The famous Russian athlete Laysan Utyasheva, whose biography will be described in this article, is known throughout the world as an excellent gymnast who has accumulated a whole arsenal of awards of various calibers. Despite the fact that she is only 31 years old, she is an Honored Athlete of the Russian Federation and a Master of Sports in rhythmic gymnastics. Among her most significant awards is the title of world champion, and she also has many gold medals at European championships. Surely everyone who hears her name becomes interested in where Laysan Utyasheva comes from. Nationality, biography and other details of her life will be revealed in our story especially for you.
Today she is known not only as an athlete, but also as a popular TV presenter. There is one more detail of her life that increases her attractiveness in the eyes of her compatriots: Laysan is the wife and mother of the children of the famous showman Pavel Volya. Surely you didn’t know that his wife is Laysan Utyasheva. The biography (Pavel, as you know, usually hides his personal life behind seven locks, but how can one not boast about the birth of heirs?!) of the young family began in 2012. Since then they have lived amicably and happily.
Coming to the gym
Almost all champions in this sport say that they started training from early childhood. At what age did Laysan Utyasheva start doing rhythmic gymnastics? Her biography includes a very interesting story. One day in Volgograd, 4-year-old Laysan stood in line with her parents. Out of boredom, she began to do all sorts of tricks. Standing in line was Nadezhda Kasyanova, a well-known rhythmic gymnastics coach in the city. She immediately noticed the baby’s extraordinary flexibility and invited her parents to bring her to the gymnastics school and even wrote down the address. Zulfiya, Laysan’s mother, had long noticed her daughter’s extraordinary flexibility and dreamed of sending her to a ballet school, so she reluctantly accepted the invitation from Kasyanova. However, the little mischief-maker kept asking to be taken to the named school, and her parents gave in. After the first training session it was already difficult to get her out of there. So Laysan began attending the rhythmic gymnastics section.
Work days
The parents thought that by the time school started they would persuade their daughter to leave gymnastics, but that was not the case. She did not agree and simply raved about this sport. The girl did not miss a single competition that was broadcast on sports channels. And already at the age of 5 she announced to her mom and dad that she would become a world champion. Her mother said that intensive classes might affect her performance at school and was very strict with her. However, the girl did not give up. She gave up children's games and entertainment - she either prepared homework or worked out in the gym. Parents did not expect such perseverance and endurance from their child. The lessons were not particularly easy for her, but she spent hours fiddling with them so as not to anger her mother.
Life of Laysan Utyasheva after sports: television, books
In 2006, Laysan Utyasheva made a difficult decision and left the sport. She had no other choice, because otherwise the girl simply would not be able to walk. However, the gymnast still remained famous. Moreover, its popularity has grown exponentially. Many television producers approached her with various offers. Thus, Laysan Utyasheva became a TV presenter of various programs. Among them are “Main Road”, “Fitness with the Stars”, “Personal Trainer”, “NTV in the Morning” and others.
In 2007, the artist was approached with an unusual request. She was offered to become a soloist in the ballet “Bolero” on the stage of the New Opera Theater. The girl agreed. After that, she was offered serious promising contracts in large companies. Among them are an automobile and sports company. Soon the former athlete starred in various commercials, and in London she commented on the Olympics.
In August 2008, Utyasheva wrote the autobiographical novel “Unbroken.” In the book, the girl talked about sports injuries, her difficult life path and self-confidence.
First victories
At the age of 10, she took part in a serious competition for the first time and received her first monetary fee. With this money she bought a robe for her mother, and she kept it carefully until the end of her days. Every time she was in the hall, my mother felt proud when her daughter’s name was displayed on the board - Laysan Utyasheva! The girl’s biography during her childhood and adolescence was almost entirely connected with gymnastics. By the age of 9, she changed coaches. Now Tatyana Sorokina began to study with her. At the age of 12, already having extensive experience in participating in district, city, regional, and international competitions, Laysan persuaded her family to move to Moscow to take up sports more thoroughly. By that time, her parents had separated, and only her mother, her main inspirer and “commander,” as her daughter liked to call her, went with the girl to the capital. In Moscow, Laysan began training under the guidance of Alla Yanina, and then Oksana Skaldina. In 1999, 14-year-old Laysan Utyasheva, whose biography is presented to you in our review, received the title of Master of Sports. From that moment on, her ascent to the pinnacle of fame began. After fame came to her, the girl said more than once that from childhood she was taught to be first in everything and always try to get ahead of everyone.
