USSR basketball player Ulyana. Uliana Semenova: why the tallest basketball player in the USSR never got married. Sport has replaced the family

Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, two-time Olympic champion, three-time world champion, ten-time European champion, fifteen-time champion of the USSR, four-time winner of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR, eleven-time winner of the European Champions Cup, winner of the Lilian Ronchetti Cup

She was rightfully considered the queen of women's basketball: she did not lose a single match in international tournaments. Russian Federation basketball is recognized as the best center of the twentieth century.

Ulyana Semenova was born on March 9, 1952 in a family of Russian Old Believers from the Paberzhi farm in the Medum parish of the Daugavpils region of Latvia. When the time arrived for Ulyana to be born, her mother was taken on a sleigh to the nearest hospital in Zarasai, Lithuania. The girl was baptized Juliana, but they made a mistake in the metric - “Juliac”; did not change.

Mom after the birth of six children was often sick. Ulya washed, cooked, went after the cattle. The school was five kilometers away, but Ulya managed to study and play sports at school. At the age of 12, she unexpectedly grew to a meter ninety. (“Dad even took me to the examination. But the doctors said that such a healthy child is still to be looked for”). The rarest case of "non-pathological gigantism" - they will write later.

At the prompt of her sister's husband, an athlete, coaches from Riga came to Medumi for her. “The first time I saw them, I ran into the forest,” she laughs. - It was difficult to tear myself away from my mother's skirt. But I was persuaded." In Riga, she lived in a boarding school. Then they gave me an apartment.

Having trained hard, Ulya began to quickly show results, and already at the age of 13 she played as a center player for the Riga TTT club, at 14 and a half - for the USSR national team among juniors, and at 16 - entered the adult team.

Ulyana grew to 210 centimeters, although she was also credited with 228. “They assured me that I was half a head taller than center Vladimir Tkachenko (220 centimeters, - ed.). But we took pictures together, and I only got him up to the shoulder, ”she says. “Everyday inconveniences were still enough - all my life I went to hotels with screwdrivers to unscrew the headboards.” She was worried. But Main coach USSR national team Lidia Alekseeva told her: “Who are you ashamed of? You are the queen of basketball! So wear a royal crown on your head up!

The first for her were the victories in 1967 at the IV Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR - as part of the Latvian SSR team, and winning the European Champions Cup - as part of TTT. They said that this most titled club in Europe, the USSR and Latvia was invincible because of the tall Semenova. But the club has won the USSR championship every year (and almost every year - the European Champions Cup) since 1960, and Ulyana came only in 1967. She herself also claimed that it was not about her, but about the cohesion of the team and the excellent coach Raimunds Karnitis. The same can be said about the USSR national team: even before Ulyana's participation, the USSR national team won, starting from the 1957 World Cup.

At the 1968 World Cup in Italy, Ulyana earned 9 to 15 points for the team in every match. A year later, she became the owner of the USSR Cup as part of TTT. At the 1970 European Championship in Holland, Ulyana brought the team an average of 12 points per game, and in the game with France (77:41) - 18 points. The 1971 World Cup was held in Brazil; Ulyana earned maximum in games with Korea (89:67) - 36 points, Czechoslovakia (88:69) - 24, France (80:52) - 26, in the final with Brazil (82:49) - 35 points. In the same year, TTT won the V Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR. Ulyana became the Honored Master of Sports of the USSR.

At the 1972 European Championship in Bulgaria, Ulyana was the most productive in the matches with France (63:41, 26 points) and the final with Bulgaria (79:48, 22 points). On the VII Summer The USSR team also won the 1973 Universiade. In the same year, Ulya graduated from the Latvian GIFK (State Institute of Physical Culture).

The 1974 European Championship was held in Italy, and Semenova earned the most in matches with Hungary (80:64) - 27 points, with Czechoslovakia (104:58) - 31, with Bulgaria (95:69) - 34.

They wrote about her: “Girlfriends loved her for her kind heart, open character, sociability, readiness to always come to the rescue, ingenuity and sweet village naivety. Angular and a little awkward in life, Ulya transformed on the court, turning into a basketball ballerina. The team called her Swallow.

But the rivals believed that the game in her presence ceases to be beautiful - she puts the balls in the basket too easily. According to David Berlin, it was because of her that FIBA ​​did not include women's basketball in the program of the Olympic Games for a long time: “As long as the Russians have Semenov, there is no interest in women's basketball - the outcome of the tournament is a foregone conclusion; remove Semyonov, and the issue of the Olympics will be resolved.” “Ulya is excellent, good person, - says two-time Olympic champion Nelly Feryabnikova. - We always communicated warmly. But, probably, Ulya herself understood that it was not very interesting for us to play in the national team. All tactics were built through Ulya. We had to deliver the ball to her under the basket, and she was already throwing there almost without interference. When asked by a journalist if she had ever scored “from above”, Ulyana replied: “No. There was not enough jump height, and there was no need. After all, any opponent was already much lower than me.

In TTT she long years was a captain, but not in the national team; Alekseeva's captain has always been a little point guard. In addition, in the national team, Ulyana was "held back" - the coach did not like that the team was called "Semenova's team." Ulyana Larionovna recalls: “It hurt me. But as soon as we were in the red, the girls ran to me: “Lasta, Swallow, come on!”, I forgot everything and went to the site. In the evenings, the girls gathered in my room: ha ha, hee hee ... The doctor goes through the rooms to write down the procedures, but everywhere is empty: “Well, of course, they are sitting with Ulyashi ...” I was a magnet in the team - I have such a nature I like to have good relations with everyone.” She was in the national team and a Komsomol organizer: arriving in Moscow, she was immediately called up to the Central Committee of the Komsomol. Laughs: “Everyone is resting after training, and I am preparing for political information, studying the press.”

