Margarita Mamun– Russian gymnast, Olympic champion 2016 and seven-time world champion in rhythmic gymnastics. The incredible grace, perseverance and unique style of Margarita Mamun left no one indifferent. She is loved by the audience and everyone who works with her. The number of victories and, especially, receiving a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Brazil tells us about the strong character of the athlete. Despite the fact that in fact Rita has a soft and vulnerable heart and comes from an intelligent family.

Biography.

Rita Mamun was born on November 1, 1995 in Moscow. Parents: mother Anna, a former gymnast, father Abdullah Al Mamun, originally from Bangladesh. Eastern roots gave the gymnast special flexibility and expressiveness. Having two citizenships, she once competed in Bangladesh. Everyone else sports competitions Mamun represented only Russia.

Classes rhythmic gymnastics Margarita started at the age of seven. Living near the Olympic Village, her mother brought her to gymnastics classes. At the age of eleven, she began serious preparation for a career as a gymnast. Margarita Mamun's coach is Amina Zaripova. At the Sports and Youth Sports School she trained with Natalia Kukushkina. In the team of mentors, Rita Mamun is incomparable. By the way, it was Irina who gave the gymnast the nickname “Bengal Tiger”. Treating each of her gymnasts individually, Wiener gives them unique nicknames and comes up with a “trick” for each athlete that only she can perform. She pulls you out of depression and guides you through life. They say that without the blessing of Irina Viner-Uspanova, gymnasts do not get married. Her charges call her “mom.” And even after completion sports career They always remain grateful to their coach and speak about her with aspiration.

“I saw the first competition on TV, Alina Kabaeva and Irina Chashchina performed. Even then I really wanted to start studying, but my mother thought that I needed to wait until I went to school. 7 years is quite late for gymnastics. When I came to the gym, girls my age already knew how to do a lot of things. But in the end this did not become an obstacle: I immediately liked working with the subject, I liked the music. When a melody sounds that inspires, you immediately want to perform, train and try new things.”

The first big victory for Mamun was receiving the title of Russian champion in 2011 in the all-around. After this victory, they began to involve her in training in Novogorsk along with the national team. Then there were many new victories and world-class titles.

In addition to her sports career, Margarita is a student at the Department of Theory and Methodology of Gymnastics at the P.F. Lesgaft University of St. Petersburg.

He is friends with his colleague gymnast Yana Kudryavtseva, with whom he won competitions more than once, just as happened at the Olympics in Rio, where Mamun received gold medal, and Yana Kudryavtseva won a silver medal. At the Olympics, the girls immediately took the lead and competed with each other, but due to one mistake Yana made almost at the end of the competition, Kudryavtseva received second place. The girls spend a lot of time together and post photos of them together on their Instagram pages.

Margarita Mamun and Alexander Sukhorukov

Personal life of Margarita Mamun.

Rita Mamun is dating Russian swimmer Sukhorukov Alexander since 2013. After winning the Olympics, the young man said that he was thinking about getting married to his beloved. On September 8, 2017, Margarita Mamun got married. The marriage registration took place at the Barvikha Luxury Village registry office in the presence of the couple’s relatives and friends.

Our editorial team is proud of the victory of our gymnasts at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil! We want to congratulate Rita and Yana on such a brilliant and very professional performance. And, of course, a well-deserved victory. And also wish to achieve all the goals that they have set for themselves.

Well, we will follow the news and keep you updated.

Anyone who loves and values ​​himself cannot help but read the following entries:

• Irina Viner-Usmanova Gymnastics Center in the Olympic...

Sasha: We met literally on the street (laughs): in the Olympic village in Kazan, during the World Summer Universiade, in June 2013. We went to the dining room with the swimmers (Sasha is a member of the Russian national team - TN note), caught up with the gymnasts, and said hello. Of the entire women’s team, I only didn’t know Rita; the rest of the girls, they were older, I knew each other from the Olympics in London and Beijing, we had a common company. We were introduced to each other: “Sasha, Rita.” That's all. That same day I found Rita on social networks and wrote: “Hi, when are you performing?” I wanted to cheer for her. From the first minute of our communication, I had the feeling that this was a dear person and that we had known each other for a long time. When later short time told her about this, Rita exclaimed: “And you have the same feeling?!”

