World champion in classical women's wrestling (1915) - Maria Yakymovna Kovac

In 1913 she came to Odessa to earn money. On the recommendation of friends she moved to study with famous wrestlers in St. Petersburg, where she signed a contract to perform at women's championships, in circuses, and theaters. During performances she bent iron with her teeth, lay down under the platform over which a car was passing. In 1914 she defeated the Scottish ring star Kelt, the Bulgarian Glovcheva, the Romanian Vasilescu, in 1915 in Kyiv—the world champion K. Giraldi from Revel (now Tallinn). At the beginning of World War I she moved to the city of Zhmerynka (now Vinnytsia Oblast), graduated from medical courses. In 1917–22 she worked as a nurse (in particular in the Hnivan hospital); in 1922–23—a typist of the Hnivan city executive committee, in 1937–59—a Vinnytsia Oblast sugar trust. I did not return to sports.

World champion in classical women's wrestling (1915) - Maria Yakymovna Kovac

Borchynia Zavidna Agafia RodionovnaShe was 190 cm tall and weighed about 170 kg. In 1904–10 she studied wrestling with I. Poddubny, who helped her create strength moves that even men could not repeat, and also performed with him at tournaments. She broke chains, bent horseshoes in one hand, lifted a “two-pounder” (about 33 kg) with one little finger, held eight people in the “wrestling bridge” position on her, did a “carousel” with an iron rail, the ends of which were held by 3–4 people; a 164-kilogram stone block was broken on her chest with hammers. From 1911 she performed independently in the Russian Empire, the countries of Europe, Central and Central Asia, and Africa. Before World War I, she was the only woman in the Russian Empire who received a patent for the right to hold French wrestling championships. In 1918–20, she lived in Nikopol. During one of her performances, she was injured, but after recovering, she continued to perform. The house where the athlete lived has been preserved in Nikopol.

Extreme UtochkinUtochkin was a real idol of the public: he made the first flight across the Odessa Bay, taking off from Alexander Park (now Shevchenko Park) and landing in Dofinivka. In addition to aviation, Utochkin was involved in almost all available sports - he was a cyclist, fencer, boxer... Odessans jokingly called him an "academician of sports". Utochkin always made a show of his flights - this is how he earned a living. In 1910, a grand exhibition opened in Odessa, and an aviator's flight over its territory was organized to entertain the public. Interestingly, the organizers of the exhibition earned 3,000 rubles from this event, and Utochkin was paid 35% of the fee. However, he was offended and did not fly over the exhibition again. This is not surprising, because Utochkin's fees were usually much higher. For example, as the winner of the air competition in Warsaw that same year, he received 17,500 francs.

Ivan Poddubny shows catch of a mustachioed opponent

Ivan Poddubny (R) with one of his younger brothers

Ivan Poddubny, portrait

Ivan Markiyanovych Boryshko in the ring

Taiho Koki Champion

Taiho Koki

Circus wrestlersPrivate collection, courtesy of Iryna Kotlobulatova