Maxim Vylegzhanin biography. Maxim Vylegzhanin: “Family is more important to me than Olympic gold. Awards and achievements
Maxim Mikhailovich Vylegzhanin(October 18, 1982, Sharkan, Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR) - Russian skier. Three-time vice-champion of the 2014 Winter Olympics in the relay, team sprint and ski marathon. World champion 2015 in skiathlon. Three-time vice-world champion, winner of the 2007 Winter Universiade, bronze medalist of the multi-day ski race Tour de Ski 2013, multiple champion of Russia. Honored Master of Sports of Russia. Lives in the city of Izhevsk.
Sports career
Maxim Vylegzhanin is the 2015 world champion in the 30 km skiathlon, a three-time silver medalist at the Olympic Games, and also a three-time vice world champion in individual races: 2009 in the 50 km freestyle mass start, 2011 in the 30 km skiathlon and in the 50 km freestyle mass start.
Winner of the World Universiade (2007) at a distance of 30 km freestyle, bronze medalist in the 15 km pursuit race.
He was a member of the Russian Olympic team at the Vancouver Olympics. The best result is 8th place in the 50 km race.
Three-time champion of Russia at distances of 30 km (duathlon, 2007) and 50 km (2007 - classic style mass start, 2008 - free style mass start).
Maxim Vylegzhanin has two victories at the World Cup stages at a distance of 30 km free style in the 2010/2011 season and at a distance of 15 kilometers classic style at the Tour de Ski stage in Oberhof in the 2012-2013 season.
On February 9, 2014, at the Olympic Games in Sochi, he took 4th place in the skiathlon (15 km classic style + 15 km skating), losing at the finish line to the Norwegian athlete Martin Sondby. On February 16, 2014, he won Olympic silver as part of the relay four (Dmitry Yaparov, Alexander Bessmertnykh, Alexander Legkov, Maxim Vylegzhanin). On February 19, 2014, he won his second silver medal at the Olympic Games in Sochi together with Nikita Kryukov in the team sprint classic. On the last day of the Olympics, Maxim became second in the 50 km freestyle mass start.
World Championships and Olympic Games
| Year | Location | Discipline | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | World Cup Liberec | Skiathlon 30 km | 24 |
| 2009 | World Cup Liberec | 15 km Kl | 45 |
| 2009 | World Cup Liberec | Marathon 50 km St. | 2 |
| 2011 | World Cup Holmenkollen | Skiathlon 30 km | 2 |
| 2011 | World Cup Holmenkollen | 15 km Kl | 10 |
| 2011 | World Cup Holmenkollen | 4x10 relay | 7 |
| 2011 | World Cup Holmenkollen | Marathon 50 km St. | 2 |
| 2013 | World Cup Val di Fiemme | Skiathlon 30 km | 5 |
| 2013 | World Cup Val di Fiemme | 15 km St. | 57 |
| 2013 | World Cup Val di Fiemme | 4x10 km relay | 3 |
| 2013 | World Cup Val di Fiemme | Marathon 50 km Kl | 8 |
| 2014 | Olympic Games Sochi | Skiathlon 30 km | 4 |
| 2014 | Olympic Games Sochi | 4x10 km relay | 2 |
| 2014 | Olympic Games Sochi | Team sprint 6x1.8 km Class | 2 |
| 2014 | Olympic Games Sochi | Marathon 50 km St. | 2 |
| 2015 | World Cup Falun | Skiathlon 30 km | 1 |
| 2015 | World Cup Falun | 4x10 km relay | 4 |
| 2015 | World Cup Falun | Marathon 50 km | 4 |
Statistics of performances in the World Cup
| 2004-2005 | |||||||||||||||
| Pragelato | Lahti | Oslo | Falun | Results | |||||||||||
| 30 D | KS 6x1.2 Cl | 15 St | 50 Kl | 30 D | E 4x10 | Points | Place | ||||||||
| 37 | 6 | 66 | 6 | 15 | 7 | 56 | 67 | ||||||||
| 2005-2006 | |||||||||||||||
| Kuusamo | Nove Mesto na Morave | Otepää | Falun | Oslo | Results | ||||||||||
| 15 Kl | 15 St | C 1.2 St | 15 St | 15 Kl | 20 D | 50 St | Points | Place | |||||||
| 59 | 29 | 32 | DNS | 42 | 49 | 29 | 7 | 152 | |||||||
| 2006-2007 | |||||||||||||||
| Gällivare | Kuusamo | Val d'Aosta | La Clussa | Oslo | Falun | Results | |||||||||
| 15 St | E 4x10 | With 1.2 Cl | 15 Kl | 30 St. Mst | E 4x10 | 50 Kl | 30 D | Points | Place | ||||||
| 33 | 13 | 54 | 78 | 65 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 45 | 79 | ||||||
