Talant Dujshebaev is on the brink of the EHF Champions League Final Four with his sons
Olympics.com spoke to him about his training methods in an exclusive interview
As a player, Dujshebaev won three Olympic medals (gold in Barcelona 1992 with the Unified Team; and two bronzes with Spain, at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000) from the four Games he participated in (he finished seventh with Spain at Athens 2004). Dujshebaev also won gold at the 1993 World Championships with Russia and three European bronze medals with Spain.
If that already sounds like an incredible haul, he also won the Spanish league title (ASOBAL) on four occasions with different clubs, in addition to one Champions League title and one EHF Cup.
For these reasons and more, Dujshebaev is considered one of the best handball players in history.
As a coach, his medal tally does not lag far behind. He won the Champions League title with Ciudad Real in his first season as coach (2005/06). In total, he has three Spanish league titles and four in the Champions League. The last one was won in 2015/2016 with Kilece, the team he coaches today where his two sons Alex and Dani Dujshebaev play.
Ahead of the 2023 Final Four where Kielce will once again attempt to win the Champions League title, Dujshebaev explained his training methods to Olympics.com, as well as what it’s like to coach his sons and what the Olympics mean to handball players.
A stage of the Champions League Final 4 is taken as a reference - the peak of the season in which there is a title at stake and matches take place over a short period of time (in this case, a game on Saturday and another on Sunday).
_In the case of Polish side Kielce, the domestic league ends several weeks before the Final Four starts, while for other teams the final phase of the Champions League begins soon after the regular season ends. _
"A week before the Final Four we double the amount of training, with a microcycle at the beginning of the week followed by two friendly matches," Dujshebaev explains.
This is what a typical Champions League Final Four week looks like for Kielce:
"Resting is very important, especially mentally," says Talant Dujshebaev. "Since I became a coach, I have always said that the players need to take one day a week off, regardless of who we are playing against, whether it’s the World Cup, the Champions League, the league… it doesn’t matter. They have to be free for one day.” During the week of the Final Four, the day off is normally used to travel to Germany.
Dujshebaev also employs a specialist physical trainer. “He develops specific plans depending on the mental and physical load caused by the upcoming games and the trips we need to make,” he explains.
“For example, there are weeks in which some players return from national team camps or matches, while others don’t. He prepares their specific plans depending on those factors and each player works on his body in a different way. The most important thing is that the group is in the best condition possible for the key dates.”
This is why there are no gym sessions in the two days leading up to key matches. “We do a preventative warm-up and the physical trainer always runs it. The first half of those training sessions are his responsibility and then we work on tactics for 45 minutes following the warm-up.”
Dujshebaev plans the video analysis of an opponent during the first specific training session for that match. For example, the first viewing in preparation for the Final Four is carried out less than two weeks before the game. “Of course, during those weeks you can watch the same video again but we also hold more specific viewing sessions - one day focusing more on defence, another on attack, and so on.”
During pre-season, the team will take part in other sporting activities (for example, kayaking on a river) but the main purpose of this is team building. Other than those activities, Dujshebaev explains that they do not do anything out of the ordinary in their workouts.
“Everything we do is tailored to improving the physical condition and technical-tactical performance of the players within the world of handball,” he says.
Having said that, Dujshebaev does have one innovative method that he doesn’t hesitate to apply. “The best innovation is that when things go wrong you show more love to the boys. It is in that moment you need to love them more.”
"The best team is the one that knows how to adapt and have a plan B and C in all areas [of the game]. Many times we make mistakes and prepare our players in a better or worse way, but we also grow together with them," explains Dujshebaev.
On a team level, the difference between the best and the rest is the group's capacity to adapt. However, Dujshebaev explains that when it comes to individual players the premise is different.
"The best player never hides in difficult moments," he says.
"I've met players who were impressive, but when things weren’t going well they didn’t respond in the same way and that’s why, in my opinion, they will never be the greatest. Then I’ve met others who may play well or badly but in the moment of truth they are always there. They always turn up.
