No excuses: "You will be what you want" - an interview with jumper Igor Annenkov

beautiful far

- Hi, Igor! Glad you're in a special project Layfhakera.

- Hi, Nastya! Thanks for the invitation.

- Tell us about your childhood.

- I'm from the city of Gomel of Belarus, but six years before we actually lived with his parents in Yevpatoriya. This is a great place with a special rhythm of life (at least at that time). Despite continuous treatment, childhood was wonderful. Prose life began then, in the 1990s.

- Parents threw all their forces out to raise you on your feet?

- Yes, and they are not alone. Grandparents, uncle really helped.

But we must pay tribute to the wisdom and patience of my mother and father. There was an incident. When doctors realized that I can go, just need an incentive, the father bought a large import car with pedals. Remember, there were such? It cost 90 rubles - in Soviet times, a lot of money. He has not paid the rent, but bought this toy.

The car left at one end of the room, I was - in the other and said, "Here's your car - go take." I went. On the wall, but went.

- What else do you grateful parents?

- You can not talk to the child (whether he is healthy or not), who dreams of becoming an astronaut, it was impossible, that in space units fly. He understands how difficult it is. Do you want to be an astronaut? You will! You want to be a pilot? You will!

You're going to be what you want.

It is this principle adhered to my parents and never limited me in my desires and aspirations. And do not indulge weaknesses.

- I.e?

- That is, if there was black ice, and I told my father that I could not go somewhere, as slippery, he replied: "Then the earth did not you fall. You fall - will come up and you will go on. " So now, for example, when I take a train ticket, I do not care what my regiment - the bottom or the top.

My friend the same health problems as I have. But his parents under the weight of guilt complex created for him hothouse conditions: garage next to the house, the house next to the store. It has played a trick on him: a man can not give up the comfort created once and only in this area feels safe.

- Igor, how and where did you learn?

- I did not go to kindergarten, so the first encounter with the system in seven years old when I went to school.

In 1982, there were Special Education. Was spetsinternat - building with grilles on the windows, with doors closed only on one side. Before school my mom was invited for examination to determine whether I can learn in a regular school.

Four hours I was asked various questions. I answered all but one. I was shown a picture of a pear and beet. I knew it was pear compote cook from it, it grows on a tree, and that beet, because it is prepared soup. But I did not know what a pear - is a fruit, beet - vegetable. I just never talked about it. This was reason enough for Aunt doctor to declare: "Only spetsinternat".

The doctor on the table was a crystal inkwell. Hearing her "verdict," my mother said, "I tell you right now that the inkwell to mash your head, and you will go there myself." Under the pressure of the prospects to get ink on the head, Aunt doctor immediately signed the direction of a normal school.

- Where you went to after school?

- On the first education I am a dentist, but with dentistry has not developed. After his father's death, his friends invited me to work for jewelry production. I had to learn another profession.

This is a very capacious profession requiring angelic patience and a high degree of responsibility. This mechanic, and painter. She taught me a lot. Before yuvelirki, for example, I do not know what can be left-handed. But man - is a universal monkey: learn everything, if he wants. :)

- Even flying? :)

- What do you want!

champion helmet

- Igor, like parachuting appeared in your life?

- It's a long story. In the late 1980's - early 1990's were very popular so-called cellars - rocking. I lacked physical strength, I really wanted to go to the gym. But this needed information. I realized that no one neurologist in any of the polyclinic it will not let me. Then I went to the trick - brought a certificate from a veterinary seal.

Of course, once uncovered fraud - laughed for a long time. But the coach said: "Either you run three days, or will achieve everything you want." I stayed.

One day, I, as always, sitting in gym (did not have access to employment), and watched as the schoolmates painfully pass Ladder of pull-ups. On the top five had to overcome the bar 5-7 times. I am sitting, sitting, and then asked the teacher: "Can I?". He allowed. I moved up to 25 times. In the gym hung deathly silence. No one expected this from me. Master said, "Can you repeat that?". I replied: "Yes, give only rest for a few minutes." The next day, at the threshold of "the cellar", where I went, there were all the boys in my class. :)

With this event the beginning of my friendship with the physical education teacher Usov Nikolai Nikolaevich. He was quite different from the typical physical trainer. It turned out, he came to our school after the collapse of the Gomel flying club. Nicholas was a master of sports of the USSR. I mustache whole family "parachute": Nikolai Nikolaevich father - Honored coach of the Republic of Belarus, his brothers also jumped.

Upon learning of his biography, of course, I came to him with a question: "And I will be able to jump?". He replied that, subject to certain rules and settings possible. However, he immediately said that the round landing parachute is not for me, but sports - completely. The more beautiful it is, more manageable and less traumatic.

Nicholas told me a lot about parachuting. For example, that with the help of training in aerotrube simulating the flow velocity in the sky, you can achieve a lot. But, unfortunately, I could not lead me to the airfield.

