A busy schedule and difficult negotiations with the presidents of Turkey and Iran did not prevent Vladimir Putin from entering the tatami at nine in the evening.

Not only current members of the Russian judo team were invited to the event, but also the champions of the past years, with whom the President has long been friends. His friend Arkady Rotenberg was in the hall: they used to go to the sports section together in Leningrad and, as you know, were sparring partners.

Vladimir Putin came to the judoists with a solemn reception, which he arranged for the leaders of Iran and Turkey. But the President did not eat anything at dinner. Otherwise, he simply would not have sustained an active training, started by the head coach of the national team.

At first, the athletes, along with the President, ran, jumped, did general physical and stretching exercises. Then they began the so-called warm-up in a pair, allowing work out various techniques.

The champions treated Vladimir Putin carefully, but he did not feel pity for them. The bronze medalist of the Olympic Games, Ivan Nifontov, found himself on his back on the tatami four times in a row. At the competition, it would bring the President a lot of points.

But there was a persistent girl - also Olympic medalist Natalia Kuzyutina. After long efforts, she finally managed to hip Vladimir Putin over her head. But the President was not upset: on the contrary, he appreciated his rival. Rising to his feet, he kissed Kuzyutina on the top of her head. “Well done, Natalia! The President is sparring with her not for the first time. And she appreciates her very much,” said one of those who remained on the bench

The President noted that good athletes who were his sparring partners in training deserve individual words of gratitude: they all support, help and prompt. “It's the same as on the ski slope: the beginners are the most dangerous” Putin compared, who yesterday went skiing with Alexander Lukashenko.

At parting, the judoists presented the President with a new set of forms with the inscription Putin.RUS and made a selfie.