Viktor
KROVOPUSKOV
Best world sabre fencer in 1979
Fencing is a kind of sport where the weakest athlete can beat the strongest one
My surname has nothing to do with villains (Krovopuskov in Russian means that who spills blood – transl.). In the old times, bloodletting was used as a medical treatment, and doctors in Russia were called bloodletters. So, my surname is peaceful.*
I am not a fanatic! When I was a boy, I used to tell my parents that I was a super professional. They all laughed at me and egged me on: "Hey, you, the super professional!” I wasn’t very disciplined when I was young. Eventually, everything changed.
The history of fencing has seen some tragedies. In 1982, at the World Championships in Rome, Olympic champion Vladimir Smirnov died due to a mortal wound given by the foil. Only after this incident, new weapons were produced, which do not break but simply flare out. Also, athletes were provided with protective jackets. It’s the usual thing: they will not lock the barn door until the horse is out.
Fencing is a kind of sport where the weakest athlete can beat the strongest one. In tennis, for example, you have time to think and understand the situation. In fencing, the fight lasts an average of two to three minutes. There’s no time for analysis. The most important thing is understanding your rival’s technique, your own skills and concentration. Even your leading blows do not always help you win. I had two trademark techniques, but then I abandoned them because my rivals were ready for them.
I remember at the Olympics in Moscow we lost the first match against Romania. All hell broke loose! People who had nothing to do with fencing told us: "How could you lose?" Do you want to be sent off to the Far East? "I was an officer, a grown man, 32 years old, and they tried to lecture me.
I cannot work in business; my vocation is sport. They say: "I serve the Airborne Forces," and I say: "I serve fencing." Sport shapes the person’s character.
I am Russian! When I’m working abroad, I’m homesick all the time. So I asked for short-term contracts. Some people can adapt, but it is hard for me.
* The information is based on the accounts of the personas featuring in this section as well as accounts of their family members, acquaintances and colleagues
