Valery Kharlamov and his wife guessed that terrible accident. Valery Kharlamov: biography, personal life How hockey player Valery Kharlamov died

January 14, 1948. His parents worked at the Moscow Kommunar plant: his father Boris Kharlamov is a test mechanic, his mother Aribe Abbad Hermane (Begonita) is a Spanish refugee.
Already at the age of seven, little Valery learned to skate, and in 1962 he was enrolled in the hockey section. Among all the available players, the coaches saw a talented hockey player in Kharlamov and immediately offered to move to the CSKA adult team, but the then coach Anatoly Tarasov did not take him, citing his short stature. Only after Kharlamov showed his worth at the USSR Junior Championships in Minsk in the spring of 1967, upon returning to Moscow, he was enrolled in CSKA.
In 1968, Kharlamov managed to break into the main team of CSKA, where a trio with Vladimir Petrov and Boris Mikhailov was formed with him. In December 1968, to participate in the international Moscow tournament (later named for the prize of the Izvestia newspaper), Kharlamov was invited to the second USSR national team. After the end of the tournament, their trio Kharlamov-Petrov-Mikhailov was invited to the main team for two exhibition games with Canada. Starting from these games, their trio became famous throughout the world.
In 1969, Kharlamov participated in the World Championships as part of the USSR national team. At this tournament, the team became a gold medalist, and Kharlamov became an Honored Master of Sports. In the 1970/71 USSR Championship season, he was the best in terms of goals, where he scored 40 goals. In 1971, in the final of the World Cup, Kharlamov scored the decisive goal against the Swedish national team, and at the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo he was recognized as the best goal scorer of the tournament. At that time, the USSR national team became the Olympic champion.
Kharlamov received universal worldwide recognition after a series of games between the USSR and Canada in 1972, where he became one of the main players. In 1975, games between the NHL and the USSR took place at the club level. The CSKA team was scheduled to play four games, and Kharlamov was already a superstar by then. In this tour, Kharlamov was recognized as the best in the CSKA team, where he scored four goals and three assists.
At the Olympic Games in Innsbruck in February 1976, Kharlamov scored the decisive goal in the match with Czechoslovakia. That same year, in April, at the World Championships, he became the best striker. On May 14, 1976, Valery Kharlamov’s wedding took place; he married Irina Smirnova, who was 19 years old. Before that, they had a son, Alexander, and later a daughter, Begonita, was born. Almost two weeks after the wedding, Valery and Irina were in a car accident on Leningradskoe Highway. The hockey player had a fracture of his right shin, a concussion, a fracture of two ribs and many other bruises. Doctors forbade him to play sports, but by the fall he resumed training. Already in November of the same year, he played in a match with Krylia Sovetov, where he scored one of the goals.

In December 1976, he participated in the tournament for the prize of the Izvestia newspaper and, in the first match with the Swedish national team, scored three goals. In 1978 and 1979 Kharlamov also played at the world championships under the leadership of Vyacheslav Tikhonov, where he helped the team become a gold medalist. After an unsuccessful performance at the 1980 Olympic Games, the trio of Kharlamov - Petrov - Mikhailov were accused of weak play, and they were even asked to end their careers. Due to injury, he missed about half of the 1980–81 season, which turned out to be his last. His last goal was scored against Dynamo Moscow on May 14, 1981.
Valery's life ended tragically; on August 27, 1981, he and his wife were in a car accident. The players of the USSR national team were not able to attend his funeral, as they were at the Canada Cup tournament. But they decided among themselves to win the tournament. And they beat the Canadians in the final with a score of 8:1.After the tragic death of the Kharlamov spouses, Nina Vasilievna Smirnova, Irina’s mother, took up the upbringing of their children. Soon, having matured, son Alexander followed in his father’s footsteps and became a hockey player. But he did not become as famous as his father, periodically changing clubs, either in the North American leagues or in the Russian ones. He also worked as a trainer for a short time, and then went into business. Begonita became a master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics.
Over the entire 15-year career of a hockey player, Valery Kharlamov played 438 matches for CSKA, scoring 238 goals. He played 123 matches for the USSR national team at the Olympics and World Championships. During his career, he repeatedly became the champion of the USSR, a five-time winner of the National Cup, was twice an Olympic gold medalist, and eight times a world champion. At the 1971 USSR Championship he was recognized top scorer. He also became the best goal scorer at the 1972 Olympics. He was awarded the title of best hockey player in 1972 and 1973. In 1976 he was recognized as the best striker in the world.
Kharlamov was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Badge of Honor, and the medal “For Labor Valor.” Kharlamov is assigned number 17 in recognition of his services to the club. In Toronto, his name is immortalized in the hockey hall of fame.One of the Continental Championships hockey league named after Valery Kharlamov. Also in the Youth Hockey League, the main trophy is named in his honor. For the first time, the Kharlamov Cup, which was made by sculptor Frank Meisler, among youth teams, was awarded to the 2010 Russian champion team from Magnitogorsk - “Steel Scales”.
On May 18, 2008, the International Hockey Federation included Kharlamov in the symbolic six hockey players during the centennial existence of the federation itself. On April 29, 2009, a bust was unveiled to Valery Kharlamov on the CSKA Walk of Fame. On October 30, 2009, the Central Bank of Russia issued a silver coin with a face value of 2 rubles with a portrait of Kharlamov, which is dedicated to the series “Outstanding Athletes of Russia.” On September 14, 2012, participants in the famous first Super Series USSR - Canada 1972 were awarded commemorative rings. His ring was also given to Valery Kharlamov’s relatives.

