A detailed feature article examines the life of Anatoly Parfenov, an Olympic heavyweight wrestling champion and World War II veteran. Parfenov, a farmer's son of enormous strength, served as both a stormtrooper and tank operator, meeting victory in Berlin. After only five years of classical wrestling training, he won an Olympic gold medal and later coached the legendary Nikolai Balboshin. The piece includes interviews with his son and students, along with a visit to his home village of Dvornikovo in the Moscow region. Local residents shared numerous stories about his exceptional strength, including carrying logs by hand instead of using horses, holding water buckets with one finger, and single-handedly defeating multiple bandits who terrorized motorists on Egorievsky Highway. An 80-year-old villager recalls Parfenov organizing youth football, prohibiting profanity and smoking, and being warmly welcomed home after his Olympic victory.