Rita: Something else remains in my memory - exactly the opposite. I was the first to admit to Sasha that there was a feeling of déjà vu, as if we already knew each other, and he was amazed at the coincidence. They even began to look through places where they could theoretically meet, but did not find a single clue from the past. We spent very little time in Kazan, saw each other a couple of times, we have a strict sports regime, competitions, and then the swimmers left. And Sasha and I began to correspond. We wrote to each other almost every day for six months! It was impossible to meet; both were in different cities. The first date took place only on January 8, 2014. That evening it became clear that both had fallen in love. (Laughs.)

“We began to look through places where we could theoretically meet, but did not find a single clue from the past. Photo: Lyuba Shemetova

- Where was the first date? Have you chosen something romantic since you've been waiting for a meeting for so long?

Rita: We had dinner at some cafe in Khimki, not far from the base where I trained. They talked and talked... about everything in the world, and could not stop. I remember how Sasha was surprised that I had never been to a nightclub. Although I was already 18 years old. It seemed to him that the girl probably liked to go for a walk.

Sasha: I thought that since she’s a gymnast, that means she spends her leisure time in clubs. And he assumed that there were a lot of different young people around Rita... But everything turned out to be wrong.

Rita: I am a closed person. Although men show increased attention to gymnasts, she didn’t let anyone get close to her, didn’t date anyone, only sport was on her mind. Sasha is the first serious feeling, love at first sight.

Sasha: It’s the same for me. Although I am older (the age difference between young people is eight years. - TN note), I have never had a serious relationship.
Rita: Our date took place in the evening, Sasha accompanied me to the base, and in the morning, January 9, he flew to America for almost four months!

Sasha: There is a ten hour time difference between Moscow and Los Angeles, where I trained. I free myself, and Rita is already deep into the night. She woke up, I’m sleeping... Endless letters saved me. Sometimes we were able to talk on Skype. How did people live before when all this did not exist?!

-What did you write to each other about?

Rita: Yes about everything! About what is going on in the soul, what they thought about this or that. They supported each other, discussing training, competitions, sports. By the way, we carefully store those messages. Sometimes we reread it and laugh. It’s strange to realize that we were once strangers, it even makes you feel uneasy.
When I flew to Croatia for my next performance, I whined to Sasha about challenging workouts, and he wrote optimistically: what are you doing? Isn’t it nice - the sun, the sea!

He and I are athletes, so mutual understanding arose immediately. We both understand very well what it means when things don’t work out, when you’re in a bad mood from fatigue and want to be silent. Many people think that rhythmic gymnastics is an easy sport. And Sasha is one of them.

Sasha: What is there - jumping with a ribbon! (Laughs.) When we already met, Rita said, come and watch me train. I took her out of the hall almost completely passed out. It was only then that I realized how tough and difficult this sport is.

I wanted to be closer to Rita, but in America I was undergoing a preparatory cycle before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and showed good results. It would be wrong to abandon the matter halfway. I came to Russia only to take a break or to compete at the championship. Frankly, I was thinking about continuing my sports career overseas. But Rita appeared... I remember how worried I was when we were apart: “How cool she is!” But it’s unlikely that he will wait for me...” No matter how much I was drawn back to Moscow, to Rita, I understood that until 2016 we did not belong to ourselves. It’s terrible: when you love a person, but you can’t be with him.
Rita: That separation became a serious test for both of us, we took every opportunity to meet for at least two days. After the World Championships, I flew like a bullet to Sasha. Or he's coming to me.

- Cross the ocean, spend 13 hours in the air in order to be together for just a couple of days?!