Kharlamov Valery Borisovich (1948-1981) - the most bright Star Soviet hockey of the 70s of the XX century. One of the most outstanding hockey forwards in the world. Multiple world and USSR champion. Honored Master of Sports.

Valery Kharlamov was born in 1948. As a child, the future famous athlete was sick a lot. At the age of thirteen he even suffered from paralysis right hand and right leg. In order to recover, I had to spend several months in the hospital. After this, Valera took his health seriously: he began to play hockey and football.

Already in the first hockey battles, the bright sports talent of the young athlete was revealed. What was it? Firstly, Valery had an inexhaustible supply of energy and endurance: he could rush around the hockey field all day long. Secondly - and this is perhaps the most important thing - he had simply fantastic dexterity and dexterity. Therefore, he could easily dribble past any hockey player.

As a fourteen-year-old boy, he joined the CSKA hockey team (it should be noted that Kharlamov played for CSKA until his death in 1981). V. Kharlamov’s first coach was Viktor Georgievich Erfilov. This is how he describes the game of Valery Kharlamov in one of the matches of CSKA against Spartak: “And at some point Valera breaks through with the puck to the blue line. Two Spartak defenders rush at him at once. Both are powerful guys, tall, broad-shouldered. Valerka next to them he looked very small. He stopped in front of them. His face was frightened, he was about to cry, his nose was already wrinkled.

The defenders also stopped, it was still interesting to look at the crying forward - you don’t see it every day. They stopped, and Valerka immediately started using his legs, picked up speed and drove around them. The defenders were just turning around, and the smiling Kharlamov was already one on one with the goalkeeper and sent the puck into the net with an accurate throw.”

Some time later, in 1966, Kharlamov began training with Anatoly Vladimirovich Tarasov, the senior coach of CSKA and the national team coach Soviet Union. However, he was now playing for the Army's first men's hockey team. The athlete played only a few matches, and then was sent by order of Tarasov to the city of Chebarkul along with the famous hockey player Gusev.

There he truly managed to realize his sporting talent and skill: in his first playing season alone, the young hockey player scored 34 goals in class “A”! The history of Soviet hockey has never seen anything like this.

Then Valery was taken to Moscow again, and he, together with Petrov and Mikhailov, formed the so-called troika, which began to victoriously win almost everything hockey matches in Soviet Union. So, for example, in just the first two rounds of the 1968 USSR Championship, Kharlamov scored 14 goals, Petrov - 17, and Mikhailov - 18!

It was from this moment that Valery Kharlamov’s ascent to the heights of the hockey Olympus began. On Moskovsky international tournament 1968-1969 The CSKA army team, playing with the Canadian team, managed to score 4 goals against the opponents. The Canadians lost with a score of 4:3. As a result, by the end of 1969, Kharlamov received the title of Honored Master of Sports, became the world and European champion and moved to the first national team of the USSR.

In March 1969, he again experienced the happiness of triumph: at the world championship in Stockholm, he scored 6 goals and, in addition, made 7 assists. This is what Ulf Sterner, one of the best hockey players in Swedish and world hockey, said about Valery Kharlamov’s game: “In our game, Kharlamov was a diamond. What a jump from the spot, what dribbling, passing, shooting - everything was ideal! But there was also courage, courage !"

In 1970, Kharlamov became the world champion for the second time, and in 1971, at the world championship in Switzerland, for the third time. This dizzying success is explained by the fact that Valery, in addition to brilliant athletic talent, also possessed extraordinary intelligence and artistry, as well as amazing dexterity and speed. At the same time, the hockey player always played legendary troika together with Petrov and Mikhailov. The fact is that each player seemed to complement sporting qualities two other hockey players.

In 1972, at the Olympics in Sapporo (Japan), V. Kharlamov performed together with Anatoly Firsov and Vladimir Vikulov. However, this did not negatively affect the game of the outstanding hockey player. On the contrary, he performed passionately, to the limit of his capabilities. There he created a real sensation. In the match with the Americans, passing the puck to each other at high speed, Valery and Vikulov raced across the hockey field and scored a goal. At the same time, the public could not even notice who sent the puck into the opponent’s goal: Kharlamov or Vikulov? The Olympics brought the hockey player the laurels of champion as part of the Soviet Union national team.

And then, in 1972, there was a victorious defeat of the Canadian hockey team in Montreal, which glorified the name of Valery Kharlamov throughout the world. There he showed his fantastic mobility and resourcefulness, and also taught the NHA stars a lesson in the superiority of speed over mass and mastery over strength. His masterly play literally stunned his opponents.

Ken Dryden, one of best goalkeepers“Montreal Canadiens” said the following words about the game of the Soviet athlete: “When he was on the ice, you couldn’t take your eyes off Mr. Kharlamov for a second. I realized this after the first meeting in the fall of 72, when he scored two on me.” "He shot the puck accurately, hard and, most dangerous of all, often suddenly."

It should be noted that in the game the Canadian “pros” used illegal, dirty methods of fighting against Kharlamov, because in a fair competition they could not do anything against the fast and dexterous hockey player. A real hunt was organized for the athlete. Two Canadian players - Clark and Ellis - sought to neutralize Kharlamov in any way they could. It got to the point that they even tried to hit Kharlamov on the knee with a hockey stick. However, this did not stop Valery from attacking the opponent’s goal again and again and scoring goals.