Carier start
Laysan started doing gymnastics regularly.
As a child, she had no other hobbies. After school, she immediately ran to training and studied even more than the allotted time. It was then that the girl told her mother that she would definitely become a famous gymnast, win many victories and become an Olympic champion. Laysan won her first award at the age of 10 and used her first money to buy her mother a robe, which she kept for the rest of her life.
Some time later, in 1997, the Utyashev family moved to the capital to further develop their daughter’s talent. It was from this moment that the athlete’s career took off rapidly. In 1999, Laysan Utyasheva became a master of sports. And by the beginning of the 2000s, she had already managed to win many victories not only at the Russian, but also at the international level.
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But rewards also have a downside. After each workout, the girl was tormented by severe pain in her legs, which did not allow her to sleep normally. Therefore, every evening the gymnast’s mother, Zulfiya Utyasheva, rubbed her feet with special ointments so that the pain would subside.
By the mid-90s, Utyasheva had a new coach, who immediately did not like the girl’s figure. A nutrition program aimed at losing weight was drawn up especially for the athlete, which the girl strictly followed. It even got to the point where the gymnast was starving. Soon this lifestyle led her to a nervous breakdown. Psychologists helped me get out of this state.
The athlete did not give up, she continued to train under the guidance of coaches Irina Viner and Vera Shatalina and participate in competitions. However, in 2002, a big problem occurred at one of the tournaments. During the jump, the girl landed unsuccessfully on her foot, which caused severe pain.
After several examinations, nothing was found in the gymnast Laysan Utyasheva, and many media outlets began to suspect the girl of simulation. However, the pain haunted the young gymnast. The trainers decided not to risk her health and sent Laysan for examination abroad, where doctors discovered several serious fractures in her foot.
The decision was made to have surgery immediately. The gymnast's further career was jeopardized. But there was also a more important question: whether Laysan would be able to walk at all after the operation.
Fortunately, the girl was able to survive all the difficulties. And after 2 years she returned to training again. But not for long. The pain returned periodically, and Laysan, after consulting with her coach and family, decided to leave the sport.
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After this, the girl fell into a deep depression. As a result, she began to eat a lot while lying on the couch. She was not interested in anything, she was immersed in her own thoughts. This continued until she was invited to a social party. The girl refused because of her “imperfect” figure. The extra pounds and abandoned workouts were obvious.
Then Laysan decided to take charge of herself. She found a notebook where the entire weight loss program was written down, according to which she built her figure as a teenager.
Champion's Path
In 2000, a tournament was held in Moscow in memory of the legendary gymnast Oksana Kostina. Laysan became the silver medalist of this competition. Over the next two years she made great progress, one victory after another. So, in the fall of 2001, she became the absolute champion in all 6 disciplines at the World Cup, which was held in Berlin, and some time later - the gold medalist of the World Championships in Spain. After this, the 16-year-old athlete received the title of international master of sports. Since then, she has become recognizable all over the world, especially among athletes and sports fans. In addition to her talent as a gymnast, the girl had a magnificent appearance, and this attracted the attention of millions of fans around the world. Naturally, many were interested in the question of whether Laysan Utyasheva was free. At the insistence of strict trainers, her biography and personal life were always kept in the strictest secrecy. She knew very well that at this stage she could not have any romances. At the end of 2001, according to several popular publications, it was recognized as the discovery of the year. Everyone said that she would be a worthy successor to another beautiful athlete from the Russian national team - Alina Kabaeva.
Laysan Utyasheva
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Russian athlete, Honored Master of Sports in rhythmic gymnastics, multiple winner of Russian and international competitions, world champion, six-time European champion, European champion in the team competition (2002), winner of the 2001/02 World Cup, winner of the Youth Games of the CIS and Baltic countries 2002. The family of the future sports star was very intelligent, father Albert worked as a historian, and mother Zulfiya was a librarian. An explosive mixture of blood from different nations flows in Laysan’s veins. She is half Bashkir, and her ancestors also included Poles, Tatars and Russians.
