Alex Ovechkin and Nastya Ovechkina recently welcomed cameras from Russian TV’s Channel One into their DC-area home to share what life is like with baby Sergei.
In the video we see Sergei being held by his parents. The Ovechkins discuss their time in DC, how they met, and what a difference their son has made in their lives.
RMNB’s Graham Dumas has translated the interview. The transcript is provided in full below.
Video
Translation
Alex Ovechkin: A lot changed, you know? Who you live for, you pay all your attention to the boss [Sergei].
Kristina Levieva: Hockey fans are not the only ones who know for whom Alex Ovechkin lives now. The news that the legendary athlete had a son garnered almost more attention than did his Stanley Cup victory. The video where Ovi is learning to change a diaper got as many views as the triumph of the Washington Capitals.
Ovechkin: We kept everything a secret. The day that Seryozha was born was the best day of my life.
Levieva: It’s almost as if he chose for himself that symbol of endless happiness. The number eight has been for Ovechkin not only his extremely lucky jersey number, but also a mystical number related to his victories in his personal life. In 2008 he first met his future wife. They were married on July 8, [2017]. And on August 18, 2018, little Sergei was born.
[Ovechkin] came up with his son’s name immediately, as it means much to the hockey star. That was the name of his older brother, who once brought [Ovechkin] out onto the ice as a child, and who wouldn’t let him give up even when it was very hard.Ovechkin: [My brother], Sergei, died when I was 10. There’s nothing else to say or explain [about that moment]. It was a very painful time for me and my family. But [my son] Sergei appeared, so everything is OK [now].
Levieva: The love story of Sasha and Nastya is like a fairy tale. [Ovechkin], one of the world’s most highly paid hockey players, first saw the young daughter of actress Very Glagolyeva at the Olympics in Beijing. A few years later, they met again.
Ovechkin: [Nastya] came to America, to LA, to study. We were on the same outgoing flight and met there. After that she came to the playoffs. She knows me through and through: she knows my moods, what I like, what I don’t like. That’s why I’m so comfortable [with her].
Levieva: Nastya, the young actress and model, preferred her family to her [own] career—she doesn’t even miss her husband’s practices, while Sasha towers behind her like a mountain. In the footage of a soccer game it’s clear how Ovechkin at the last minute [jumps] into the way, saving his wife from the ball flying at her. What a reaction!
The opulent and touching wedding of the Ovechkins was the talk of the town. And then almost immediately after, Nastya lost her mother.
Nastya Ovechkina: She and Sasha were best friends. They were always talking on the phone, they wrote each other, and talked about me. My mom really loved him. I am so thankful to [Sasha], he has really helped me and continues to do so.
Levieva: Ovechkin’s son was nearly [ten pounds] at birth, and he has grown very quickly. But in his father’s hands, Seryozha seems absolutely tiny.
Ovechkin: Of course it’s good that [my] first [child] was a boy. He’ll look after everyone, myself included when I’m old. Now I can relax.
Levieva: But the Great Eight, as he’s called in Washington, does not appear ready to relax just yet. After 13 years playing in the NHL, he remains unpredictable to his opponents and has [won the Rocket Richard trophy] seven times. Every fifth puck he shoots becomes a goal.
Ovechkin keeps all of his trophies in the basement of his mansion. He remains true to himself and his convictions, for which he is lionized by fans around the globe. Fans also love him for his modesty and sense of humor, as well as for the fact that, no matter how tired or busy he is, he is always attentive to his fans. He might deliver a pizza, or, just like that, give you his hockey stick.
Todd Reirden: You know, before I joined the Capitals, for five years I helped coach a team to play against Ovechkin, and let me tell you: I like coaching Ovechkin much more. He’s a legend. Working with him I came to know that he’s a man with a capital M. [Translator’s note: This is not precisely what Reirden actually says, but I can’t make out his quote behind the Russian translation.]
Levieva: And here is what supports that beautiful life, the mansions and the multimillion-dollar contracts: tireless workouts day in and day out. Entry is free of charge to [MedStar Capitals Iceplex], there is no barrier for those seeking to get close to their idol. And whatever anti-Russian hysteria the local press may whip up, in the imagination of [everyday] Americans, Russians, like our three knights from the Capitals, Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, and Orlov, are desperate, ruthless, and unbeatable.
Looking at his favorite present, a gift from the family of Dmitry Orlov, it seems like the future of Seryozha Ovechkin is already foretold.
Levieva: Is it important that your son like hockey?
Ovechkin: I haven’t even though about that. But when he grows up, he’s going to go to games, and hockey will already be in his blood.
Levieva: Ovechkin is also not yet thinking about retirement. He is 33 now, and in the best shape [of his life]. His contract with the Capitals will last at least another three years. And even if Alexander the Great leaves the club at some point, the number eight with forever remain with the Russian hockey player.
Headline photo: Channel One