And here’s what Valery Kharlamov himself said later about this match: “No, we weren’t afraid of them. And not because, of course, we considered our opponents weak. That would have been stupid. During our previous trip to Canada, we saw matches of professionals, we knew "What they are capable of. However, we believed in ourselves. This belief was nurtured by the victories of several generations of our hockey players. In addition, Vsevolod Mikhailovich Bobrov was with us, who in 1954 was the hero of a sensational victory over the Canadians, when they also predicted defeat for the Soviet team."

In 1973, playing at the World Championships in Moscow, the trio of Kharlamov - Petrov - Mikhailov again showed themselves to the utmost high level, scoring 43 goals, while the entire Soviet team had 100 goals! The Czechs were completely defeated.

In 1976 hockey team CSKA again became the world champion, and Kharlamov was recognized as the best striker in the world. At that time, Valery was only 28 years old. But joy sporting success, which thundered throughout the world, were overshadowed by the accident. Valery was driving a car with his wife and began to carelessly overtake another car. Suddenly, a truck appeared around the bend, and Kharlamov’s car crashed into it. As a result, the athlete received a concussion and a complex comminuted fracture of the leg in the ankle area. Valery, showing miracles of will and perseverance, managed to restore his health and returned to big-time hockey.

It was thanks to him that in 1978 the USSR team in Prague became the world champion. First, the professionals of the National Hockey League were defeated, and then the Czechoslovakian team. In 1979, the USSR national team, which included Kharlamov, again defeated all opponents, becoming, once again, the world champion. However, in 1980 our team had to experience the bitterness of defeat. In this regard, on next year Kharlamov was not allowed to play in the Canada Cup championship, although in the final tournament of the Cup European champions 1981 he was recognized as the best forward. And in August 1981, this best Soviet hockey player of the 70s of the 20th century died in a car accident...

During his short sports career, Valery achieved truly fantastic results. Let's list some of them.

He played 123 matches at the World and European Championships, as well as the Winter Olympics, scoring 89 goals against opponents. At the same time, this famous hockey player played 438 matches in the USSR championships, scoring 293 goals. He 11 times (an unprecedented case in history domestic hockey) became the champion of the USSR (in 1968,1970-1973,1975,1977-1981), 8 times world champion (1969-1971,1973-1975,1978 and 1979) and 8 times European champion (1969,1970, 1973-1975, 1978,1979 and 1981). In addition to this, V. Kharlamov was the champion of the Winter Olympic Games in 1972 and 1976, and in 1980 he became the second prize-winner of the Olympic Games.

To these titles, which this outstanding hockey player earned through hard work, it should be added that he was the second medalist of the USSR championships 3 times (1969, 1974 and 1976), 2 times the second medalist of the world championships (1972, 1976), 1 time - third prize-winner at the World Championships (1977), 2 times - second prize-winner at the European Championships (1971, 1972), 2 times - third prize-winner at the European Championships (1976, 1977). To top it all off, Kharlamov was a five-time winner of the USSR Cup (1968,1969,1973, 1977, 1979) and only once a finalist of the USSR Cup (1976).

Brief biographical dictionary

"Kharlamov Valery" and other articles from the section

Valery Borisovich Kharlamov. Born on January 14, 1948 in Moscow - died on August 27, 1981 near Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Region. Legendary Soviet hockey player, forward for the CSKA team and the USSR national team. Two-time Olympic champion (1972, 1976), eight-time champion peace. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1969).

Father - Boris Sergeevich Kharlamov (1927-2010), Russian, a test mechanic by profession, worked at the Moscow Kommunar plant.

Mother - Carmen Orive Abad (at home she was called Begoña), a Basque by nationality, originally from the city of Bilbao, in 1937 she was brought to the USSR as a girl among refugees from civil war-torn Spain. Since the 1940s years she worked at the same factory as her father, as a revolver turner.

Younger sister - Tatyana (born 1949).

Valery's parents met at a dance at the Kommunar plant club, where Kharlamov Sr. came with a Spanish friend. The son was named Valery in honor of the pilot. At that time, Kharlamov’s parents were not registered due to the fact that Begonia only had a residence permit. Only three months after the birth of their son, they officially registered their marriage.

WITH early years Valery loved sports, was fond of both hockey and football. He first started skating when he was 7 years old - thanks to his father, who often played Russian hockey at the rink for the factory team. He took his son with him, and to keep him warm, he put him on skates.

In 1956, when the Spaniards who arrived in the USSR in 1937 had the opportunity to return to their homeland, Valery went to Spain with his mother and sister, where he lived in Bilbao for several months and went to school there.

In March 1961, Kharlamov fell ill with a sore throat, which caused complications in other organs: doctors discovered he had a heart defect and diagnosed rheumatic carditis. From that moment on, Valera was prohibited from attending physical education classes at school, running in the yard, lifting weights, swimming, and even attending a pioneer camp. But his father decided differently: when a summer skating rink opened on Leningradsky Prospekt in the summer of 1962, he secretly took his 14-year-old son there to enroll in the hockey section, secretly from his mother. Although he was a year older than expected, Valery, with his small stature, looked so young, which easily misled the second coach of CSKA, Boris Kulagin, about his age. Kharlamov then turned out to be the only one of several dozen boys who was accepted into the section, into the group of coach Vyacheslav Tazov. After a short time, the deception was revealed, but they did not expel Kharlamov, since the coaches liked him. The hockey player was transferred to the group of the head of the school, coach Andrei Starovoitov, who trained him for about four years.

At the same time, once every three months he visited the Morozov hospital, where Valery was examined by doctors. As a result, Valery coped with all the diseases, the doctors declared him absolutely healthy. He began to play hockey seriously.