- What happened?

- One day I came to him, he opened the door, but did not invite me into the house. I asked him to wait on the stairs: "I have a gift for you."

He brought me to his championship hat and said, "I guess I do not have time to help you. But promise that doydosh to aircraft gun and at first You take the leap with this helmet. " I did not understand, but he promised.

Three months later, I found out that Nicholas died: he had cancer. After his death, I do not know if I could ever jump... But one day, down in the basement, assorted children's books, and I fell at his feet DOSAAF magazine. I opened it, and there's Photo Nikolai Nikolaevich. I realized that this was a sign from above.

- Do you remember your first jump?

- All I remember! :) None of the jumps are not similar to the previous one. conditions are always changing, and each of the phases of the jump takes place in its own way. It's never monotonous, never boring.

The first jump I was in a tandem-based airfield New Pashkovo in Mogilev. Height - about 4000 meters, the standard for the tandem.

I, as promised, came to the airport with a helmet Nikolai Nikolaevich. I stood with him on the parade ground. Suddenly I was approached by the commander of the parachute training managers Yuri Rakovic and asked, "Where did you get that hat?". I replied that it is not mine, this helmet Nikolai Usov. He said: "I know whose it is a helmet, I ask where did you get it?". I said. Yuri listened and called his wife, "Galya, he knows Kohl!". (Galina Rakovic - world-class athlete, twice world champion in the team competition, the absolute champion of the USSR, head coach of Belarusian skydiving. - Approx. author.)

They invited me to his office. Yuri opened the cabinet, and then the Soviet form and two exactly the same helmet. They jumped on the same team.

- It does not matter it was during the first jump?

- Every time scary. What is skydiving in representing the common man? Folly and nonsense! There is nothing complicated - picked up and jumped. In fact it is quite a serious exercise.

Plus always scary - whether first or one hundred and first jump.

With the experience of fear, of course, it is leveled, but I have not seen any of fearless paratrooper.

constraint system

- After the first time the way to heaven was opened?

- If! Following was another jump in tandem, and then I wrote a year letters to various authorities, seeking opportunity to learn diving for accelerated training AFF system, to continue to jump independently.

I do not like to give an example to other countries (not nice nod to the other), but if you take the same Germany, you will be surprised with any violations there can skydive. In America, there paratrooper lost both legs and one arm (Instead it prosthesis).

Our countries are seriously lagging behind Western in ensuring the rights of people with disabilities. We strive to catch up with Europe in the field of barrier-free environment, but, in my opinion, does not need to start with this. The problem is prohibitive legal system. We ALL priori prohibited. For something to do, whether it is work, sport or hobby, you must obtain an individual permit.

Knew you how many times I heard: "You bring me spravochku, and then even into space!". At the same time I was legally capable and subject: I can vote, sign documents, to carry out financial transactions. But de facto can not freely decide what I do.

When they say "people with disabilities", you need to think about who and what it is limited? Bitter paradox that limit the ability of people with disabilities, the state and society, are standing up for their rights. Often people do not want to engage in anything just because they know how many circles of bureaucratic hell they would have to pass in order to succeed. And then the white-collar workers in state-owned offices wonder where in the disabled infantilism and opportunism?

- How do you still managed to win the right to be in the sky?

- I met a famous athlete Lena Avdeeva, and she, in turn, introduced me to all the brethren parachute Russia. Lena wrote about my problem on the parachute portal. The children were inspired and began to think how to help me. In the end, thanks to the efforts of Mansur Mustafina and parachutists, I was in the "Aerograd Kolomna». It is a leading Russian parachute club, which employs highly qualified personnel (handlers, instructors, pilots). There I began to learn to jump himself, or rather, accompanied by instructors.

- What is it like?

- It is a common parachute rule that all beginners jump accompanied. Despite the fact that all possible abnormal situations are processed on the ground, in the air, anything can happen. Instructors accompany beginners in aircraft from landing to landing, to the extent that the tie shoelaces. :)

- Parachuting is not included in the Paralympic program, but as far as I know, there is a team of parachutists with disabilities in Russia. What for?

- The team is, it develops on the basis of ASTK "Swift" on Kirzhach Airfield. Each disability-parachutist difficult path to the sky, many of them - the Afghan soldiers, so the team had gathered not to compete with someone else, but for the sake of overcoming themselves. International competitions to date there, but looking at the jump our children, foreigners are surprised: "Russian all these?". The answer: "Everything!".

- Igor, what do you dream about?

- About self-realization, and not only in sport. I want to try myself in public organizations, to help people break the "system constraints".

- Finally covet anything Layfhakera readers.

Live life idly - boring. Find your own meaning and do not have any excuses to achieve it. If you do not know what it is, just do a step forward. Moving forward, you will find it.

- Thanks for the conversation, Igor!

- You're welcome! :)