| 2007-2008 | |||||||||||||||
| Beitoshtolen | Davos | Rybinsk | Tour de Ski | Canmore | Otepää | Liberec | Falun | Oslo | Results | ||||||
| 15 St | E 4x10 | 15 Kl | E 4x10 | 30 St. Mst | 102 cm | 30 D | With 1.2 Cl | 15 St | C 1.2 St | 15 Kl | 11.4 St | 30 D | 50 St | Points | Place |
| 62 | 11 | 45 | 12 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 56 | 53 | 60 | 53 | 52 | 48 | 37 | 127 | 51 |
| 2008-2009 | |||||||||||||||
| Gällivare | Kuusamo | La Clussa | Davos | Tour de Ski | Rybinsk | Lahti | Trondheim | Falun KM Final | Results | ||||||
| 15 St | E 4x10 | 15 Kl | 30 St. Mst | 15 Kl | 102 cm | 15 St. Mst | 15 St | 50 Kl Mst | 40 cm | Points | Place | ||||
| 41 | 14 | 35 | 38 | 41 | 15 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 27 | 290 | 25 | ||||
| 2009-2010 | |||||||||||||||
| Beitoshtolen | Kuusamo | Davos | Rogla | Canmore | Lahti | Oslo | Falun KM Final | Results | |||||||
| 15 St | E 4x10 | 15 Kl | C 1.0 St | 30 Kl Mst | 15 St | C 1.7 Cl | 30 D | E 4x10 | 50 St. Mst | 40 cm | Points | Place | |||
| 50 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 49 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 4 | 532 | 8 |
Disqualification
On December 27, 2016, President of the Russian Ski Racing Federation Elena Vyalbe announced that Maxim Vylegzhanin was temporarily suspended from participation in competitions due to suspicion of violating anti-doping rules.
Equipment
Uses Fischer skis. Adidas clothing
Awards and titles
- Order of Honor (February 24, 2014) - for his great contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, high sporting achievements at the XXII Olympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi.
- Honored Master of Sports of Russia (February 17, 2014).
Russian skier Maxim Vylegzhanin made a stunning comeback today, finishing third in the marathon in Holmenkollen. After the race, with the help of a translator, he gave an interview to the Norwegian publication Dagbladet, in which he talked about what this podium meant to him. Here is a translation from Norwegian of the Russian’s words, as well as the statements of several of his rivals.
Maxim Vylegzhanin:
“I love performing in Holmenkollen”
“I’m very glad to be back and to be able to compete again here in Holmenkollen.” I was hoping to win, but I’m very happy with third place,” says the Russian.
He makes no secret of the fact that the last year has been a nightmare for him. Just like Alexander Legkov and other Russian ski stars suspended by the IOC and FIS, he lived without knowing how the situation would be resolved.
– It was very difficult for me. One day there is a desire to train. And the next day you’re tired and want to end your career. It was a very difficult period,” says Vylegzhanin.
He is indignant that the decision to suspend was made on the basis of the testimony of one person - the former director of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory Grigory Rodchenkov.
– There is nothing good about listening to the opinion of one person and making a decision based on it. How can one draw conclusions based only on McLaren's work? Why doesn't anyone follow the normal rules? If you fail a positive doping test, you should not be suspended.
– But McLaren’s report provided evidence that during the 2014 Games in Sochi the samples were changed?
– You see the CAS decision. This is what we should proceed from,” says Vylegzhanin.
The Russian admits that he is very glad to have the opportunity to perform in Holmenkollen, with which he has good memories. – It’s great to make a comeback in Holmenkollen. This place is special for me. It's absolutely amazing that people pitch tents and camp out here while they wait for the race, creating an insanely cool event. I love performing here.
Hans Christer Holund: “I assume that in the future we will not see Vylegzhanin and Legkov very often”
The Norwegian did not express his delight at the Russian’s return to the World Cup.
– Is it nice that Vylegzhanin has returned?
