Nikita Kryukov is the only representative of Russian and Soviet skiing who has won more than two medals at the World Championships. What was his sporting path?
Nikita Valerievich Kryukov is a famous Russian skier who has repeatedly won awards, including the highest dignity at competitions of athletes from all over the world. Despite his rather young age, Nikita has a rather interesting biography, in addition to sports, he is also involved in politics and is a true patriot of his country.
Childhood and youth
Nikita was born in the city of Dzerzhinsky (Moscow region) on May 30, 1985. As a child, he was not much different from his peers. Everything changed when Nikita got into the school ski section under the guidance of Yuri Mikhailovich Kaminsky. This coach raised real professionals, 4 of his pupils got into the Russian national team. He still accompanies Nikita at all competitions. At the age of 14, Nikita entered the Olympic reserve school. Parents supported their son's sports endeavors, since his mother Svetlana Kryukova herself was an athlete in the past and the owner of the first adult category in athletics. After school, Nikita graduated from the University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow with the rank of senior police lieutenant, Faculty of Pedagogy, Moscow State Technical University. Sholokhov.
Sports career
The professional career of skier Nikita Kryukov began in 2006 at the World Cup, from that moment he took part in more than 30 stages of the World Cup. He became a prize-winner of the World Cup stages more than once, won the Russian championship, including in the relay race. He achieved the greatest success in such discipline as sprint. In 2007 he won the Russian Roller Ski Championship. He was the sprint champion of Russia in 2008 and 2011, the winner of the sprint relay in 2009. Real success came to the athlete in 2010 after a victorious performance in Olympic Vancouver, where he won gold in the last meters of the distance from his compatriot Alexander Panzhinsky, all other rivals were left far behind. Moreover, the winner was only able to determine the photo finish, which showed that Kryukov was ahead of Panzhinsky by half a shoe. A year later, at the World Championship, Nikita won the bronze medal in the team sprint.
At the Sochi Olympics in 2014, Nikita was less fortunate. In personal sprint races, he stumbled before the finish line and lost speed, as a result he dropped out of the fight at the ¼ final stage. In the team sprint, paired with Maxim Vylegzhanin, he could count on the highest place, but another fall, this time of a German athlete at the finish, whom he had to bypass, allowed him to take only a silver medal.
In 2013, Nikita Kryukov became a two-time world champion, winning both personal and team sprints.
Today Nikita Kryukov is the only man in the history of Soviet and Russian skiing who has won more than two gold medals at the World Championship.
Kryukov's coaches at different times, in addition to Yuri Kaminsky Kryukov, who is the senior coach in sprint disciplines, were Rif Zinnurov and Mikhail Devyatyarov.
In his sports career, he is always guided by the motto "Impossible is possible."
Interesting fact: Nikita, being a true patriot of Russia, in 2017 was one of the first to refuse to take part in the 2018 Olympics under a neutral flag. Although at that time he was one of the main contenders for gold medals.
Disqualification
At the end of 2017, Nikita Kryukov became a defendant in a high-profile doping scandal. For violation of anti-doping rules, the IOC deprived him and another part of the Russian athletes of the medals won in Sochi-2014 with a lifelong suspension from participation in subsequent Olympics. In February 2018, the athlete was acquitted by the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the silver medal and the athlete's good name were restored.
Nikita missed last season due to injury and suspension after a doping scandal. He was not declared in the Russian national ski team for the 2018/2019 season. But the decision to end his career as an athlete has not yet been made.
Personal life
Nikita does not like publicity, and more than once noted that he never strived for fame. And good performances and victories are just a way to earn money for an apartment and a car. Hard work led him to fulfill these desires. After winning the Olympics, Dmitry Medvedev handed him the keys to a brand new Audi Q7. A few years later, thanks to the efforts of the city administration, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Phobos, Nikita received an apartment and even a two-seat garage.
Throughout his sports career, Nikita Kryukov won two state awards. In March 2010, he received the title of Honored Master of Sports of the Russian Federation. And then for his high contribution to the development of sports and his own athletic achievements at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, he was awarded the Order of Friendship.
Nikita is a deeply religious person. It is the Orthodox faith, as the athlete notes, that has always been the protection and support in all his endeavors.
In addition to sports achievements, Nikita pays sufficient attention to his hobbies. He is an avid car enthusiast and traveler. Likes to ride a bike to energetic music tracks, for example, the music of the Scooter group. In addition, Nikita is also involved in social activities as a member of the "Fair Russia" party and was the "Ambassador of Sochi 2014". Today Nikita continues to serve in the police outside of the competition, speaking for the sports society "Dynamo". After winning the Olympic Vancouver, he was awarded the title of police captain, Nikita does not exclude that after the end of his sports career he will go to catch criminals.
Nikita never advertised his personal life, and he rarely gives interviews. The only known fact is that he got married in February 2014. His wife's name is Julia. They met quite by accident at the airport, while both were waiting for their flights, met for two years and started a family, in the same year they had a daughter, Veronica. Family photos can be found in Nikita's Instagram account.
Today Nikita Kryukov, like Alexander Legkov, is one of the most titled and famous skiers in Russia. And if Legkov showed his strength at long marathon distances, then Nikita Kryukov is the king of sprints.