For the first time, Valery Kharlamov flashed in the final tournament of the USSR Junior Championship in the spring of 1967 in Minsk. Upon returning to Moscow, the coach of the CSKA sports school, Vitaly Erfilov, announced to Kharlamov that they wanted to try him at CSKA. In the summer of 1967, Valery attended a training camp with the CSKA team in Kudepsta, after which he changed a lot physically and gained muscle mass.

On October 22, 1967 he made his debut with CSKA in Novosibirsk in the match with Sibir. The army team won 9:0, Valery failed to score. He did not play any more matches at the beginning of the 1967/68 season, and in November he was sent to the second league, to the Chebarkul Zvezda, the army team of the Ural Military District. Together with Kharlamov, young CSKA defender Alexander Gusev was sent to Zvezda. In a short time, the hockey players quickly settled into the team and made a great contribution to the Stars’ game: Kharlamov scored 34 goals in 40 games and became a favorite of the local public, and Gusev played effectively as a defenseman.

At the end of February 1968, at the CSKA calendar game in Sverdlovsk, Kharlamov was called back to Moscow.

On April 23, 1968, Kharlamov scored his first goal for CSKA- at the gates of “Wings of the Soviets”. At the end of the season, he already played as part of the CSKA youth team: Kharlamov - Smolin - Blinov.

He managed to gain a foothold in the main team of CSKA only in the next season. In October 1968, for the first time, Kharlamov entered the team with Boris Mikhailov and Vladimir Petrov in a match against Gorky’s Torpedo.

In December 1968, Kharlamov was called up to the second USSR national team, which replaced the Czechoslovakia team at the international Moscow tournament (later called the Izvestia newspaper prize tournament). Immediately after the end of the tournament, Kharlamov, along with Boris Mikhailov and Vladimir Petrov, was invited to the main team for 2 exhibition games with Canada.

On December 6, 1968, Valery Kharlamov made his debut for the USSR national team. It was from these games that the trio Mikhailov - Petrov - Kharlamov appeared in the USSR national team. From the beginning of 1969, all three were regularly called up to the national team for friendly games, after which the coaches decided to take them to the World Cup in Stockholm. From the first games the debutants demonstrated high class games, which contributed to their consolidation in the national team.

The tournament for the national team in 1969 was tense - after a number of matches won, there was a defeat from the Czechoslovak national team 0:2. After the game there was a meeting with the Swedes, whom the Soviet hockey players beat 3:2, not without difficulty, all three goals were scored by Petrov's trio. In the next match (the penultimate one in the tournament), the team again lost to Czechoslovakia 3:4. In that match, Kharlamov first threw the puck into the opponent’s goal, and then passed it directly to the opponent’s stick in his own zone, which led to a goal against the USSR national team. That puck turned out to be decisive, and after the match the coaches declared Kharlamov and goalkeeper Viktor Zinger guilty of the defeat.

Nevertheless, the USSR team became the world champion: in last round The Swedes beat the Czechoslovaks 1:0, and as a result, the teams of the USSR, Czechoslovakia and Sweden had an equal number of points, and the USSR team took first place thanks to the best difference in goals scored and goals conceded.

Upon returning to Moscow, Kharlamov was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports.

Three CSKA forwards Mikhailov - Petrov - Kharlamov stood out because she was the first in Soviet hockey to play on the court in a forceful manner. Moreover, each player had a unique playing style. Mikhailov was passionate, knew how to recruit partners and lead them, did a lot of grunt work on the court, worked on defense, skillfully played rebounds and at the same time managed to score more than anyone in the trio. Petrov is a physically developed hockey player, he knew how to fight with power, had a powerful and irresistible throw, was persistent in character, but a little stubborn. In the trio, Kharlamov stood out for his unique dribbling style: he boldly approached the defenders, trying to squeeze between them and knowing that he would succeed, since the defenders would rely on each other and make way for him. He scored less than his partners in the trio, but gave many assists for Petrov and Mikhailov. Kharlamov’s non-standard dribble ended with either a throw or an accurate pass to a partner.

Valery Kharlamov himself spoke about the game of the troika: “We understand each other not perfectly, but literally. I know what they might do at any given moment, I can guess their decision, even if they are looking somewhere else. More precisely, I don’t know so much as I feel what they will do in the next second, how they will play in this or that situation, and therefore at the same moment I rush to where the puck is waiting for me, where, according to my partner’s plan, I should appear. Without saying a word, just looking at each other, we immediately find a solution that suits everyone - having lost the puck, we know who should run to the aid of the defenders, we know when a partner is so tired that it is you who should “work” back, although he is closer to his goal , at any moment of the match we know who to fight, who to attack the player holding the puck.”

Since the early 1970s, Valery Kharlamov has been one of the leading hockey players in the country. His playing technique, impeccable skating and possession of the puck, and scoring qualities are most clearly demonstrated.

In the 1970/71 USSR Championship he became the top scorer, scoring forty goals against his opponents. At the 1971 World Championship, in the decisive game against the Swedes, with the score 2:3 in the third period, it was thanks to Kharlamov that the turning point was scored, which ultimately contributed to the victory of the USSR national team in the tournament and the third world title for the hockey player himself.

At the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo Kharlamov became the top scorer of the tournament. He scored in every game (except the last one against the Czechoslovakian national team), and he scored a hat-trick twice (against the Finns and Poles). As a result, the Soviet Union team won five victories, tied one game and took 1st place. Valery Kharlamov scored 16 points during the games, scored 9 goals and gave 7 assists, and his teammates in the trio were also among the top scorers.