Rita: In anticipation, the flight passed quickly. Los Angeles is a city of happiness for me, because we had an incredibly good time there. Sasha took days off, and we did not separate for a minute. When it was time to return, it seemed like a week had passed.

How did your loved ones take the news that you were a couple?

Sasha: My friends were scary. (Laughs.) They said that it’s good to date the girl you love, but it’s hard to live together. And I answered that I grew up with my older sister and understood girls very well. But this is a joke, because I didn’t listen to anyone at all.

Sasha: Rita is still young, she is only 21 years old. But this is according to the passport. She is an incredibly wise person. Photo: Lyuba Shemetova

Rita: And I grew up with a younger brother! Friends said that it’s too early to get married, you need to live for yourself. But there are no rules for happiness, everything is different for everyone. Since childhood, I have been a serious girl with serious intentions. I remember how I prepared my parents to meet Sasha. I was afraid to introduce her because I had never brought anyone home. She often talked about him: Sasha gave this, Sasha said, Sasha and I... And when, a year after our first date, I invited him to visit us, mom and dad were mentally prepared. I think they liked him.

- Seems? You don't know for sure?

They just said: how tall he is! (Laughs.) My parents and I are not best friends, they raised me strictly, and heart-to-heart conversations were not accepted. I think they simply understood then: no matter how much I respect them, only our love with Sasha matters.

Amina Vasilovna (Amina Zaripova, Rita’s coach. - TN note) always told me: “Tell me if you fall in love!” And when I told her about Sasha, she got excited. I was afraid that I might make a mistake, not do it right choice.

- When did it become clear to you that everything was serious and this was love? Who was the first to confess their feelings?

Rita: I realized that Sasha was my only one three or four months after we started dating. We were separated by the ocean, and I couldn’t imagine life without him. Sasha was the first to confess his love. It happened on observation deck Moscow State University, on Sparrow Hills. I immediately replied that his feelings were mutual.
- Was it important for both of you to officially get married?

Sasha: It seems that nothing fundamentally changes and the marriage certificate is just a piece of paper... But I want us to be called spouses, and not a guy and a girl.

Rita: And I want to talk about Sasha - “this is my husband”, exchange rings with him. If Sasha had proposed two years ago, I would have agreed. But he didn’t want to distract me from preparing for the Olympic Games; we rarely saw each other then, it was a tense period.

Sasha: Swimmer friends offered to buy a ring right in Rio de Janeiro and propose after Rita’s victory at the Olympics. But I decided: my girlfriend has a gold medal, such a big celebration, and then there’s a marriage proposal - why is it all thrown together? It’s better to wait and in December, at the Olympic Ball in the Manege, when all our athletes friends will be nearby, ask her to marry me. It was at this Ball that we appeared together in December 2015, already as a couple. We both really liked the atmosphere: everyone was so beautiful, in evening dresses and tuxedos. And it seemed to me that if I told Rita the main words there, she would like it. She's a girl and loves attention. Although he doesn’t admit it...

Margarita Mamun and Alexander Sukhorukov. Photo: Lyuba Shemetova

Rita: Rhythmic gymnastics is acting. Naturally, I love applause after a successfully completed exercise. But what I like even more is the attention that people show when they see Sasha and me together.

Sasha: I didn't have to secretly find out the size of Rita's fingers. In Rio de Janeiro, the Olympic Committee gave us rings, and I heard that Rita told someone that a size 15.5 ring would suit her.

Rita: The proposal did not become a big secret, because this topic slipped into our conversations. Once Sasha said: if I become an Olympic champion, I don’t have to change my last name, there will be no objections on his part. He knew that I wanted to keep it in honor of dad.

When I was giving an interview on camera at the Olympians’ Ball, I saw an excited Sasha heading towards me. And when he reached into the inner pocket of his tuxedo, I realized: now this will happen! He came up and said in a trembling voice: “Rita, I want to tell you something a long time ago.” She knelt down and offered to become his wife. I was mentally prepared for this, but the reality turned out to be different. For some reason I was terribly excited, I felt feverish. (Laughs.) And then she said ten times in a row: “Yes! Yes!" Sasha was so nervous that when we went outside a little later, he asked again: “So what is the answer to my proposal?” It seemed to him that I didn’t answer anything.

