Sovetsky Sport. December 14, 1967. Boris Shakhlin has left the platform; the day before yesterday he was ceremoniously sent off to coaching work.
This name needs no epithets, because it is an epithet in itself in gymnastics. If someone is described as 'a champion like Shakhlin,' that, comrades, says a great deal. Shakhlin is not only an outstanding athlete, he created a psychological image of a powerful, unyielding personality. I don't know how many times tears have welled up in his eyes, but I only saw them once, on the evening of his farewell.
A word from Shakhlin:
"I haven't gone far, and what does 'gone' even mean? The words don't fit together... We need to regain our title as the strongest in the world, and we need to have someone to move forward with..."
Boris, what helped you become Shakhlin?
When I started, it was a winning time, there was a 'wall' we could lean on. We knew the score was in our favor, and we could take risks. But today everything is different. I didn't catch the wave of intense training; we were raised on a foundation of good physical preparation, and there was no need to stand out at the age of 14...
Boris, what would you like to say to those who are right behind you and have not yet left the platform?
As I leave, I ask myself: "Who is your student? Whom have you raised to replace you?" We made a mistake - we didn't look into the future, and now today there is no wall, and we need to create one. I want to say to Kerdemelidi, Arkaev, and their contemporaries: "Guys, it's time to hurry up and pass on your life experience, your passionate experience, before the snow covers your tracks."
And now a few words to the young people, Boris.
There was a discussion in your newspaper about who, supposedly, should 'take the spoon,' as they say. And well, that's right. I don't wish anything bad for Vitya Klimenko, and I'm worried about him - what if he burns out quickly? There's no smile or enjoyment in his work, and he's still young, he should still be climbing over fences. That's what's so frightening. On the other hand, if mastery comes early, then let maturity also come early - in terms of self-reflection. You can't achieve anything with sheer workload these days - how much sand can you pour into a sack? Only up to a certain limit. Therefore, we need to look for new ways. And the sooner the gymnast himself starts searching, starts thinking about himself, getting involved in the coach's work, the better it will be for him and for gymnastics in general...
This is what Shakhlin said as he was leaving. However, why 'as he was leaving,' when it actually means 'he left'? On the contrary, there he is, behind the judges' console with the number '2' near the horizontal bar, his face with its characteristic strong wrinkles and a lock of blond hair falling diagonally across his forehead.
A. TOKAREV, our special correspondent