In 1989, the Utyashev family moved to Volgograd. The mother planned to send her daughter to a ballet school, but one day, in a grocery store line, Laysan was noticed by gymnastics coach Nadezhda Kasyanova, who was amazed at the extraordinary flexibility of the four-year-old girl’s joints. So she started playing sports. In 2000, she won the silver medal at the Oksana Kostina memorial tournament. The athlete's most significant victories occurred in 2001 and 2002. In September 2001, Laysan became the absolute winner in all six disciplines at the World Cup in Berlin, and in October of the same year she won gold at the World Championships in Madrid in the team competition[5]. The athlete was awarded the title of international master of sports.
In 2002, Utyasheva began training under the guidance of Vera Shatalina and Irina Viner. At this time, she took second place at the Slovenian international tournament and became a prize-winner at the youth games held in Moscow. In the fall of the same year, an unpleasant situation occurred that led to tragic consequences. During her performances in Samara, Laysan landed unsuccessfully on poorly prepared mats, which is why she injured her foot.
Despite the fact that the gymnast suffered from pain in her leg and periodically consulted doctors, examinations did not reveal any injuries. Utyasheva continued training and performing, and her complaints of pain provided additional food for gossip from envious people who believed that she was faking an illness. In December 2002, the girl underwent a detailed examination in one of the best clinics in Germany, where she was diagnosed with “multiple leg bone fractures.” In addition, the healthy leg also suffered greatly, since it bore all the load during training. The question arose not only about whether Laysan would be able to play sports, but also whether she would walk. It would seem that there is no hope. But the gymnast did not give up and trusted eminent domestic surgeons, who performed a complex operation that put her back on her feet. Already in 2004, Laysan Utyasheva returned to big-time sports. She competed as a member of the Russian national team, won prizes at international tournaments and was going to take part in the Beijing Olympics. But the injury she suffered made itself felt, and Laysan made the difficult decision to leave the sport.
After completing her career, Utyasheva became the co-host of the “Main Road” program on the NTV channel, and hosts a morning broadcast on the same channel. He also hosts the TV show “Fitness with the Stars” on the Live TV channel. In May 2007, she made her debut with a solo role in the ballet “Bolero” at the New Opera Theater. Since August 2014, she has been the host of the “Dancing” program on the TNT channel.
In September 2012, she married actor and showman Pavel Volya. On May 14, 2013, in Miami, she gave birth to a son, who was named Robert, and on May 6, 2020, she gave birth to a daughter, Sofia.
Injuries
In the fall of 2002, during a performance, she landed unsuccessfully on her heels and felt severe pain, but steadfastly completed her program. However, the x-ray did not show anything serious, and the girl, overcoming the pain, continued her participation in the competition. But each time she felt more and more pain. Some envious women said that Utyasheva was faking so as not to be embarrassed due to a bad performance. In December 2002, she took part in the World Cup, and after that Wiener sent her for a comprehensive examination, as a result of which it was revealed that the girl had been performing for several months with multiple fractures. After that, she was sent for treatment to Germany, where she underwent surgery. Already from her hospital bed, she dreamed of returning to sports and winning the Olympic Games in Beijing. She returned to the sport, had several significant victories, but it didn’t come to the Olympics: by the age of 19, after consulting with Wiener, who became not only a coach for her, but also a very dear person, she left the sport.
Severe leg injury
In 2002, Laysan Utyasheva, whose weight and height are of interest to many girls, began training under the guidance of Irina Viner. Under her tutelage she was able to win several honorary awards. However, during demonstration performances that took place in Samara in 2002, Laysan did not land very successfully on her left leg. After that, her performance was over.
After the examination, the doctor said that there was nothing to worry about, it was just a bruise. However, the pain did not go away even after several weeks. Repeated images again showed nothing. There was even talk that the athlete did not want to perform and was faking it. In December 2002, Irina Wiener helped Laysan undergo a comprehensive examination in Germany. And the results amazed everyone. It turns out that all this time the gymnast was walking with a broken scaphoid bone. After this, it became clear why Laysan was constantly in pain. The conclusion sounded like a sentence. The bone is completely shattered and cannot be restored. They ordered to forget about big sport. The operation was refused. In addition, the doctors said that the gymnast would hardly be able to walk normally.
