Swimmers of the Dynamo Society made a significant contribution to the success of domestic Olympic teams.
For a long time, domestic swimming remained outside the world sports calendar. Only in 1947 was the USSR Swimming Federation admitted to the International Amateur Swimming Federation (FINA), and in 1949 - to European League swimming (FLEN). Soviet swimmers had the opportunity to participate in various international competitions, including the Olympic Games, World and European Championships. The best trainers could see with their own eyes the advanced methods of training swimmers and get acquainted with modern swimming centers. All this led to a qualitative leap in the achievements of the national swimming school.
Dynamo swimmers also improved their results, winning the All-Union and international tournaments. Thus, athletes of the Dynamo Society regularly won awards and main prizes in the swimming tournament of friendly sports societies Dynamo of the socialist countries.
In 1952, at the Helsinki Olympics, a large group of Soviet swimmers made their debut. Unfortunately, only Kiev resident Maria Gavrish (coach A.S. Trofimov) made it to the Olympic final. At a distance of 200 meters breaststroke, Gavrish finished sixth and was the first in the history of our swimming to bring the USSR team a qualifying point. Among the participants in this Olympics were Dynamo Moscow, USSR swimming champions Vladimir Lavrinenko and Vasily Karmanov. Later, Vasily Karmanov successfully played water polo in the Dynamo team (Moscow).
In 1956, in Melbourne, Soviet swimmers managed to climb onto the Olympic podium twice for the first time. Among the recipients was a representative of the Tbilisi Dynamo Boris Nikitin (coach V.A. Samarin) and a graduate of the Leningrad Dynamo Vitaly Sorokin (coach, Honored Master of Sports K.I. Aleshina). They won bronze medals for their performance in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay.
After the first success on Olympic Games the first fruits of systematic work to re-equip the material and technical base of the domestic sport swimming. Since the late 40s. Winter and summer swimming pools corresponding to world standards began to be built. Large swimming facilities appeared in Leningrad (Dynamo Stadium, 1955), Krasnodar (1955), Moscow (1957). This made it possible to develop swimming in many regions and republics, regularly train reserves, and improve the skills of swimmers. Dynamo Moscow trained a group of international-class swimmers who competed in the 1960 Olympics in Rome, including Lyudmila Korobova, Zinaida Belovetskaya (Plishkina), Marina Shamal, who took 6th place in the 4x100 meter medley relay and brought qualifying points to the bank USSR national team. Zinaida Belovetskaya also scored points in the final 100-meter butterfly, finishing sixth.
The 60-70s can be called a period of great success for Dynamo swimming. Participation in the Olympic Games has always confirmed high level athletes. At the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, the core of the Soviet team was Dynamo swimmers. Dynamo Lvov, world record holder Georgy Prokopenko was close to winning the 200m breaststroke (second place). The performance of Leningrad athlete Tatyana Savelyeva (backstroke) and Tatyana Devyatova from Kharkov (butterfly) in the combined relay was crowned with a bronze award.
Even though Dynamo Moscow did not manage to win medals, their performance in the finals of the Olympic Games was considered a great success. In the 4x200m freestyle relay, Semyon Belits-Geiman, Alexander Paramonov, Vladimir Berezin and Evgeniy Novikov (all Dynamo Moscow) broke through to the finals with a new record Soviet Union. Vladimir Berezin swam in the final. The finalists of the 4x100 meter relay, also with a national record, were Vladimir Shuvalov and Yuri Sumtsov. Natalia Bystrova took part in the preliminary heat of the 4x100 meter medley relay, and in the final her teammates won bronze awards. New record The USSR allowed Semyon Belits-Geiman to start in the 400-meter freestyle final.
At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, Dynamo Olympians not only competed for a place in the finals, but also won medals. Dynamo Moscow's Semyon Belits-Geiman won silver in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay and bronze in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay. At the 1972 Munich Olympics, his teammate Igor Grivennikov won silver and bronze medals in the 4x100 meter freestyle and medley relays, and took fifth place in two finals in the 100 meter freestyle and backstroke. In the women's competition, the representative of the Moscow Dynamo, Nina Petrova, performed in the finals of the medley swimming distances.
The 80s and early 90s brought new victories and achievements. For the 1980 Olympics, a wonderful swimming center appeared in the capital at the Olimpiysky sports complex, and back in 1971, an outdoor 50-meter pool was built next to the Dynamo winter pool. At the home Olympics, Dynamo Moscow, unfortunately, did not take prizes, but Alexander Fedorovsky took part in the preliminary swim in the 4x100 meter medley relay.
