Fencing Is My Life
Born in Kiev, Ukraine, the son of a fencing coach, Sergei rose slowly through the ranks during the last years of the "sports machine" of the old USSR. After its breakup, fencing for Ukraine, he became one of the great champions of the late 20th century, winning 19 World Cups, four overall World Cup Championships, and three World Championships. When his fencing career ended, he became first a top-level international referee, and then a distinguished coach in the Netherlands, Italy, and now in Germany, where he now lives. He coached the German foil team in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.