Her personal best by the number of points scored in one match - 54, against ASD Geas Basket (Italy) in the European Cup in 1975. In the same year, she became the champion of the VI Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR and the world champion in Colombia, where she brought the team maximum in matches with Czechoslovakia (62:50, 31 points) and Japan (106:75, 25 points). At the 1976 European Championship in France, the best match for Ulyana was the match with France (83:56) - 22 points.

Finally, women's basketball entered the Montreal Olympics in July 1976. Uliana put all her strength and skill into the victory: in the match with Czechoslovakia (88:75) she earned 26 points, in the match with the USA (112:77), which decided the outcome of the games - 32 points, with Japan (98:75) - 20 points . At the 1977 Universiade, the USSR team won again.

At the 1978 European Championship in Poland, Ulyana was the most successful in the match with Bulgaria (89:63) - 18 points. Together with the national team, Ulyana also won the International basketball tournament"Friendship Cup" in 1978 in Cuba.

At the XXII Summer Olympics-80 in Moscow, Soviet athletes defeated everyone with a huge margin in each meeting, and in the final they easily defeated the Bulgarian team. Ulyana was great: in the match with Yugoslavia (97:62) - 16 points, with Bulgaria (122:83) - 32 points, with Italy (119:53) - 22 points, with Cuba (95:56) - 16, with Hungary (120:62) - 18, with Bulgaria (104:73) - 27.

At the 1980 European Championships in Yugoslavia, she earned the most points in the semi-finals with Czechoslovakia (94:62) - 20; at the championship of the continent next year in Italy in the final with Poland (85:42) - 22 points.

In 1983, Uliana, as part of the Latvian national team, won the VIII Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR, and immediately the World Cup was held in Brazil. The fights with the USA were the most difficult: in the final round (85:84, Ulyana got 4 fouls in a few minutes, earned 31 points) and the final (84:82, 5 fouls, 23 points). She considers this victory the most valuable in her life: “The whole tournament, and especially the final, turned out to be very difficult. The refereeing was biased, the referees frankly dragged the Americans to the gold medals, although the hall was rooting for us. By the end of the match, all the players of the main team received five fouls, very young girls remained on the court. But they did not fade away, and we snatched the victory two seconds before the final siren. After the match, I sobbed uncontrollably. From happiness."

The 1983 European Championship was held just a month later in Hungary. IN final match with Bulgaria (91:70) Ulyana brought the team 37 points.

In 1984, the USSR national team was preparing to compete at the Olympics in Los Angeles; she was much stronger than all the competitors. “I can’t put into words our disappointment when we learned about the boycott,” recalls Ulyana Larionovna. - For us it was the last chance to win the Olympic gold. The skill of the American women grew rapidly, and they would not have given us more victories ... ".

Then Lidia Alekseeva left the national team. She was replaced by the Dynamo Novosibirsk coach Leonid Yachmenev, who was negative towards Semenova. Ulyana was about to fly to the last training camp before the World Cup, when the national team doctor called her with the news that they were not taking the team. "How?! Just a week before the competition. This is my last championship and I want to play it!” I screamed into the phone. At that time, she was the best in points, free kicks, and ball rebounding. She took the situation as a serious insult, but still went to watch the competition. “When the Americans saw me and found out that I would not play, one of them jumped for joy: “That's it, we are champions!” She says bitterly.

The blow was cruel, but Ulyana, along with her TTT, brilliantly won the 1987 Lilian Ronchetti Cup in the final game with B.F. Deborah (B.F. Deborah, Milan). And in 1988, she was again invited to the USSR national team for the Olympics in Seoul. But she, offended, firmly refused.

In 1987, Ulyana became the first Soviet basketball player to leave under a contract abroad. With her arrival, the Tintoretto club in the Spanish championship moved from 12th place to 2nd, there were real chances to become champions. They literally prayed for Ulyana. But there was an unusually hard surface - concrete with linoleum, the repeatedly injured ankle could not stand it completely. I had to leave. “At the airport, they saw me off and cried, the president of the club said:“ You made everyone fall in love with you, ”she recalls. According to the results of a survey conducted at that time, the Spaniards named singer Sabrina and basketball player Semenova the most popular people in the country. After receiving treatment, she signed a contract in France, but after a few months she realized that due to injuries she still could not play.

She was inducted into the Springfield Hall of Fame in 1993, the Tennessee Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999, and the FIBA ​​Hall of Fame in Spain in 2007. She recalls: “In Tennessee, one basketball player came on stage, they ask her:“ What prevented you from becoming Olympic champion? She shows: “Yes, Ulya Semenova is sitting in the front row - she interfered!”

She played 18 years in the USSR national team and 22 years in TTT; played more than 5 thousand games, gaining 15 thousand points. The Russian Basketball Federation recognized Ulyana Semyonova as the best center of the 20th century. Vladimir Putin awarded her the Order of Friendship.

In 1988-1992, she was Vice-President of the Latvian NOC. Since 1991, she has been the chairman of the Latvian Olympic Social Fund, which helps former athletes in difficult situations. In 1996, she received a scholarship and disability allowance. Money for surgery hip joint brought together the national women's team, releasing a sports calendar - a nude photo shoot. But she doesn't give up. Youth Basketball Cup named after Ulyana Semenova is held in Riga. There is an exhibition “Basketball opened the way to the world for me”: awards won by the athlete and three famous rings presented at the introduction to the Basketball Hall of Fame; shoes, sportswear and a wax figure of Semyonova.

