Recently, the image of Belarusian wrestler Zakhar Dzmitrychenka competing at the Trieu Khuc village festival (Thanh Tri, Hanoi) attracted the attention of the community.
During the match, Zakhar lifted and knocked down his opponents, who were professional athletes from Vietnam, Japan, etc., with ease. Many people compared Zakhar to the character Thor in the movie "Thor" that was shown in theaters.
The image of the Belarusian "boss" celebrating his victory also quickly spread on social networks. Netizens expressed their delight at seeing the Village Festival in Vietnam "reaching the international level" and hoped that this wrestling tournament would attract many athletes from all over the world to promote Vietnamese culture.
It is known that Zakhar Dzmitrychenka won the Bronze Medal at the World Classical Wrestling Championship and the title of Master of Sports in wrestling in Belarus.
After the image of Zakhar winning the Vietnamese village festival, his personal page skyrocketed in interactions and likes. The young man from Belarus was surprised to become "famous" in an unexpected way.
Zakhar participates in a village wrestling festival in Bac Ninh on the occasion of early spring on February 10 (Photo: Character provided).
Retired because of changing direction to make a living
Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, Zakhar Dzmitrychenka said that this was the first time he participated in a wrestling match at a village festival in Vietnam. Knowing that he was a wrestler who had competed in international arenas, a friend of Zakhar texted him to invite him to try his hand at the village festival in Trieu Khuc (Ha Dong, Hanoi).
Zakhar said he was very impressed with the brightly decorated space, hundreds of people eagerly watching each wrestling match here. In Belarus, there are no wrestling arenas organized in the countryside, so the boy born in 1996 was very curious.
"I have only known about Vietnamese freestyle wrestling for 2 months. Some friends said that wrestling at the village festival at the beginning of the new year is very fun, so I decided to fly from Nha Trang to Hanoi to try it. I just want to exchange and learn, not focusing on the goal of having to win all opponents," Zakhar said.
Zakhar said the secret to having a muscular body is to practice diligently every day (Photo: Character provided).
Zakhar is a wrestler for the Belarus national team. When competing in Vietnam, Zakhar noticed the similarities between freestyle and classical wrestling. To win, he tried to apply his experience to the wrestling ring.
"In classical wrestling, athletes are not allowed to grab their opponent's legs, they can only use the body from the waist up when competing, while freestyle wrestling allows the use of the whole body. Physical strength may be an advantage but I don't use too much strength, I just want to compete happily with the most comfortable mentality," he said.
Zakhar was born into a family with a sports tradition. His father was a gymnast, his brother was a wrestler.
At the age of 3, Zakhar was guided by his father to practice gymnastics. He is considered to have a great influence on the life and career of the two brothers. Zakhar's father always nurtured his love for sports and passion for training his son since Zakhar was a kindergarten boy.
Zakhar easily lifts his opponents thanks to his physical advantage (Photo: Grappling Vietnam).
At the age of 6, Zakhar switched to classical wrestling. Six years later, he was called up to the national team. At the age of 18, this young man won his first gold medal in his career at a wrestling tournament held in Lithuania.
Zakhar's career in professional wrestling did not last long. At the age of 21, he decided to retire from the profession to find a new direction in life.
"It was a really difficult decision in the life of a professional athlete. Wrestling didn't bring in much money, so I decided to stop and switch to becoming a fitness trainer to make a living," Zakhar confided.
In nearly 10 years of professional competition, Zakhar has won a bronze medal in wrestling at the world championship, ranked 5th at the championship held in Brazil, won the Eastern European regional championship and became a wrestling master in his home country...
Zakhar revealed that training is the most important key to having a muscular body. Although he is no longer a professional athlete, he still maintains lifting weights every day. Since he was a child, this young man has been guided by his father to have a nutritious diet, ensuring health, not eating grilled food or dishes with too much fat.
Travel to Vietnam and decide to stay long term
Leaving the Belarusian wrestling team, Zakhar traveled to many countries around the world before starting his new job.
In 2022, on his first visit to Southeast Asia, the 1996-born man was fascinated by the natural beauty and the gentleness of the Vietnamese people. He decided to choose Nha Trang as his permanent residence.
Not long after, Karina (born in 1996, Zakhar's wife) also followed her husband to this beautiful coastal city. Overcoming the initial confusion, they now feel satisfied with their current life.
"Life in Vietnam is very comfortable, people are happy and hospitable, so my husband and I adapted very quickly. After 2 years here, we decided to stay here long-term and consider Vietnam our second home," Karina confided.
Rich and delicious Vietnamese cuisine is also a plus in the eyes of the Belarusian couple. According to Zakhar, the couple likes pho, bun cha and coffee... but cannot cook dishes like the locals.
Zakhar (far left) enjoys the bustling, joyful atmosphere at the spring village festival (Photo: Character provided).
"Vietnamese food is easy to enjoy. We like the four-season fruits the most with a wide variety to choose from. In Belarus, fruits are usually only available in the summer, and are very rare and expensive in the cold winter," Karina shared.
According to Zakhar, his wife is his support and companion to help him stay strong in life in a foreign land. The couple met by chance at a gym in Belarus 5 years ago.
At that time, Zakhar participated in a weightlifting competition held at the gym where Karina worked. He never thought that this chance would be the bridge for him to have a life partner who is not only beautiful but also understands the field that both of them are pursuing.
Impressed by the athlete's smile and handsome appearance, Karina often talked about training methods, nutrition... Gradually, the couple developed feelings and decided to get married after 3 years of dating. The bond between the two was not only love but also a passion for sports.
On the field, Zakhar is decisive and cold to win, but in real life he is cheerful, kind and loves his wife wholeheartedly.
Currently, Zakhar works as a personal trainer and practices MMA at SilverBack MMA Vietnam Club in Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa). MMA is a mixed martial art, combining many martial arts such as: Boxing, Kick Boxing, Muay Thai...
Mr. Dang Khoa (Owner of SilverBack MMA Vietnam Club in Nha Trang) said: "Zakhar is a hard-working and eager-to-learn person. He always maintains a serious and highly disciplined attitude during training and competition. With a good physique and talent, Zakhar has progressed very quickly during the training process."
After participating in the Trieu Khuc village festival (Hanoi), the Belarusian man continued to accept invitations to compete in village festivals in several neighboring provinces within the next week before returning to Nha Trang.
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