Sergei Ustyugov was born in mid-spring 1992 in the territory of one of the villages of the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug, which is located 560 km from the center. Accordingly, as a child he did not have much entertainment, but the sports school with many sections for local children worked properly. At first, Sergei decided to take up boxing. According to his recollections, he studied the basics of boxing for only a month, although he showed very good results. According to Ustyugov, he did not like boxing at all, and his friend suggested enrolling in the biathlon section. Sergei liked this sport, and he began to purposefully master the basics of biathlon. And at that moment there were absolutely no thoughts of changing the sport. Moreover, his older brother supported Sergei in every possible way in his endeavors. True, the mother of the future champion was against it, since playing sports had already begun to affect his studies.
Once, a coach recommended eleven-year-old Sergei to try himself in a form of cross-country skiing. He believed that there he had a much better chance of being in the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug team. In addition, the coach then said that you can always return to biathlon. According to Sergei, he had to seriously think about such a proposal. The young skier still went to the section suggested by his mentor.
Alas, when the first training camp began, Sergei realized that the relationship with the new coach was not working out. However, this was quite understandable - the young man was a hooligan and did not like to be commanded. But, fortunately, something changed in his worldview, he managed to pull himself together and, when the second training camp started, he was already ready for potential victories.
In principle, this is what happened. Sergei managed to compete in many ski competitions among young athletes, more than once he attracted close attention, and as a result, it was decided to enroll him in the Russian junior ski team, where he was able to successfully perform at the world championships among juniors.
You have to work hard to perform at the level
In the 2011/12 season, Sergei focused on junior competitions and the World Championships, which took place in Turkey, in the city of Erzurum. It was there that he was able to achieve incredible success. Ustyugov won victories in all four starts. And the young athlete’s excellent performance at the 2011 junior world championship in Estonia turned out to be the reason for his invitation to the main Russian team. There he was not only able to win the sprint, but also helped the Russian team rise to second place in the relay.
In the 2012-2013 season, the twenty-year-old athlete began his “transitional age.” In a word, for the first time Ustyugov had to compete not among juniors. By and large, this is a completely different qualitative level of rivalry. Be that as it may, at the 2013 youth championship, which took place in Liberec, no one promised the athlete an easy and sweet life, and even the rivals dreamed of ruining the statistics of the Russian upstart. Sergei himself admitted before the start that he would be sincerely happy if he achieved any medal. And so it was, but only at the beginning. In the first type of program, namely the classic sprint, in which Ustyugov, in fact, never knew anyone equal, he lost in the quarterfinals. But then, with a difference of only two days, he became the winner in the 15-kilometer speed skating time trial and the 30-kilometer skiathlon. By the way, both times Sergei left behind him a member of the main team of the Russian team, the famous starter of the Russian relay team at the world cup stages, Evgeniy Belov. After this victory, Sergei, taciturn and stingy with emotions, said that last year in Erzurum he performed very well. And, accordingly, in order to perform at least as well in the current competition, he had to work hard all year.
Instead of an epilogue
Now the Ugra athlete Sergei Ustyugov is considered a world-class skier. Since his debut performance in 2011, he has been climbing the rating scale. In January 2014, he managed to win the freestyle sprint at the next stage of the World Cup. It took place in the Czech Republic. The Winter Olympic Games are about to start in Sochi. Perhaps this will be a great chance to express yourself once again. Over the past three years, he has been moving towards this responsible start. He always dreamed of becoming the best. It seems that these dreams will sooner or later come true.
Sergei Alexandrovich Ustyugov was born on April 8, 1992 in the village of Mezhdurechensky in the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug. Sergei was a very active child and thereby caused all sorts of problems for his parents. He was never interested in sports, but from an early age he joined the boxing section. Sergei showed good results in boxing, but this did not help him fall in love with this sport. He decided to try himself in biathlon. He attended all training sessions with great pleasure and became one of the best among his peers. After some time, Sergei realizes that he would like to connect his future life with skiing. His mother was initially against this idea, since sports training would interfere with his studies. Despite this, Ustyugov continued to do what he loved and dreamed of becoming a great champion. At the age of 11, he began to engage exclusively in cross-country skiing. His coach was confident that if the boy was not distracted by other sports, he would quickly get a place on the district cross-country team. At first, Sergei was unable to establish trusting relationships in the team. Due to his difficult character, he often clashed with the coach, so he did not show the proper results. After some time, the boy began to train intensively and began performing in youth competitions.
