Re: how are the most famous?
Quote:
Originally Posted by possopo
how, in your opinion are the most famous russian/soviet "celebrities" in your own country?
In Australia, the most famous Russian is the world champion light-weight boxer named Costya Tzu. A little about him...
Despite being a successful brawler style fighter in the ring, which is why he is so well followed, he is a friendly and well-spoken person in interviews. Also, the occasional account from my own aquaintances suggests this is true. He came from a poor background in Siberia. He initially learnt to fight well because he was so small, and kept getting robbed. Eventually, he moved to Australia on advice of his boxing manager and posse.
A few years back, he was named in the top ten pound for pound fighters in the world. Fighters in heavier divisions often expressed that he fought well out of his weight class. Anyway, that's our most famous Rusky.
My curiosity has me mentioning this next Russian. Alexander Popov is a swimmer who may have had his residency threatened due to his desire to swim for Russia instead of Australia in either the Barcelona or Atlanta Olympics. I don't remember which country he ended up representing. I think he got the Gold Medal for the 50 metres freestyle, in any case. I've not heard peep from him since, which makes me suspicious about whether he was allowed to live here anymore. I think this business may be responsible for his relatively absent career and his anonymity. Because, I do know that he didn't have the facilities nor financial backing to be a successful swimmer if he was to be deported back to Russia. I'm obviously ambiguous about his story. But one thing I do remember clearly, is feeling that Australia's treatment of him seemed pretty dodgy.