“That’s what I value most. It may be someone who is playful, or someone who is less playful; a more confident player, or someone who is more talented... but these players always turn up. They can make one or two mistakes but in the moment that matters they always maintain 99 per cent accuracy and, for me, those are the greatest in history.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Daniel Dujshebaev (@danidujshe44)
There’s no doubting the skills of Talant Dujshebaev as a player and a coach but something else separates him from the vast majority of trainers: his two sons Alex and Dani Dujshebaev, who both play for his team.
“People have asked me this question many times and it’s very tough to answer but at the same time very easy. It’s tough because they’re still your children and easy because, as I always say, I try to treat my players as if they were my own family. That’s why it’s not strange or difficult for me to be as demanding of my children as other players because I treat all my players with love. So in the team, I don’t have two children but 18 or 20 children".
Although there are many comparisons to be made between the play style of Dujshebaev senior with his eldest son Alex, Talant believes the resemblance isn’t as close as people say.
“I think Alex is much more tactically prepared than me. I am very sure of that. He has individual technical-tactical skills that are superior to mine. Dani is totally different - he’s bigger with different characteristics. Dani is a much better defender than both of us, so it’s easier for me to compare myself with Alex than Dani.”
There is also something that Talant believes his sons do better than him, and it can be found outside of the court.
“They are totally different to me. I always say they are much better people than I am, for certain. And that’s something I’m proud of - first of all, they are good people.”
And, according to Dujshebaev, handball is one of the main reasons behind this.
"Sport is something that has made us better people because if you join a team, you always look out for the good of the team, you have to make friends, etc. So I always advise all my friends when they have children - or now that I myself have two grandchildren - to get them to participate in sport. Sport keeps them off the street, makes them more disciplined, more coordinated, and healthier. And I can only welcome that."
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Daniel Dujshebaev (@danidujshe44)
Dujshebaev really enjoyed himself as a player
there is one that stands above the rest: The Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games where he won gold with the Unified Team
"The best memory I have as a player was the Olympic Games in Barcelona
going to my first Olympics and winning gold was my greatest experience."
Yet while Barcelona 1992 holds a special place in his heart
Dujshebaev acknowledges that any edition of the Olympics has something different and more special than other competitions
When explaining the effect the Olympics can have on an athlete
Dujshebaev uses the example of NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo whose reflections this season on the performance of his team
made headline news earlier in the NBA season
The Greek player was asked at a press conference whether his team had failed and responded with this answer:
to be able to provide the house for them or take care of your parents
won six championships; the other nine years was a failure
That's what you're telling me?"
Dujshebaev used the NBA star's speech to explain how special the Olympics are
"The other day we were shocked by Antetokounmpo's words about failure," he said
"I always say that failure is a word invented by people who are negative
pessimistic and who only know how to distinguish what is white from what is black
But there are so many things between black and white..
just being at the Olympic Games is amazing
Just living in the Olympic Village and seeing thousands and thousands of the best athletes from all over the world is amazing
it's something that’s difficult to repeat
Everything at the Olympics is so wonderful
that it's really worth just trying to get there
That's why it is important to at least try
I always tell my boys that failure is a word we have to remove from our minds."