- No. Do not know what to say. He has a story. If there is truth in what became known about Sochi, then he probably should have been in a different place,” Holunn said. – Now a new generation of Russian skiers has appeared, so I assume that in the future we will not often see Vylegzhanin, Legkov and the whole group.
Andrew Musgrave:
"It's a little strange that they came back"
According to the Briton, the appearance of previously suspended Russian skiers on the ski track looks strange.
“But we must proceed from what decisions were made.” For me this is quite normal, because he was given the command to perform by those who have power. But it's a little strange that they came back.
– Do you have any contact?
– We said hello a couple of times, but there was no special contact.
Daniel Rickardsson:
“I congratulated him immediately after the race”
The Swede showed the greatest diplomacy in assessing the situation.
- Well, what can I say... He was allowed to perform again, so it’s difficult to have very many opinions on this matter. His doping suspension has been overturned and I try to think that those making the decisions know what they are doing. If you walk and think differently, it will be difficult to compete,” Rickardsson told Expressen. “His performance was very strong considering how little he has run in the World Cup this season. I congratulated him immediately after the race, but we didn’t communicate anymore.
Translation from Norwegian and Swedish
Maxim Vylegzhanin, or “Prince Serebryany”, as he is called for his large number of silver awards, is an all-around skier, three-time Olympic medalist in Sochi, world champion and vice-champion. The Udmurt athlete worthily continues the victorious traditions of his fellow countrymen - Galina Kulakova and Tamara Tikhonova.
Childhood and youth
Maxim Vylegzhanin comes from the village of Sharkan in the Republic of Udmurtia, where he was born in October 1982. The family is simple: father Mikhail is an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, after retirement he works as an ambulance driver, mother Rufima is in charge of a children's library. The children - daughter Natalya, sons Maxim and Alexander - were accustomed to hard village labor from an early age.
Little Maxim started skiing at the age of 9. I really wanted to play sports, but there were no other sections in the village. In the summer the boy played football and was also interested in photography. A year later, Vylegzhanin won the first race in his biography. As the skier said, he ran the distance, took his skis and went home. I only found out that I had won two days later.
In 2015, when Vylegzhanin won gold at the World Championship, the Sharkan Youth Sports School named him after an outstanding graduate.
After school, Maxim entered the police school, and then he began to take skiing more seriously. Successes allowed me to get a place at the Institute of Physical Education in Izhevsk. If not for sports, Maxim would have chosen the Suvorov School and a military career.
Sport
The skier's sports career was difficult. At the very beginning, he was invited to the national team for the summer training camp, and in the winter, when the main competitions began, he was excluded from the team. Nevertheless, Maxim did not give up and continued to win a place, first in the youth team, then in the main team.
Serious starts for Maxim Vylegzhanin began in 2005 with performances at the World Cup. The skier, as they say, harnessed slowly. The first season finished in 67th place, the next one was even worse - 152nd in the overall standings. Over the next three seasons, Maxim gradually increased his pace. The best result in the World Cup was the 2009-2010 season and 8th place in the overall table of ranks. Then he put 2 silver medals and one bronze into his piggy bank.
The 2007 Universiade was more successful. In Turin, Italy, Maxim conquered the highest step of the podium and also received a bronze medal. The skier did not go to the Olympics, held in the same city.
The World Championships turned out to be more generous in awards. In 2009 in the Czech Republic and in 2011 in Norway, Vylegzhanin won 3 silver medals - in skiathlon and 50 km marathon race. In 2013, in the Italian Val di Fiemme, Maxim won bronze in the relay.
Maxim won his favorite skiathlon and the world championship in Finnish Falun in 2015. This time, Nikita Kryukov and Alexey Petukhov, who competed in the team sprint, supported him with silver. The main pool of awards was taken away by colleagues from Germany and Norway.
At the Vancouver Olympic Games, the skier achieved only 8th place in the marathon. But the home Olympics in Sochi gave the audience an enchanting finish in the 50 km race, when Russian skiers Maxim Vylegzhanin and Ilya Chernousov occupied the entire podium.
In addition, the athlete could receive bronze in skiathlon. But at the finish line the skier was cut off by a representative of the Norwegian team, Martin Sundby. Despite the fact that the Viking clearly violated the rules, the panel of judges did not heed the protest of the Russian team and limited themselves to only a warning.