In 1988, in Seoul, Dynamo finally gained its first Olympic champion. The first Olympic gold medal was awarded to Novosibirsk swimmer Igor Polyansky (coach V.V. Semushev), who won the 200-meter backstroke. To the gold medal, he added two more bronze ones (100-meter backstroke and 4x100-meter medley relay), which allows him to be considered the best Dynamo Olympic swimmer of the Union period.
After the collapse of the USSR, a number of traditional swimming centers of the Dynamo Society went to the new independent states of the CIS, radical changes took place in the economy and economic life new Russia. Under these conditions, some traditional centers of Russian swimming had difficulty maintaining their positions (for example, St. Petersburg and Moscow), others faded into the shadows (for example, Nizhny Novgorod), and some (primarily Volgograd and Omsk) took leading roles, managing to train international-class swimmers in a short time.
Alexander Popov became the leader of the new generation of Russian swimmers. Since 1994, Popov joined the ranks of Dynamo. In 1996, at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, with the rank of champion of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, he increased his medal tally: “gold” in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle, “silver” and “bronze” in the 4x100 meter freestyle and medley relays. In 2000, at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Alexander Popov became a silver medalist in the 100-meter freestyle.
Vladislav Kulikov, a student of the Moscow Dynamo swimming school, won his first bronze medal in the 100-meter butterfly final at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
At the Athens Olympics in 2004, Stanislava Komarova performed brilliantly, winning silver in the 200-meter backstroke.
In 2012, at the Olympic Games in London, Dynamo Moscow, captain of the Russian swimming team, Evgeny Korotyshkin won a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly. Evgeny lost only to American Michael Phelps and won highest award in his sports career. Twice, in 2004 and 2008, Korotyshkin, competing in the 4x100 meter medley relay, was close to the podium - 4th place.
At the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, 32 sets of medals will be awarded. Almost 900 swimmers will compete in 16 events of the program. The Russian national team will be represented by 35 swimmers who have fulfilled the Olympic standard:
1. Vladimir Morozov (50, 100 and 4x100 m relay, freestyle, 4x100 m medley relay),
2. Andrey Grechin (100 and 4x100 m relay, freestyle),
3. Alexander Krasnykh (200, 400 m and 4x200 m relay, freestyle),
4. Yaroslav Potapov (1500 m freestyle),
5. Alexander Popkov (4x100 m relay, freestyle),
6. Alexander Sukhorukov (4x100 and 4x200 m relay, freestyle),
7. Danila Izotov (4x200m freestyle),
8. Mikhail Dovgalyuk (4x200m freestyle),
9. Nikita Lobintsev (4x200 m, freestyle),
10. Evgeny Rylov (100 and 200 m backstroke),
11. Grigory Tarasevich (100 m, back),
12. Andrey Shabasov (200 m, back),
13. Vsevolod Zanko (100 m, breaststroke),
14. Anton Chupkov (200 m, breaststroke),
15. Kirill Prigoda (100 m, breaststroke),
16. Ilya Khomenko (200 m, breaststroke),
17. Alexander Sadovnikov (100 m, butterfly),
18. Evgeny Koptelov (200 m, butterfly),
19. Natalya Lovtsova (50 m, freestyle),
20. Veronika Popova (200 m, 4x100 and 4x200 m relays, freestyle),
21. Victoria Andreeva (4x100, 4x200 and 200 m relays, freestyle, 200 m medley),
22. Rozalia Nasretdinova (4x100 m relay, freestyle),
23. Arina Openysheva (4x100 and 4x200 m relay, freestyle),
24. Daria Mullakaeva (4x200 m relay, freestyle),
25. Daria Ustinova (100 and 200 m, back),
26. Anastasia Fesikova (100 and 200 m, back),
27. Yulia Efimova (100, 200 m, breaststroke),
28. Daria Chikunova (100 m, breaststroke),
29. Sofya Andreeva (200 m, breaststroke),
30. Svetlana Chimrova (100 m, butterfly),
31. Vyacheslav Andrusenko (4x200 m relay, freestyle),
32. Daniil Pakhomov (200 m, butterfly),
33. Alexey Bryansky (50 m, freestyle),
34. Semyon Makovich (200 m, medley),
35. Ilya Druzhinin (1500 m, freestyle).
The Moscow city organization VFSO "Dynamo" wishes the Russian swimming team success at the Olympics in Rio!
We express our gratitude to the swimmers of the Moscow "Dynamo", members of the organization of war, labor and sports veterans of the MGO VFSO "Dynamo" Semyon Viktorovich Belits-Geiman and Yuri Borisovich Chirkov for their assistance in preparing the material.