Bordeaux native Yohan Castaing is a freelance journalist
southwest France and Champagne houses for The Wine Advocate
a guide to the wines of the Rh\u00f4ne Valley
He also writes for wine publications including Gault&Millau and Jancis Robinson
Castaing has held a variety of positions in the wine industry such as wine buyer and marketing director
He was a wine marketing consultant and the author of several books about wine marketing and wine tourism before
he became a full-time freelance wine journalist focusing on the industry and wine reviews
Crémant de Talant is set to take its name from the tiny commune of Talant, close to Dijon on the outer limits of Burgundy
where 150 hectares of vines were planted in 1209 when Duke Eudes II owned the village
Vineyards mostly disappeared after being attacked by the phylloxera pest
Marsannay winemaker Christophe Bouvier acquired 0.7 of a hectare of vines in the hills of Talant
and has since been producing a Bourgogne blanc
a Crémant de Bourgogne producer known for its cuvée Terroir de Chazot and capacity to produce Crémant from specific places
signed a lease with the commune of Talant to plant vines
Its plan is to plant 11,000 vines on two hectares (1.2ha of Chardonnay and 0.8ha of Pinot Noir) to create Crémant de Talant
DRC co-owner Aubert de Villaine helped to bring the project to fruition via his role as president of the Association des Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne
It was the association that identified Talant’s vineyard heritage
to classify this climat in the Crémant de Bourgogne appellation
Talant’s terroir is on the perimeter of the Burgundy area classified by UNESCO
and so can produce wine under the AOC Bourgogne blanc label
Bouvier also plans to plant some Pinot Noir vines to produce AOC Bourgogne rouge
of Domaine de la Cras in Plombières-les-Dijon
will plant one hectare to produce Bourgogne blanc
Talant is expected to go from 0.7ha of vines today to more than 10ha in 2020
Ukraine’s heroic fight against the Russian invasion sparked a powerful response from the democratic world
not only in the trans-Atlantic neighborhood but also from Asia-Pacific nations – Australia
businesses halted their operations in Russia
The international public opinion echoed far and wide in its unanimity. According to the 2022 Lowy Poll, Russian foreign policy is viewed as a top threat to Australia, bigger than climate change. And Japan, not known as a country offering sanctuary to refugees and asylum seekers, accepted 1,300 Ukrainians fleeing the war
protracted slog with no clear outcome or end in sight
A rare story about Ukraine these days goes without mentioning the war fatigue that has set in or is setting in in Western countries
As the media spotlight moves away from the battleground
people who are the most exhausted with the war – Ukrainians – continue to suffer facing the uncertainty of the future
People’s attention can take in only so many horrors
After Russia’s failed blitzkrieg on Kyiv and regional capitals and the shocking exposure of Russian atrocities in Bucha
the war has settled into a battle of attrition that has largely unfolded around villages and smaller cities in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region
and skyrocketing prices for food and energy have taken over the list of priorities in people’s minds in Europe
What matters more is whether political leaders are ready to overcome internal disagreements and domestic discontent
European Union members unanimously backed candidacy to join the bloc
But they have been less united on the question of sanctions and supplies of weapons
Two high-profile meetings this week will be key tests of Western unity on Ukraine, and of whether the usual pledges of support will be matched by material increases in economic and military aid for Ukraine and tighter financial pressure on Russia. Moscow has managed to weather the economic pressure so far, despite defaulting on some external sovereign bonds earlier this week
The meeting of the G7 leaders in Bavaria includes discussions aimed at ramping up this pressure, by establishing a price cap on Russian oil exports and banning Russian gold imports
A NATO summit in Madrid is promised to be “transformative,” according to the alliance’s secretary general
The bloc will discuss more weapons assistance to Ukraine as well as the new security concept to address Russia’s threat and China’s growing influence
Although the active fighting is concentrated in the country’s east
nowhere is safe from Russian missile strikes
The Interpreter features in-depth analysis & expert commentary on the latest international events, published daily by the Lowy Institute
Kyrgyz citizens will cast ballots later this month for a new
Oversight will likely be lax since some of the country’s best journalists have been forbidden from monitoring the vote
Kyrgyz politics is more about coalition building than ideas and it is common for politicians to bounce between parties
and many of the parties on the ballot at first appear unfamiliar
it is a near certainty that Japarov and Tashiev can ensure the smaller
Few are surprised to see the three parties closest to Japarov and Tashiev – Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan, Ishenim, and Yntymak – lead in campaign spending
Another big spender with some Japarov-friendly members is El Umutu (People’s Hope)
they have spent more than all other 17 parties combined
El Umutu promotes itself as “the party of untarnished and knowledgeable youth” who want to change the old
Most of its candidates don’t have previous political experience
questions have arisen about who is bankrolling the new party
having previously repaid a fraction of damages to the state
El Umutu called allegations that it receives money from Matraimov a smear campaign and said that its own candidates were financing the party
El Umutu was also in the news this fall when an opposition member of parliament charged that Japarov’s son Rustam was recruiting for the party. Last month the president said that members of his family “don’t interfere in politics.”
