Life goes on, no matter what happens: in memory of Marat Niyazov
September 28, 2018 | 16:43 |2110
The 85th birthday anniversary of the legendary Turkmen sportsman-shooter Marat Niyazov could have been celebrated this year on September 28. Perhaps it is difficult to find in the history of Turkmen sports other athlete crowned with laurels more than Marat Atayevich. The legendary path of the athlete began six decades ago, when in 1958 at the World Shooting Championships, held in Moscow, unknown young athlete from Turkmenistan won six gold medals, set a world record and became six fold world champion in the team event. Then he won a silver medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics, held in Italy, at the Victor Emmanuel III Stadium, in the 50 metre rifle three positions event. Marat Niyazov was the first Turkmen athletes who reached the most desired Olympic pedestal for every sportsman in Rome. There is nothing happens in our life of itself. The character of Marat Atayevich, whose principle was to set a goal and achieve it, determined the fact that in remote 1953, the shooting sports was chosen by the student of the Moscow Institute of Oil and Gas named after I.Gubkin. In addition, his naturally fighting qualities played the role at sports choice as well. Find a man who is indifferent to arms! Every man by its genetic memory left by distant ancestors – warriors, hunters, duelists – is predisposal, more or less, to arms. Perhaps it led Marat Niyazov in the shooting sports. About a person, who could not fulfils himself, they say that he was born at a wrong time. If he were born a hundred or two hundred years ago, then he would have fully prove his talents. However, you cannot choose the time to born, and each era provides us with many opportunities for self-realization. For fifteen years of sports career, distinguished Turkmen athlete has reached such success that not every athlete is able to do. Enumeration of all awards and regalia of Marat Niyazov – one of the strongest shooters of his time – impress a lot. He is the silver medalist of the 1960 Olympic Games, sevenfold world champion, tenfold silver medalist and threefold bronze medalist of the world championships, threefold European champion, fourteen fold USSR champion, nine fold world record holder, eleven fold European record holder, thirteen fold USSR record holder. There are about 200 medals in total. After retirement, he worked as a coach in his native Ashgabat. For his achievements, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour. Working as a coach, Marat Niyazov deserved the title of the Honoured Coach as well as achieved world fame of coach of champions. The athletes he coached became winners of the prestigious international competitions many times. He trained sportsmen of our country, Bulgaria, Romania, Egypt, Philippines, Myanmar, and Kuwait. His students, many of whom have become coaches themselves, can be found almost everywhere in the world. Nevertheless, whatever country Marat Niyazov worked, he always represented his homeland – Turkmenistan. All above is about sporting side of the life of the outstanding shooter. Everyone who knew Marat Atayevich closely (the circle of his contacts resembles the size of the orbit of a large planet since his charm attracted everyone he met with), noted that the main feature of his nature was reliability, in addition to such qualities as friendliness, openness, hospitality, and a colossal sense of humor. He was a real man as befitted the stronger sex. The one who never betray a friend, never run away from the battlefield, always ready to stand up for a woman, to protect the weak, and to share his last penny with, if necessary. Such persons retain knightly concepts of honor, nobility, justice and dignity of a man through their live to pass it from generation to generation. Marat Niyazov had amazing brimming energy. He had already entered his eighties, but still was traveling around the world to coach. Finally, he decided to stop working: he has a home, where loving and beloved wife, children, and grandchildren wait for him. What else does a person need in to calmly meet the autumn of his life? He was seventy-five, when unexpectedly a new page in the biography of the patriarch of Turkmen sport has been opened. Not on the sports arena, but on the ... stage. At the film studio named after Alty Karliyev, film director Kerim Annanov began shooting the short film “Autumn” based on the novel of his father Baba Annanov, and he was looking for a main male role cast. They were searching for an actor who could reliably play an elderly person. The film casting was ineffective; time was passing by while the director could not find the character type he need. Once he happened to meet Marat Atayevich in the city, whom he had been acquainted with for many years. The famous shooter, in addition to his lush mustache, also had a beard, which made him look as aksakal, old and wise elder man. “This is my hero!” the director realized.Vladimir ZAREMBO
... “Autumn” is a very touching story about two lonely old persons from the same village - Balaja aga and Aksoltan edje. Many years ago, an absurd occurrence did not allow them to stay close, but after decades, in the evening of their life, fate brought them together.
After reading the scenario, Marat Atayevich agreed immediately.
There were no need for screen test. Offering the role of Marat Niyazov, the director counted on the fact that he would fill the image with his bright personality. So it happened. The non-professional actor handled the task very well. There were no need to explain him all cinematic secrets. He got the feel of his role, and created the character that the director needed. With his soul, with all his being, he felt the authenticity of his character. It was the faithful representation of the image.
“Usually, even experienced actors are getting nervous during the shooting,” said Kerim Annanov, “Marat Atayevich kept the Olympic calm, as if he had been doing the movie all his life.”
The shooting was held at the end of a beautiful, magical Turkmen autumn, in beautiful places near Ashgabat. The leaves already started to fall off, the village near the foothills was filled with ringing silence and cloaked in a light haze. The bright colors of October were becoming softer and more muffled. This autumn, as it turned out, was the last for the patriarch. Six months later, Marat Atayevich left this world...
It is painful and unfaithful to speak in the past tense about those, whose love of life seemed would keep them staying with us forever. He has gone, but the memory about him remained with us. There is a film where the legendary athlete is starring as a man of the same age, a fellow citizen with a cruel fate; where he looks at us with intelligent, and playful slyness alive eyes.
There is a scene in the picture where Balaja aga, finally finding peace of mind, looks thoughtfully at the sky, as if he looking for something in it, solving some hidden mystery in the celestial distance.
Suddenly, a radiant smile lit up the beautiful, courageous face of this wise old man: he understood the main and such simple truth: whatever happens to us, life goes on.