Career of Sergei Ustyugov
After Ustyugov showed himself well at the district championships, he was accepted into the Russian youth team. As part of the national team, the athlete made his debut at the junior world championship with great success. In the period 2011-2012, the young athlete went to Turkey for the World Championships. There he showed excellent results and won the championship in all starts. After he successfully performed at an international tournament in Estonia in 2012, he was invited to the main Russian national team. In the 2012-2013 season, Ustyugov faced a difficult task. He had to move from the youth category to the youth category. The athlete was able to experience this well at the competition in Liberec, since in the youth category there is a completely different level of competition. At these competitions, Sergei won two championships - in the 30 km skiathlon and in the 15 km freestyle race. At the youth championship in Val di Fiemme in 2014, the skier won the championship in the individual sprint.
In the same year, he went to the Olympics in Sochi, where he took fifth place in the final of the personal sprint, as he fell in the final. In his interview, he said that the competitors at the Olympics were stronger than him.
In 2015, the young athlete, paired with Alexey Petukhov, won a gold medal at the World Cup in the city of Otepää. Also in Rybinsk, Sergei won a silver medal in the freestyle sprint, then became a bronze medalist in the 15 km individual freestyle race.
In 2016, the skier won bronze and was third in the Tour de Ski stage race. In the same year, at the World Cup in the city of Falun, Sergei came first in the 15 km freestyle mass start.
A year later, in the same elite stage race “Tour de Ski”, Sergei Ustyugov accomplishes a feat, wins 6 races out of 7 (even in the lost race he took second place), sets a world stage race record and loudly declares his capabilities and intentions to the whole world.
World Cross Country Championships 2017
On February 23, 2017, at the World Ski Championships, Ustyugov became a silver medalist in the individual sprint. On February 25, he won the 15+15 km skiathlon. On February 26, the athlete won his second gold medal in the team sprint in the classic style. And he won another silver medal in the relay.
Sergey Ustyugov now
At the moment, the young man is a representative of the Dynamo sports society. The athlete is trained by cross-country skiing specialist Reto Burgermeiser.
Sergei Ustyugov is a world-class skier. Since his first performance in 2011, he has climbed higher and higher on the rating scale. The young skier knows how to clearly achieve his goal. Thanks to this, he became an athlete with a capital A.
According to Ugra skier Sergei Ustyugov, his main dream is to be the best in his sport. Apparently, this is what he is consistently moving towards. In any case, Sergei, for example, was able to overcome the record of the legendary skier Northug, who during his sports career won five times the world championships among juniors and youth. No wonder, because Sergei has such qualities as determination and tremendous efficiency. And he doesn’t suffer at all from the so-called. "star fever" As it turns out, he always puts all his awards - from medals to cups and certificates - out of sight.
From boxing to cross-country skiing
Sergei Ustyugov was born in mid-spring 1992 in the territory of one of the villages of the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug, which is located 560 km from the center. Accordingly, as a child he did not have much entertainment, but the sports school with many sections for local children worked properly. At first, Sergei decided to take up boxing. According to his recollections, he studied the basics of boxing for only a month, although he showed very good results. From
According to Ustyugov, he did not like boxing at all, and his friend suggested enrolling in the biathlon section. Sergei liked this sport, and he began to purposefully master the basics of biathlon. And at that moment there were absolutely no thoughts of changing the sport. Moreover, his older brother supported Sergei in every possible way in his endeavors. True, the mother of the future champion was against it, since playing sports had already begun to affect his studies.
Once upon a time, eleven-year-old Sergei
The trainer recommended that I try myself in a form of cross-country skiing. He believed that there he had a much better chance of being in the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug team. In addition, the coach then said that you can always return to biathlon. According to Sergei, he had to seriously think about such a proposal. The young skier still went to the section suggested by his mentor.
