Mikhail Malyar (center) at the top of the podium at the Judo Veterans World Cup, November 2024 // Photo: ijf.org
The famous judoka has just returned from Riga (Latvia) from the European Judo Championship among veterans, where he won his next medal – a silver one. In the weight category up to 100 kg he lost only to the Spaniard Luis Torres Cobbes, who is 11 years younger than the Moldovan athlete. Mihail Maliar was included in the age group M9 (athletes aged 70 to 74 years old), as he is older than all the competitors in his weight category, and his peers were not on the list of participants.
Competing against veterans much younger than himself is a usual thing for Mikhail. At the World Championships held in Las Vegas (USA) last November, he fought on equal terms with opponents who were 7-10 years younger than him. The judoka admitted that he had the hardest time in the fight with Italian Giuliano Invernizzi. “A year before the championship the Italian became the vice-champion of the world. Despite this, I was constantly blocking him, holding him, not allowing him to control the situation. He did not manage to make a single reception, I did not allow him to do it,” recalls Mikhail Malyar.
Mikhail Malyar’s trophy collection consists of 16 gold medals: nine from World Championships and seven from European Championships. Last fall he regained the championship title three years after his previous triumph. The judoka, who has achieved tremendous success in veteran competitions, did not rule out that the world championship was the last one in his career. Participation in the European Championships was another challenge for the 81-year-old athlete, which he accepted with dignity.
The story of Mikhail Malyar can inspire many young athletes. He became a judoist at an advanced age, but already having a solid sports experience. The fact is that he was a freestyle wrestler and in this sport intended to finish his career. This he was not allowed to do by the strict rule of freestyle wrestling, which does not provide for participation in competitions athletes over 60 years old. The skills acquired by Mikhail in freestyle wrestling, allowed him to quickly re-train as a judoist. The athlete confesses his love for judo and is confident that he managed to integrate into the “family” in which he feels great. “It’s like being born again,” says the athlete about his transition to judo.
The secret of sports longevity is in strict self-discipline. “Every day I wake up at six o’clock in the morning. Regardless of the weather, at seven in the morning I go to the park and train for two hours. After lunch I sleep a little and then start training in the dojo (a place for training in Japanese martial arts – author’s note). I also walk 12 kilometers every day with my dog,” says the judo veteran.
Weekdays pass for the athlete in an intensive mode, and weekends he uses for rest and recuperation. He does not allow himself any indulgences due to his age even when he trains in the same hall with young judokas. The younger generation of athletes see Mikhail as a shining example of a man with an unshakable will and a desire to win, first of all, over himself.
Mikhail Malyar is convinced that there are no age limits for practicing sports, even judo. “Sport allows me to forget about age. I feel much younger than my years. This is what I live, my hobby and vocation,” the athlete is convinced. In his opinion, the main thing that a person of such age should possess for successful training is a strong soul with a strong core, unbending will, desire to learn and self-improvement. Goal-orientedness is no less important. A clearly set goal becomes an indispensable guide in reaching heights in any field, and especially in sports.
Eyewitnesses of Mikhail’s trainings note his incredible diligence and amazing activity. “He is in the gym almost every day and conducts training sessions on the mat with young guys. Mikhail is the oldest among us, but that doesn’t stop him from staying very active and giving a head start to many who are much younger than him. He doesn’t stop even when he is injured,” said Mikhail Dragunov, judo coach at the Olympic Reserve School.
In addition to judo, Mikhail is engaged in sambo. He has won many medals at international tournaments and sees in himself the strength to combine the activities of two seemingly similar sports, each of which has its own specifics. Sambo evolved from judo, adopting the main features that made judo a popular sport. But unlike Japanese martial arts, sambo is not an Olympic sport.
The famous athlete says that every year it becomes more and more difficult to travel to international competitions, not because of his health, but because of the increasingly difficult financial situation. For example, when traveling to the World Judo Veterans Championships in the United States last year, only transportation costs exceeded €3,500, and there is no help from either the government or the specialized federation. There the athlete is told that if there is a desire to go to an international tournament, he must do it at his own expense. Prize money at competitions among veterans is symbolic. Winning them allows you to cover only the most necessary expenses.
The government supports the veteran morally, noting his merits and hard work. In 2018, Mikhail was awarded the Order “Gloria Muncii” for his significant contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, successes achieved at national and international competitions, and merits in promoting a healthy lifestyle. At the end of last year, the athlete received an award in the category “Veteran of the Year” at the “Sports Gala” organized by the Ministry of Education and Research.
Michael pays special attention to the fans following his successes and other age-group athletes. “How not to participate and win, knowing how great the moral support of people is? There is nothing more precious than the sincere feelings of people rejoicing in the victories of veterans. This is the result of everyday labor. It is pleasant to realize that the efforts bear fruit. Hard training, strength exercises, working with heavy weights, tons of iron, which I regularly lift – it depends on how well I perform at competitions. But the support of people is also very important,” summarized Mikhail.
Not only athletes, but also all those who want to have good health can follow the example of Mikhail Malyar, who has been proving for many years that sport and healthy lifestyle have no age limits. First of all, it is necessary to gather the will in a fist.
