In 2011 in Istanbul he put in a moneybox second "gold" in career.  The correspondent of a portal of prof-press.by has a talk with Alim not only about wrestling, but also that fills his life.

- Tell how you appeared in Belarus?

- First I didn't plan to move to Belarus from Dagestan. Everything was solved by a case. I arrived with the friend in 1998 to stay for a while in Mozyr to his uncle Malik Eskenderov working as the trainer. After several trainings he suggested me to be engaged here.

At the beginning I helped me with everything, I supported.  He sent me to the Gomel school of the Olympic reserve.  There were all conditions for fruitful occupations:  study, food, hostel, great trainers.  However, before moving to Belarus I was engaged in free-style wrestling, but already here passed in "classics".  It was very heavy to be reconstructed.  It was necessary to start everything from scratch.  But I consulted, I endured.  And as a result I remained in Belarus, having located in Gomel.

- Mother was against departure of the son for the foreign land?

-  What mother will want to release the minor boy for one thousand kilometers from the house?  !  To the country, where both people, and customs others …  But the elder brother managed to finish mother.  At first she worried, and then got used.  I didn't want to miss such excellent chance — in Dagestan conditions for development were not so favorable.

-  At you in career didn't do and without black strip …

- Yes, problems sufficed. Injuries pursued long time, didn't allow to train normally. But, you know, I am an optimist on life. I tried not to lower hands. Certainly, difficulties always happen in our life. But they only temper character. And when you overcome them, finally ascend to the podium — believe, this indescribable happiness! I had similar feelings in Istanbul when repeated "gold" success of six-year prescription. I proved to all and the main thing — to myself that in sports I count for something also me early to write-off.

- To whom devoted this Istanbul "gold"?

- To all family. To people who believed in me and supported. I devote a victory to two homeland — both to Dagestan, and Belarus.

- The next plans?

- Step by step I prepare for the Olympic Games. We look with the trainer, in what component it is necessary to add that in equipment to correct. Unfortunately, because of an injury of a shoulder I passed the European championship, tournament in Turkey. Now I gain standards to approach to London fully equipped.

- You consider as the applicant for the Olympic medal …

- It also frightens me (laughs). I feel psychologically more comfortably, when there is no responsibility freight. As shows experiment of the last Olympic Games, those wrestlers who went on Games in the rank of favourites, came back without medals. "Dark horses" shot. For example, in Sydney "bronze" was taken by Dima Debelko, in Athens — the Bear Semenov upon whom nobody rested medal hopes. Therefore I don't want to think far. Naturally, in soul I hope for success. But the Olympic Games will show everything and will judge.

- Whom you consider as the most dangerous opponent in London?

- For me each rival — very serious. I appreciate and I respect all on a carpet. At the Olympic Games of easy wrestlings won't be. It is necessary to come for each wrestling, as on the last!

- Interestingly, and how you are adjusted on wrestling?

-  I try not to wind myself, not to think of a tournament grid.  Usually I warm up with music.  What?  I am a music fan.  I listen practically to everything.  But under Verka Serdyuchka precisely I won't be adjusted on wrestling!

- In January to you 30 years will be executed. Thought, than you will be engaged after you will hang up bortsovka on a nail?

- There are ideas. But it wouldn't be desirable to extend yet. Probably, I will try business.

- In a trenerstvo it wouldn't be desirable to move? Especially you graduated from faculty of a physical education of the Gomel university.

- To be the trainer at the national team — quite good option. And on occupations with children I, probably, simply won't have nerves. I and so quick-tempered!

-  Now you receive second higher education.  It is pleasant to study?

- To gain any knowledge, besides sports, always interestingly and well! It is necessary to be the versatile personality, after all career of the athlete not eternal. As they say, live and learn!

- You often visit to native Dagestan?

- I miss the homeland therefore every year with pleasure I stay at home. I would like to note that on TV not always show reliable information about Dagestan.

- Dagestan is known for a multinationality …

-  There are many languages and dialects.  Usual situation when settlements are divided by only 5 kilometers, and people don't understand each other.  The common negotiation language — Russian.  From the 1st class it study at school.

- Houses Alim Selimov — the celebrated personality?

- In Dagestan me know. When I come home, I am in the attention center. The big table is laid, friends are invited …

- You the believing person?

- I try to pray more often. Unfortunately, in Gomel there is no mosque. I remember, there was an unpleasant case when us asked to release an institution in the winter, and it was necessary to pray directly on the street, on snow. But now everything is normal. Our diaspora gathers in one room for prayers.

- How the wife treats your religion?

- Treats with very big respect. As well as I treat orthodox belief.

- Than you so liked our country?

-  The good-natured Belarusian people are pleasant.  Beautiful nature.  I think, to everyone who visits Belarus, here it is good and cozy.

- And you have friends?

- Yes. One lives in Minsk, the second — in Gomel. And in Dagestan there were children checked by life, with which always in touch. Difficult minutes they are always ready to come to the rescue.

-  Except wrestling, you are on friendly terms with representatives of other sports?

- Well I communicate with hockey players Igor Brikun, Roman Magdeev. I maintained the relations with Mikhail Klimin while that didn't leave Gomel earlier. Here in absentia I know football players but with anybody it didn't happen to communicate personally. And hockey players I have more to liking, after all they — wrestlers!

- How you spend leisure-time?

- I try to be with a family. I walk with the daughter, I meet friends. Perhaps if weather allows, on the nature it will be possible to leave on shish kebabs.

- You will prepare them?

- Certainly! And who else? Not to compare the Belarusian shish kebab to that do in Dagestan. To try the real shish kebab, you need to go to the Caucasus!

- How you treat the Belarusian national cuisine?

- Very positively. I love sorcerers, hash browns, a mochanka, mushrooms soup is pleasant. My wife cooks very well, indulges me various dishes.

- And how you feed on collecting in Stayky?

- Normally. Now food improved. Prepare well, home-style.

-  Whom could you become if didn't step into a sports path?

- I often thought of this question. The late father dreamed that I was a military. I spoke: "Alim, you will become a general". I am such person on life that I love sets the purpose and persistently to move to it. Such is my principle not only in sports, but also in all spheres. In the childhood I not bad played a drum at music school, drew. But it didn't turn out from me neither the artist, nor the musician.

- You had moments when regretted what became the athlete?

- Never such was. I adhere to the known rule: "Everything that becomes — to the best". And wrestling gives to the man a strength of mind, adds self-confidence.

- How you consider, Russians strongly differ from Belarusians?

- Belarusian people more appeasable, kind. Though everywhere there are also good people, and not really.

- For you it isn't a pity, what though wrestlers constantly win awards for the country, the attention to wrestling at us is much less, than to soccer or hockey?

- Certainly, offensively. We always playing a supporting role. The same football players, hockey players seek to become champions of Belarus. It is their maximum. And wrestlers always set other purposes: "gold" of the World Cup, the Olympic Games is necessary. Simply there is a wish that our work and our medals were estimated properly.

- Your wishes to readers of our site.

-  I wish them all success and a good health.  There will be it — there will be also a happiness.  And I want to wish to young beginning wrestlers patience, diligence and vanity.  And the main thing — to believe in itself!

Alexey ZAMKOVETS

prof-press.by FILE. Alim SELIMOV was born in 1983, in the village Kasumkent of the Souleymane-Stalsky region of Dagestan. The Lezgian on a nationality. The double world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling in 2005 and 2011. It is recognized as the best athlete of Belarus following the results of 2011. Master of sports of the international class. Lives and trains in Gomel. It is married, brings up the daughter.