In 1972 the famous USSR Super Series - Canada. During a series of games with Canadian professionals in September 1972, Valery Kharlamov received universal recognition in international hockey. Along with Tretyak and Yakushev, he was one of the leading players of the Soviet Union team in these games.

The most successful for Kharlamov was the “Canadian” part of the series. In the 1st game, through the efforts of Valery, the USSR national team took the lead (3:2) and consolidated its success (4:2). Both goals were scored thanks to his individual skill, namely a quick dribble and a sharp throw. As a result, Soviet hockey players won the match with a score of 7:3. When summing up the results of the meeting, the organizers recognized Kharlamov best player match as part of the USSR national team.

The 2nd game was not successful for Kharlamov, like the entire team. In this match he received a 10-minute disciplinary fine from American arbitrators. In the 3rd game he scored one goal. At that moment, the USSR national team, with the score 1:3, was in the minority. Kharlamov, picking up Boris Mikhailov's pass, completed the fast break. The game ended in a draw - 4:4. In the last game of the “Canadian” part of the super series, Kharlamov limited himself to only one assist. However, he was still useful in the game, which ultimately brought victory in the game with a score of 5:3.

In the 1st game of the “Moscow” part of the super series, Kharlamov was very active and participated in two decisive goals, contributing to the final victory with a score of 5:4. The next game was overshadowed by the unsportsmanlike behavior of Canadian Bobby Clarke: in one of the episodes of the game, he struck with a stick hook to Valery’s ankle area, just above the upper edge of the boot. Later, John Ferguson, assistant coach of the Canadian team, admitted that it was he who gave Clark the task of incapacitating Kharlamov. At the same time, Clarke was not sent off until the end of the game, but received only a 2+10 penalty. The bloodless team eventually lost 2:3.

The 3rd game of the “Moscow” part of the super series took place without Kharlamov, and the team again lost with a difference of one goal - 3:4. For the last game of the series, thanks to the efforts of the doctors and his own desire to play “through I can’t”, Kharlamov still came out, in that match he made one assist; Victory in both that game (5:6) and in the series remained with the Canadians.

In 1974, the second USSR-Canada Super Series took place. In 8 games, he scored only 2 goals, but both goals were recognized as masterpieces. On September 17 in Quebec, during a match between the USSR national team and the WHA professional team, Kharlamov scored a goal that amazed and delighted tens of thousands of fans in the stands. Canadian journalists described this goal as a “gourmet goal.”

He took part in CSKA games with NHL teams in 1975-1976. In the 1st game of the series against the New York Rangers, with the score 2:1 at the very end of the 1st period, Kharlamov, picking up the puck in his own half of the ice, easily passed the opposing defenders who met him at the blue line, and irresistibly shot past goalkeeper. In the 2nd game of the series against the Montreal Canadiens, at the end of the 2nd period, Kharlamov scored another memorable puck: having received a pass from Petrov, he passed between 2 defenders, and, without getting close to goalkeeper Dryden, threw it in the opposite direction into the right corner gate At the end of the tour, Kharlamov was the best in CSKA in the goal+pass system, scoring 4 goals and giving 3 assists.

At the 1976 Olympic Games in Innsbruck Kharlamov performed in the same trio with Mikhailov and Petrov. Despite the fact that the USSR team confidently beat all its opponents, the winner of the Olympics remained unclear until last game with the Czechoslovaks. The game itself was very tense: the 1st period was lost with a score of 0:2, in the 2nd period, with the same score, for two minutes the USSR team was forced to defend three against five. Having held out and not conceded during this difficult period, the Soviet hockey players managed to turn the tide of the meeting. Kharlamov scored the winning goal for the team: with the score 3:3, he beat goalkeeper Jiri Golecek. In total, Valery scored three goals and gave six assists at the tournament. The victory in Innsbruck became the second gold Olympic success for the hockey player.

In April 1976, Kharlamov achieved another individual success: for the first time he was recognized as the best striker of the World Championship (although he was not even among the top five scorers). However, the USSR team unconditionally lost the championship in the tournament to the Czechoslovaks.

In 1976, Kharlamov was involved in an accident. It took a long time to recover. On November 16, 1976, Kharlamov entered the match against Krylia Sovetov. Kharlamov returned to the USSR national team in December 1976 at the Izvestia newspaper prize tournament and scored a hat-trick in the first match against the Swedes.

In 1977, he competed with the national team at the World Championships in Vienna. Having performed well in the 1st stage of the tournament, the team failed the second part and ultimately lost in standings one point to the Czechoslovaks, and missed the Swedes to 2nd place (based on the results of personal meetings). Despite the overall unsuccessful performance, Petrov's trio was the best at the championship in terms of goals scored and points scored.

In the summer of 1977, CSKA and the USSR national team were led by an invitee from Riga. The trio of Mikhailov - Petrov - Kharlamov under Tikhonov achieved new successes: two more world championships were won in 1978 and 1979, where Valery Kharlamov was also among the best. In addition, at the beginning of 1979, Soviet hockey players won the 1979 Challenge Cup in the USA. Kharlamov managed to play only in the first game of the series, and missed the next two due to injury.

In October 1979, in a match of the USSR championship against Spartak, the Petrov trio (through the efforts of Mikhailov) scored their thousandth goal in the USSR championship in the major league.

At the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid The USSR national team played poorly. In the decisive match, the hockey players lost to the US student team 3:4 and lost their chances of winning gold. After the Olympics, the Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov trio was bombarded with accusations of poor play and suggestions to end their careers as quickly as possible.

