Just a few days ago (09.02.12) our journalist visited Andrey Pushkar in his hometown Kremenec, in Ukraine 150km away from the Polish border. The first mentions of the town, inhabited by twenty thousand people, appeared in 12th century. It is not hard to find our competitor there at all. His photos are even in billboards, he is so popular here.

Andrey lives in a house which whole ground floor is a gym. First he took me to a room of his father Anatoly Pushkar who died tragically in 2008. Among all the remembrances of him, the most exposed one is a Ukrainian Honoured Trainer card. Mr Anatoly Pushkar did not manage to receive it personally. He was welcomed to the elitist group of the Ukrainian Honoured Trainers three month before he died. He dreamt of the title for all his training career. He brought up many players, Champions, including his son. He was a World vice Champion 2007 of the masters class. After Father and Trainer’s death his son received the diploma and placed it on the most important place between the family remembrances.

How does Andrey Pushkar’s gym look like? Like a “packing up place”, a “forge”, a place for people who really want to work and not to pose for photos.

But look at the photos – that’s how the Champions train!

Soon, in a week Andrey will re-equip his gym, that was built up with additional 80meters. The equipment of MAZURENKO EQUIPMENT will arrive from Poland, tested by Pushkar while training in Gdynia.

Now about a hundred future armwrestling champions train in  Pushkar’s club. And all began in 90s. Teenage Pushkar wanted to take up bodybuilding, but he fall in love with Armwrestling. His father and trainer bought some equipment and that’s how it had began. The first “learner” was a teenage neighbour. Andrey’s success and his father’s training skills made the number of exercised increase and even burst the room. So the garage was also disposed as a training room. Today quite a large group of players both beginner and advanced ones train here, and there will be a possibility to write about some of the for sure.

Andrey Pushkar drew conclusions from his defeat in Las Vegas and is working hard on his form. He was pleased by the news that his next fight is already planned to take place in June in Las Vegas. His opponent will (it figures) Devon Larratt and the fight for the World Champion Belt will take place on left hand.

„When I was leasing Kremenec, I saw a giant billboard in the centre, near a beautiful Jesuit cathedral and I again realized how popular armwrestling is in Ukraine, how Pushkar the Champion is admired here. The sign stated – “The Pride of Our Town”. Having such fans in his neighbourhood, Andrey has a motivation to fight! – said our journalist - Igor Mazurenko

PeSzy