http://en.armpower.net/article/en/the-man-who-changes-reality-3494.html

Vadim, tell us, why armwrestling?

At the beginning, it was just to try myself. My first losses pushed me to work harder. I wanted to see how far I could go. I won silver at the WC’s in 2010 (in disabled class). I received the title of Master of Sports.

You had a good armwrestling career. Why did you leave?

I had to combine armwrestling with athletics. A moment came when this became impossible. After I won the Russian athletics championships I quit the table. But I will return. I’m sure that by 2024 armwrestling might become a Paralympic sport. I will return when the time comes and I’ll fight for pleasure. Everywhere!

What is armwrestling to you, when you’ve switched to athletics?

Armwrestling is my hobby. I feel pleasure when I fight. I still spar, train, I help other people train too. Also, armwrestling develops speed and strength of nerve impulses, which is an important factor in athletics. This sport helped me understand my body, it changed the way I train. I became more resilient, which is very important with pumped muscles.

What is your current point of orientation in your sports career?

I once saw a movie where Michael Powell made the world record in far jumps (8.95 m). I saw that and got fired up, I wanted to start, make progress and win. In 2012 I bought a running prosthesis, thanks to it my trainings got more effective and comfortable. I want to get to 7,70 m and qualify for Russian championships, regular class. And them win at WC’s and the Paralympics!

Vadim quit armwrestling for Olympic sports. But as Alexey Voevoda said – armwrestling is a sect, you cannot free yourself entirely. Alexey also quit the table and migrated to bobsledding. Now he speaks of his return more and more often. Who knows, maybe Vadim will have a success like Alexey – win Olympic gold and return to the “sect”.

Artur Grigorian