Semyon Viktorovich Belits-Geiman - silver and bronze medalist of the XIX Olympic Games in Mexico City (Mexico), two-time European champion in 1966, holder of world and four European records, 24-time champion of the USSR. He played for Dynamo Moscow from 1962 to 1973. Member of the USSR national swimming team from 1962 to 1970.
Yuri Borisovich Chirkov is a prize-winner of the USSR Championships and the 1967 Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR, a repeated winner of international and all-Union competitions, championships of the city of Moscow and the Dynamo Society. Vice world champion four-time champion Europe, multiple champion om USSR and Russia in swimming in the “Masters” category. He was awarded the honorary badges “Honorary Dynamo Player” and “Veteran of Sports of the RSFSR”.
Photo: dynamomasters.ucoz.ru; uchebana5.ru; vse-o-kino.ru; sport-express.ru; AFP; from the personal archive of S. Belits-Geiman and Y. Chirkov
When he debuted on Olympic Games. In Sydney, he competed only in the 200-meter butterfly, where he took fifth place.
23 gold medals Phelps won. This is an Olympics record. For comparison, Larisa Latynina, who came second, won only 18 awards, nine of which were of the highest value.
28 Olympic medals Available in the collection of Michael Phelps. In addition to the record amount of gold, he has three silvers and two bronzes.
29 individual world records set by Michael Phelps, seven of them have not yet been beaten. He performed most successfully at distances of 200 meters butterfly and 200 and 400 meters medley (eight world records each). The American relay with Michael Phelps in its composition won the world record 10 more times.
August 13, 2008. Beijing. Michael PHELPS sets one of his world records in the 200m butterfly. Photo by REUTERS
4 gold Phelps won three events in the program. At a distance of 200 meters medley and in the 4x200 freestyle and 4x100 medley relay races.
In 2001 Phelps won his first world championship, becoming the best in the 200-meter butterfly.
8 gold medals Phelps won at his most successful Olympics in Beijing. He had no equal in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly, the 200- and 400-meter medley, the 200-meter freestyle, and all three relay events.
In 2004 A street in his city was named after Michael Phelps. hometown Baltimore.
IN 9 disciplines won awards international competitions Phelps. In addition to eight Beijing golds, he also has a Pacific Games silver in backstroke. But at distances of 100 and 400 meters freestyle at the 2005 World Championships, Phelps did not reach medals.
2 years Phelps missed, taking a break from his sports career. In 2014, he returned to big swimming and began preparing for the Olympics in Rio..
Michael Phelps at the Swimmer of the Year Award. Photo by REUTERS
7 times Phelps received the Swimmer of the Year award. In 2003, 2004, 2006-2009 and 2012. He was recognized as the best swimmer of the year in the USA nine times (2001-2004, 2006-2009, 2012).
2 major tournaments Phelps lost in the 200-meter individual medley. At the 2011 World Championships, his compatriot Ryan Lochte overtook him with a world record, and at the 2014 Pacific Games, Japanese Kosuke Hagino.
Man began his coexistence with water long before it became meaningful and analyzed. In order to travel on water, many ways and methods were invented that still exist today. However, to merge with the water element own body always exciting. Who can survive longer underwater without oxygen? Who will swim further? Who will swim faster? People began to compete in their floating skills and it grew into one of the most beautiful and exciting sports.
Swimming is a locomotive sport, the meaning of which is to move on water and cover certain distances in the shortest time. Today, there are several types of swimming that are independent disciplines and included in modern pentathlon and some types of all-around and triathlon, which are collectively included in the program of the Olympic Games, World Championships and other competitions.
Freestyle- a type of swimming that is a separate discipline in which the athlete is allowed to swim in different ways, changing them randomly during swimming. Modern swimmers prefer rabbit.
Crawl- a type of swimming on the chest, in which the right and left parts of the body alternately make strokes. The arms alternately make wide strokes along the body, while the legs also alternately make movements, lowering and raising the limbs. The swimmer's head should be in the water, periodically emerging during the next stroke to take a breath. Crawl is recognized as the fastest swimming style.
Breaststroke- an original style of swimming, when the swimmer must hold on to his chest after each arm stroke and turn. Hand manipulations must be simultaneous and performed in the same plane, without alternation. Leg manipulations should be similar - simultaneous, without alternation.
Butterfly- a type of breaststroke that is faster.
Backstroke- a type of swimming when swimming strokes are performed on the back, with the exception of the moment of turning. The position of the head is not regulated in any way. Also, the program of some competitions may include medley swimming - in which the athlete must cover equal parts of the distance in breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, and a medley relay - in which swimmers must swim their distances in a variety of styles - freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke, on the back.
