Popov, Henry

Heinrich Popov is considered to be a specialist in the sprint at 100 meters - the most popular track and field discipline. ^[2] In addition, he takes part in 200 meter races , in long jump competitions, as well as in the relay race 4 × 100 meters .

Popov’s sports career began in 2001 at the German club Bayer 04 Leverkusen with an invitation to a training session, where Popov convinced the coaches with good results. ^[3] Later he began to train under the leadership of Karl-Heinz Düe (Karl-Heinz Düe) along with athletes in the heptathlon ^[4] . At the World Championships in Lille (France) in 2002, Popov won his first bronze medal in long jump. In 2004, at his first Paralympic Games in Athens, Popov won three bronzes - in 100 meters and 200 meters races, as well as in long jumps. 4 years later at the Paralympic Games in Beijing , he improved his score by breaking 100 meters in 12.98 seconds. and was awarded silver. At the Paralympic Games in London in 2012, he won gold at a 100-meter distance. He set this result as his own goal even before the opening of the Paralympics ..

At the age of seven, Heinrich Popov moved with his parents from Kazakhstan to Germany. He grew up in Hachenburg. ^[5] At the age of 9, doctors amputated his left leg above the knee (exarticulation of the knee joint) subsequently Ewing's sarcoma in the calf muscle . In numerous interviews, Popov stated that amputation was harder for his parents than for himself. He himself, rather, was worried that he could no longer play football, as he had done before. ^[6] . Popov characterizes himself as a passionate athlete. After amputation, he tried several sports until he settled on athletics. Since then, he defends the colors of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen team. He works as a programmer in the Bayer 04 football team ^[5] .

In addition to his sports career, he is engaged in motivational and youth activities. He visits victims in clinics and motivates them to engage in sports after amputation. For younger athletes, the team is a mentor and gives them advice for a future career. ^[7] For a better approach to sports talents, Heinrich Popov has intensified his work on social networks. ^[8]

Heinrich Popov is one of the most popular German athletes. The number of his fans is constantly growing. Thanks to his clear statements and frequent quotations in the media, he became “perhaps the most famous Paralympic of Germany” and the popular voice of the Paralympic movement. ^[9] Popov stands for better conditions for Paralympic mass sports. An athlete from Leverkusen requires “respect and recognition” ^{[10] for} Paralympic athletes and, at the same time, stands for the professionalization of his sport. As part of the discussion of raising premiums for German athletes for Paralympic medals, Popov justified the underestimated amounts compared to Olympic prizes. The athlete confirmed his opinion with weakened competition at the Paralympic Games, in contrast to the Olympics. ^[11] Further, Popov advocated the separation of the Paralympic Games and the Olympics, since, in his opinion, otherwise, the Paralympic Games would certainly fall under the enormous shadow of the Olympics. ^[8]

For his Paralympic medals, Popov was repeatedly awarded the Silver Bay Leaf - the highest state award for athletes in Germany, which is traditionally presented by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany. The last time he received this award was on November 7, 2012. ^[12] In 2011 and 2012, Popov was one of the most promising candidates for the election of Germany's best para-athlete.

•   Wikimedia Commons has media related to Henry Popov
• Official site
• The official fan site of Heinrich Popov
• - Official twitter
• On the official site of Bayer 04
• On the official website of the IPC
• Online Sportschau