Famous athletes of the world

Sport is not just a way for us to keep fit, but also a way for us to showcase our abilities and to self-improve. Sport shapes an incredible will to win, activates the desire to fight for one’s goals. In this article we will talk about some of the most famous athletes of our planet.

Ivan Poddubny

The name of Ivan Poddubny associated with many people with remarkable physical strength. The legendary weightlifter was born in Poltava region, Ukraine, in 1871. Krasionivka, a small Ukrainian village, is a homeland of a famous athlete. Parents of Ivan were Cossacks, that is why the concept of honor was not an empty word for them. Ivan Poddubny’s father, Maxim, always surprised his fellow villagers with great strength. Ivan learnt his abilities from his father and at the age of 17 he was already dashingly unbending horseshoes and easily turning over five-pood sacks full of grain. 3 years later, when Ivan Poddubny was 20, he left his native village and went in search of himself. Having got a job in port Sevastopol as a loader, the future weightlifter has received a nickname Ivan the Great.

In 1895 Ivan moved to Feodosiya, and begins to be seriously engaged in wrestling and kettlebell lifting. Three years later he gets his first victory at the Truzzi Circus. In 1903 the weight-lifter becomes a member of the St. Petersburg Athletic Society and also tries his hand at the world championship in Paris. He was defeated by Raoul de Bouchet, who used several banned techniques during the competition. A year later Poddubny fights Le Bouchet again in the Ciniselli Circus arena and wins.
Ivan Poddubny manages to keep this force given by Mother Nature through regular weight training, hardening and proper nutrition. Throughout his life Ivan has never smoked or consumed alcohol. He managed to win in competitions not so much due to his strength, but rather due to correct tactics. Ivan Poddubny remained a symbol of unbreakable power for long 25 years.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is a legendary basketball player, whose name is known not only in sports circles, but far beyond. Throughout his career he has amassed astonishing athletic results. It was Jordan who made basketball a popular sport in many countries around the world.

Michael Jordan began his professional career in the early 1980s at the University of North Carolina. In 1982, the basketball player won the NCAA and then joined the Chicago Bulls. From this period begins a new point in Jordan’s career. His popularity grows, his performance attracts more and more fans. Soon he becomes an NBA all-star, becoming the best defender in the history of basketball.

From 1991 to 1993 Jordan won every NBA championship with flying colours. In 1993, his father dies, and Jordan ends his basketball career. He briefly tried his hand at another sport, baseball, but failed miserably and triumphantly returned to basketball. In 3 years, from 1996 to 1998, Michael brought another 3 wins to Chicago Bulls, winning 72 games in just 1 season. In 1999 the basketball player announced retirement of his career, but… In 2001 he came back to big basketball again, becoming a part of “Washington Wizards” team. During his career Jordan won the Olympic Games twice (1984 and 1992), was named Most Valuable Player of the Season and won the NBA championship.

Edson Arantes di Nascimento (Pele)

Pele is the most famous footballer in the world, who has won the FIFA World Cup three times. He was born into a very poor family in 1940. Motherland of the future celebrity – Brazil. The boy’s father was a professional football player in the past, so he taught his son a few secrets. At age 7, Pele became a member of the youth football team, and subsequently delighted fans with productive play in the attack. Valdemar de Brito, the team’s coach, noticed the young footballer’s abilities and arranged for him to try out for the Santos Football Club. From then on, Pele’s professional career started.

He played his first official match against Corinthians at the age of 15 and managed to score his first goal. During the next 2 years he was twice awarded the title of top scorer.

In 1958, there were several significant events in Pele’s career. He managed to score 58 goals in the gates of the opponents, successfully debuted in the national team, the world championship in Sweden. The player’s play was stunning and brought the national team victory. After the match, Pele was named best player, and he was unanimously backed by sports experts, opponents and spectators alike. During the whole period of the game Pele scored a record 72 goals for the national team, and no one failed to beat this record so far.

The football legend argued that success in football depended on the cohesion and fruitfulness of the whole team. Pele said that victory can only be won by joint efforts, but… in 1961 he disproved his own statement at the Maracana Stadium. Pele stood alone against an entire Fluminense Football team and scored a wonderful goal against the opponent.