“Nature decreed that all my life I look down on people,” she says. But he loves simple things: the forest, picking and salting mushrooms according to my mother's recipes. She dresses in America, and in Latvia she is individually sewn clothes and shoes of the 58th size. She sews and knits beautifully herself, and together with the underwear brand New Rosme created her own collection, designed for the proportions of female basketball players. Single: “I was offered offers, but I refused: there were no strong feelings. Among the suitors were millionaires. But how could I leave, leaving my mother, relatives and my beloved country?

W.L. Semenova - Olympic champion (1976, 1980), world champion (1971, 1975, 1983), European champion (1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985), USSR champion (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984), silver medalist of the USSR championship (1974, 1978), winner of the Spartakiad of the peoples of the USSR (1971, 1975, 1979 1983), winner of the European Champions Cup (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982), winner of the Lilian Ronchetti Cup (1987) and the USSR Cup (1969), winner of the Universiade (1973) .

She played for the TTT teams (Riga, USSR) (1967-1987); Tintoretto (Spain) (1987-1988); Valenciennes Orchies (France) (1989).

Team player career: USSR Olympic team (1976, 1980); USSR national team (1968–1984); Latvian national team (1971, 1975,1979, 1983).

She was awarded the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, Friendship of Peoples, Friendship, Three Stars (the highest award in Latvia).

Member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Tennessee, FIBA ​​Hall of Fame in Spain. Included in the Guinness Book of Records. Recognized as the best center of the 20th century, the best Latvian basketball player of the 20th century.

Victoria Khesina, AiF: Ulyana Larionovna, why did the best center of the 20th century become not a coach, but an administrator after her career ended?

Ulyana Semyonova: I am very tired after 25 years in sports, when the national team, the club are on your shoulders all the time. There are no forces left. I simply could not become a coach, waste my nerves on someone. And now I have a job that I enjoy. I have been heading the Latvian Olympic Social Fund for 25 years. I care about former athletes, coaches - almost 200 people who need help. The state allocates money, I am looking for sponsors. We try to do something for everyone – some medicines, some surgery. Most of them are lonely, sitting at home all year round I come up with activities, put them together. In general, every day there is work, there is something to think about. And thank God it is. Because otherwise, everything. When I broke my leg and was on sick leave for 2 months, I thought I would go crazy because I couldn’t do anything. My friends told me so: “Ulya, you are still ahead of the crutch.”

- Was it that the Latvian women's basketball team undressed for filming in the calendar in order to transfer the proceeds to you for recovery after surgery?

- Not certainly in that way. The funds went to the basketball players who played in the Riga "TTT" (the most titled club in the USSR and Europe - Ed.), But still, since 58, many generations have passed through the team. And it was necessary to help - someone with an endoprosthesis, someone with teeth, someone with optics. Some amount went to me, but I could not spend too much on myself. After all, next to those with whom on the site was hand in hand. Am I going to take everything for myself, and nothing to them?!

- You played in Spain, in France. Was it possible to stay abroad?

- I was offered. But no. In Europe, I would be alone. I wouldn't be able to do that. Why live where there is no one to talk to? And here I am respected and loved. So many girls with whom we played together on the playground. To one - in a bathhouse, to the other - for a birthday. They come to me, they invite me to their place: “Ulya, come on, to us, to Moscow.” This is the kind of thing that only happens in team sports. I came with TTT to Sverdlovsk, Novosibirsk, and local girls unscrewed the backs of the bed in the hotel on arrival so that we could stretch our legs - the beds were short. They called me Lasta all the time. And we are so great together. Now, of course, it has become more and more difficult, visas are needed ... But we are still like one family. And I am very worried now for Russia, for what they arranged around this doping. I can imagine how painful it is when medals are taken away, suspended, boycotted. Why are politics mixed with sport again?! Enough of politics in 84, when we did not get to the Olympics in Los Angeles, but gold medal slipped past the nose.

On the podium are the team captains - winners and prize-winners of women's basketball competitions: Uliana Semenova (1st place) (center), Photo: RIA Novosti / Ulozevicius Audrius

- You were also invited into politics at one time, weren't you?

- Yes it was. But I looked at all this, listened and decided - not mine. Then I would have to, as I say, turn my fur coat on in a different way, to be hypocritical, to break myself. And I'm honest. And I am very glad that I had the sense not to poke my head into this matter.

- Have you ever regretted that all your life only sport, sport, sport?

- Of course, when they took me - a girl from the village to sports school in Riga, I could not even think how it would turn out. Actually, in my childhood I wanted to become a doctor, I imagined how I would wear a white coat, help people. But that, you know, is an illusion. Sports are in my blood. And our medals, victories - how many people experience such emotions? I still live in sports. At work, at home. I turn on the TV, stretch my legs and watch all the competitions - figure skaters, biathletes. I'm really interested in all this, you know?

Uliana Semyonova, 1980 Photo: RIA Novosti / Ulozevicius Audrius

- What is your most memorable match?

- Probably the final of the World Cup-83 in Brazil. We played with the Americans - our eternal rivals. Even before the match, we sat in the hotel and thought: if we lose, it’s better not to return home - it will be such a shame. And, oh, what happened there! We constantly got fouls, which never happened. Only they led 8 points, the referee points at me and again a foul. Quiet horror. It was clear that they wanted to sue. Then in the break our Alekseev's coach told the general secretary international federation basketball: "If we are judged like this, you will not be the general secretary." We stop getting fouls, after all, her words had weight, she - best coach peace. But we still lose one point. There are a few seconds left until the end and then Lena Chausova, my golden paw, throws the ball. The Americans are shocked, they realized that we were taking away the gold medals. And we weep with happiness, because there was such an injustice, so they tried to cut us down, and we turned out to be a head taller.

- But how did the best center of the country end up without a national team?

