Valery Kharlamov was called a diamond among diamonds in the hockey world of Russian hockey. But next to the success of his life tragedies took place. He died early, he left two children - Alexander and Begonita. How did they have a fate after the death of their parents?
The greatest hockey player of the Soviet era, multiple holder of the title of World Champion, having membership in two halls of fame at once - the NHL and IIHF. He died at the very peak of his career with his wife. Where and with whom did the children of Valery Kharlamov live after his death? Where can I find photos of Alexander and Begonita Kharlamovs?
Who is Valery Kharlamov - biography and career
The future hockey player was born in an ordinary working-class family, near the town of Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Region, in mid-January 1948. The boy’s parents worked at the Kommunar plant - dad was a test fitter, and mom was a revolving turner.
Valeria was brought to hockey by his father. Boris Kharlamov was a member of the factory hockey team for many years, and his son did not miss any of his training and games. And it was his father, and secretly from his mother, who brought Valery at the age of 14 to the CSKA children’s team.
That the boy is talented, the coaches realized immediately. Just a few years later he was redirected to the youth team, and then to the adult. The only drawback of the young athlete was his height - 173 cm, which is very small for a hockey player. But this nuance did not become an obstacle to the career growth of Valery Borisovich.
In 1968, the legendary Soviet hockey “troika” took shape - Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov. They brought many victories to their country, became a real thunderstorm for rivals from any country. Everything turned upside down after a terrible accident in 1976 - Valery Borisovich received serious injuries, recovered for a long time, but managed to re-enter the ice.
Kharlamov scored his last goal in 1981. He planned to end his career, devote himself to coaching, prepare new hockey stars. Unfortunately, these plans were not destined to come true. The great athlete died.
The death of Valery Kharlamov - myths and truth
Valery Borisovich devoted his entire youth to sports, he simply had no time for novels, and he married quite late - already at the age of 27. He met his wife at one of the holidays in honor of the victory of the national team, in a Moscow restaurant. Almost immediately after they met, Valery and Irina (nee Smirnov) began to live together, and then they signed.
The children of the Kharlamovs were born one after another - first, son Alexander, then daughter Begonit. But the couple seemed to be chased by "evil rock". In 1976, the first car accident occurred. Valery was driving the car. The car could not be restored, both spouses were seriously injured, but survived.
After 5 years, a second accident occurred, and again, like the first, on the Leningrad highway. This time, Irina Kharlamova was driving, except for her and her husband in the car there was also a cousin of the woman. "Volga" literally flew under the truck. The men died immediately, Irina died a few hours later in the hospital.
So the life of the best Soviet hockey player was cut short. The children of the Kharlamov couple stayed with their grandmother, they were actively helped by friends and fans of the legendary father. Both Alexander and Begonita tried their hand at sports.
Son of Valery Kharlamov Alexander - photo
When the parents died, little Sasha was only 6 years old. The grandmother took up the upbringing of the boy and his sister. The children constantly lived with Nina Vasilievna Smirnova, but their father’s mother also took an active part in their lives. In addition to them, a kind of patronage over the children was undertaken by the friends of the father - Fetisov, Kasatonov and Krutov. It was they who brought Alexander Kharlamov into sports - he became a professional hockey player, played at number 17, who was entrusted to him in memory of his father. In 1999, Alexander Kharlamov was invited to the American hockey team, for which he played for several years.
In the mid-2000s, Alexander Valerievich ended his sports career, headed the executive committee of the Trade Union of Hockey Players and Coaches, took up coaching on the basis of the Vityaz Club. Since 2012, Kharlamov Jr. took the post of deputy sports director of CSKA.
Unlike his father, Alexander married quite early - at 22 years old. The wife of Kharlamov was a certain Vika, whom his friends introduced him to at a party. A year after the wedding, in 1998, the couple had a son, who was named in honor of the legendary grandfather - Valery. The boy does not show interest in sports, is fond of music, he graduated from a specialized educational institution, plays the guitar perfectly.