Alas, when the first training camp began, Sergei realized that the relationship with the new coach was not working out. However,
this was quite understandable - the young man was a hooligan and did not like to be commanded. But, fortunately, something changed in his worldview, he managed to pull himself together and, when the second training camp started, he was already ready for potential victories.
In principle, this is what happened. Sergei managed to compete in many ski competitions among young athletes, more than once he attracted close attention, and as a result, it was decided to enroll him in the staff of the Russian junior ski team, where
he was able to successfully perform at the world junior championships.
You have to work hard to perform at the level
In the 2011/12 season, Sergei focused on junior competitions and the World Championships, which took place in Turkey, in the city of Erzurum. It was there that he was able to achieve incredible success. Ustyugov won victories in all four starts. And the excellent performance of the young athlete at the 2011 junior world championship in Estonia turned out to be the reason for his invitation to
the main Russian team. There he was not only able to win the sprint, but also helped the Russian team rise to second place in the relay.
In the 2012-2013 season, the twenty-year-old athlete began his “transitional age.” In a word, for the first time Ustyugov had to compete not among juniors. By and large, this is a completely different qualitative level of rivalry. Be that as it may, at the 2013 youth championship, which took place in Liberec, no one promised the athlete an easy and sweet life, but
the rivals dreamed of spoiling the Russian upstart’s statistics. Sergei himself admitted before the start that he would be sincerely happy if he achieved any medal. And so it was, but only at the beginning. In the first type of program, namely the classic sprint, in which Ustyugov, in fact, never knew anyone equal, he lost in the quarterfinals. But then, with a difference of only two days, he became the winner in the 15-kilometer speed skating time trial and the 30-kilometer skiathlon. By the way, both
Sergei left behind him a member of the main team of the Russian team, the famous starter of the Russian relay team at the world cup stages, Evgeniy Belov. After this victory, Sergei, taciturn and stingy with emotions, said that last year in Erzurum he performed very well. And, accordingly, in order to perform at least as well in the current competition, he had to work hard all year.
Instead of an epilogue
Now the Ugra athlete Sergei Ustyugov is considered a skier
om world class. Since his debut performance in 2011, he has been climbing the rating scale. In January 2014, he managed to win the freestyle sprint at the next stage of the World Cup. It took place in the Czech Republic. The Winter Olympic Games are about to start in Sochi. Perhaps this will be a great chance to express yourself once again. Over the past three years, he has been moving towards this responsible start. He always dreamed of becoming the best. It seems that these dreams will sooner or later come true
On January 4, the Russian won the pursuit race in Obersdorf, Germany. He completed the 15-kilometer freestyle course in 37 minutes 58.5 seconds. His main competitor, Norwegian Martin Jonsrud Sundby, came second to the finish line, 37.2 seconds behind.
ON THIS TOPIC
It is noteworthy that in the entire history of the Tour de Ski there has never been a rider who could win even three races in a row. There was a racer - Norwegian Martin Bjorgen two years ago won five stages in a row. The men had won two races in a row, but never three before. Ustyugov became the first who managed to win not three, but four races, “Championship” reports. He won the skating sprint, the ten-kilometer classic mass start, the 20-kilometer skiathlon and the 15-kilometer speed skating pursuit.
“Today, tactically, Sergei did everything right, like a great athlete. At the end, Sundby began to catch up, put pressure, but everything ended well for us. Maybe Seryoga does not have as much experience as, for example, Legkov, but with nerves and stability everything is fine okay. I think that in the coming years Ustyugov will be able to become the leader of the team,” said Elena Vyalbe, president of the Russian Ski Racing Federation (RFSR).
At the same time, Vyalbe urged Ustyugov not to relax. “The coaches told me that until I cross the finish line, it’s too early to talk about victory, you can’t delude yourself with it. There’s a very difficult race ahead in the mountains, where Sundby and Dario Cologna will create powerful competition. Ustyugov weighs more than them, it will be easier for them to run. But I’m sure that Seryoga will not just give up victory, he will fight to the end,” TASS quotes the legendary athlete.
Ustyugov’s triumph looks especially valuable compared to Russian athletes in the West. Thus, Alexander Legkov and Maxim Vylegzhanin were suspended from the competition without providing evidence.
It should be noted that the Tour de Ski program will continue with men's and women's freestyle races of ten and five kilometers, respectively, which will take place on January 6 in the Italian Dobbiaco (Toblach).