- 30 years have already passed, and it's hard for me to talk about it. The stone remained in the soul. Before the World Cup (1986), the coach was changed in the national team. They found the reason and removed Lidia Alekseeva, put Yachmenev. I already had a ticket to fly to Minsk for a training camp. And the team doctor calls: "Ulyasha, you are not in the team." My heart sank. Like this? I am the best in the Union in terms of points, in the selection of balls. Well, they say, that's how the State Committee decided, new coach said: "With me, Semyonova will not be in the team." I went to the competition as a spectator. The Americans saw me on the podium: “What are you doing here?”. I say: "I was expelled." They could not believe it, they joked: “That's it! Without you, we will definitely become champions here.” And so it happened. I couldn't come to my senses for six months. It was so embarrassing. 18 years plowed for the national team, so many medals. No one even said thank you, but the doctor was instructed to inform me that the team did not need me. Later, they called from the State Committee for Sports, called: "Ulya, come to the team, prepare for the Olympics in Seoul." I answered: “No, sorry, I don’t want to come back to you.” That's all. I don't even want to remember.

- Is the moment of inclusion in the Basketball Hall of Fame in the USA something that you want to remember? You became the first non-American basketball player to get there.

- I am in three Halls of Fame (laughs). In Europe, in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and in the very famous Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. For Americans, the one who is accepted there is a holy man. The American border guard, when he found out about the purpose of my visit to the United States, groaned and said: “Don’t show me your passport, I’ll let you in like that” (laughs). And to be honest, when I was just sent the documents for registration in the Hall, I simply did not understand what it was about. There are already medals from the World Championships, the Olympics, do I have any other honors?

And, I remember, they ask an American woman at the ceremony: “What prevented you from winning Olympic gold? And she points to me: “Here she is sitting, Semyonova.” And just between us, I was the smartest there. Gorgeous suit specially made. All the rest are kind of simple. It was embarrassing for me, really, I think, and you could not dress up (laughs).

- I read that you had a millionaire from Colombia as a fan.

- There were a lot of fans. From Spain, from Brazil. The Italians stood at the threshold of the hotels and waited for us to leave. We are the most beautiful team - the USSR national team. Or C-C-C-P, as they called us. And the millionaire appeared when the World Cup was held in Colombia, he was over 60 years old. And he invited me to a beauty salon, and to an atelier to make dresses, and filled me with flowers. Once I played the game badly, so Lidia Alekseeva said: “That's it, Ulyasha, stop getting flowers. This has a bad effect on the results” (laughs).

"Why didn't you get married?"

“Well, what about when I’m at home only one day a year?” What kind of man would honestly wait for me and everything else? I saw it, how girls who were married suffered, called, cried. Yes, I didn’t even have time to seriously think about it - player No. 1 in the national team, in the club. And I've always had a little doubt about men. Here I am tall, it would be nice to be smaller. What if he even wants to be with me only for my merits, I will finish playing and leave me. But I don't regret that it is. I'm not alone. There are always people around - and nephews, and they already have children who call me grandmother. There is someone to live for.

- And yet, how tall are you? On Wikipedia, they write - 218 cm.

Let them write what they want. How much I ate from them - both from ours and from foreign journalists. You know, I'm very reluctant to give interviews now. Somehow people from one channel came and said: “We want to make a film about you, you are such a great person.” And for two days they filmed me - at home, at work, I showed them my medals. A movie comes out, and the meaning is this: people tall- they are cripples, unfortunate invalids who find it hard to live. Friends call: "Ulya, what did they do to you in this film, horror." How worried I was! Why me like this? I'm a living person!

And those who are chasing sensations can visit the archive in Luzhniki, where we were measured then. I have 2.09. 2.10 - if I straighten up.

Soviet basketball player, multiple champion of the Olympic Games, world, Europe - Ulyana Semenova has a unique height - 210 cm (a rare case of non-pathological gigantism). Semenova herself is sure that growth even in basketball is not the main thing and the strength of our athletes is “in skill, cunning, and not in athleticism.”

