSR Cup (1976).

Brief biographical dictionary

"Kharlamov Valery" and other articles from the section

Worldwide famous hockey player, eight-time USSR champion Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is still of interest to thousands of people, was born in Moscow in 1948, on the night of January 13-14, right in the car taking his mother to the maternity hospital.

Childhood, family

Kharlamov's father Boris Sergeevich worked at the Kommunar plant as a mechanic. Mom Carmen Orive-Abad, a Spanish national, who came to the USSR at the age of twelve along with other refugees, worked at the same enterprise as a revolver turner. At the time of the birth of their son, Boris and Carmen were not yet married and got married only three months later. Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is full of unexpected events, had a younger sister Tatyana.

Having accompanied his wife and newly born son Valery to the hospital, Boris Sergeevich went home with the things of the mother in labor. At that distant time, police patrols often went around the areas under their control to maintain order and peace on the city streets. A young man with a bundle in his hand, walking down the street at night, seemed suspicious to the police, and they asked him to go to the police station. Valery's father was even happy about this - there was a lot of frost at night in mid-January. And the department is warm. Having told the police officers on duty the good news that his son Valery was born, treated everyone to shag and warmed up, Boris Sergeevich went home.

weak child

The biography of hockey player Valery Kharlamov, a world-famous athlete, is amazing, because he was born a weak child with low weight. This is understandable: with meager rationed meals, practically without vitamins, it was difficult to count on good health. At first, his family lived in a dormitory: three families lived in a large room, divided into four parts by plywood partitions. The conditions were Spartan, but they lived amicably and cheerfully.

Serious diagnosis

Due to insufficient and monotonous nutrition, not very favorable living conditions and a far from mild climate, Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is surprising in the number of ups and downs, was often sick. After another sore throat, which occurred in March 1961 and gave complications to other organs, doctors discovered he had a heart defect and forbade the boy from any physical activity, including any sports activities, attending physical education classes at school, and in the summer - a pioneer camp. Even swimming was banned.

Introduction to hockey

Despite doctors' warnings that physical activity Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is closely connected with sports, may die; in the summer of 1962, his father, who was himself fond of playing hockey, took him to the summer skating rink that had just opened on Leningradsky Prospekt. At that time, boys (one year younger than Valery) were being recruited for the hockey section. Valery was naturally skinny, so no one thought that he might be a year older than the guys who were accepted then. He, like several other boys, was accepted by the second coach of CSKA, Boris Pavlovich Kulagin. And when it was discovered that Valery was of the wrong age, it was too late to expel him, because with his perseverance and hard work he managed to win the sympathy and trust of the coaches. Since then, hockey has become a part of Valery’s life, and his entire other life has been subject to his training regimen.

CSKA School

From the age of fourteen, Valery began to successfully study hockey school CSKA, and from the age of nineteen - in the main team of the club. Kharlamov was distinguished by his persistence, stubborn character, and will to win. He always tried to achieve high results, never complained or whined. And he could cry not when he was physically hurt, but when the referee first sent him off the field for two minutes, and he had to leave the team in the minority to fight with their opponents.

Chebarkul "Star"

In a fairly short period of time, Kharlamov became one of the best players in the children's and youth teams. sports school CSKA. But the main one, Anatoly Vladimirovich Tarasov, did not have high hopes for Valery. Mostly due to his short stature. After all, at that time all the famous world hockey champions, including the legendary Canadian athletes, were much taller and more powerful. Because of this, hockey player Kharlamov was sent to the second league in 1966, to the army team of the Sverdlovsk Military District - the Chebarkul Zvezda. But as you know, talent will find its way everywhere. While in Chebarkuli and playing in a team there, first-class player Kharlamov managed to score 34 goals against opponents in one season.

Through the team coach, Moscow coaches also learned about his success. In the spring, Kulagin went to the city of Kalinin, where Kharlamov’s team played, and personally witnessed the success young athlete. All that remained was to convince the great Tarasov to transfer the talented athlete to the main team of CSKA, since he continued to doubt the advisability of such a step. In the summer of 1967, this was successful, and 19-year-old hockey player Valery Kharlamov again found himself in Moscow, from where he and the team were sent to a training base in the city of Kudeptstu.

The birth of the legendary troika

The consequence of this was that the CSKA team, for which hockey player Valery Kharlamov played, became the champion at the 1967-1968 national championship. At the same time, the famous hockey troika Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov appeared, as part of which Valery achieved the highest results. The troika used a strong style and knew how to interact in the game in such a way that the team achieved the highest results. Kharlamov himself in 1969, at the age of twenty, became the youngest world champion in the Soviet Union. Valery knew how to play beautifully, which won and captivated millions of fans. The goalkeepers trembled when he entered the ice, and the spectators wildly admired his play.

Best national player

In 1971, Kharlamov became the top scorer, scoring 40 goals against opponents, and in 1972, the best player of the tournament as part of the USSR national team, scoring 9 goals. In the same year it was conquered olympic gold. From that time on, Valery was considered the best hockey player in all of Europe, becoming the champion of the USSR four times, the world champion three times and the European champion twice. In the fall, he went as part of the team to conquer North America.