But following the results of the team sprint competition, Vylegzhanin spoke out against filing a protest. This time, towards the end of the relay, a German skier fell, knocked over the Finn and hit Nikita Kryukov, who lost speed. Even in this situation, the Finnish team came to the finish line first. Germany lodged a protest. Maxim considered that the fall was an accident from which no one was safe. As a result, the Russians received a silver medal.
However, by the Olympic medalist’s own admission, he remembers the year of the Games not by medals, but by an event that happened in the family - the birth of his son.
In February 2016, at the Holmenkollen Marathon, Vylegzhanin won a bronze medal at a distance of 50 km and won the World Cup in Lahti. In addition to skiing, Maxim pays attention to other sports. Also in 2016, the skier received a silver award at the Russian Amateur Triathlon Championship.
At the end of 2016, the Russian won the 10 km race and the classic sprint at international competitions in Finland. Based on the results of the competition, the national team for the World Cup was formed.
At the same time, the International Olympic Committee announced the start of an investigation into anti-doping rule violations committed at the Sochi Olympics. The subsequent press release did not name the athletes under investigation.
However, the names of six athletes suspended by the International Ski Federation from international competitions very quickly appeared on the Internet. The IOC's claims, according to the Russian Ski Federation, consisted of mechanical damage to containers with doping samples. The name of Maxim Vylegzhanin was also on the list.
The Udmurt athlete twice appealed to the International Federation, and both times it was rejected. For this reason, Maxim missed the World Championships in Lahti. Subsequently, guided by the report of the World Anti-Doping Agency, the IOC completely imposed a lifelong disqualification on the skier and annulled the results of the Sochi Games, which automatically meant deprivation of awards.
Personal life
Maxim has a reliable rear. His wife Albina and son Artem provide comprehensive support. The skier’s wife is a well-known Izhevsk journalist, works as a news editor on the “My Udmurtia” TV channel, and has repeatedly reported on the famous athlete. At first, the contacts were working - interviews and nothing more. The wedding of famous people, which took place in 2012, turned out to be an expensive and spectacular event.
Albina took her husband’s last name six months later, explaining that it was difficult for a journalist who had already earned a name for himself to sign with a different last name. The girl surprised her husband - by the end of the World Championship she became Vylegzhanina. Son Artem was born in June 2014. The athlete admits that for the sake of his son he started a page on "Instagram" to post his first photos there. In addition, fans constantly asked to publish something from training or competitions.
Maxim collects figurines of skiers, but his main passion, hobby and work at the same time remains ski racing. In the athlete’s homeland, Izhevsk, all-Russian roller ski competitions are held for the prizes of Maxim Vylegzhanin.
Maxim Vylegzhanin now
In the pre-Olympic season, the Udmurt skier was included in the Russian national team.
In November 2017, 11 months after the announcement of the disqualification, Maxim competed at international competitions included in the FIS schedule. In an emotional post on Instagram, the skier said that the competition turned out to be spontaneous, he did not think about the results, the main thing was to put on his number, go out on the ski slopes and again feel the spirit of competition.
Meanwhile, the Court of Arbitration for Sport considered the appeal of the Russian ski federation. The IOC decision to disqualify Vylegzhanin and 27 more of his colleagues, the medals were returned to the athletes.
Now the Federation and the athletes intend to take legal action to recover moral and material damage caused by the unfounded accusation of doping. In addition, previously suspended skiers are planned to participate in the World Cup and Continental Cup.
Awards and achievements
- Honored Master of Sports of Russia
- Knight of the Order of Honor
- 2009 - silver medalist at the World Championships
- 2011 - twice silver medalist at the World Championships
- 2013 - bronze medalist at the World Championships
- 2014 - three times silver medalist at the Olympic Games
- 2015 - world champion in skiathlon
Maxim Vylegzhanin is an all-around skier who successfully competes in both distance and sprint events. Maxim's collection includes three silver medals from the Olympic Games - marathon, sprint, and relay. Indeed, a variety that many skiers will envy. Preferring more the classical style, he also successfully performs in the free style.
Childhood
Maxim was born in the village of Sharkan, Udmurt Republic, and grew up there. His mother is a librarian, his father is a policeman. Max helped with housework and ran around the yard, playing football and volleyball with the kids. He wanted to be like dad, so he planned a military career. While the Soviet Union was collapsing, a 10-year-old boy was taking his first steps as a skier. At first, the sport did not attract him, but successes and victories followed. At the age of 17, Maxim bet on skiing. He was also interested in photography.
