Olympic champion Maxim Khramtsov shares his story of success with residents of Yugra

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During the official opening day of the National Centre RUSSIA in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, a series of enlightening meetings is taking place at the venue. Thus, the audience was addressed in an open dialogue format by Maxim Khramtsov, lecturer for the Russian society Znanie, the first Olympic champion in taekwondo in the history of Russian sport, the 2017 World Champion, two-time European Champion, champion of the 2019 Military World Games, five-time Grand Prix Champion, and Honoured Master of Sports of Russia. The event was organised by the Russian society Znanie.

Maxim Khramtsov, the athlete from Nizhnevartovsk, explained why he decided to take up taekwondo, and fondly recalled his first mentors and his personal coach, Alexander Lashpanov. The lecturer shared stories about his path in big sport, intense daily training, and the significance of the victories he achieved.

"I actively promote my sport, taekwondo, in the region. In the near future, I will be preparing for the All-Russian Tournament, which will be held in our city. It had not been held for 10 years, and we managed to revive it thanks to the support of the Governor, Ruslan Kukharuk," noted Maxim Khramtsov.

He also shared what the price he paid for the Olympic gold. In the semi-final bout, Maxim Khramtsov suffered a fracture of the radius bone in his right hand – the dominant hand for most of his attacking actions. Despite severe pain and limited functionality of the limb, the athlete refused a medical withdrawal from the competition. Showing incredible courage and fortitude, he fought several bouts with a broken, almost unusable arm, and managed to clinch the championship.

The athlete revealed his secret to the key qualities necessary for success in elite sport. According to him, for any athlete, not only physical endurance and technique are important, but also strict discipline, the ability to work in a team, and the capacity to recover quickly from defeats.

Furthermore, during the meeting, he spoke about how sport influences the character formation of young people in the regions, and shared his plans for the next five years.

"Znanie.Lectures" is an enlightening project of the Russian society Znanie, under which lectures on a wide variety of topics — from microbiology and physics to the development of soft skills—are held in every region of the Russian Federation. Each federal subject can launch the initiative that is most important for its residents. During the lectures, young people can ask questions to experts and discuss current issues.

Branches of the National Centre RUSSIA are being opened in the country's regions by order of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. One such branch opened in Krasnoyarsk the day before. The main mission of the project is to demonstrate the unity and achievements of our country. The Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area is among the five regions where the branches of the National Centre RUSSIA are being created as a priority in 2025. Thus, yesterday the National Centre RUSSIA opened in the Krasnoyarsk region, and today — in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area. Through multimedia expositions, guests of the National Centre will have a chance to get acquainted with the culture, nature, and economic potential of Yugra.