The coach couldn't find a place for herself. Laysan Utyasheva, whose gymnastics was in danger of ending, was very worried. I was tormented by the fact that if such a procedure had been done earlier, such consequences could have been prevented. However, the doctors who were responsible for the health of the athletes did nothing. Everyone had a lot of emotions.
Life after sports
Beautiful, slender, famous, a favorite of the public - with such characteristics, of course, she was immediately taken on television. She hosted the “Main Road” program on the NTV channel. Then she was invited to host a morning broadcast on the same channel. The sports star also became the host of several sports programs on different cable television channels. In May 2007, she made her debut at the New Opera, where she performed as a soloist in the ballet Bolero. She enjoyed being creative so much that she took up her pen and wrote the autobiographical novel “Unbroken.” In 2009, she performed another premiere - this time she organized a dance show, where she performed as a soloist. The show was called "Sign of Infinity."
Television career
When her career was completed, Laysan Utyasheva (the nationality, height, weight and biography of this athlete, however, this did not make her fans any less interesting), began broadcasting the “Main Road” program on NTV. She also hosted a morning broadcast on this TV channel. She currently hosts a TV show called “Fitness with the Stars.”
In 2007, the former athlete made her debut with a solo role in a ballet called Bolero. It happened at the New Opera Theater. In 2008, Laysan wrote the book “Unbroken.” In 2009 she performed in the dance show “Sign of Infinity”. In 2010, Laysan appeared on the NTV Morning program. She got a column dedicated to gymnastics. On the “Sport Plus” channel, the athlete hosted the “Personal Trainer” program.
In 2011, Laysan began hosting her own program “Beauty Academy”. In 2012, the girl buried her closest person. At the age of 47, mother Zulfiya died of a heart attack.
In 2012, the girl played a role in the TV series “Champions”, and in 2014 she began hosting the “Dancing” program.
Laysan Utyasheva: biography, personal life, children
In September 2012, the entire Russian elite was surprised: Pavel Volya and Laysan Utyasheva got married. They didn't have any wedding, no white dress and veil, no limousine. Everything was very modest. The thing is that the girl’s beloved mother recently passed away. Only members of their families gathered for the wedding ceremony and gala dinner. They dated for about three years before getting married. At first it was just friendship, then sympathy, which later grew into love. The most interesting thing is that information that the stars got married appeared on April Fool's Day, April 1. And many then simply did not believe it. In order to make sure, everyone tried to conduct their own investigation and find out whether Laysan Utyasheva really got married. Biography, Pavel, relationship with him, how and where the wedding took place and whether it happened at all - all these topics have been discussed by fans of the stars for a very long time.
And a year later, their first child, Robert, was born in their family. By the way, Grandma Laysan decided to name him that way. It turns out that this is a very popular name in Bashkiria. Young parents chose the city of Miami as the place for the birth of their son. Everything was great, the young mom felt great, and dad was generally in seventh heaven. Two years passed, and a beautiful girl was born into the family of Pavel and Laysan - daughter Sofia. Both babies are adorable, but completely different from each other. That’s all that can be said today on the topic: “Laysan Utyasheva: biography.” Her and Pasha’s children have never yet been presented to the public, so, unfortunately, you will not see their photographs in our article.
Sports career and first achievements of Laysan Utyasheva, awards
Soon in 1999, Laysan Utyasheva was awarded the title of Master of Sports. Let us remember that at that time the young athlete was only fourteen years old, but she had already achieved such success. In 2000, her successes increased significantly, since the girl devoted all her time to sports. In the fall of 2001, the athlete became a worthy winner in all six disciplines at the World Cup in Germany, Berlin. A month later, Laysan Utyasheva went to Spain, Madrid. There the girl won gold at the World Championships in the team championship. Laysan was stripped of her medal due to the disqualification of her teammates. Soon the young athlete was awarded the title of international master of sports. Let us note that Laysan graduated from the Moscow Sports Reserve School.
Laysan Utyasheva won a bronze medal at the Russian Championship