Competitions are held indoors, where the length of the pool is determined by the standards and norms established by the International Committee FINA and must be 100 m or 50 m long. In addition, individual swims in open water over long distances are also held. Such competitions began in the 19th century, and the loudest of them is the swim across the English Channel. Nowadays, the World Open Water Swimming Championships include the following distances: 5 km, 10 km, 25 km. Since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 10 km distance has officially become Olympic distance.
As for the equipment of athletes, everything is very simple - it’s swimming trunks or a swimsuit. The swimming suit, both men's and women's, is made of synthetic materials, nylon and lycra, and completely fits the body of the athletes, without restricting movement at all.
Russian swimmers left their mark on the history of this sport with resounding victories.
Larisa Ilchenko - Russian athlete, specialization - open water swimming. Honored Master of Sports of Russia. The first ever Olympic champion for ultra-long distances (10 km) in open water (2008 Beijing), 8-time World champion, the only one in the entire existence of the Russian women's swimming. Recognized as the best female athlete of the first decade of the 21st century. Awarded the Order of Friendship for her great contribution to the development of physical education and high achievements at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.Evgeniy Korotyshkin - Russian swimmer, specialization - butterfly, captain of the Russian swimmers team. World record holder in the 100 m and medley relay. Six-time World champion, two-time European short course champion.
Yuri Prilukov - Russian athlete, specialization - freestyle swimming at 400, 800, 1500 m. Honored Master of Sports. Six-time World champion, fourteen-time European champion, multiple Russian champion, 25-time winner of the World Cup stages, finalist of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Danila Izotov is a Russian athlete - swimmer. Honored Master of Sports of Russia, member of the national swimming team. World record holder in the medley relay, silver medalist 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, in the freestyle relay, World champion, European champion.
Yulia Efimova is a Russian athlete - swimmer. Honored Master of Sports of Russia. World champion, three-time European champion in long course and three-time European champion in short course, ex-world record holder, European record holder in breaststroke at a distance of 50 m, participant in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing with a result of 4th place in the distance 100m.
Vladimir Dyatchin is a Russian athlete - swimmer, specializing in ultra-long distance swimming. Honored Master of Sports of Russia. Two-time champion World 2003 and 2007 at a distance of 10 km in open water, European champion 2002 at a distance of 10 km in open water, vice-World champion at a distance of 10 km in 2001, bronze medalist of the 2003 World Championship at a distance of 5 km in open water, multiple champion of Russia.
This list of promising Russian swimmers can be continued, which means Russian sports More and more stunning victories will be added.
The 2016 Olympics in Rio collects a lot of news every day. We follow the performances of our athletes with anxiety and special pride, rejoice with them and accept defeats with everyone. But our history contains a lot of stories, which then become an example of perseverance, perseverance and zeal for many generations to come. And every new day of the current Olympiad adds new ones. We want to remember our country's most incredible athletes who brought home record number gold medals and still remain the undisputed leaders in this championship.
Latynina Larisa, artistic gymnastics
Larina Latynina is one of the most famous Russian figures in the history of the Olympic Games. To date, she maintains her position as the only gymnast to have won at three Olympics in a row: Melbourne (1956), Rome (1960) and Tokyo (1964). She is a unique athlete who has 18 Olympic medals, including the most large number gold – 9 pieces. Sports career Larisa began in 1950. While still a schoolgirl, Larisa completed her first category as part of the Ukrainian national team, after which she went to the All-Union Championship in Kazan. Thanks to subsequent intensive training, Latynina fulfilled the standard of a master of sports in the 9th grade. After graduating from school, Larisa was sent a call to the all-Union training camp in Bratsevo, where the USSR national team was preparing for the World Festival of Youth and Students in Bucharest. Qualifying competitions The young athlete passed with dignity and then received a woolen suit with a white “Olympic” stripe on the neck and the letters “USSR.”
Larisa Latynina received her first international gold medals in Romania. And on December 3, 1956, Larisa went to the Olympics in a team with P. Astakhova, L. Kalinina, T. Manina, S. Muratova, L. Egorova. It is worth noting that all members of the cast made their debut at the Olympics. And there, in Melbourne, Larisa became the absolute Olympic champion. And already in 1964, Larisa Latynina went down in history as the winner of 18 Olympic awards.
Tokyo, 1964
Egorova Lyubov, cross-country skiing
Lyubov Egorova - sixfold Olympic champion V ski racing(1992 – at distances of 10 and 15 km and as a member of the national team, 1994 – at distances of 5 and 10 km and as a member of the national team), multiple world champion, winner of the 1993 World Cup. The athlete was recognized as the best athlete in Russia in 1994.