Tashiev’s brother Shairbek is running as an independent in Jalal-Abad
The brother of Japarov’s former prime minister Ulukbek Maripov is a candidate in Nookat
the state-appointed administrator of Kumtor
running as an independent in Issyk-Kul; his nephew Daniyar Bolturukov is on the El Umutu list
What about the winners of the 2020 parliamentary elections – Birimdik
and Kyrgyzstan – which triggered the unrest that thrust Japarov into power and were eventually annulled
Most of their candidates either migrated to new parties or are not running
Former president Sooronbai Jeenbekov has maintained a low profile since handing his job to Japarov
His brother Asylbek Jeenbekov has been in custody as part of a corruption probe into Kumtor
are running as candidates in their native regions: party leader Kanatbek Isaev in Chui and former parliament speaker Dastan Jumabekov in Talas
Other familiar names can be found in the opposition camp
Two sons of imprisoned former president Almazbek Atambayev are seeking seats: 45-year-old Seiitbek Atambayev is running independently
is leading the Social Democrats – the successor to Atambayev’s Social Democratic Party
which won almost a third of seats in the 2015 parliamentary elections
Another Atambayev ally, ex-lawmaker Ravshan Jeenbekov, is running for parliament from jail. He is being held for his alleged involvement in the violent clash between Atambayev’s supporters and security officers in August 2019
Also running with Ata-Meken this year is investigative journalist Ali Toktakunov, who gained prominence for his work exposing the Matraimov customs corruption in 2019 and 2020. Toktakunov has since left Azattyk, the Kyrgyz service of RFE/RL, and started his own investigative outlet
lawmaker Dastan Bekeshev and lawyer Nurbek Toktakunov
are running as independent candidates in Bishkek and supporting themselves with online crowdfunding
Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all
Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek
Speaker of the Parliament of Kyrgyz Republic in Bishkek on 16 September 2021
The two discussed prospects of expanding co-operation between Kyrgyzstan and the OSCE in promoting democracy
Mamytov emphasized the importance of activities aimed at mitigating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan
He expressed appreciation for the OSCE’s continuous support
including technical support for establishing live video-streaming services to the Parliament
which aims to increase transparency within Parliament
Mamytov also confirmed the host country’s readiness to invite international election observers to the upcoming parliamentary elections on 28 November 2021
Rogov welcomed efforts for holding free and fair parliamentary elections in November
and stressed the Office’s readiness to continue strengthening existing ties with the Parliament in promoting democratic governance
and supporting Kyrgyzstan in upholding OSCE commitments
now they want to own Olympic gold like their dad
Dad Talant Dujshebaev won Olympic gold at Barcelona '92
bronze at Atlanta '96 and Sydney 2000
the Champions League multiple times as a player and a coach
and named the second best player of the 20th century behind only Swedish great Magnus Wislander
"Sometimes we had to work harder because of the name on the shirt," Alex Dujshebaev told El Español at the 2019 world champs
Dani has also talked about all the extra training sessions with dad growing up
Now all three are united at Polish club Kielce
where their father is once again their coach
and you feel so much more is to come from this family unit
When Dani was asked about this comparison to Marc and Pau Gasol brothers last year he answered "ojalá" in Spanish, which means "let's hope so".