Since the 1980/81 season, the troika has been disbanded. In December 1980, Boris Mikhailov was forced to end his career, and Kharlamov and Petrov continued to play, but were periodically transferred to different units. Petrov retired after the 1981 World Championships.

In the second half of 1980 and the first half of 1981, Kharlamov did a lot to develop the skills of the young Sergei Makarov, Vladimir Krutov, Andrei Khomutov. Some visiting hockey players lived at his house for some time - for example, Alexey Kasatonov.

Before the start of the 1981/82 season, Kharlamov told friends that this season would be his last, after which he would become a children's coach.

In the summer of 1981, he was intensively preparing for the new season and was getting into good shape: as part of CSKA, he became the champion of the USSR for the 11th time and the winner of the European Champions Cup. At this tournament he was named the best striker, scoring 11 points (2+9) in three meetings. In addition, having played four exhibition games in Scandinavia in August 1981, Kharlamov expected that he would be included in the team for the 1981 Canada Cup, however Main coach Tikhonov decided differently. Viktor Tikhonov explained the decision by saying that he had a conversation with the hockey player, during which Kharlamov agreed with the coach that he did not have sufficient physical condition to play in Canada. As a result, Valery remained in Moscow in a depressed state of mind.

Hockey achievements Valeria Kharlamova truly outstanding: two-time Olympic champion (1972, 1976), 8-time world champion (1969-1971, 1973-1975, 1978-1979), best striker of the 1976 World Cup, was a member of the symbolic World Cup team (1972, 1973, 1975, 1976) .

At the World Championships and Olympic Games he played 123 matches and scored 89 goals.

Valery Kharlamov - 11-time champion of the USSR (1968, 1970-1973, 1975, 1977-1981). Played 438 matches for CSKA and scored 293 goals.

Five-time winner of the USSR Cup.

Best hockey player USSR (1972, 1973). The best scorer of the USSR championship (1971), the best in the “goal + pass” system (1972).

The third scorer in the history of the World Hockey Championships, second only to Mikhailov and Maltsev: 155 points (74+81) in 105 matches (while Kharlamov was never the top scorer of an individual world championship).

Winner of the “Three Scorers” hockey prize: 1970/1971, 1974/1975, 1977/1978 (Mikhailov - Petrov - Kharlamov), 1971/1972 (Vikulov - Firsov - Kharlamov), 1979/1980 (Mikhailov - Kharlamov - Krutov).

Record holder of the tournament for the prize of the Izvestia newspaper in terms of the number of goals scored - 40 goals scored.

In total, Kharlamov played 292 games as a member of the USSR national team and scored 193 goals. In European Cups - 24 goals, in the USSR Cup - 21 goals.

He had awards: 2 Orders of the Red Banner of Labor (1975, 1978) - for victories as a member of the USSR national team at the 1975 and 1978 World Ice Hockey Championships; Order of the Badge of Honor (03/03/1972) - for victory as part of the USSR national team at the 1972 Olympics; medal “For Labor Valor” (05/30/1969) - for victory as part of the USSR national team at the 1969 World Championships. Kharlamov played excellent football, supported the Moscow Torpedo, and among the players he was especially friendly with Vadim Nikonov, with whom he studied together at the institute.

He loved to visit the theater, was friends with the actors of the Taganka Theater Valery Zolotukhin and Boris Khmelnitsky, and knew Vladimir Vysotsky.

Road accident and death of Valery Kharlamov

The first time Valery Kharlamov was in a car accident was in 1976. This happened on May 26, 1976 on Leningradskoe Highway, when he and his wife were returning from visiting at night. Valery, who was driving, decided to overtake a slowly moving truck (although at the same time another truck was walking in the opposite direction at a short distance). When entering the oncoming lane, he saw a taxi rushing towards him from behind an oncoming truck. He turned sharply to the left, went off the road and crashed into a pole.

The hockey player received a two-ankle splintered fracture of his right leg, a fracture of two ribs, a concussion and many bruises (his wife Irina was not injured). Some doctors recommended that he complete sports career, however, Valery was going to continue playing after recovery. The hockey player’s recovery was helped by surgeon Andrei Petrovich Seltsovsky, who operated on Kharlamov and monitored his health at the Main Military Hospital in Moscow. Two months later, in August, he took his first independent steps in the ward. Later, a special room was equipped for him in the ward, where he had weights and where he could do athletic exercises.

He died on August 27, 1981 at seven o’clock in the morning at 74 km of Leningradskoye Highway. Valery, his wife Irina and her cousin Sergei Ivanov were returning to the city from their dacha in Pokrovka near Klin in their Volga number 00-17 MMB. Irina, who was driving, lost control on the road slippery from the rain. The car drifted into the oncoming lane, where it collided with a ZIL truck - crashed into the truck sideways and strong blow rolled into a ditch.

All Volga passengers died on the spot from their injuries.

Later it became known that the day before the accident, the asphalt in this area was changed. Where the new coating ended, a peculiar protrusion 5 cm high formed, which became the cause of the tragedy. Kharlamov’s wife was an inexperienced driver and, having hit a bump, lost control. Also, an additional factor that led to the death of people was the fact that the truck was filled to capacity with spare parts.

On August 31, 1981, a memorial service was held in the palace weightlifting CSKA. On the same day, the funeral of the victims took place at the Kuntsevo cemetery. Thousands of people came to say goodbye to the hockey player. The players of the USSR national team, who were in Winnipeg at that moment, were not able to attend the funeral. They held a meeting at which it was decided to win the Canada Cup at all costs. And the Soviet hockey players fulfilled their promise, beating the Canadians 8:1 in the final.

