Katya Gamova has been in big-time sports for more than 25 years, her biography is full of ups and grandiose victories. She achieved incredible results, a bright and talented athlete forever made her name in the history of Russian volleyball.
Katya Gamova is not just an outstanding Russian volleyball player, she is a symbol of our entire volleyball, an idol for millions and an example to follow. This bright, beautiful girl is an Honored Master of Sports of the Russian Federation, she was recognized as the best athlete in the country, she became a torchbearer at the Universiade and lit a fire at the opening ceremony.
Ekaterina Gamova is the main star of our volleyball
Journalists call her Catherine the Great for her grandiose and dizzying successes and victories, fans gave her another nickname - Game Over, because Katya can decide the outcome of the game with the most difficult and dangerous opponent with one powerful blow, as it was in the victorious finals of the world championships in 2006 and 2010.
At the European Championships in Brussels, when the Russian team stopped a step away from victory and won bronze, experts unequivocally agreed thatKatya Gamova is the number one volleyball player of the entire tournament. Among the finalists from Serbia and Italy, there was not a single athlete who surpassed her in individual skills.
In 2006, Gamova was awarded the Prize "For Services to the Fatherland" I degree. This award is given only to the most outstanding athletes. In addition, Gamova at various times became the owner of the "Glory" award in the "For the Will to Win" nomination, "Silver Doe", which is awarded by the Federation of Sports Journalists of Russia, repeatedly became the best in tournaments of various calibers.
Career start - Chelyabinsk
Education of little Katya was done by two women - mother Irina Borisovna and her sister Lyubov. The father of the champion refused to raise his daughter when she was still in the hospital, and therefore the girl had to be strong and mature beyond her years from childhood. At the age of 10, Katya Gamova chose volleyball, her parents (more precisely, her mother and aunt) supported her in this. Gamova from an early age showed her explosive character and perseverance. Her aunt, a former professional volleyball player, brought her to the volleyball section. And although initially Katya was also involved in basketball and handball, her love for volleyball still won.
Katya Gamova won her first title, the Cup of Russia, at the age of 16 as part of the Chelyabinsk Avtodor-Metar team. It was this club that opened the way for the young athlete to big-time sports, it was here that they could see her talent and potential. She signed with Metar at the age of just 14 and spent time herethe first 4 years of his career.
Moving to Yekaterinburg and reaching a new level
In 1998, Gamova left her hometown, taking the opportunity to play for one of the best volleyball clubs in the country - Uralochka. The team was headed by the famous Russian specialist Nikolai Karpol, who a few years later will again coach Gamova, but already in the main team of the country - in the Russian team.
Playing for Uralochka's subsidiary Ur altransbank, Katya easily attracted the attention of specialists and demonstrated her deep potential in attacking actions. As part of Ur altrasbank, she became the silver medalist of the Russian championship, then the team lost to Uralochka only in the final in an equal fight, and this is a unique case for volleyball.
Two years later, in 2000, Gamova moved to the main team. Together with Uralochka and Karpol, she became a multiple winner of the national championship, twice winner of the Champions League. They started talking about Gamova, she became one of the team leaders and a rising star in Russian sports.
Development of club career
In 2004, Gamova accepted a new challenge - she decisively terminated the contract with the Ekaterinburg club and moved to Moscow to play for Dynamo (Moscow). As part of the new team, Katya won the title of champion of Russia three more times.
Wishing to try her hand abroad, to give a new round to her career, after five years of playing for the Moscow team, Gamova moved to Istanbul. BehindFenerbahce Katya spent the 2009-2010 season, showing incredible results with the team. Ekaterina became the winner of the Turkish Volleyball League, reached the final of the Champions League, scored the most points in the League of Four. It is amazing that for almost the entire season of the domestic championship the team did not suffer defeats, and the unbeaten streak was 39 matches.
Triumphant homecoming
Despite the tremendous success, just a year later, Gamova returned to Russia again, this time signing a contract with Dynamo Kazan. Perhaps it was here that Gamova's club career reached its peak: already in her debut season, she won the Cup and the Russian Championship, and in each tournament she was recognized as the best among the players. In 2014, she finally conquered international club tournaments - for the first time in her career, Gamova won international club tournaments: the Champions League and the world championship among clubs. In addition to the gold medal, Katya was awarded the prize as the most important player in each of these tournaments.
Career in the Russian national team
Katya has always played for the national team with full dedication, giving the game all her strength and emotions. A vivid confirmation of this is one of the most beautiful and dramatic games of the Russian national volleyball team, when our girls lost to the Chinese in the final of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Katya brought the team 33 points in that game, became the most productive player in the Olympic tournament, the main attacking force and the leader of the team, but this turned out to benot enough. Despite all the efforts that Katya Gamova made, the photo with her sincere tears of disappointment spread all over the world. Unfortunately, the Russian team has not yet conquered the Olympics.
Nikolai Karpol took her to the first World Championships in 1998, giving the young talented athlete to immerse herself in the atmosphere as an assistant coach. And a year later, Gamova, being a full-fledged player, won the gold medals of the European Championship. After the arrival of the Italian specialist Caprara in 2005, Katya becomes a key player in the team, and a year later the Russian team finally wins the World Championship. In 2010, the first team of the country will be able to repeat this success, and Gamova will receive more than one award as the best player of the tournament.
Physical parameters of the champion
Katya Gamova's game is equally good both in defense and in attack. She sets up a block that destroys the most powerful blows, and her attacks cut through the defense of opponents and bring points. It is not without reason that Katya Gamova possesses such strength, her height is 202 centimeters, and the height of the attack and block is more than three meters. The unique physical data of the girl, along with talent and the ability to instantly read the game, make Gamova one of the best athletes of her time. And the girl's slender long legs have practically become her hallmark.
Out of the game: personal life
Katya Gamova is not just a world-class athlete, she is a real sports star, a bright and beautiful girl. Thanks to her outstanding game, she is well known inIn many countries of the world, Katya often takes part in various shootings for glossy publications, and is filmed in commercials. During one of these shootings, she met her future husband, the son of director Svetlana Druzhinina, Mikhail Mukasey. Mikhail shot such well-known films as "Hunting for Manchurian Man", "On Treason", "Montana".
Katya Gamova and Mikhail Mukasey got married in 2012, the wedding took place in an atmosphere of secrecy: the couple refused to sell photographs and other media materials to journalists. Nevertheless, the pages of magazines are regularly full of photographs of this bright, beautiful and tall couple: 202 centimeters - Katya Gamova has this height, her husband is only a few centimeters shorter than her. This couple is one of the most visible and beautiful tandems in Russian sports.
Gamow today
The 2015-2016 season was a real test for Katya: an old leg injury reasserted itself. Katya Gamova cannot play at full strength and was forced by the decision of the coach to miss the final of the Russian Cup 2015. Preparations for the season began late, the preparatory process turned out to be forced and therefore blurry. Unfortunately, the best volleyball player in the country is not in the best shape now, but the doctors, like Katya herself, are optimistic. Gamova is gradually recovering and getting in shape, preparing to take part in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016. These games will be the fifth in the life of an athlete, and, perhaps, it is in Brazil that Katya will be able to win the award, to which she has been going all her life - goldOlympic medal.
It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of the athlete to the development of domestic volleyball. In Kazan, a project is being developed to create a Gamova school. This idea has already been supported by the President of the Republic. Hundreds of children will be able to play sports in excellent conditions, and more than one childhood dream will come true. Perhaps one day a new Russian volleyball star will grow within the walls of this school, but for now, the main pride of our country remains a strong and courageous girl from Chelyabinsk - Ekaterina Gamova.