Ulyana Semenova was born in 1952 in a small Latvian town in a family of Old Believers. She had a difficult childhood, because with a sick mother, all the housework fell on Ulyana's shoulders. Maybe that's why the girl developed such a strong character, which allowed her to play 50,000 games in various basketball clubs. In 1966, she ended up in a sports boarding school. Ulya was very upset by the separation from her loved ones and every week she tried to escape to her native Medum. Once the coach even took the fugitive from the train by force. “If it weren’t for him, maybe I wouldn’t have become famous,” Semenova later said. Then Ulyana was invited to the team of the legendary and invincible Riga TTT, and at the age of 16 she already played with might and main in the first team. The girl, despite her gigantism, did not suffer from the usual pathologies for such people and was quite dexterous and hardy. Since then, the orange ball has become her faithful companion and breadwinner. In 1968, the Russian team became the European champion - largely thanks to the young athlete. Coach A. Rakauskas speaks of his ward like this: “Passing under the shield, where Semenova is on duty, has no chance of success: rivals either end up under Semenova’s hands, or are driven away like annoying flies ... It’s completely impossible to play against Semenova in defense.” Followed by 20 years grueling workouts, triumphant victories, bitter disappointments. The fact is that in their native country, Russian basketball players were not particularly appreciated and they thought, they say, that's how it should be, they win - and well done. The winners, the 1976 Olympians in Montreal, were the subject of only a small final note in the central press. Four years later, the situation repeated itself in Moscow. No photos, no interviews, no cash prizes. In 1986, 2 weeks before the championship, the honored athlete was generally treated dishonorably. She was called by the doctor of the USSR national team, and not by an official, as expected, and said that she was no longer needed. Ulyana was stunned, because the USSR sports committee did not even thank her for her faithful service to the Soviet sport, to which Semenova gave her health (today she is a disabled person of the second group). After the fateful call, it took her several months to recover. Then she decided to go to work in clubs in Spain and France. But the native Goskomsport laid a paw on all her fees, laid down under a foreign contract. 45,000 dollars went into their bottomless bins, and the basketball player got only 400 dollars a month. Upon learning of this, the coach of the Spanish national team began to pay extra $ 500 from his own pocket so that the athlete could lead a decent life. Ulyana then wrote: “It was extremely insulting. Moreover, exactly then, abroad, I, already at the age of 35, received my first serious injury. After several years of successful performances in Spain and France, Ulyana was forced to leave the site due to injuries. Abroad, they appreciated her sporting exploits at their true worth. The name of Ulyana Semenova appears in two American basketball halls of fame - in Springfield (she was recognized as the best basketball player in Europe in 1993) and Knoxville (1999). Springfield even has an imprint of her sneakers on the Walk of Stars of Basketball. From the NBA Basketball Hall of Fame in the USA, she was presented with a memorable gift - a gold ring with a diamond, but it did not fit on the “non-lady's” fingers, and it had to be redone by the masters of the Riga jewelry factory. When Ulyana Semenova was asked in which country she, being an athlete, felt more love and respect, Ulyana replied that "only abroad and in her native Riga." She recalled how in Latvia the path from the plane ladder to the airport building was covered with flowers, and a brass band played. There was even a wax museum in Riga, where Semenova's double stood. But she still considers Russia her second home. At one time, she was offered fabulous contracts. But she refused, and played for the USSR national team, receiving 300 rubles a month. Her personal life did not work out either, although there were many serious marriage proposals. She refused all foreign suitors, even though she met rich people. All of them wanted to transport the girl to their country, but she did not want to leave the big sport, the Motherland. When Ulyana was 18 years old, even a millionaire from Colombia courted her. He sent flowers to hotels, paid for it in shops, beauty salons. But the millionaire was too old - he was 63 years old, and when he proposed to her, she thought: "Why do I need such an old millionaire?". And she refused. However, Ulyana has no regrets about her life. She is not alone and has many true friends all over the world. At present, in her homeland, in Riga, she has not stopped her active social life. She is a senator of the Olympic Academy and her day is scheduled to the minute. Semenova organized the Latvian Olympic Social Fund, the main purpose of which is to help former athletes. In 2008, she herself needed help for a major joint operation. Then the Latvian women's basketball team went on an unprecedented action - the athletes posed naked for the 2008 calendar. They transferred the proceeds to Semenova, but she spent only a small part on herself, and gave the rest to the fund for the rehabilitation of other athletes. She wrote about this action: “Of course, I am very grateful to our girls from the national team for their desire to help veteran basketball players. And why shouldn't they be naked? Look how pretty girls are - both faces and figures. And most importantly, they play well. Here is the biggest gift! The coordinator of the project, Menze, said that the photo on the calendar is not a banal nudity, but the desire to emphasize the beauty of the athlete's body. Indeed, the athletes in the black and white calendar "a la Pirelli" look amazing! Now Swallow (as her friends affectionately call her) is 60 years old. She is still active, does not miss a single broadcast of the current basketball competitions. Semenova believes that modern athletes, relying on the individual qualities of leaders, have ceased to be a team. As a result, chaos often reigns on the court, and the game does not look as good as before. Photo address:

The legendary basketball player, recognized by the Russian Basketball Federation as the best center of the 20th century, Uliana Semenova celebrated her 60th birthday. Two-time Olympic champion, three-time world champion, ten-time European champion, she is loved and in demand in her native Latvia and abroad. From the height of her unique height (2 meters 10 centimeters) and the years she lived, she appreciated the sports past.

Ulyana, first of all, please eliminate the contradictions about your name and place of birth: it seems that you are not Ulyana and were not born in Latvia, but in Lithuania?

My parents were Old Believers, at birth they named me Ulyana and I was supposed to be baptized as Juliana. But the father, when he wrote the name, instead of "n" wrote "k" - it turned out to be Iuliyaka. My parents are not very literate, they did not pay attention to this, until I suddenly noticed the mistake myself. When I was 16, I wanted to change my name. But everyone around began to dissuade: why, such an unusual name! Since then, when I present documents, everyone is surprised. Recently, a bank clerk asked: “Do you have the right name here?”

And with the place of birth turned out such a story. When it was time for mom to give birth, dad took her to the nearest maternity hospital - it was in Lithuanian Zarasai, while Latvian Daugavpils was 25 kilometers away. The father did not think about which republic the mother would give birth in, and it did not really matter. But it is interesting that this made itself felt many years later. The fact of my birth became the basis for the coach basketball team Lithuania issued a statement that I should speak for them.

Ulyana with her brother Semyon in the village (from Ulyana Semyonova's personal archive)
- Is your phenomenal growth a family thing?

My relatives are not tall: my father is 1.76, my brother is 1.78 ... Mom, however, said that her cousin was under 2 meters tall - maybe I’m into him. Already in the first grade, I stood first in physical education. At the age of 13, when I took up basketball, my height was 1.88. By the way, I never had higher than 2.10 - they exaggerated in the press. I remember the doctor measured my height and said: “Ulya, don’t raise your head, don’t do 2.12, don’t ascribe.” I am not at all the tallest among basketball players: I heard about girls with a height of 2.13, 2.16 and even higher. Of course, there were enough domestic inconveniences with such growth - all my life I went to hotels with screwdrivers to unscrew the headboards.

- How did you get into the sport? Is it an accident or did the Soviet talent search system work?