On August 26, 1991, on the eve of the decade after the tragedy, at the 74th kilometer of the Leningradskoye Highway, a 500-kilogram marble puck and stick were installed. The puck is engraved with the image and name “Valery Kharlamov”, as well as the inscription: “The star of Russian hockey went out here.”

The monument to Kharlamov stands in Klin. Also in the town of Klin near Moscow was built Ice Palace named after Valery Kharlamov.

In 1998 he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame. On November 7, 2005, Kharlamov’s name was immortalized in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Together they became the only hockey players who were awarded this honor and never played in the NHL.

Since 1981, the CSKA children's and youth hockey school has been named after Valery Kharlamov.

One of the divisions of the Kontinental Hockey League is named after Kharlamov.

The main trophy of the Youth Hockey League is named in honor of Valery Kharlamov. The Kharlamov Cup is made of precious materials by the famous sculptor Frank Meisler. The Cup is crowned with a silver figurine bearing an exceptional portrait resemblance to Valery. For the first time, the Kharlamov Cup was awarded to the Russian champions in hockey among youth teams in 2010 - the Magnitogorsk team “Steel Foxes”.

No. 17 is permanently assigned to the Russian national team and CSKA. No one else can play for it under this number. The only exception was the son of a hockey player, Alexander.

Valery Kharlamov's height: 176 centimeters.

Personal life of Valery Kharlamov:

Wife - Irina Kharlamova (nee Smirnova). We met in 1975 at the Rossiya restaurant.

In September 1975, the couple had a son, Alexander.

Soon the couple had a daughter, Begonita.

Before his marriage, Kharlamov lived in a one-room apartment on Svobody Street in Tushino. Just before the wedding, he moved to live with his wife and mother-in-law on Aviamotornaya Street. Later, the young Kharlamovs were given a three-room apartment on Mira Avenue, not far from the Alekseevskaya metro station.

After the death of the Kharlamovs, there was a long battle for custody of their children. After the accident, the children of Valery and Irina lived with their grandmother Nina Vasilyevna Smirnova, both children tried their hand at professional sports. Five years after the tragedy on February 9, 1987, Kharlamov’s mother passed away.

CSKA players Kasatonov, Krutov and Fetisov took patronage over little Alexander. Having matured, Alexander became a hockey player, playing for CSKA and the USA. He got married in 1997 and has a son, Valery.

My daughter was studying rhythmic gymnastics, became a master of sports. She has been married since 2013 and gave birth to two daughters - Daria and Anna.

Sports achivments Valeria Kharlamova:

Olympic Games:

Gold - Sapporo 1972
Gold - Innsbruck 1976
Silver - Lake Placid 1980

World Championships:

Gold - Stockholm 1969
Gold - Stockholm 1970
Gold - Switzerland 1971
Silver - Prague 1972
Gold - Moscow 1973
Gold - Helsinki 1974
Gold - Germany 1975
Silver - Katowice 1976
Bronze - Vienna 1977
Gold - Prague 1978
Gold - Moscow 1979

European Championships:

Gold - Stockholm 1969
Gold - Stockholm 1970
Silver - Switzerland 1971
Silver - Prague 1972
Gold - Moscow 1973
Gold - Helsinki 1974
Gold - Germany 1975
Silver - Katowice 1976
Bronze - Vienna 1977
Gold - Prague 1978
Gold - Moscow 1979

Filmography of Valery Kharlamov:

1975 - Soviet hockey players (documentary)

Bibliography of Valery Kharlamov:

1977 - Hockey is my element (Literary recording by O. Spassky)
1979 - Three Beginnings (Literary recording by O. Spassky)

Documentary films about Valery Kharlamov:

1982 - Remembering Kharlamov (documentary)
2002 - USSR - Canada. More than hockey (documentary)
2002 - Ice bullfight by Valery Kharlamov (documentary)
2005 - How idols left. Valery Kharlamov (documentary)
2007 - Living history (documentary)
2007 - Valery Kharlamov. The Last 24 Hours (documentary)
2010 - The mystical death of stars (documentary)
2014 - Red Army (documentary)

The image of Valery Kharlamov in the cinema:

2006 - Canada Russia "72 (Canadian television series) - actor Joel Cousins ​​in the role of Valery Kharlamov;
2007 - Valery Kharlamov. Additional time - actor in the role of Valery Kharlamov;
2012 - Hockey games- in the role of Valery Kharlamov, actor Gleb Isakov;
2013 - Legend No. 17 - actor in the role of Valery Kharlamov.

Irina Smirnova and Valery Kharlamov met by chance in 1974. After one of the matches, the hockey player and his teammates met in the capital's Rossiya restaurant to informally discuss successful moments of the game, goals scored, spectacular power moves. Music was playing, and at some point the athlete dared to ask a pretty girl sitting at the next table to dance, who was invited to a friend’s birthday party.

Beginning of a romantic relationship

19-year-old Irina Smirnova, who was poorly versed in sports, the future wife of Valery Kharlamov, mistook her boyfriend for an ordinary driver, who for some reason knew how to dance well and was surprisingly gallant and courteous. When everyone began to leave, Valery volunteered to take the girl to the house by car. “Exactly, a taxi driver,” thought Irina, getting into Kharlamov’s brand new Volga. The fact that fate gave an ordinary student of the Moscow Energy Institute a meeting with the great Soviet hockey player, she found out much later.