🥇","event":null,"destination_url":"","entry_point_tag":"base","entry_point_type":"instory_campaign"}" data-tracking="click" href="https://www.olympics.com/en/sign-in?entry_point_type=instory_campaign&entry_point_tag=base&template=base&origin=https%3A%2F%2Folympics.com%2Fen%2Folympic-channel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Olympic Membership - Free Live Stream Sports & Original Series - join now
Their father's greatness is undisputed
but their mother also played as a goalkeeper for the Soviet Union
the two inherited another essential from their parents: height
Alex stands at 1.87m (6'2) tall and Dani is an imposing 1.97m (6'6)
Growing up around the game was a huge factor too
both parents qualified to play for the post-Soviet era Unified Team at Barcelona '92
Olga Dujshebaev discovered she was pregnant with Alex and didn't play
Her husband Talant went to Barcelona and shone
Born in Frunze in northern Kyrgyzstan in 1968 - part of the Soviet Union at that time
he took up handball to get out of the cold with his friends
developed his talent quickly at his local club and at 18 was called to play with CSKA Moscow
completing his military service at the same time
Adding discipline to a natural determination
Dujshebaev quickly became arguably the best player in the world
He set the Barcelona Olympic handball competition alight in 1992
finishing as top scorer with 47 goals and winning gold
unpredictable centre back who could arm attacks
The offers poured in from clubs across the Spanish league and Teka Cantabria convinced him to sign
but he also fell in love with Spain in Santander
with its soaring cathedrals and sweeping coastlines
"I'm a citizen of the world," he said
after leading Teka Cantabria to their only Champions League title ever in 93/94
before becoming a legend at Ciudad Real in Castile-La Mancha and leading the Spanish national team to two Olympic and three European podiums
"Handball players are gladiators who go out into the arena every weekend fighting to the death on the court
At Ciudad Real in the Quijote Arena two little lads played on the sidelines
vaguely aware of the history their superhero dad was making
going from worshipped player to all-conquering coach
"I learned about the game between watching cartoons," the younger Dani told El Español
“Oliver and Benji (Manga series Captain Tsubasa in English)
But with dad's love of and commitment to handball passing on to his two young handball prospects
it was clear that the brothers were future stars from a young age
Alex cut his teeth at Ciudad Real under dad's watchful eye before playing at La Rioja
and moving to Macedonia to play with RK Vardar where he won the Champions League in 2016/17 alongside Timur Dibirov and Kiril Lazarov
He plays at right back and has an instinctive understanding of the game
a team player with strong defensive skills
physical and technical qualities that make him a nightmare to mark
The family was reunited at Kielce in Poland in 2017, dad as coach with Alex and Dani playing, and now there's another generation too.
View this post on Instagram Daddy & Son 🐰 #H♥️
A post shared by Alex Dujshebaev (@alexdujshebaev) on Sep 5
even though his father says he's the calmest and quietest in the family off it
"he's like his mother," said dad
He was a stand-out part of the golden generation that won Spain's first ever junior world title in 96/97 and is growing into a dominant
free scoring centre-back - a bit like the old man
the stage looks set for this Dujshebaev double-act to make their own case for greatness
the year's delay allowing the younger brother to get that bit stronger and with another year of experience under his belt
This incredible family handball fairy tale may have another exciting chapter at the Games
with dad - a three-time Olympic medallist - proudly watching his two sons step up onto on an Olympic podium together for the first time
EHF Champions League winner as a player (once) and a coach (four times)
and - Talant Dujshebaev has made his mark on handball for over three decades
the 53-year-old former world class playmaker has coached Kielce and even coaches his two sons
Talant Dujshebaev gives an in-depth insight into how it all started in Frunze (nowadays Bishkek) and describes his journey to Poland via Moscow
You said no to using cookies or similar tools that help improve your experience. To see this content, you would need to update your Privacy Preferences
When I was a kid in Frunze in the former Soviet Union
nobody could have guessed that I would even play in the first team of this club
never mind make it to a national team or that I would make a career for myself in handball
My career includes winding roads and changes
my biggest joy is being the grandpa to little Hugo
they were workers and worked hard day and night
when we got a new flat in another part of the city of Frunze
as it was quite cold outside in winter times in today’s Kyrgyzstan
their first men’s team played in the first Soviet league
and then came little Talant to the training
No thoughts about becoming a professional or whatever
They were completely different times compared to today - we only had school
One crucial point for my eventual career was the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow
we read so much about all the different sports and watched them on TV
I really became a sports fan and I started to like handball players
I never had a real role model for my career
but I still remember Yugoslav player Hrvoje Horvat
I still have videos of his matches at home and
He was a kind of launching pad for my handball life
I was promoted to Frunze’s men’s team as the youngest player in their squad
But I still never thought that this sport would imprint my life
It took only two years until I was discovered by army club CSKA
CSKA were the best handball team in the world
later Vladimir Maximov in the Soviet junior national team
I had the pleasure to play and train with some of the globally best handball players of this era
And I got to know the most important thing of our sport: individual talent means nothing as handball is a team sport
the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Warsaw Pact hit all our lives really hard
the whole country was in a full transition
and we did not know anything about our future
The hardest time was in 1991 and 1992: we trained so hard for our dream to play at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona
But we were young and told ourselves every day: do not care about politics
Winning the Olympic gold medal in Barcelona is still the biggest highlight in my career
I would give all trophies I won later for one more gold medal at Olympic Games
we played our first World Championship under our new name Russia and won the gold medals again
Oleg Kiselev or Vasily Kudinov and fabulous coaches Maximov and Spartak Mironovich
It was my first and my last event in the Russian jersey
I felt that the time for something new had come
I left those hard times behind and arrived in a sunny city
three new players had arrived in a well-rehearsed and well-balanced team: Mikhail Yakimovich
and the Spanish mentality helped me and Mikhail to integrate very easily
and one year later we made history by becoming the first ever winners of a new competition
which later had a huge impact on my life: the EHF Champions League
and tough way to make it to the winners’ podium
Those five years were the best time of my life
and I still have so many friends at Santander
I received Spanish citizenship and won two silver medals and a bronze at EHF EURO tournaments and two bronze medals at Olympic Games
But I left Spain in 1997 to open another chapter of my handball life
the time at Minden was the most impressive one in terms of life-long friendships
The human side of this Minden project still is what I remember most
on the court we were not as successful as we wanted and due to many injuries
we never had the width in the squad to win a big title
Playing in the Bundesliga was another important part of my career
and when Minden was relegated to the second division
In 2001 – I was 33 – I had to make the next major decision in my life: How long can I still be a player on that level
I had an unbelievably huge offer to sign a three-year contract as a player in Qatar
who later became something like a father for me
He introduced me to his project to implement the best handball team ever in a small Spanish city
This was exactly the project I was looking for
Maybe not all decisions in my life were perfect
like later Kielce became a true adventure for me
We started the project almost from scratch
and I told Domingo I would play until 2004
I had the honour to coach some of the best handball players
we won the Champions League for the first time
we were ahead of FC Barcelona in the Spanish league
and I am so proud that I was part of this project
But it was obvious when the financial crisis hit Spain that hard times would come
even our change to Atletico Madrid could not save the club
All players and I fought until the last second
but we shared the same fate with clubs like Santander
but I was absolutely sure that another project would come
And I was right: Bertus Servaas contacted me to join Kielce
Only half a year after the end of Atletico Madrid
Even when we had financial problems some years ago
it was clear to me that I never would leave this club
and it is my dream to win this Champions League trophy again with Kielce
you can never have long-term plans as everything is connected to success
But I could definitely imagine staying at Kielce until I am 65
as my boys are here – and family is the most important thing for me
I have never put any pressure on Alex or Dani to become handball players
I feel more like a father and friend than their coach
it was their performance level which was the reason to join the club
Both are highly ambitious; both still can learn a lot
And my little grandson Hugo is the biggest gift Alex could give to his father
as I do not want to live in the past: not talking about what happened 10
but about what can happen in the next three or five years
One important experience for me was being national team coach in Poland and Hungary
I had always dreamt to coach a national team and to see how it feels when you do not have the players around you every day
as I had not been coach in the Hungarian league
as I was coach here and knew all the players
I give the two trophies as IHF World Player of the Year for one more Olympic gold medal
And I would never dare to make a choice of the best player of all times
you cannot compare Michael Jordan with Kobe Bryant or LeBron James
it is more important to look ahead – as this is my mentality
DRAW: Recent champions meet and potential first-time winners clash in hotly-anticipated semi-finals after TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 semi-final…
DRAW: The four sides who made it through the qualification tournaments now know who they will face in Cologne
QUARTER-FINAL REVIEW: A 30:29 victory for Szeged was not enough to book their first ticket to Cologne
a single goal separated the 2023 title winners and Veszprém
QUARTER-FINAL REVIEW: 2018 finalists end Sporting CP’s Machineseeker EHF Champions League journey with second quarter-final win
QUARTER-FINAL REVIEW: After a nine-goal win in the first leg
HANDBALL THROUGH MY EYES: Versatile One Veszprém back Nedim Remili reveals why he loves handball
OFFICIAL STATEMENT: Court of Handball issues further decision regarding withdrawal of Vipers from EHF Champions League
NEWS: Györi Audi ETO KC will meet Team Esbjerg
and Metz Handball will play against Odense Håndbold on 31 May in the MVM Dome in Budapest
STATS COUNTER: Julian Rux analyses the data to provide statistical insights for the Match of the Week
Picture by 2018 Getty ImagesAlmost three decades ago, in 1992, handball legend Talant Dujshebaev won the gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games, as part of the Unified Team. A few months later, his first son was born: Alex.
