The famous Russian journalist, commentator and writer Vladimir Gomelsky played for the CSKA basketball team. At the age of 22, he became a master of sports of international class. Four times he received the champion trophy and the USSR cup.
Childhood and first steps in sports
Vladimir was born on October 20, 1953 in a family of professional athletes Olga Zhuravleva and Alexander Gomelsky. His father was one of the most famous and triumphant basketball coaches, and his mother was the champion of Europe and the Soviet Union in the same sport.
The boy showed interest in basketball from an early age. Parents taught him how to play, and his grandmother trained the Spartak club in Leningrad. They had in their apartment the first European Champions Cup, made in the shape of a basketball hoop and net. It was on it that Vladimir Gomelsky learned to fulfill his first throws with a toy ball.
In 1961, he entered Riga school, where his mother taught physical education. When Vladimir was 8 years old, he was transferred to an educational institution with in-depth study of the English language. At the same time, he began to train in the SKA children's team.
Career at CSKA, study and military service
When Vladimir was 20 years old, he first got into the starting lineup of the famous five CSKA, played against the Latvian team "Zalgiris". After passing the summer exams in 1973, he took part in many tournaments.
Three times he became the champion of the USSR as part of the CSKA basketball club. In 1975 he became the winner of the friendly Spartakiad. However, Gomelsky Vladimir Alexandrovich received little playing time, since his father was the team’s coach.
He managed to study at a prestigious university and at the same time take part in big sport. However, in 1976 he missed the military training camp of Moscow State University and as a result was expelled from a prestigious institution. Gomel was called up for military service. Just a few months later, he became a junior lieutenant. Nevertheless, Vladimir could not accept the expulsion from the university. He turned for help to the dean of the faculty Mikhail Solodkov, a big sports fan. As a result, he allowed the young man to pass state exams. But full-time training was forbidden to officers and military personnel. As a result, the athlete received an academic certificate instead of a diploma of higher education.
Disappointment and the beginning of the coaching path
In one of the matches with the Dynamo team, he was seriously injured. As the player of CSKA said: "Basketball is a game in which they demonstrate perseverance and the will to win." However, Vladimir got a tendon rupture. He underwent a difficult operation, but he could not recover.
The famous athlete began a crisis. He experienced great stress after a sudden career end at such an early age. Close people did their best to support him, and the CSKA club offered the position of head of the children's basketball school. Vladimir agreed to engage in coaching. A year later, he was appointed assistant to the main mentor of the backups of CSKA.
In 1979, a young team of the second composition went to the championship of the USSR. His wards played the first game quite successfully. However, the match with Dynamo Tbilisi was not without scandal for the CSKA coach. “Basketball is a sports game, not a street fight,” one commenter said.
Personal life of a famous athlete
His wife, Larisa Konstantinovna, is a master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics. They have two children - Ilya and Olga. Vladimir lives and works in Moscow, devotes all his free time to his family. They like to relax in a country house in Bronnitsy.
A former basketball player is interested in literature. Vladimir Alexandrovich boasts a large home library. His favorite authors are Ray Bradbury, the Strugatsky brothers, Isaac Asimov, Fedor Dostoevsky and Anton Chekhov. He collects penknives and listens to music by Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Fausto Papetti.
In addition, Vladimir Gomelsky is a fan of CSKA basketball club. He supports the SKA hockey team, as it is coached by his close ally Boris Mikhailov.
Journalist career
The first debut of the famous player and athlete took place in the television program "Best NBA Games." In 1990, he began commenting on the games of the regular season of the NBA basketball league with his father. After that, Vladimir Gomelsky took the post of deputy producer of the ORT channel. His work aroused great interest from many sponsors.
In the early 2000s, he headed the direction of sports programs for the RTR channel and commented on the Sydney Olympics. A few years later, Vladimir began a fruitful cooperation with the NTV-Plus television company.
At the moment, Vladimir Alexandrovich Gomelsky continues commenting on the state television channel. He is an outstanding personality in the world of Soviet and Russian sports!