Sasha: At that moment, when I was kneeling in front of Rita, friends and photographers rushed in and everyone began to congratulate us. This happened on December 8, 2016. 8 is a lucky number for us. On the 8th they started dating, on the 8th they got engaged, on the 8th they got married. And they even submitted an application to the registry office on August 8, but it happened by accident.

Margarita Mamun and Alexander Sukhorukov. Photo: Lyuba Shemetova

- Rita, Sasha, are you the same opposites that attracted according to the laws of physics, or are you still similar?

Sasha: We have similar views on life, principles, and characters. We are both calm, we are not talkative. There have been no quarrels so far, but some disagreements and arguments do happen, and if we both become silent... nothing good comes of it. (Laughs.)

Rita: I have been silent since childhood, but Amina Vasilovna pulled emotions out of me for years, and over time I more or less learned to convey them in words.

Sasha: Rita has a wonderful character. She finds a common language with any people and is an excellent hostess. In our first weeks together (we started living under the same roof after the Olympics), we realized that we didn’t know how to cook at all. And now Rita makes excellent soups, borscht, all kinds of sauces and steaks, all kinds of salads. She reminds me of my mother: so measured, thorough, kind. There’s probably no point in talking about beauty?

Rita: And Sasha is a copy of my dad. The same calmness, kindness and respect - both for me and for people in general. Although others sometimes take this for weakness. Sasha always protects me. If you make him angry, then the offenders will have no mercy. (Laughs.) Just like my dad... (Rita’s father died a year ago. - Note “TN”). By the way, I’m the same: I’ll tear for my own people!

-Who is in your union of two strong people chapter?

Rita: Definitely Sasha. He's a man.

Rita: If Sasha proposed two years ago, I would have agreed. But he didn’t want to distract me from preparing for the Olympic Games. Photo: Lyuba Shemetova

Sasha: We often look for compromises. If Rita understands something better, I ask for advice. For example: what is better to wear? She contacts me regarding questions about the car, repairs, and everyday life. I can fix the faucet and install the washing machine.

- So you are handy? A rare quality for a young man. Sasha, Rita, are your parents’ families and the values ​​they instilled similar?

Sasha: Absolutely! My parents and Ritin’s lived together for a long time. life together, married since youth. They have one marriage. We both can’t even imagine that it could be any other way!

Margarita Mamun

Family: mother - Anna Yuryevna, former gymnast; brother - Philip Al Mamun (14 years old)

Education: graduated from National State University physical culture, sports and health named after. Lesgafta

Career: Olympic champion 2016, seven-time world champion, four-time European champion, multiple winner of the Grand Prix and World Cup stages

Alexander Sukhorukov

Family: mother - Svetlana Vasilievna, senior swimming instructor; father - Nikolai Vladimirovich, driver; sister - Olga (35 years old), economist

Education: graduated from Ukhta State Technical University

Career:silver medalist 2008 Olympic Games Freestyle Swimming Relay

Sports married couples

Marriages among famous athletes- not uncommon. And many manage to maintain love.

Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf
World tennis stars set records not only
in sports, but also in personal life. They have been together since 2001!
Before they met, Andre was unsuccessfully married to an actress
Brooke Shields and Steffi dated a race car driver
Michael Bartels. But in 1999, finishing her career, Steffi gave herself another chance to arrange her destiny. The couple have two children: 16-year-old son Jaeden Gil and 13-year-old daughter Jazz Eli.

Natalya Bestemyanova and Igor Bobrin
Famous Soviet figure skaters are happily married
34 years old. At the time of their acquaintance, in 1981, Igor was
married and lived in Leningrad, Natalya lived in Moscow. Igor -
her first serious feeling. Natalya admits
that she suggested the wedding herself. Bobrin was jealous of her, and she decided that a stamp in her passport would help rectify the situation. And so it happened! The couple admit that they family life- sheer happiness.

Evgenia Kanaeva and Igor Musatov
Four years of marriage for the Slovak hockey forward
club "Slovan", 29-year-old Igor Musatov and 27-year-old
two-time Olympic champion in artistic
gymnastics Evgenia Kanaeva. Proposal
And Igor made hearts for Evgenia after the end of the 2012 Olympics in London, when Eugene received the coveted medal. A year later they got married. In March 2014, the couple had a son, Volodya.

Margarita Mamun is only 20 years old, but she has already achieved incredible success in sports and became the world champion in rhythmic gymnastics seven times. Ahead Olympic Games-2016... Until recently it was unknown whether the Russian team would be able to take part in international competitions, nevertheless, the athletes hoped for the best, and Rita continued to prepare for her performance in Rio de Janeiro. Fortunately, very soon the gymnast will represent Russia in the individual all-around at the Olympics. the site met with Rita's mother, Anna Mamun, and learned how to raise a real champion.

Behind every talented athlete is a strong mother, who supported him in difficult moments, motivated him not to quit classes halfway when it became completely unbearable, and sacrificed her interests for the benefit of the child. Those women who have raised champions are especially clear about the price at which all victories actually come and with what bitterness failures are experienced. On the eve of the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, we talked with the most important fan of gymnast Margarita Mamun - her mother. Anna Mamun told us about how her daughter took her first steps in rhythmic gymnastics, about the inevitable difficulties, and most importantly, about the will to win.

? Why did you choose rhythmic gymnastics?

Anna Mamun: Rita started doing rhythmic gymnastics quite late, when she was already 7 years old. As a child she liked dancing and figure skating- It all started with him. Ritochka was always very flexible, and the coach often repeated: “Haven’t you done gymnastics?” Then we decided to go try our hand at gymnastics, despite the fact that our daughter was already quite old enough to practice this sport professionally. Fortunately, Rita very quickly got involved and began to enjoy the training.

A.M.: Our school was not as serious as “Wings of the Soviets” or CSKA, where girls went to the Moscow and Russian championships. Ritochka went to a completely ordinary club, and almost no major events happened. However, we sometimes went abroad and participated in club competitions.

“I remember everything - every award. I wipe the dust and think, this is the very first medal, how expensive it is! And this is the very first cup..."

website: How did Rita manage to combine intensive training with studies?

A.M.: Until the age of 14, Rita did rhythmic gymnastics unprofessionally and studied calmly until the 8th grade, while training well. But when her daughter was noticed and offered to participate in serious competitions, she faced a difficult choice. Rita had to finish school as an external student, this was not even discussed. In the morning we went to the first training session, and her classmates went to study. Of course, she was very worried, leaving school, worried about how she would pass the Unified State Exam. My daughter has always been very responsible and studied diligently. Alas, you can’t sit on 2 chairs at once: you chose sports. But I'm glad she already had good base up to 8th grade, because most of the athletes have been studying under the external program since they were 12 years old.

website: Tell me, did you feel sorry for your daughter, because you, like no one, know what sacrifices she had to make? I didn’t want to tell her: “Let’s sleep today, don’t go to school, don’t go to training”?

A.M.: Now I feel much more sorry for her, to be honest. Most importantly, she never complained. When he comes, sometimes he has no strength and does his homework while lying down.

? Tell us about her character?

A.M.: As a child, Rita was very shy and reserved. Even now she says: “Mom, I don’t know what I would be like if you hadn’t sent me to sports.” Now the daughter has become much braver, although they say that we need to be even braver.

website: Right now, Rita probably has a big problem with free time. Do you manage to spend leisure time together?

A.M.: It works, of course. Her brother is always waiting for her at home. On Saturday we pick up Rita, and on Sunday she needs to return to the training center. My daughter is lucky that she lives in Moscow and we can come at any time. Many athletes generally visit home only 2 times a year - non-residents permanently live in Novogorsk. We come to Rita, sometimes we walk around the territory, or we can go to the center, go to the cinema, sit in a cafe.

website: Colleagues and fans of your daughter call her the Bengal Tiger. What do you call her in the family circle?

A.M.: I call her Ritochka. For some reason she used to call me Swallow. I have her listed in my phone as Ritulya. And Irina Alexandrovna was once her Bengal Tiger (Irina Viner-Usmanova is Margarita Mamun’s mentor, - approx..

But Margarita didn’t listen to anyone. She is only 21 years old, but it seems that she has a long life behind her - she has had to go through so much. One day she saw on TV. And the girl liked the way they moved to the music so much that Margarita asked her mother to enroll her in the section. She was 7 years old.

“It’s quite late, because girls my age already knew a lot,” says Margarita. - For some reason, my mother thought that you need to start studying when you go to first grade. It turns out that this should be done at 3-4 years old.”

“Sasha came all this way with me”

- At the age of 13 you had to make a choice - to stay in big sport or quit school?

I was scared to take this step because I studied quite well. But, after consulting with my parents, I decided to stay in the sport and switch to external studies. At the Olympic Training Center, Amina Zaripova drew attention to me, then showed me to Irina Viner. This is how our work together began.

- What does it take to get noticed? After all, there are many talented gymnasts...

Amina Vasilovna always said that I was a girl with a bright appearance and I was immediately noticeable among the others. They also talked about emotionality during the exercises. But this came with time. And before that, it was impossible to get a smile out of me. I'm a private person. I’m used to it, I was raised in such a way that I am a partisan - I endure it, no matter how difficult it is. I, he is reserved and calm, and my mother is more emotional. Dad loved me and my younger brother very much. So lucky to have a boy and a girl. He is 13 years old, he studies in a math class and enjoys snowboarding.

- Where did your parents meet?

Mom did rhythmic gymnastics for only 2 months, but they write as if she is also a champion (smiles). Previously, we went to kindergartens, schools and recruited children into various sections - my mother was chosen for gymnastics, but she could not walk. There was no one to drive - grandfather worked on a ship, grandmother and mother were always with him, respectively.

And the parents met in Astrakhan. Dad came to Russia from Bangladesh. Parents studied together at the Astrakhan Technical University at the Faculty of Engineering. And then they moved to Moscow, where I was born.

- Not so long ago, dad passed away?..

We fought this disease together for a long time, but we couldn’t cope. I'm glad dad saw my gold medal.
And I managed to see him. When we left, and we left two months before the start of the Olympics, he was given 3-4 days. Of course, they didn’t tell me about this. But dad lived to see my victory and waited for me. He's just a hero. I hope I made him happy.

- When you received the medal, did you call him first? Or is he for you?

He didn’t call because he didn’t speak well anymore. Our last Olympic flight was delayed by almost six hours. As soon as I arrived, I immediately ran to my dad to... He didn't let go of her. I so wanted to leave it to him, but I couldn’t, because the next day we had a reception with the president.

- But before this, did you have a tradition of calling each other on the eve of an important day?

Before performances, dad always called himself to wish him luck. And then I didn’t call the whole competition. He congratulated me afterwards if I won something. But my mother didn’t even watch the Olympics and didn’t leave the house. I turned off my phones so that no one would disturb me. When it’s all over, everyone writes to her, congratulates her, but doesn’t explain why. (smiles). She still doesn't realize it, and neither do I.

Love story

- How did you meet Alexander Sukhorukov?(swimmer, silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics)?

At the Universiade in Kazan in 2013. We probably liked each other mutually. Because he immediately, on the same day, wrote to me.

- You are constantly at training camps and training...

It happened that we didn’t see each other for 3-4 months, because he was training in America, and I was in Novogorsk. I don't know what we would do without social networks and Skype. How did people live before when letters took six months to arrive? This saved us so much, because living at a distance is hard! But we supported each other as best we could. Sasha was with me at the Olympics and, in fact, went through this entire journey with me.

- The Olympics are behind us, but what’s ahead?

The Olympic Games are the pinnacle. There is nowhere higher. I am very glad that I managed to become a champion. The Olympics have just ended, and they are already asking me: well, in Tokyo? Those who do not understand what a difficult path is behind us. I won't guess. Maybe I'll rest and come back. But it's crazy work. If you continue, you need to throw yourself into the sport headlong. You can’t train half a day and spend half a day with your family. You always have to sacrifice something.

At the age of 22, the gymnast won all possible titles. She became a seven-time world champion and a four-time European champion, and at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro she beat out the tournament favorite, her compatriot and friend, to win the gold medal. In September 2017, Margarita married a swimmer and soon after completed her professional career. talked to the gymnast about her Bengali roots, her love of football and life after sports.

“Now I can eat a cake even at 12 o’clock at night”

How do you like the first months of your free life? What are you doing now?

This can only be called a free life relatively - I have practically no time, I do all the things that ordinary people do: first I was preparing for a wedding, now I’m immersed in renovations, I’m implementing various projects with the media and new partners, I’m constantly traveling around the world with author's master class. This takes a lot of time - in fact, everything free time. But I like it, because before I lived at the base in Novogorsk, and now I have so many new things!

Tell us about a new project.

One of them is New Year's show“For sports! City of the Future”, in which I am taking part, will take place on December 28. The production centers on the story of a young gymnast and the robot Thespian. They, and along with them the audience, will have to undergo tests that will take place against the backdrop of futuristic scenery. It will be very beautiful!

What does your daily routine look like - have you given up on sports?

I try to keep in shape by running errands ( laughs). I do exercises at home every day. In addition, I conduct master classes for children several times a month and always work for them in full force.

Do you allow yourself something you couldn’t do before?

I can’t say that I’m denying myself anything. Previously, I could eat something unhealthy on Sundays once every two weeks. Now I can eat a cake even at 12 o’clock at night, but when I can, I don’t feel like it anymore.

“I will remember the Olympics in Rio all my life”

Why did you choose gymnastics?

When I first saw Alina Kabaeva perform on TV, I asked my mother to take me to gymnastics. Now I understand that I made the right choice, because it is very beautiful view sports

Did your parents force you to study?

I chose this sport myself, so my mother had to force me only when I had some difficulties. Several times there were moments when I wanted to give up everything, but my parents did not follow my lead. When I started to slack off because it was very difficult to stretch and physical training, the parents took a tough position. Now I am very grateful to them for this.

At the debut World Championships in Kyiv in 2013, you were considered the main favorite, but in the finals of the ribbon exercises you made a mistake and ended up finishing fifth in the all-around. What's happened?

I can still count that championship as an asset: I became two-time champion peace (in exercises with a ball and clubs - approx. "Tapes.ru"). Yes, everyone expected medals from me in the all-around, but these were my first competitions at this level, and it turns out that I was not one hundred percent ready, especially psychologically.

Which tournament do you remember most?

First trip abroad - to Belgium. I remember almost every detail of that trip - probably just because it was the first one in my childhood! And, of course, all my life I will remember the Olympic Games, which cannot be compared with anything.

Let's talk about working under guidance. How tough of a coach is she?

Irina Aleksandrovna is a fairly tough mentor, but she can also be soft and understanding. Sometimes she allowed me to rest during training, and other times she could say: until you do two clean runs or perform this or that element perfectly, you will not leave the gym. And the next day she could almost forcefully send her home to rest after a difficult lesson. In this way, it strengthens willpower and cultivates the inner core. When you work with her, you give your best two hundred, three hundred, or even a thousand percent. It requires all those emotions that you must show later on the carpet.

In general, it was the work with Irina Alexandrovna and Amina Vasilovna Zaripova that gave the following result: I became the Olympic champion Margarita Mamun. They instilled in me perseverance, patience, and taught me to overcome myself. This all helps me now, outside of sports.

Remember the preparation cycle for the Olympics. Was it difficult?

