Feb 19th 2008
Star City, Russia
Yuri Gargarin was a Hero of the Soviet Union and a Soviet cosmonaut. On 12 April 1961, Gagarin became the first human to travel into space in Vostok 3KA-2. His call sign in this flight was Kedr. During his flight, Gagarin famously whistled the tune "The Motherland Hears, The Motherland Knows" (Russian: "?????? ??????, ?????? ?????"). Yuri Gargarin is immortalised across the world and still remains a national icon in Russia. On 27th March 1968, he and his instructor mysteriously died in a MIG - 15UTI on a routine training flight near Kirzhach. Yuri was certainly one of my mentors. My father gave me a poster of him to put up on my bedroom wall when I was a young child.
During our training at Star City, we regularly undertake physical training sessions. In the current gym used by cosmonauts is the very same gym locker used by Yuri Gargarin prior to his death. His gym locker with his towels, shorts, trainers, tennis racquet remain there as a shrine to his eternal presence. His gym locker has a perpex glass door for viewing by trainee cosmonauts. I also share the same fitness regime with trainers here and use the same gym with the same equipment too...Strange I know...
But have a look at my locker and look at Yuri's.....A real buzz.......we are neighbours....I am fortunate to share the same gym locker room and space with the very same mentor who graced my bedroom wall as a child. Dreams do indeed come true. By the way, my name in Russian is ??? ?????.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |