Anatoly Rakhlin: biography and photos

Anatoly Rakhlin is a well-known Russian and Soviet judoka, honored worker of physical culture of the Russian Federation, issuing coach. A man with a unique heroic biography. He survived the blockade of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War, in modern history is known primarily as a coach of the Russian president.

Blockade childhood

Anatoly Solomonovich Rakhlin was born in Leningrad on the eve of the Great Patriotic War - May 23, 1938. By the way, an interesting fact. Although his father was called Solomon, and according to the documents his patronymic was exactly this, but in everyday life, during training, among colleagues and pupils, he preferred that "Anatoly Semyonovich" be approached to him.

His father Solomon Zinovievich worked as an engineer at the Baltic plant. From the first days of the war he went to the front. His mother, nee Rebekka Davidovna Kaplan, had a liberal education. She worked as a teacher at the Leningrad Pedagogical Institute named after Herzen.

All the 900 days of the siege of Leningrad our hero was in the city. When the city was surrounded, Anatoly was only 3 years old. Therefore he survived due to the mother's exceptional merit.

Bortsov's youth

At the age of 15 he began to study in the Sambo section at the Leningrad Palace of Pioneers. His first coach was Sergey Dashkevich, a legendary wrestler who once competed with Ivan Poddubny. From him, he took the first advice.

After leaving school, Anatoly Rakhlin entered the Herzen Pedagogical Institute, where his mother worked. Sambo passion played a big role in choosing a future profession: he chose the faculty of physical culture. In 1959 he successfully graduated from the institute and went to serve in the army.

Rakhlin was sent to the Black Sea Fleet, where Sambo was also actively developed and cultivated. After serving three years at sea, he returned to the "citizen". His first profession was the position of coach at the sports club at the Leningrad Metal Plant. Sambo Anatoly Rakhlin taught at a club called "Turbostroitel".

Presidential battle

In 1964, Anatoly Solomonovich Rakhlin scored the first group of his own pupils. Among them was the current Russian President Vladimir Putin. At that time he was only 12 years old. Subsequently, Putin trained with Rakhlin for more than 10 years. He admitted that the mentor in judo played one of the key roles in his life and becoming a personality. Putin, engaged in Rakhlin, has made serious progress - he became a master of sports in judo and sambo. Already parting with a mentor, in 1976, won the city championship in Leningrad in judo.

Putin's judo coach Anatoly Rakhlin worked with his pupil for 11 years.

Even after finishing his studies with Rakhlin, Putin did not abandon his passion for judo. Today it is one of the most popular, as they say, presidential sport in the country.

Already in the 2000s, the famous coach published a book of memoirs "President Sensei." In it, in particular, he describes in detail the characteristics of Putin's wrestling style. As Rakhlin writes, Putin was able to endure pain from a small age, than he surpassed many opponents. Most of the victories did not take place at the expense of physical training, although it was excellent, but due to cunning and resourcefulness, the ability to hold the necessary reception at the right time. The main advantage of Putin was that it was extremely difficult to calculate his actions in a duel, which is why he remained one of the most serious opponents for all. It was not easy to defeat him.

Putin himself also became the author of the book devoted to martial arts. In 1999, he published a collection of practical advice "Learning Judo with Vladimir Putin." And in 2008 he presented a training film in which he played the role of himself - an experienced judo wrestler who gives advice to novice pupils.

Putin still continues to engage in judo and personally supports the federation of this sport.

Star pupils

Among the young pupils of Rakhlin was a lot of significant today the people of Russian society. In the 60s and 70s, the foundations of judo were comprehended by Arkady Rothenberg, now a billionaire, chairman of the board of directors of several large banks and companies.

Was engaged at Rakhlin and Vasily Shestakov - in the future sports and political figure, president of the International Sambo Federation, a deputy of the State Duma.

Rakhlin Anatoly - the coach is not only young men, but also girls. Among his pupils, in particular, Ekaterina Buravtseva. Repeated champion of Europe and Russia among cadets, one of the leaders of modern Russian judo.

Sports Results

Anatoly Rakhlin worked as a coach in judo and sambo more than 50 years. During this time he prepared 100-odd masters of sports.

Also thanks to him, the sports calendar of Russian sports has been enlarged with several significant tournaments. Among them, competitions in judo memory of a participant in the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Petrov. This is an international youth tournament, which Rakhlin founded back in 1973.

The tournament became one of the long-livers among wrestling competitions. In 2013, the jubilee 40th competition was held for the prizes of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

Anatoly Rakhlin, whose biography is closely associated with sports throughout his life, initiated the creation in St. Petersburg of a training center for judoists. The base for him was the building of the sports club "Turbostroitel", in which Rakhlin once started his coaching career. In order to open the training center, the building was completely reconstructed. Today it opens its doors on Kondratievsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg.

At the head of the national team

In 2008, Anatoly Rakhlin was appointed the head coach of the national women's national team of Russia in judo. The following year the team was to face the first serious test - the World Championship in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Russians fought hard, but did not bring medals to the team's box.

The following year an even more representative delegation left for the World Championships in Tokyo. In almost all weight categories, two athletes were represented. The Japanese at the home world championship left practically no chance for the contestants, having won 6 finals of 8.

The Russians, unfortunately, did not make it to one decisive duel, stopping at the semi-final stage. So, the Russian Natalia Kuzyutina in the weight category up to 52 kilograms divided the bronze with the Mongolian athlete Monhbaataryan Bundmaa, and Tea Donguzashvili in the absolute category got the third place along with the Japanese Megumi Tatimoto. The fights for the third place in this world championship were not held.

As a result, two bronze medals, which the Russians brought to the team's piggy bank, allowed the Russian team to take the 15th place in the overall standings. In total, the Russians were 4 bronze.

Ball in that season was ruled by the Japanese. They won an unthinkable number of awards - 23 medals, 10 of which were gold medals.

Olympics in London

Judo with Anatoly Rakhlin in Russia has become popular and loved by many sports. In many respects it was promoted also by the London Olympic Games which has passed in 2012.

The games were brilliantly performed by men who brought 3 gold medals to the team's piggy bank and ensured the team the first place in the overall standings. Women performed not so successfully, but many fans remembered the bright and uncompromising struggle.

Rakhlin's family

The main woman in the life of the famous judoka was Evgenia Lipatova. With it, he spent many years of living together. He had two sons.

The elder, Eugene, was born in 1975. He followed in the footsteps of his father, became a judge of the international category in judo. Rakhlin Jr. also chose a sporting career. He became a master of sports in judo, for several years headed the team of St. Petersburg in this sport.

The sons gave their grandchildren and grandchildren their parents.

Death of the coach

Anatoly Rakhlin, whose photo you see in our article, passed away on August 7, 2013 in his hometown of St. Petersburg. He was 75 years old.

He did not leave work until the last days of his life, continuing to train pupils, advising members of the Russian national team.

His most famous and famous student, Vladimir Putin, came to say goodbye to an outstanding coach. I remember a lot of episode - in memory of the coach, the president made a solitary walk, without guards and accompanying, along Vatutin Street. He started it on Kondratyevsky Avenue, where Rakhlin once started working as a coach in the "Turbostroitel" club, where the first lessons of judo were comprehended by the future president himself. And he finished it on the Sverdlovskaya embankment.

Anatoly Rakhlin is buried in the Leningrad Region, at the Kuzmolovo Cemetery.