Leonid Zhabotinsky: biography and success story

Jabotinsky Leonid Ivanovich - the legendary Soviet (Ukrainian SSR) weightlifter, who performed in heavyweight. In this article, we'll talk about the personal life and sports career of this outstanding athlete. Do you want to know more about Leonid Zhabotinsky? Then read this article!

Leonid Zhabotinsky: biography

Leonid Zhabotinsky - a cult Soviet athlete, whose achievements are very difficult to overestimate. Ukrainian weightlifter installed a lot of world records, received a whole bunch of awards. What really there, once the "Iron Arnie" confessed that Leonid Zhabotinsky was for him a real idol, an example for imitation. After reading this article, you will learn the history of this legendary Soviet athlete.

Childhood

The legendary Soviet athlete was born on January 28, 1938 in the Krasnopol district in the village of Uspenka, Kharkov (currently Sumy) region. The father of the future athlete - Ivan Filippovich Zhabotinsky, mother - Efrosinya Danilovna Severina (maiden name). In addition to Leonid, the Jabotinsky family had another son - Vladimir. In 1941 the family moved to Kharkov. There until 1943 they successfully survive the German occupation.

In his youth, Leonid was fond of a wide variety of sports. Jabotinsky managed to try himself and in boxing, and in track and field, and even in the fight. Having received education (7 classes), Leonid went to work at the tractor plant named Ordzhonikidze (Kharkov). In parallel, Leonid was engaged under the strict guidance of well-known coach M. P. Svetlichny. And in 1957 the weightlifter entered the KhNPU (Kharkov State Pedagogical Institute) named after Grigory Skovoroda. Jabotinsky Leonid Ivanovich graduated in 1964.

First achievements

In 1957, taking part in the Ukrainian championship, Jabotinsky performed for the first time in weightlifting. Despite the inexperience, the athlete took the bronze with a result of 415 kilograms in the amount of triathlon. After a short time Leonid received the prestigious title of master of sports in shot put. And already in 1961, taking part in the USSR championship, Jabotinsky managed to take the favorite and Olympic champion Yuri Vlasov off the stage. It was then that Vlasov said his legendary phrase: "The time will come, you will take me out of the sport".

Olympics in Tokyo

The Tokyo Olympics is definitely the peak of the career and the main achievement of the Ukrainian athlete. It was there that the long-awaited meeting between Zhabotinsky and Vlasov took place. These two weightlifters have long been considered the strongest people on the planet, so watching their skirmish was much more interesting. October 18, 1964 during the competition, the huge hall "Sibuya" could not accommodate all the spectators who wanted to see the duel of two Soviet athletes. Many even did not take into account the American weightlifter Norbert Shemansky. Everyone understood that the struggle for gold and the title of the strongest man in the world would unfold between the triumphant Vlasov and his main rival, Leonid Zhabotinsky.

At his first olympiad Ukrainian weightlifter was driving, already being a world record holder. However, before the competition Leonid Zhabotinsky was injured. Yes, and weighed the athlete at 18 kilograms more than his opponent.

The opposition of the athletes was very spectacular. Initially, Zhabotinsky yielded to Vlasov. However, the fate of gold was almost predetermined: Leonid accomplished the impossible. In the last exercise Ukrainian weightlifter set a world record and thereby secured a victory. The next day the local newspapers were full of the headlines of the following plan: "Who did not watch the confrontation between Vlasov and Jabotinsky - he did not see the Olympic Games." During the parade in honor of the closing of the Olympics-64, the Ukrainian sportsman carried the flag of the USSR despite a traumatized hand.

Further activities

Leonid Zhabotinsky consolidated his success at the next Olympiad, which was held in Mexico City in 1968. The legendary weightlifter in the total amount of triathlon was able to get ahead of the silver medalist by 17.5 kilograms. In addition, Leonid put Olympic records in the press (200 kilograms) and snatch (170 kilograms).

From 1969 to 1973 Zhabotinsky suffered a very serious illness. It even came to the operation. But despite the state of health, the weightlifter managed to return to the big sport. In 1973, Jabotinsky won the USSR championship and in parallel established another world record. In 1974, the athlete participated in the championship of the Armed Forces. It was there that the Ukrainian weightlifter set his last record (a spurt of 185.5 kilograms).

For several years Jabotiski worked as a coach of the Armed Forces. During the years 1987-1891 he was a military adviser in Madagascar. Since 1996, and to this day, Jabotinsky works as a pro-rector for security and educational work at the Moscow Institute of Entrepreneurship and Law. For his busy life, Leonid Zhabotinsky received a lot of prestigious titles, titles, awards, etc.