Not just sneakers: what else do athletes collect?

Not just sneakers: what else do athletes collect?

Sports cars, World of WarCraft figurines, olive varieties, modern art and vintage dresses are just some of their collections.

Athletes hunt not only for medals. they often spend their multi-million dollar fees on unusual collections. It is not easy to surprise them, so sometimes their aspirations are quite sophisticated, and sometimes they are echoes of childhood or simple little things that make them happy and peaceful. We found out what inspires the champions.

Semyon Elistratov – car models

The Olympic and world short track speed skating champion has been interested in everything related to cars since childhood. With his first salary Semyon bought his first model car – a Ford Shelbey. Now there are more than 50 of them in his collection. Most of all he cherishes sports cars. Each model has its own history, its own philosophy. Such models are sold only in special stores, mostly in Europe.

Elistratov spoils himself with one, maximum two cars a year. The team also knows about his hobby. The guys once got together and gave his colleague a fairly rare model for his birthday. Semyon has already collected the whole line of Ferrari and is going to take up Porsche.

Yuri Zhirkov – military trophies

The footballer approaches with all responsibility and awe to the military theme. He constantly publishes in “Instagram” movie excerpts, photos from excursions and videos on which his children read patriotic poems.

Thus, for several years already, Yuri has been collecting trophies of the Great Patriotic War, equipment and other items somehow related to the military history of the country.

Angelika Timanina – vintage dresses

The Olympic champion in synchronized swimming has long since replaced the swimming pool with the red carpet. And in her new role she also manages to look perfect.

Angelica confesses that she adores evening dresses and never thinks about comfort, bravely putting on the highest heels and a chic outfit. Among her favorite vintage acquisitions she singles out the Escada Socialite dress – one of the first couture dresses of this brand that appeared.

Alexander Kokorin – sneakers and supercars

Collecting sneakers is now more common than brands, but it is about the collection of the Fiorentina striker that legends are literally made. For a long cooperation with various sports brands, Alexander has accumulated an impressive number of pairs, counting which even the footballer himself can not.

In addition to shoes, Kokorin is a big fan of vintage cars, especially sports cars. The very first acquisition was a powerful German SUV Mercedes Benz G 65 Mansory with a matte coating of “dark metallic”. The cost of the modified sample was 75 million rubles.

Then other brands began to appear:

• glossy black Mercedes-Benz S600;
• the fast, spectacular Bugatti Veyron;
• two-door yellow Lamborghini Aventador;
• white sporty Lamborghini Aventador;
• snow-white Bentley Continental.

Irina Viner-Usmanova – hats

The country’s chief rhythmic gymnastics coach is used to bringing up a tough core in herself and her students, but hats are her weakness. The collection is replenished most often directly thanks to Irina Alexandrovna’s charges. They always try to please their favorite teacher with something elegant.

Maria Sharapova – modern art

Subscribers of the famous tennis player know exactly about this predilection, because she often shares interesting finds. Maria says that she loves everything modern, in her house there is nothing superfluous, she can not tolerate souvenirs.

Only photos and items from the collection of modern art remind her of traveling. Most of all Sharapova is proud of the Picasso lithograph, which she bought in London. She also likes Chris Gwaltney, with whom she is friends, and Ed Moses.

Tatiana Tarasova – turtles

Turtles are practically everywhere in Tatiana’s house: in the bathroom as soap dishes, in the kitchen as hot plates. More than a thousand specimens of all kinds and sizes.

And it all started in 1970, when coach Johan Lindner gave Tarasova her first turtle for good luck. Tatiana can spend hours looking at the collection, because she is sure that they are her talismans.