In principle, I was a trained girl, physically developed, because I grew up in the village, I went to school on foot 5 kilometers, and, of course, I had to help my parents around the house. There was no basketball section at school, but I went in for other sports - handball, volleyball, athletics, skiing. In those days, coaches traveled around the republic and selected promising guys. My sister's husband played a big role in my getting into basketball: being an athlete himself, he understood that I had good data, and at his prompting, coaches from Riga came to our house to persuade my parents to let me go to the capital, where I could seriously train. The first time I saw them, I ran into the forest. It was difficult to tear myself away from my mother's skirt, I could not imagine myself away from home. But still they persuaded me, and in 1965 I got into the world of basketball. Of course, I have a great height for basketball, but in order to achieve results, it is not enough. I didn’t want to be a bear on the court, who is only given the ball in his hands, and he puts it in the basket. I had to work very hard, training went on for six hours a day, I gave it my best - sometimes I lost 2.5-3 kilograms during training. At first I lived in a boarding school, where I finished the 7th and 8th grades. Of course, sometimes it was hard. Then she moved to the family of her sister and her husband. And three years later, as a promising athlete, they gave me an apartment, settled down comfortably.

Center Uliana Semenova was a key figure on the court, many game combinations kept on it
I quickly began to show results and already at the age of 14.5 I was playing for the USSR national team among juniors. And at 16 she entered the adult team of the Union. In total, she played 18 years in the national team, 22 years in the Latvian club team TTT.

- In the last one, you were the captain for many years, but in the national team you didn’t have to. Why?

I would have been chosen unanimously, but the coach Lidia Alekseeva did not want to. She had a principle: the little point guard was always the captain. Luda Bazarevich, Nadya Zakharova, Angela Rupshena… I always remember the national team warmly - the girls loved me very much, they knew that I would help out in difficult times. “Ulechka, Swallow, go to the playground, lifesaver! We need gold medals!” That's what they called me - Swallow. When the national team played, I was never allowed on the field in the first team. Alekseeva really didn’t like that everyone around was saying: “The USSR is Semenova’s team.” That's why she held me. But as soon as we were in the red, the command was distributed: “Ulya, undress!” It hurt me: they call when you need to catch up. But when the girls ran to me: “Lasta, Swallow, come on!” - they helped me to change clothes, I forgot everything and went to the playground. At the end sports day the girls used to gather in my room. When we lived at the training camp in Serebryany Bor, after dinner everyone sat with me: ha ha, hee hee ... The doctor goes from room to room to write down the procedures, but all the rooms are empty. “Well, it’s clear, they’re sitting with Ulyashi ...” I was a magnet in the team - I have such a nature, I like to have good relations with everyone.

In the status of a basketball star, Semyonova hands an autographed ball to maestro Raymond Pauls
And I was also a Komsomol organizer in the national team, but this position brought only a headache. I didn’t have time to fly to Moscow when they called me to the Central Committee of the Komsomol to tell me what meetings to hold, what topics to cover, how to analyze the party congresses and discuss Brezhnev’s books “Virgin Soil” and “Small Land”. Everyone rests after training, and I prepare for political information - I study the press. Inspectors came to see how Komsomol work was being done. It would be better to teach instead foreign languages- We went abroad. But no, it was not allowed! The girls taught on the sly in order to somehow communicate with foreigners. And so they pretended that we did not speak languages. As soon as there were competitions abroad, especially in countries such as China, Japan, the USA, I was called to the carpet. “You are our leading player. Firstly, we only need a victory, you must lead the team. And secondly, only you give interviews. This cannot be said, this is also ... "I ask again:" Wait, what language will I speak? I have a smart translator - he knows better what to translate and what is not necessary ... ”The translators were not easy, everyone was in uniform. In general, it was the hardest work for me to give interviews, it was probably better to move stones. I remember that before the Moscow Olympics, American television crews came to make a film about famous Soviet athletes. They rushed to my house. And we couldn't say that we professional athletes and we get paid for it. We could only be lovers. So I told you: I graduated from a sports institute, I work as a coach, after classes I go to train. The journalist asks: “Well, you have carpets at home, a color TV. Where?" I answer: “I can afford it. When we win the World Championship, the European Championship, we are entitled to a reward.”

When Latvia became independent, I remember there was a big press conference. Let's bombard journalists with questions: "Ulya, tell me how you are doing now?" “Oh,” I answer, “now I can tell you anything!” Journalists laugh: “Yes, we knew before that you are professional athletes, but you have never split!”

The time was difficult not only in sports. In 1984, they were preparing, preparing for the Olympics, and suddenly - a boycott! For us it was the last chance to win the Olympic gold. The skill of the American women grew very quickly, and they would not have given us more victory. But it was not destined to happen. However, I already have enough medals.

- With unsportsmanlike behavior on sports ground frequently met?

In those sports where there are no electronic scoreboards that record the results - for example, as in athletics, is a common thing! Where there are judges on the court, there can always be a mistake, often intentional. How many cases! For example, at the World Championships in 1983 in Sao Paulo. At all world championships, our main rivals were Americans. And all of our main team in the first half of the game received 3-4 fouls, which were not in sight. I remember I got the ball, and a mulatto, number 10, sat on me, I gave a pass, ours went ahead, scored, and the referee whistles - the goal is not counted - and points at me - foul! My eyes darkened with indignation! Only escaped 6-7 points ahead! During the break, coach Alekseeva approached the FIBA ​​Secretary General and said as she cut him off: “If you judge like that, you will no longer be a secretary.” He spoke to the judges and they became softer. After all, it was clearly a task - to sue!

Yes, and in domestic competitions there were enough of such things! I sometimes freaked out, told the judges: “You are arguing, you are not letting me play basketball. If so, you will go to the USSR national team instead of me, but I won’t go again! In general, I played correctly, although they tried to put me out of action in a variety of ways: they beat me and pinched me. The legs were crushed so that the nails turned black. I even ordered shoes a size larger so that my feet got less.