That very same year, Talant signed for the Spanish league team, Club Balonmano Cantabria. It had the potential to be a transfer like so many others before it, but the move went on to change the future of Spanish handball.
The 1992 Olympics did not represent the final glorious moment for the Dujshebaev family.
At Atlanta 1996, Talant was playing for the Spanish national team that went on to win the Olympic bronze medal. A year later, his second son Dani was born.
Talant once again stepped onto an Olympic podium at Sydney 2000, winning a second gold medal. But, that was not the end of the family’s Olympic story. ‘To be continued’ now has a date attached to it: 24 July 2021, when the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Handball competition begins.
Although they have never competed at an Olympics, Talant’s sons have continued their father’s legacy on the court. Their most recent success saw them lift the bronze medal in January at the 2021 Handball World Championship in Egypt.
"This bronze tastes so good because this team deserved it. We lost only one game by a single goal in the whole tournament. It would have been so tough for us leave Egypt without a medal, because from the first day to the last, we fought for it," said Alex Dujshebaev in an exclusive interview with Tokyo 2020.
Olympic Membership - Free Live Stream Sports & Original Series - join now! 🥇
Although Spain still maintained an outstanding level in Egypt, this World Championship was different to previous ones. It was Spain’s first tournament since the outbreak of COVID-19.
The tournament was held without spectators, making it harder for the players to perform.
"Playing with no crowd is complicated. When you see the infrastructure, the hallways, you imagine what it would be like with spectators. But that is the situation we are living in and we can’t complain," said the right-back, who finished the tournament as Spain’s second-highest goalscorer (34) and the highest number of assists (30).
"We have tried to cheer each other up even more so that we can focus on every game. And things didn’t go badly.”
In fact, the unity within the Spanish team is what Dujshebaev enjoyed most about the World Championship.
"We say we truly are a team, but we are more than that - we are a family. That's the feeling we have because every day we spend together is special."
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alex Dujshebaev (@alexdujshebaev)
The Spanish team may be a family, but Alex has real bloodlines within the national team. His brother, Dani, who is five years his junior, has won back-to-back European gold medals alongside him, in addition to the latest World Championship bronze. They also play in the same club, Poland’s Kielce.
Alex saw the evolution of his brother first-hand, as the younger sibling shone at the World Championship.
"I’m really proud of him. I’m happy about everything he has done in this tournament. I think Dani is very important to us as a team, and from the first game until the last he has grown up. I think he has taken a step forward," he said.
"In this World Championship he was in great shape and playing at a great level, and I hope that continues in the next tournaments - helping and growing up. It would help us a lot in the next competition with the Hispanos (the Spanish men’s national team’s nickname), the Olympic Games."
“The Olympics are the pinnacle of sport. We have spoken about them for many years. This generation’s goal is the Olympic Games.”
It is clear that the Tokyo 2020 Games are special to Dujshebaev.
