Classical, non-game sports are purely reflections of real-life situations, serving as a means to develop survival and life skills. In sports, as in life, every second can be crucial, responsibility is immense and willpower and skill are essential. Since rowing can physically and mentally restrain a person as a rescuer, we have an example. A person who, no matter which sport they chose, seemed destined to become a rescuer.

The dream of r/s Colonel Sergey Bidzyan, Commander of the 1st Water Rescue Squad of the Center for Carrying out Activities of Special Importance of the Rescue Forces Department of the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was to achieve success in rowing during his childhood years. However, after finishing school, he found himself at a crossroads. The Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture, where he had planned to enroll, did not offer rowing as a specialization. As a result, he decided to embark on a path of self-discovery and chose the newly established field of Rescue Operations. This decision eventually won his heart and paved the way for his future professional success.

His debut in the Rescue Service was marked by a rather amusing call—though he assures that help was needed, just not a rescue.

"The first call I responded to was around 1995-1996. An elderly woman had called for help because her son's car had broken down. We pushed the car, helped out and even carried the grandmother’s belongings home. But my first real rescue operation was different: a child had been left alone at home and no one could open the door. Using a rope, we managed to get inside, thank God, the child was peacefully asleep", recalled Sergey Bidzyan.

The rescuer is alone in the face of disaster, emotions are only an obstacle to the fulfillment of the mission. This is how, having matured emotionally over the years and with the burden of professional skills, r/s Colonel managed to be in various disaster areas, where weak-willed people have nothing to do.

"I participated in search and rescue operations during the A-320 plane crash. We were pulling dead bodies and plane debris out of the water. I participated in rescue operations after the earthquakes in Persia and Syria, I also participated in eliminating the results of the collapse in Alaverdi, where we also had victims, and I implemented the activity for a long time during the Surmalu explosion", said Sergey Bidzyan.

R/s Colonel Sergey Bidzyan assured that there is no nation or race in their activity, there is a life in danger that needs to be saved. This is the mission of a rescuer. It is with this psychology that he, being a member of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), first appears at the scene of the disaster, takes on the mission of the commander and tries to get out of the situation with honor: “One of my difficult jobs was in 2006. In Sochi, a plane crashed into the sea. We were pulled out a child’s clothes from the water and the body parts…”, recalled Sergey Bidzyan.

After dedicating thirteen years to rowing and mountaineering, competing in World and European championships and securing top positions, r/s Colonel Bidzyan decided to pass on his knowledge to the next generations by teaching at the Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports.

Both rock climbing and rowing have been invaluable for the r/s Colonel in implementing rescue operations. He told with a smile that sometimes they even gave him an advantage in competitions.

R/s Colonel Sergey Bidzyan is an example of boundless curiosity, not being satisfied with what he has achieved, overcoming difficulties and obstacles, in his case “by rowing” and perseverance in achieving his goal.