The indigenous Zhytomyr dweller Kostiantyn Mykolaiovych Shchehlov has a lot of friends and supporters. And not only because he has trained more than one generation of professional athletes and swimming lovers, and also because he himself has almost 85 installed a huge number of records in Ukraine, one world and two European records, becoming the winner of the European Veterans Games in Nica in 2015 and World Champion in the MASTERS category last year in Budapest, arguing that development is a matter of character, not age. On the eve of the 85th birthday and the half-century anniversary of the existence of the Zhytomyr basin Konstantin Nikolayevich told Zhytomyr.Travel about how interesting and full of life a person who loves his business and has a goal
“I was 60 years old and my graduates did not count. There are a lot of them! We usually count on the highest figures, and my highest score is: 12 masters of sports, one master of sports of the international class, champion and record holder of the world of invalids (he is a double record holder of the world in swimming on the back), seven times the world champion in the world championship in Munich in 1981 year”
“In 1959, the Department of Swimming under the Zhytomyr Children’s Sports School was opened. Prior to this, swimming in Zhytomyr was not cultivated, and I began to train even before the construction of this pool. Prior to that, I was a teacher of physical culture, then I began to train. And the Zhytomyr basin this year will be 50. I was the initiator of its construction, and in the course of construction gave recommendations as a specialist in swimming”
“Since the time I started, the children changed. As they used to participate more actively, even more massively. Although the level of results was, of course, lower. Now they are showing high results, although it’s very difficult to reach them at the international level: financing is not something that is difficult to conduct summer training sessions”
“When I was 80, I began to train myself. And immediately set the record for Ukraine. Now I am 85, and I have just returned from Kharkiv, where there was a Ukrainian championship among veterans. And already in the next age group has established three records of Ukraine and won seven medals! Why seven I participated in four types of swimming, but in three of them, in addition to the record, a place was determined among all age groups. And in addition to the established records, among all age groups, he was awarded three gold medals three times”
“I can not determine how old I feel. Depends on what with which to compare: if with the same as before, then I feel worse for myself. But they say: “What will happen next? It will not be better! “(Laughs). While I’m staying On May 15th, I will fly to Turkey on the International Swimming Championships, where I will take part in five starts in the indoor pool and one in the open water of 1500 meters. Such upcoming plans. And then – Odessa, but most importantly – the European Championship, which will take place in Slovenia on the second of September. I go there with a sight to come with new medals”
“My students inspire me. From Ihor Anatoliiovych Kukhariev (the present president of the sports club “ZHYTOMYR AKVA MASTERS” – ed.). We traveled with him to many countries: Portugal, Switzerland, France, Poland, Hungary. And he was still in Japan, Brazil, Turkey. He was in the competition last year, and now I’m going there”
“Have I had pets among my students? How do you say … A favorite is one who is a leader. This is the law of sport: more attention to who has success. If you work for a long time in this area, talented students will surely fall into it. No one is a trainer without a student, and it is possible to achieve results when he is hardworking and able”
“I was born in Zhytomyr on June 16, and when I was eight years old, the Patriotic War began. The entire war with his mother and two brothers was occupied, and his father was on the front. There were very difficult times, mother had no specialty and kept us three. I was the youngest. In the first grade he left in 1941, and there was no training: they studied in the shed, because the school had a German hospital. There was no knowledge, and I did not want to study. Already in 1947, at the age of fourteen, I began working at the plant as a student of the turner, and in 1949 I entered a craft school, which finished on “excellent”. I was among the best students. Then I had a choice: either the Kharkov Industrial College or the Leningrad Technical College of Physical Education. I stopped at the last, because I was already involved in boxing. I graduated from a college with a red diploma. Moreover, out of 38 graduates, excellent students ranked among five, who were given a “free diploma” for admission to the Institute of Physical Education. Under certain circumstances, which were related to the state of health, the first year passed, did not act. He graduated from the Institute of Physical Education in 1969 and worked as a teacher. Then the coaching work, which lasted almost 60 years, began”
