On the eve of 60 Vladimir Akimov’s anniversary I called and carried out mailings on editions of sports editions and TV channels, in hope that father will be remembered, and material about his Anniversary will fly somehow in mass media. Unfortunately, I have been ignored by 99% of editions and all existing TV channels. Now it isn’t necessary and uninteresting to nobody! It is pleasant that two Internet portals and one newspaper after all have responded and have published material to the father’s Anniversary.
When I communicated with a legend of world water polo — the twice Olympic Champion, the captain of USSR national team and the captain CSK Navy Alexander Sergeyevich Kabanov, have learned from him history how he has told one young player: “I am, by the way, an Olympic Champion in water polo of 1972 and 1980” on what has received the answer: “Oh and all this was so long ago. Then everything was in a different way more simply…”
The Time inevitably erases Great names and Gold pages of our history. Quite often – History in general is ruthlessly rewritten in a new way as we see today! It is twice sad that today there is also no CSK Navy military well-known water polo club which has trained so many famous athletes, including Olympians. I hope that this material keep the memory not only of my father, but also the most great players of the past whose names rattled for the whole world! Their victory at the Olympic Games-1980 became the second and last Olympic gold in the history of Russian water polo. I am deeply convinced that experience of these outstanding Persons and their skill — the best that can become an ideal example and a standard for new generation of athletes and people who set for themselves the high purposes. They have devoted the life to that the glory of their Motherland rattled far outside the country, and it there is so not enough for modern Russia and for our modern youth …
On the photo: 1. A pennant from the Olympic Games of 1980 with autographs of all Olympic Gold team; 2. Vladimir Akimov in game; 3. A memorial board in Luzhniki with names of a national team of the USSR on water polo – Champions of the Olympic Games-80. Time and absence of attention to glory of Great players of the past is ruthless – many letters have fallen off a lot more years back (perhaps, the forthcoming reconstruction of Luzhniki will change a situation to the best):
EPILOGUE
One more surprising and symbolic case has happened to me in the summer of 2013. I was in film expedition on the set on the next shootings on the work (not connected with sport in any way), and there has come the lunch break. We all communicated with each other, joked.
Suddenly one woman at the age of sixty years told us: “I remember, right after the Olympic Games I have gone to my country house …” As I am in parallel prepared this material about my father, the words “Olympic Games” for me was the key words everywhere.
I have at once interrupted her story about the trip to her country house and asked: “Do You have some relation to the Olympic Games-1980 in Moscow? Perhaps you know my father, Vladimir Akimov?” She has answered: “Of course I know! Who didn’t know Vladimir Akimov! My younger brother trained at the CSK Navy military children school, and I often took him there.
I remember when we incidentally saw your father in CSK Navy military team, all began to whisper: “Look, Akimov has gone! Everybody knew him and looked at him with admiration. Yes what here to say … Akimov himself! The Great Akimov…”