The pre-Olympic cycle differs from regular training. It started for us somewhere in January 2016 and affected everyone - coaches, doctors, athletes. We understood that our fate would be decided in the summer; we had a huge burden of responsibility. There were more trainings, competitions and no free time. A month before the Games we flew to Brazil. We trained from morning to night, bringing the programs to perfection. There were also complete simulations of the Olympic finals - training, warm-up, changing swimsuits, performances. Irina Alexandrovna was not with us at that time, but she was constantly in touch by phone - she controlled everything remotely.

What, besides victory, do you remember about the Rio Olympics?

I will remember those Games all my life. Moreover, now there are only positive moments in my head, although there was a lot - at least the story of the poisoning (before the final, Margarita was poisoned, but still went on the mat and won the gold medal - approx. "Tapes.ru"), after which I'm physically It’s like I went back six months. In a word, those training camps were generally the most difficult training camps in my life.

Did you like it in Brazil?

I didn't have time to see Brazil. From Olympic Village We went to sites under escort. All of us, including representatives of the federation, were asked not to walk around the city unaccompanied. Actually, only Olympic venues I saw it. Unfortunately, we were never able to get to the statue of Christ the Redeemer. But my husband says that the main thing is the medal, and we will still have time to see Rio!

“My level of Bengali? I remember a few words and can count.”

By the way, about my husband. How did you meet him?

Sasha is also an athlete - a swimmer. He competed in three Olympics and won a silver medal in Beijing. Where else could we meet if not at competitions! This happened in 2013 at the Universiade in Kazan, which also became a very memorable start for me, primarily because it took place in our country: I felt incredible support from everyone around me - fans, volunteers, organizers.

What was your most memorable date?

The most memorable and at the same time the most long-awaited date was the meeting after four months of separation, when I came to Sasha in the USA.

How did Alexander propose to you?

Sasha wanted to propose back in Rio de Janeiro, but decided that Brazil should be remembered for the Olympic gold. As a result, my husband knelt in front of me at the Olympic Ball, which took place at the end of the year in Moscow.

How did your parents meet?

In Astrakhan, at the university. Mom was born there, and dad came to study as an exchange student (Margarita’s father is Abdullah Al Mamun, a marine engineer, originally from Bangladesh - approx. "Tapes.ru"). First, dad flew to Moscow, and from there he was sent to Astrakhan. But they could also go to Murmansk, for example. So it was fate.

Have you been to your father's homeland? Do you know Bengali?

Was. I traveled often as a child, but when I started training seriously, it became more difficult. The flight is too far - about 25 hours with two transfers. Last time I was there when I was ten years old. But I hope to return there. I learned Bengali as a child, now I remember only a few words and can count.

What traditions did you inherit from your father?

My parents and I celebrated all Muslim and Christian holidays. There are no traditions as such, but sometimes I cook something national. Well, my Eastern upbringing, of course, had an influence on me.

"TO coaching work I can come at any time"

In the summer you said that you were ready to become the coach of the Russian national football team. According to you, Cherchesov’s students train less than Wiener’s students. Were you joking?

There’s not much to comment on here, everyone already knows perfectly well the relationship between results and rewards in our football and in rhythmic gymnastics, for example. It was a joke statement, but for some reason everyone took it seriously.

Are you interested in football? As a student of CSKA, do you support the army team?

I'm not a big football fan. My husband loves hockey, I love tennis and figure skating. Of course, I support CSKA and follow the results in all sports.

What are you planning to do now?

I plan to enjoy the moment. Until recently, I could not live for today. The years of my sports career were one big Groundhog Day: from competitions to competitions, from day off to day off. And I only enjoyed final result. Now I want to be a good wife and realize myself in something new. I have a lot of ideas and plans that my team and I are building, but it’s too early to announce them, let it be a little secret. Most of the ideas are related to rhythmic gymnastics. This is my favorite sport, and I really want it to be as more people loved him as much as I did.

Have you thought about trying yourself as a coach?