Career as an all-round skier
Vylegzhanin began his World Cup career in 2005. Like the second leader of the team - . But if the latter immediately started brightly, and then slowed down a little, then Maxim opened up gradually. In 2009, at the World Championships, he won silver in the 50 km marathon. He turned into the most stable skier much later, after the Olympics in Vancouver. First podium - silver in the 15 km classic race in 2009. That year there was also bronze in the 30 km mass start.
He participated in, but showed poor results. The best result was in the marathon - 8th place. However, this particular season turned out to be successful for Vylegzhanin; he entered the elite 8 of the overall World Cup standings.
Maxim prepared especially seriously for the 2011 World Championships in Oslo. He became an elite, and the requirements for him changed. Vylegzhanin’s goal was to fight for the top 10 in the overall standings and perform well at the championship. In addition, even then he expected to run the entire season at a high level, since without this he would not be able to gain the necessary shape for the main start of the season. And everything worked out as it should for Max: two silvers! In skiathlon and 50 km marathon. Despite the fact that shortly before the World Championships he was banned from starting the Tour de Ski due to a high hemoglobin level. That is, in fact, Vylegzhanin might not have returned to normal, and he would have been denied participation in the championship, which brought him such success and well-deserved awards. The first victory came at the World Cup - at a distance of 30 km. In the overall standings, Maxim finished in 11th place.
In 2012, Maxim got married. Since then, family comes first for him. He wants children, but because of sports he cannot afford them yet. Nevertheless, Vylegzhanin clearly answered that even Olympic gold would not be more valuable to him than his beloved.
For the 2011-2012 season, Max set the goal of competing for the World Cup. Ambitions and chances for this have increased! However, he only entered the top seven, and only caught up with the 2012-2013 season. Another victory - already in the 15 km race during the Tour de Ski, stable performance in this competition throughout all 7 days - and third place according to its results. The victory was then won by Alexander Legkov - our first Russian winner of such a prestigious and difficult competition.
Maxim did not approach the 2013 World Championships in the best shape, but became a bronze medalist in the relay. He was closest to the podium in skiathlon (5th place, six seconds behind the leader), was completely lost in the 15 km race, and did not have time to recover for the 50 km race, but took a high eighth place. He finished the season on a more optimistic note - 5th place.
In the 2013-2014 season, Maxim managed to get a couple of podiums and one victory - in the mass start. He skipped the Tour de Ski specifically to prepare for the Olympics, taking care of his form. Therefore, there was no doubt that he was one of the main favorites of Sochi. Neither the Russians nor their eminent rivals.
Silver Olympics in Sochi
In Vylegzhanin he became silver three times and fourth once: skiathlon (4th place), relay race, team sprint and 50 km marathon (2nd place).
Maxim would not exchange all his silver medals in Sochi for one gold (all medals are labor ones), despite the fact that there is sadness about his absence. Of course, this is understandable. At 31 years old, he has long been, along with Legkov, the leader of Russia and a high-class fighter. The Norwegian Northug saw him as his main rival in Sochi, since Max has outstanding finisher qualities (which is why, among other things, he performs well in sprints) and good endurance (for a 50-kilometer marathon, for example), allowing him to competently distribute his strength over the distance, not rush forward and not waste yourself from the first laps of the race. Vylegzhanin is a very tactful and honest person. So, after an offensive 4th place in the skiathlon, where he lost the finishing line to Sundby, who blocked his track, Maxim spoke as correctly as possible, noting the Norwegian’s guilt, but without making loud statements. A protest was filed from the Russian leadership, but Martin retained the bronze.
Vylegzhanin remained one step away from gold and was paired with in the team sprint. Nikita was completing their relay, racing to victory, when the German fell, colliding with the Finn, catching Kryukov. Russia was left with silver. Maxim opposed filing a protest (the Germans were going to file a protest against the Finns), because he considered such a miscalculation an accident. In the men's 4x10 km relay, Maxim also failed to get closer to the Swedes, who were in the lead from the very beginning. At the third stage, Legkov made up a 40-second gap, but did not catch up with the leader. At the fourth stage, Hellner increased the pace, with whom Max, alas, was unable to keep up.
Vylegzhanin is a courageous guy, strong, imperturbable. And it is quite possible for him to win many more medals. Let at least one of them - say, at the World Championships - become gold. After all, six silver medals from the Olympics and World Championships should someday result in the most precious metal for any athlete. Maxim Vylegzhanin is truly, but not by title, the golden skier of the Russian national team.