"Invincible" Canadians

At this time, in September 1972, a series of matches between the national teams of the USSR and Canada began on the ice of the Montreal Forum. Residents of the North American continent did not doubt for a single moment that their compatriots would win all eight games, and by a huge margin. And what a surprise it was when, in the first match, the Soviet hockey players won with a crushing score of 7:3. This was a shock for Canadian hockey players. Kharlamov distinguished himself here with his unique style of play and scored two goals, later called masterpieces. After this, he was unconditionally recognized as the best player in the Soviet team. Valery became one of the key players of the USSR team. This led to the fact that after the match he was offered to move to the Canadian team, promising a million dollars for this. Kharlamov tried to laugh it off, saying that he wouldn’t go anywhere without his troika. The Canadians did not understand the joke and agreed to accept all three players, including Petrov and Mikhailov. But it was not that time - the players remained in their previous team.

Recognition of professionals

The Canadian big and powerful players were especially angry and surprised by Valery, since he was much smaller than them and more frail. They nicknamed him “Baby” among themselves and were sincerely surprised at his resourcefulness and perseverance. But they also recognized his skill and talent - of all the European hockey players, he became the first and only one whose portrait hangs on the stand of the Museum of Hockey Fame in Toronto.

Of course, Kharlamov was the most beloved hockey player in his native country - even fans of other teams admired him.

Fateful meeting

One evening, the guys from the hockey team, including Valery Kharlamov, went to a local restaurant to celebrate another victory. In the next room of the same restaurant, a group of young people were walking - they were celebrating the birthday of one of the girls. When the music started playing, the hockey players began to invite the girls from this company to dance. And Kharlamov invited a girl named Irina. She mistook a young short black-haired guy in a cap for a car driver, a taxi driver, but still agreed to dance. Valery did not leave Irina’s side all evening, and at the end he offered to take her home by car. Irina confirmed her assumption about Valery’s profession, getting into the new Volga with the number 00-17 MMB.

At home, as befits a decent girl, she told everything to her mother Nina Vasilievna. Nina Vasilievna was skeptical and distrustful of her daughter’s new acquaintance and wanted to follow him to find out what he was like. Irina had already been dating Kharlamov for several weeks when her mother persuaded her to show him at least from afar. But this time we weren’t able to meet each other. And when Nina Vasilyevna found out who her daughter’s boyfriend was, she calmed down a little - after all, not some driver, but a famous athlete.

Birth of first child

In 1976, the son of Valery Kharlamov and Irina was born. They named him Alexander, and in the future he will follow in his father’s footsteps. A little later, the couple had a daughter, Begonita. During the same period, Valery became a six-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion.

It is surprising that the celebrity’s parents have never met their daughter-in-law or seen their grandson, and he has not been officially introduced to Irina’s mother, despite the fact that the young people have lived together for so long. Friends got involved married couple, and one day on March 8th, the son of Valery Kharlamov and Irina, through their efforts, got to Valery’s parents to meet. And after that, Valery went to Irina’s mother for an official introduction.

Accident

In the spring of the same year, Valery Kharlamov and his wife were in a car accident. The accident occurred in May. The day before, Irina called Nina Vasilievna and asked her to babysit the baby while they went to visit. But when Nina Vasilievna did not wait for the call at the agreed hour, she thought that someone else would be the nanny. And only after some time she learned from mutual friends that Valery and Irina crashed in a car. They were driving home late in the evening, and Valery lost control of the car. The car was smashed to pieces and could not be restored. Valery received numerous broken legs, ribs and a concussion. Valery Kharlamov's wife was also injured. But it helped that witnesses to the accident immediately called an ambulance and the victims were immediately taken to the hospital.

The athlete spent two months in the hospital before taking his first independent step after the illness. The children of Valery Kharlamov at that moment were under the supervision of his mother. His teammates brought a machine to his room so he could exercise and keep his muscles toned. Doctors gave disappointing prognoses and doubted whether he would be able to walk normally, let alone play. This was in August. Late autumn the same year, Kharlamov took to the ice again. And six months after the accident I began to train fully.

Despite all the forecasts

There were many skeptics as to whether Kharlamov could become the same player as before. But, despite the disappointing forecasts of the doctors and their recommendations to forget about hockey, Valery did the impossible - he showed his high class. And in 1977, as part of the CSKA team, hockey player Kharlamov became a seven-time champion of the USSR and still remained one of top scorers. Throughout his fifteen-year sports career, he played in 438 matches for the CSKA club and scored 293 goals. 123 matches were played for the USSR national team at the World Championships and Olympic Games, and 89 goals were scored.

At that time, there were rumors about the strict nature of the team coach Anatoly Tarasov and the iron discipline in the training of the famous club. But new coach who came to the club in 1977, dispelled them, saying that there was no discipline there, even the most elementary in terms of the requirements accepted in sports. It’s just that everyone treated their duties and training conscientiously and responsibly. And if necessary, they knew how to show heroism.

Untimely loss

On August 26, 1981, Valery Kharlamov died on the Leningradskoye Highway. The accident occurred while his wife Irina was driving the car. She also died a few hours later in the hospital. The death of Valery Kharlamov was a tragedy for millions of his fans. Millions of admirers of his talent around the world mourned together with their family and friends. And from that moment on, Valery Kharlamov’s children were raised by his parents. Until now, they are actively invited to various programs to talk about their legendary father.

The funeral of Valery Kharlamov took place a few days later. Ten years later, a monument was erected at the site of his death.

The star legend of domestic and world hockey is Valery Kharlamov. A film about his life, success and fame was released in 2013. Many sports facilities are named after him.