The Russian sambists Diana and Sergey Ryabov have five world titles, two golds of the European Games and one son David! The two champions gave interview to FIAS website about how thei started a family.
“I Can’t Stand This Anymore”
For some time, Sergey performed in judo, and that year he almost entirely spent on-the-go, those unending training camps, you know. It happened when he came back from a camp where he had spent a month and a half. In the evening, we just went out shopping together, and then all of a sudden he said: “Okay, I can’t stand it anymore.” And gave me a ring. Apparently, he had bought it in Sochi, kept it in his pocket all day and so spontaneously made his proposal. He said that it was no good that I was sitting alone and waiting for him back from training camps, that I’d better wait for him in the position of his wife. By that time, we had already lived together for several months, and I moved to Moscow for his sake, so, of course, I immediately agreed.
Now he practically does not perform in judo, we are both engaged in SAMBO, so most often we go to the training camps together. Very rarely, maybe once or twice a year, training events are held separately, and then we part for a couple of weeks. At a training camp, we stay in different rooms, but such separation is not a burden for us, as we are practically always together. And even when he was doing judo, I was tolerant of this, I realized that it was sports, I did not make scenes out of this. I just waited, be it for three weeks, or for a month.
We’ve been practicing in the same group for five years, but there’s no special relation to the fact that we are a couple; being professionals, we are just focused on our training and work. As new female members have joined our team, we’ve got a lot of new couples now (laughs). I can say that we were pioneers, and there are new love stories taking shape out there. Yes, it’s even better when you are together, it’s very convenient — you go together to work and back from work.
Like any other family, we have tiffs and make peace. No, of course, we do not solve controversial issues in sparring, we have enough sparring at work (laughs). On the contrary, if we quarrel, then the silence falls all around. Secrets of a dependable family? Love, mutual understanding, shared goals. Even if the spouses are in different professions, they always have some goal that they work towards and try to overcome problems on their way.
“I Worried For Him More Than For My Own Self”
In one of her interview, Diana has mentioned that she is much more worried as she watches her husband’s performances rather than when she competes herself. Indeed, at this moment you can’t help your loved one in any way, you just have to root for them.
I well remember those competitions that made me upset most. I just gave birth to our son, he was about a month old, and Sergey was fighting at the World Championships in Sofia and took the second place. I was not able to join him at the tournament, although I usually attend such major events, but that time my baby and I stayed home. His defeat was a real nuisance, but at that moment I couldn’t even be there to support him, so yes, I was really worried. It seems to me that at that time I was even more upset than Sergei, he reacted to this much easier.
