Anibal Nieves is nor surprised his former student would playfully lift the first lady.
Elena Pirozhkova, a Greenfield, Mass., resident and member of the U.S. Olympic wrestling team, lifts Michelle Obama Friday during a meet and greet in London.SPRINGFIELD – Wrestling coach Anibal Nieves is not surprised that his former student, Greenfield wrestler Elena Pirozhkova, is preparing to go for Gold in the 138.75-pound class at the 2012 London Olympics.
“I think her chances are great right now,” said Nieves, who lives in Agawam and coaches wrestling in Springfield. “I am biased but I know honestly she will bring back some hardware. She will bring back a medal.”
Nieves is also excited and not surprised that Pirozhkova joked with, and then with permission, playfully hugged and lifted the First Lady, Michelle Obama, during Obama’s meeting with the U.S. women’s freestyle wrestling team on Friday.
“Elena is really an outgoing person,” Nieves said Saturday. “She has a great sense of humor.”
Nieves, who coaches the Springfield Technical Community College women’s wrestling team, now has the photograph of Pirozhkova and Obama on his Facebook page.
I think it’s pretty neat,” Nieves said. “It’s a pretty cool situation (her) meeting the president’s wife and joking around with her.”
Members of the team took time away from training for some lighthearted moments with Obama. According to a press release from USA wrestling, one of the wrestlers, Clarissa Chun, challenged Obama to a push-up contest. Obama declined that opportunity, saying she didn’t want to lose.
But she accepted Pirozhkova’s quest to hold her, though it wasn’t without initial hesitation.
“I hugged her,” Pirozhkova said, “and then I asked her if I could pick her up. I think she was nervous. I went slow. I just picked her up. I wanted to ask her permission. There was security all around. And she gave it. I will only meet her once. I wanted to do something different.”
Nieves, who wrestled in two Olympics in 1992 and 1996, coached Pirozhkova in eighth grade and high school, in which she traveled from Greenfield to his club, then at American International College in Springfield.
Pirozhkova was born in Russia but moved to the United States at the age of 3 and grew up in Greenfield.
Nieves also shared a personal story, saying he will be able to go the Olympics from Aug. 6 to 13, thanks to Pirozhkova’s generosity.
Pirozhkova had called Nieves recently and asked if he had purchased a plane ticket to go to the Olympics. He told he could not afford it, and then declined her offer to help.
Pirozhkova was undeterred, calling others to get Nieves’ address, and sending him a check for $700. Nieves said he accepted her generosity and is able to go.
Jay King contributed to this report..