- What qualities are important for a basketball player? Well, apart from being tall, of course...

You need talent and for the head to work well. After all, decisions have to be made in a split second, to think quickly. You know, I noticed that in the American team, at least before, the point guard was always a white athlete. Because dark-skinned people have good physics, they are strong, but white-skinned people think better. They may not be so good at throwing balls and running, but they have better possession of the ball in the process of drawing. In women's sports, not power moves, but tactics are especially important.

- Did someone have to use cunning tactics to get into the Union team?

In the national team, of course, there was fierce competition - there was a queue of people who wanted to play in it. But those who were selected had to work up a sweat. I remember that we lived in Sukhumi at the training camp, where even in the evening the heat was 30 degrees. And you need to cut 20 laps around the stadium - and this is just a warm-up! We called the general physical training sessions “hot shop”. They tolerated it, because getting into the national team meant international competitions and travel abroad. Although it is now that athletes under contracts receive millions, and we left with practically no money. They flew to America for 20 days and received 20 dollars. And they were glad! I have always loved music - with this money I bought records for myself, at least one, for example, the Beatles. I still have a collection of sixty records. And, of course, they bought fashion magazines. I was returning - my friends and girlfriends were already waiting for me, they knew what I would bring, we would analyze the new items.

- It is quite difficult for you to choose clothes. How was this problem solved?

With my parameters, it was possible to dress only in America - there are many large stores there. Here, basically, the dressmaker sewed for me. After all, not everything in sportswear walking, there were receptions at the highest level. For example, I am the only Latvian athlete who has three orders: the Order of Friendship of Peoples, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of Lenin. And all of them were handed over to me in Moscow in a solemn atmosphere. In independent Latvia in 1994 I also received the highest award - the Order of the Three Stars. And a year earlier, a letter unexpectedly arrived from America - draw up paperwork to be accepted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. The ceremony was very solemn. Each of the participants was brought in a separate limousine, then a walk along the red carpet. The escort helped me get out of the car, I took his arm - let's go, and everything floats before my eyes, and one thought: just not to fall. I’m standing at a buffet table and suddenly I understand: nature has decreed that all my life I have been looking down on people, and here, perhaps for the first time, I found myself among men who are taller than me. It was so unusual! Americans, of course, know how to organize celebrations - this is unforgettable! In 1999, I was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. American athletes don't dress up very much, and I was in a dress and looked like a queen among them. One basketball player stepped onto the stage, they ask her: “What prevented you from becoming an Olympic champion?” She points at me: “Yes, Ulya Semenova is sitting here in the front row - that’s who prevented me!”

During his visit to Riga, IOC President Jacques Rogge presented Ulyana Semyonova with a commemorative badge of the Olympic Committee
America loves me. I remember that in 2002 I was invited to another event, and my passport was expiring. They raised everyone to their feet, quickly made a new passport. I arrive in New York and at the control I give two passports, I explain: here is a new one, here is an old one, but here is a visa for 10 years. The border guard's eyes widened: “Why do you need two passports? I would have let you in without a passport and without a visa!” For them, people entering the Hall of Fame are something special. They recognized me on the streets, they approached me: Semjonova, Semjonova!

- In the Union you were also valued?

I have some resentment Soviet Union- for how it had to be completed sports career in the team. It was in 1986, I was preparing for the World Championships in Moscow. In the process of preparation, the national team coach changed: Lidia Alekseeva was removed and Yachmenev was appointed from Dynamo Novosibirsk. And our TTT in the USSR championship has always been the main competitor of Dynamo. We are the first, they are the second, and they could not manage to overtake us. For obvious reasons, Yachmenev did not like me. And when he was appointed, he immediately said: "Semenova will not be in the team." And I already bought a ticket for a plane to Moscow, the last fees remained. And suddenly the national team doctor calls and says: “Ulyasha, such a thing, the coach has changed. You don’t get into the squad ... ”I was shocked. At that time, in the USSR Championship, I was the best in points, the best in free throws, and the best in rebounding. And with such indicators, they did not take me to the national team! I went to take a ticket to the sports committee - they do not understand anything, in the eyes of a dumb question. I answer: "Call Moscow for an explanation." The representative of the State Committee for Sports tried to persuade me, he didn’t give me rest for two weeks: “Ulya, go to the training camp ...” I said: “No, thank you. I played in the national team of the Union for 18 years, and you kicked me.” At least they thanked us, presented a bouquet of flowers - it seems to me that this is how you need to see off the players. Nothing like this! They gave the task to the doctor to notify me ... Even now it is unpleasant for me to remember this. In general, at that time I went to watch the competition as a spectator - probably for the first time in my life in such an unusual role for myself. The Americans saw me, came up to talk, and when they found out that I would not play, one of them jumped for joy: “That's it, we are champions!” Of course, many sympathized. The Czech coach approached: “Yes, you always have a little something in Russia - the coach starts throwing players away ... Oh, if it were possible, they would take you away, they would play for us!” For three months I could not come to my senses, I was even shaking. Our then took second place - and then with great difficulty. The Americans still became the first!