A whirlwind romance began between Irina and Valery; the girl often did not appear at home and did not attend classes at the institute. At the end of my first year I became pregnant and had to quit my studies. On March 9, 1976, their first-born, Alexander, was born, and a year later their daughter, Begonita (named after Valery’s mother). They got married in May 1976. And two weeks later there was a terrible accident, which occurred five years before the tragic death - the first “bell”. At high speed, the couple crashed into a lighting pole on a slippery road, losing control. Irina Kharlamova, the wife of Valery Kharlamov, escaped with minor bruises, her husband was taken to the hospital with multiple fractures and a concussion. After several operations, I had to relearn not only how to play hockey, but also how to walk.

On the eve of death

The evening before the death in the village of Pokrovka, where Irina and Valery Kharlamov had a dacha, the family gathered at the table. No one could have imagined that they were all in last time see each other. According to the recollections of Irina’s mother, Nina Vasilievna, they discussed how they would celebrate her 50th birthday, made toasts, and laughed a lot. And at that moment, the composition of the USSR national team, going overseas to take part in the Canada Cup, began to be announced on TV. Valery was warned about expulsion from the national team due to insufficient physical training, but at that moment his face changed dramatically. The best hockey player in Europe was still not ready for such an outcome.

All night on August 26, 1981, Irina Kharlamova, Valery Kharlamov’s wife, could not sleep. And for her husband the night turned out to be difficult to think about. Kharlamov did not sleep, walked around the house and could not come to terms with the idea that his life in hockey was over for him. In his painful thoughts, everything came together: fatigue and resentment, humiliation and shame of a great hockey player.

August 27, 1981

Early in the morning on that fateful day, Valery woke up Irina, hurrying to Moscow for training, which was supposed to take place at 11 am. The wife volunteered to drive herself, but her mother, Nina Vasilievna, dissuaded her. Valery assured his mother-in-law that he would drive the car himself. But as soon as they left the village, the couple changed places. At the 74th kilometer of the Leningradskoye Highway, the car skidded and was thrown under an oncoming truck.

Everything happened suddenly; the ZiL driver did not have time to react. The blow was so strong that Valery and Sergei (Irina’s brother) died instantly, and Irina Kharlamova was alive for a few more seconds. And when the drivers of other cars stopped to help take her out of the car, she moved her lips: “How is Valera?”, but died a few seconds later. Valery Kharlamov's wife, Irina Kharlamova (Smirnova) was only 25 years old. The hockey player himself is 33 years old. Their children were left orphans at 6 and 5 years old. It later turned out that the woman was pregnant with her third child.

Fatal prophecy

The biography of Irina Kharlamova should have been vivid. As a child, a gypsy predicted a happy life for her, marriage to a world-famous person, but death at the age of 25.

In February of the fateful year for her, 1981, Irina just turned 25. There were many guests at the anniversary celebration, she herself was happy - “After all, I’m 25, but life is not over, life goes on...”. Valery, knowing about the prophecy, always repeated: “I won’t be able to live without her, as soon as Irina is gone, I won’t be either.” And so it happened. At the site of his death, at 74 km of the Leningradskoye Highway, a monument to the great hockey player Kharlamov was erected.

The young and promising athlete was recommended to CSKA, but his candidacy was rejected at that time by head coach Anatoly Tarasov due to his short stature and insufficiently impressive build. But already in 1967, the USSR Youth Championship took place in Minsk, in which Valery showed all his talents, showing himself to be an unconventional team player, eventually receiving an invitation to Moscow to join the CSKA team. Unfortunately, in the first game in the main lineup, Valery showed himself to be a mediocre player, and was sent to the second squad to gain playing experience. There he quickly found a common language with the team, fell in love with the public, and within a few months helped the team reach a new level. In 1968, they decided to return Kharlamov to the main team. This is where it begins meteoric rise to the Olympus of wide sports and popular recognition.

Career path of Valery Kharlamov

At the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo, with the active participation of Kharlamov, the USSR national team was awarded several Olympic gold medals. In the same 1972, at the end of the tournament between the USSR and Canada, Valery Kharlamov earned universal recognition. Three years later, the first games of the USSR national team against the NHL took place. After in North America CSKA plays 4 matches, following which the hockey player becomes the best player in CSKA. In 1976 there was decisive match with Czechoslovakia, in which famous hockey player received the title of double Olympic champion. In the same year, following the results of the World Championship in Katowice, he became the best striker. This became the pinnacle of his career. A month later, he and his wife get into a serious accident. She was not injured, but her husband received multiple bruises, several fractures and a concussion. Doctors advised Valery to end his career as a hockey player. But having developed strength will, he returns to the ice. In December 1976, Valery Kharlamov returned to the USSR national team and, without changing traditions, brought his team several gold medals based on the results of a number of games. In 1980, the Olympic Games were held in the USA, but, despite great experience, the USSR team lost to the Americans in the final match. After this game, the famous trio received statements that it was time for them to end their careers as hockey players. It was the end of the career of the greatest hockey player. The last goal scored by Valery Kharlamov was in 1981 in a game with Dynamo. Over the course of his entire 15-year career, the famous hockey player played over four hundred matches for the CSKA team. The result is nationwide love, sports recognition, as well as the status of a two-time Olympic champion, eight-time world champion and Honored Master of Sports of the USSR.

In 2009, a monument to Valery Kharlamov was opened in Moscow - his bust was installed on the CSKA Walk of Fame. In the same year, a commemorative two-ruble silver coin was issued, belonging to the “Outstanding Athletes of Russia” series. Valery Kharlamov was also awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor and the Medal for Labor Valor.

Personal life of Valery Kharlamov

How did hockey player Kharlamov die?