“Zhytomyr, like everything else in our lives, has been changing and transforming. This is a natural process, but I have something to compare with my city where I was born, where I grew up. I was the coach of not only the national team and the head of the regional federation of swimming in Zhytomyr region, he was also a coach of the national team of Ukraine and the youth team of the USSR. I half the country traveled on competitions”
“To list all achievements would be too long, but gradually the person ages, gradually even the professional interest fading, and therefore in 2013 I decided to finish the coaching work. Then Igor Anatolyevich Kukhariev offered me to do sports swimming already veteran. I tried on May 9: I went to Donetsk for the championship of Ukraine. It was the last year when Donetsk was still free. And there at all the distances on which I was swimming, 50, 100 and 200 meters I set the records of Ukraine. And this, of course, provoked me and gave me confidence. And in that year, in September, in Holland, I took part in the European Championship. The first success is two fifth months”
“After the first success, there were many European-level competitions, including in France, and in 2017 there was already a World Cup in Budapest, where he received a gold medal and a bronze medal. But not in the personal championship, but in the team relay. We had a unique relay race – “360+”. What does it mean? That everyone should be 90 years old. In our team, one was 94, the second – 93, the third – 90, and to me – 84. And in the amount came out 361. And in this relay, we set the world record. It was extremely interesting. After the competition, we both the Chinese and Brazilians, the Mexicans welcomed, hugged, photographed! Good impressions”
“Understand, without talent, it’s hard to achieve success with any hard work. They, of course, will, but still need to be fortunate in life. We must combine talent and hard work. Then you can succeed. From now on I am developing with diligence: I am engaged three times a week, sailing for half a kilometer for one workout. And I feel very comfortable at my age”(Smiles)
“I spoke many times on television and offered those who listen to me to take care of their health from their youth, so that they would not then regret the years they lived and reach the old age for the sick. Smoking, alcohol, drugs lead to self-destruction, and this instead of running or swimming in the reservoir. Of course, not necessarily everyone to do sports. Though at the World Championship in Budapest there were 15,000 participants! Imagine 15,000 participants. People around the world are trying to save their health. The Ugurite was 87 years old, and he was 200 meters swim with a brass. These grandmothers are old under the general applause of setting the world records, nice to look! And the attitude of people, participants of competitions to each other – it is necessary to look! Such courtesy, such kind of affection. Worth to go for such competitions”
“Of course, age prevents me from developing. I have now set three records for Ukraine, but the results are lower than those I showed in 80 or 81 years. I even set records in 82, and then I can not beat my recordings again – the results are falling. And now I have moved to the older age group. There are so weak records that I beat them all, but my personal result is lower. Of course, I also have health problems, but we will not stop for them. In general, the vascular system should be constantly maintained, pressure should be monitored, according to the regime of the day. I’m only eating until 18-00, at night – in no case. We must not overeat, eat high-quality. And there must be a target in the head!”
“They say, it’s necessary to plant a tree, to build a house. This is what I have already done: I have two grandchildren, two grandchildren and a great-granddaughter already in the fourth grade. In this part on Earth, I have fulfilled my duty. And he built the houses too: when he worked in Georgia – he built, and here too. And trees … Only in Georgia more than a hundred tangerine trees planted. So in this sense the task is fulfilled”
“Now I pay more attention to swimming. It is here that I have a reserve to please not only myself, but the environment. Both students and trainers, and sports leadership. I create conditions: I swim everywhere free of charge, I have the opportunity to swim in the Zhytomyr swimming pool. I want to thank the Novoguivinsky plant, which creates very good conditions for me”
“I have a separate section in my museum. In our pedagogical institute there is a separate department, where I passed the certificate of the Honored coach, a part of the medals. I would like to have something left after me”
“How can you not love your homeland? I love Zhytomyr, because here are all my roots. Here are my 13 relatives who hastened to go too fast … I could at one time choose a lot of cities where I was invited to work, but preferred to stay where I was born”
Translated by Aliona Matushevich