Sergey Alexandrovich Ustyugov(born April 8, 1992, Mezhdurechensky village, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug) - Russian skier, two-time world champion 2017 (in skiathlon and team sprint), winner of the multi-day Tour de Ski race 2016/2017, three-time world champion among youth , five-time world junior champion. Honored Master of Sports of Russia (2017). An all-rounder, he successfully performs in both sprint and distance races.
Career
Sergei Ustyugov began skiing in 2001 at the Biathlon Sports School in the village of Mezhdurechensky, the first coach was Ivan Bragin.
In 2011, Sergei Ustyugov won gold in the sprint at the Junior World Ski Championships in Otepää (Estonia). In 2012, Sergei Ustyugov became a four-time winner of the junior world championship in Erzurum (Turkey). Then he won gold in the sprint, 10 km race, skiathlon and as part of the relay. In 2013, at the World Ski Championships among juniors and youth in Liberec (Czech Republic), Sergei Ustyugov won two gold medals in the under 23 category - in the 15 km freestyle race and in the 30 km skiathlon. In 2014, at the youth cross-country championships in Val di Fiemme, he won gold in the individual sprint.
Ustyugov made his debut in the World Cup on February 6, 2011, and then for the first time he got into the top ten at the World Cup stage, in the relay race. In total, during his career he was on the podium at World Cup stages 22 times (in individual races). Ustyugov has nine victories to his name. He was second six times and third seven times. Ustyugov’s best achievement in the overall final standings of the World Cup is fourth place in the 2015/2016 season.
At the 2013 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, together with the team, he became a bronze medalist in the relay race, and in the individual race he was 47th at a distance of 15 km freestyle.
He made his first appearance on the podium at the World Cup at the stage in Davos on December 15, 2013, taking 3rd place in the freestyle sprint. The following month, he won a stage in the Czech Nove Mesto na Morave in the freestyle sprint.
At the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, in the final of the personal sprint, being one of the main contenders for victory, he took fifth place, falling in the final.
In May 2014, it was announced that Sergei Ustyugov was moving from the remote Russian national team, led by Oleg Perevozchikov, to a separate group of the Russian national team under the leadership of the Swiss-German duo of coaches Reto Burgermeister and Isabelle Knaute.
In January 2015, also together with Alexey Petukhov, he won the team sprint at the World Cup stage in Otepää. At the stage in Rybinsk, he took 2nd place in the freestyle sprint and 3rd place in the 15 km freestyle individual race.
In 2016, he took 3rd place in the 2016 Tour de Ski stage race. At the stage in Nove Mesto, he won silver and bronze in the 15 km freestyle and relay race, respectively. In February 2016, at the World Cup in Falun, Sweden, he won the 15 km freestyle mass start. In March 2016, he took second place at the Tour of Canada stage race, at the same time getting on the podium in five races of the tour and losing only to Martin Sundby.
In October 2016, it became known about a conflict between Burgermeister-Knaute and several skiers (in particular, Sergei Ustyugov, Evgeniy Belov and Stanislav Volzhentsev). President of the Russian Ski Racing Federation and head coach of the Russian national team Elena Vyalbe allowed the skiers to move from the Burgermeister-Knaute group to the group of another German specialist Markus Kramer, who at that time already trained the 2014 Olympic champion Alexander Legkov and a number of other strong skiers.
In January 2017, Sergei Ustyugov won the 2016/2017 Tour de Ski. He performed excellently at all stages of the stage race: he won the first 5 stages and at the sixth stage (15 km KS, mass start) he took 2nd place, losing 2.2 seconds to Martin Sundby. Before the last seventh stage, Sergei had the first position and 1 minute 12 seconds advantage over his closest pursuer, Norwegian Martin Sundby. Having confidently carried out the last race up the Alpe de Cermis mountain, Sergey Ustyugov retained his handicap and won the Tour. Thus, Ustyugov became the second Russian skier after Alexander Legkov to win the Tour de Ski. Sergey Ustyugov also set a record for the number of victories in a row at the stages of one round (5). Previously, the largest number of races in the tour (4) was won by the Norwegian Sundby.