- You left the national team, but did not leave big sport…

After that, she still played TTT. And in 1987 she became the first sign - the first Soviet athlete who went abroad under a contract. I don't know why it happened. Played a role and the beginning of perestroika. When I began to seriously express my desire to play abroad, the State Sports Committee said: there is one place ... In general, through some of its channels, Moscow offered me Spain. How, what, what - no one knew the details. But everyone around me supported me: “That's right, Ulya, well done, come on!” I signed a contract and left to play for the Tintoretto club. With my arrival, the team has made great progress: in the championship of Spain it moved from 12th to 2nd place. It was a sensation, everyone was terribly happy. We had excellent chances to become champions of Spain. I do not want to take credit for myself, because one player in the field is not a warrior, but sometimes he can turn the tide. You could say they were praying for me there. But it all ended in one moment. I used to play on a wooden floor, on parquet. And the Spaniards have concrete covered with linoleum. Now this coating has been abandoned, it is too hard. And then it was unusual, of course, it was, but I tried not to pay attention. And suddenly Achilles fell ill on the left leg. I thought I pulled during the morning cross. But suddenly, in training, as I remember now, on January 2, I jump, go down - and that's it, the ankle flew, the bone broke off. At first, she did not realize the seriousness of the injury, she still continued to play, then this bone was shattered into eight pieces. This injury forced him to leave the sport. At the airport, they saw me off and cried, the president of the club said: “You made everyone fall in love with you. How many Americans played with us, but there were no such warm relations. I myself was upset when I left: I spent these few months in Spain like in a fairy tale, I understood what it means to live and train in decent conditions. But I already knew that I would not return.

By the way, under the contract for the time of work in Spain, I was entitled to a decent amount, but Moscow took the money and sent only 400 dollars. I was paid for housing, but it was very difficult to live on this money - at that time, unemployment benefits were about the same. But I'm a woman, in addition to food, I need to buy perfume, some cosmetics, and clothes. I went, they say, to earn money. As a result, she returned to her homeland with zero in her wallet. True, the Spaniards gave me a video camera. But even that Moscow wanted to take away: I had the right to accept gifts only no more than $ 50, and if more, I had to hand it over to the Soviet embassy. Anything happened ... Familiar tennis players said: they were going to go to Switzerland for a tournament, knowing in advance the amount for the performance, and Soviet officials had already left ahead and took the money into their hands. Abroad, when they understood this system, they stopped giving money to officials, they said: “We will pay off the athletes ourselves.”

And when, upon my return from Spain, I made a scandal because of lost fees, athletes from all sports called me: “Hold on, we support you!” Basically, I set a precedent. It was hard, I thought I could not stand it. But, probably, among other things, it also made me strong, I got a good hardening. Both on the court and in life.

They said about Soviet sports that victory at any cost was important in it, and therefore they experimented on athletes.

Heard about it. Now this is done even more often, because modern medicine provides a lot of opportunities. But when I was in basketball, it was strict about doping: at the European, World and Olympic Games our coach forbade us even to drink Coca-Cola - suddenly they find increased caffeine. If the head hurts - only through the trainer the doctor gave a pill. We didn't need doping. We were a head or two taller and stronger than the rest. So why unnecessary problems? In other sports - yes, we knew what they were using. In rowing, in athletics, in weightlifting. Some were given conditions: if you don’t take doping, you won’t get into the national team. Many went for it voluntarily. If someone says that he did not know - this is cunning, this does not happen.

- Coaches controlled personal life - marriages, the birth of children?

Of course, if an athlete fell in love, it is immediately felt - it becomes soft, lyrical. To one, I remember, her boyfriend came to the European Championship in Hungary. We play the next day, and she is a complete zero. As for the birth of children, an athlete can plan in individual sports, but in team sports they will find a replacement for you, and that’s it. So everyone decides for themselves. Many of our girls were married. Sasha Ovchinnikova, for example, married Sasha Belov. She is under 1.90, very pretty, he is 2 meters, they were a beautiful couple. Unfortunately, he passed away early.

Of course, I also had fans, among them very wealthy foreigners. But, firstly, the question of my moving abroad was often raised, which is unacceptable for me. And secondly, I was not very sure that it was I who was needed, and not the famous athlete Uliana Semenova. In general, I think: is it really necessary, this personal life? I know many family people whose lives are far from happy. But fate gave me much more. I am not alone - I do not have time to respond to all the invitations that come to me. So I can’t call myself a failure in this sense.

- Did you know what you would do at the end of your sports career?

I finally left big sport in 1989 - after Spain I also signed a contract in France, but after a few months I realized that I couldn’t play because of an injury, I broke the contract ... The Latvian state helped me - they had an expensive operation, they assigned a personal pension. There is no need to complain.

Ulyana's favorite hobby is picking mushrooms. But even in this she loves to win - she must certainly score more than her friends ...
Called into politics. I only had time to deny: they say, not ready. In 1994, after all, I was elected to the Riga Duma from the Latvijas Celsh party, but I was not elected, and I ... was delighted. Then many acquaintances confessed: “Ulechka, we were afraid of losing you, so we didn’t vote for you!” If I were chosen, I would have to break myself a lot. I played sports honestly, and political games- that's not mine. I didn't want to be a coach either. By that time, I was tired of both basketball and sports. Nerves were on edge. Since the early 1990s, I have been working social fund Latvian Olympic Committee. At first I felt strange: after all, they always took care of me, and then suddenly I'm busy. At first I had 30 wards, then it became 50, then 80, now there are 180 of them - former Latvian athletes who need help. Since 2000, our fund has been paying Olympic champions 200 lats per month (about 12 thousand rubles. - "Results") - this is not bad. Once, the former president of the country, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, told me: “You have a difficult job, Ulya.” But I have no way back - only forward.

- Do you regret that you have devoted your life to sports?

Not at all. True, sometimes they tell me: in the current conditions, you would be a millionaire! Well, yes, I would be rich. But there are always two sides of the coin. My wealth in the soul and in my friends and relatives - this can not be taken away. I have traveled half the world. I have been in Italy forty times, in America - twenty-five times, I know Paris better than Old Riga. I’d rather go somewhere in Latvia or go picking mushrooms - I really love this business ...