Russian taekwondoist Alexey Alekseyevich Denisenko: biography, achievements and interesting facts

Denisenko Alexei - a famous domestic athlete, Taekwondo. Twice he became a prize-winner at the Summer Olympic Games. Champion of Russia, multiple participant and prize-winner of the European and world championships. Member of the first European Games in Baku, where he became a bronze medalist. He has the title of Honored Master of Sports of Russia.

Biography of the athlete

Denisenko Aleksey was born in a small town of Bataysk, which is located in the Rostov region. This happened in 1993.

Denisenko Alexey in the section of Taekwondo was brought by his father when he was only 8 years old. He just went to school. In the same place, the hero of our article met his first coach, who was called Alexander Shin.

The father of the future champion gave his son exactly in this sport, because he wanted him to look like the idols of his youth - Jackie Chan and Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Preparing for a sports career, his father began Denisenko Alexei from the first years of his life. They were engaged in tempering the body. After all, initially Alex was very painful and weak child.

At first, Alexei reluctantly went to the section, but gradually became involved. He began to imitate his father's idols and with renewed energy began to engage in Taekwondo.

Father says that Alex often wanted to quit sports, but eventually gave up this idea. Even in spite of the fact that he had to get to the train through the whole Don on a boat. Such problems arose during the construction of the Voroshilovsky Bridge in Rostov . Because of the repair work, public transport to the right bank of the Don, on which he trained, did not go. Therefore I had to use a boat. And to return home late in the evening on the last bus.

Personal life

Personal life in the career of an athlete plays a big role only from recent times. Before that, he was completely focused on sports.

Most recently, in December 2016, he married the taekwondo wrestler Anastasia Baryshnikova, the bronze medalist of the Olympic Games in London, the three-time European champion, who twice won bronze medals at the world championships.

Olympics in London

Alexei Denisenko in taekwondo began to show good results from the very first youth tournaments. Soon he got to the note to the coaches of the national team.

Success on the international stage provided him with participation in the Summer Olympics in London in 2012. At that time he was incomplete 19 years old. Denisenko performed in the lightest weight category - up to 58 kilograms.

The Russian started his way to victory in the preliminary round, as he was a young, not well-known athlete with a low personal rating. In the first fight at the Olympics, the hero of our article met with Costa Rican Heiner Oviedo. The Russian won a confident victory 5: 2.

In the quarterfinals, Alexei Denisenko faced the Chinese athlete Wei Zhengyang at the Olympics. This time the fight turned out to be persistent, long and even more effective. Denisenko won 10: 7. The most tense was the semifinal match, in which Alexey in a stubborn fight lost to South Korean Lee De Hun with a score of 6: 7. By the way, the offender of the Russian in the finals suffered a crushing defeat from the Spaniard Huel Gonzalez 8:17.

But Alexei Denisenko in the match for third place, in the so-called consolation finals, won the Australian Safwan Khalil 3: 1. So the young Russian won his first Olympic medal. At the London games, it was just one of two bronze medals of the Russian national team in taekwondo.

European Championship in Azerbaijan

The next major international tournament was the European Championship, which was held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Alexei Denisenko, taekwondo in the biography of the athlete at that time played a decisive role, the tournament was selected without any problems.

At competitions, he performed in the weight category up to 68 kilograms. Having overcome preliminary rounds, the sportsman reached the decisive battle. In the finals he met with Turk Servet Tasegul, but lost.

In the team event the Russian team took the second place, having won two gold, three silver and two bronze medals. Stronger were only Croats.

World Championship in Russia

In 2015 he achieved the right to speak at the World Championships Alexei Denisenko. Taekwondo in the biography of the athlete by that time played a key role.

The hero of our article again fought in the weight category up to 68 kilograms. And in the final match he again got along with the Turk Servet Tasegul. And again he lost.

In general, the Russian team performed at the world championship unsuccessfully, taking only 12th place. In the piggy bank of our team was not a single gold award, only two silver (one of which won Denisenko) and five bronze.

European games in Baku

In 2015 he took part in the next major international competitions Alexei Denisenko. Taekwondo entered the program of the first European games. This is an analogue of the Olympics, but only for European teams. Initially, it was assumed that only summer games will be held, but now there are more and more proposals to organize and winter European games. It should be noted that on other continents such competitions have existed for a long time. For example, Pan-American, Pan-African or Pan-Arab Games.

At these starts began with the stage 1/8 finals Alexei Denisenko. He was confronted by an athlete from San Marino Michele Ceccarone. The Russian confidently defeated 19: 1. In the quarterfinals, the hero of our article just as confidently dealt with the Englishman Martin Stamper - 18: 6.

The problems started only in the semi-final with the host of the site, Azerbaijani Aikhan Tagizade. In a stubborn duel Denisenko lost 5: 7. In the battle for third place the Russian met his long-time rival - Turk Servet Tasegul. This time the Turks unexpectedly lost in the 1/8 finals to the Pole Karol Robak - 9:21.

Duel for third place was effective. Denisenko finally managed to win - 19:16.

In the team event at the European Games, the Russians became the third, losing to the Azerbaijanis and the British.

Second Olympiad

In 2016, at 22, took part in the second Olympic Games Alexei Denisenko. Taekwondo at the Olympics was a relatively young, but already beloved discipline.

In his crown weight category up to 68 kilograms Denisenko was again one of the favorites. In the 1/8 finals, he easily dealt with the Venezuelan Edgar Contreras - 12: 2. In the quarterfinal he met with Turk Tazegulym, but this time he was again stronger than his opponent, who initially lost regularly. The Russian won 19: 6.

In the semifinals Belgian Jahad Ashab 6: 1 was defeated. Alexei Denisenko in the finals came together with an athlete from Jordan Ahmad Abagaush. No matter how the hero of our article resisted, he conceded 6:10.

This silver medal was the only conquered Russians at these games. With this result in the team event, they shared the ninth place with Mexico, Niger, Serbia and France.

On the way to the championship

Now Alexey Denisenko continues to train hard to finally win a gold medal in major international competitions. As we see, so far, no such success has ever been achieved.

Currently, Denisenko lives in his hometown - Bataysk. In parallel with the sports career he studies in Naberezhnye Chelny.

With his wife Denisenko plans to perform a tandem at the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.