Despite shining in the lead-up to the Games, Spain failed to qualify for Rio 2016 by a single goal. However, the 2020 European Championship saw them not only win the title but also qualify for Tokyo. The Games will be the final swansong of players who have almost become legends, including the captain, Raúl Entrerríos.
It’s another reason Spain have their sights set on Tokyo 2020.
We'd be lying ourselves if we said we aren't dreaming of winning the gold medal in Tokyo.
The prize for this generation will be a gold Olympic medal, according to Dujshebaev.
"It makes me feel funny saying this, but we don't have any other goal at Tokyo 2020 other than the gold medal. We are going to go for it. We know this generation deserves something big and we are going to work for it. We will go step-by-step, first trying to qualify from the group phase, then the later rounds... so we will see. But we'd be lying ourselves if we said we aren't dreaming of winning the gold medal in Tokyo."
If the dream does come true, this generation will write another chapter in its own history, because the Spanish men's handball team has never reached an Olympic final. Spain's best result at the Olympics is a bronze medal, a feat they have repeated three times (1996, 2000 and 2008).
Alex’s father is the sole family member to have tasted Olympic glory. And he has always demonstrated his love for the Games to his sons.
"I was just a child when he played at the Olympics, but I have some memories of those moments, particularly the last ones... cheering him in front of the TV. To be honest, my father always told me that representing your country at the Olympics is the pinnacle of what an athlete can aspire to. And more so if you can win a medal. That's something really, really special," recalled Alex.
"We always compete at European or World Championships... but I think the Olympic Games surpass that. They are on another level, far above any other competition. For an athlete, they are that special.”
Both of Talant’s sons could make their debut at Tokyo 2020.
"He says to us we have to try to enjoy the Olympics to the max, and that this experience is very different to any other, more intense, so we need to be focused and give the best of ourselves in order to win a medal," explained the eldest brother.
Throughout his career, Alex has always been judged by his surname - and that is something that has not always been positive. Despite this, he has always represented his family with pride.
"(Being a Dujshebaev) has its drawbacks and its positive points. When we were younger, it was harder. For better or for worse, people always looked at you through a magnifying glass. When I did something positive, it was a moment of pride. But when I did something negative, people were harder on me, they criticised me more. But it’s something I have always dealt with. The most important thing for me is that I have always been proud of who I am and that I am my feather’s son,” said Alex.
It was 17 months ago when Alex became a father himself. Although it may be too soon to say, he does not want to force his child to follow in the Dujshebaev family legacy.
"As a father, I simply want him to be happy. I'll try to support him in whatever he wants. Obviously, I'll always try to help him to become a better person. But he will make his own decisions."
Indirectly, this attitude is also something that he has inherited from his father.
"This mindset, this attitude, also comes from my father, because he always supported me. He has helped me and always told me I could do whatever I wanted and in the way that I wanted," he recalled.
And so he did what he wanted in the way that he wanted to, which eventually led him to follow in his father’s footsteps - on a path that he had begun building in 1992, without knowing that 1992 would forever change Spanish handball.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alex Dujshebaev (@alexdujshebaev)
Or did you intentionally slightly exaggerated
that were lead to great victories by you, in particular?
«People from the regions look indifferently at digitalization
believing that this is only for city people
By bringing the infrastructure to each locality
teachers and children feel the benefits of digitalization»
– said Talant Sultanov – the Chairman of Kyrgyz Internet Society (ISOC Kyrgyzstan)
former head of the National Institute for Strategic Studies of the Kyrgyz Republic (NISS KR) and former advisor to the Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic
in an interview with the analytical platform CABAR.asia
Follow us on LinkedIn
Even if not hackers but all the companies in the world are collecting as many data as possible. The data is as new oil now; Facebook, Google, Apple and all companies collect all sorts of data to build their marketing and products. We, as Internet users, especially our children should be aware of these threats, so that we do not make them vulnerable to the bad aspects of Internet.
This article was prepared as part of the Giving Voice, Driving Change – from the Borderland to the Steppes Project implemented with the financial support of the Foreign Ministry of Norway. The opinions expressed in the article do not reflect the position of the editorial or donor.
notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.