While still at school, Lyubov discovered a passion for skiing. Already in the 6th grade she studied under the guidance of coach Nikolai Kharitonov. She took part in a variety of city competitions many times. At the age of 20, Lyubov joined the USSR national team. In 1991, at the World Championships in Cavales, the skier had her first success. Lyubov became the world champion as part of the relay, and then showed the best time in the 30-kilometer race. Despite the fact that the skier came eleventh in the 15-kilometer race, already in the relay Egorova overtook all her rivals, and at a distance of 30 km she became the best (time - 1 hour 20 minutes 26.8 s) and received gold medal.
In 1992, Lyubov took part in the Olympic Games in France, where she managed to get a gold medal in the 15-kilometer race. She also won gold in both the 10-kilometer race and the relay. In 1994, in Norway, at the Winter Olympics, Egorova came first in the 5 km distance. In the 10 km race, the Russian athlete fought against a strong rival from Italy, who gave up only closer to the finish line, allowing Egorova to get gold. And in the 4x5 km relay race, Russian girls again showed themselves and took first place. As a result, in Norwegian winter games Lyubov Egorova again becomes a three-time Olympic champion. Upon returning to St. Petersburg, the six-time Olympic champion was greeted with all honors: Anatoly Sobchak presented the winner with the keys to a new apartment, and by Decree of the President of Russia, the famous racer was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
Lillehammer, 1994
Skoblikova Lidiya, speed skating
Lidia Pavlovna Skoblikova is a legendary Soviet speed skater, the only six-time Olympic champion in the history of speed skating, and the absolute champion of the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck. Even at school, Lida was seriously involved in skiing, participating in the section from the third grade. But after several years of training and hard work, skiing seemed to Skoblikova to be too slow a sport. The athlete came to skating accidentally. One day, her friend, who skates, asked her to participate in city competitions with her. Skoblikova had neither experience nor serious training, but participation in those competitions turned out to be successful for her, and she took first place.
The first victory of the young speed skater happened in January 1957, in the Russian championship among girls. After this victory, Lydia began to train even harder. And in 1960, in Squaw Valley, at the Winter Olympic Games, Lydia was able to leave behind all the strong athletes, moreover, she won with a world record. At the same Olympics, the speed skater managed to get another gold for a distance of three kilometers. And at the Olympic Games in Innsbruck (1964, Austria) Skoblikova showed incredible result in the history of speed skating, having won all four distances, and at the same time established in three (500, 1000 and 1500 m) olympic records. Also in 1964, Skoblikova convincingly won the World Championships speed running skating (Sweden), winning again in all four distances. Such an achievement (8 gold medals out of 8) cannot be surpassed, it can only be repeated. In 1964 she was awarded the second Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
Innsbruck, 1964
Davydova Anastasia, synchronized swimming
Anastasia Davydova is the only athlete in history to win 5 Olympic gold medals, competing under the Russian flag, and the only five-time Olympic champion in the history of synchronized swimming. Initially, Anastasia studied rhythmic gymnastics, but later, with the help of her mother, Davydova began attending synchronized swimming training. And already in 2000, at the age of 17, Anastasia immediately won the highest award in the group program at the European Championships in Helsinki.
And Anastasia won all her Olympic duet awards in pairs with another famous synchronized swimmer, Anastasia Ermakova. At her first Olympic Games, held in Athens, Davydova won two gold medals. At the Beijing Olympics, held in 2008, synchronized swimmers repeated their triumph and won two more golds. In 2010, the international federation aquatic species Sports recognized Anastasia as the best synchronized swimmer of the decade. The 2012 Olympic Games, which took place in London, made Anastasia Davydova a record holder - she became the only five-time Olympic champion in history synchronized swimming. At the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, she was entrusted with carrying the flag of the Russian team.
Beijing, 2008
Popov Alexander, swimming
Alexander Popov is a Soviet and Russian swimmer, four-time Olympic champion, six-time world champion, 21-time European champion, a legend of Soviet and Russian sports. IN sports section Alexander got there by accident: his parents took their son swimming just for the sake of his health. And this event turned into incredible victories for Popov in the future. Training fascinated the future champion more and more, taking away everything free time, which negatively affected the young athlete’s studies. But it was too late to give up sports for the sake of grades in school subjects. At the age of 20, Popov won his first victories; they turned out to be 4 gold medals. This happened at the European Championships in 1991, which took place in Athens. He managed to win at distances of 50 and 100 meters in two relay races. This year brought the first victory in a series of brilliant achievements by the Soviet swimmer.
The 1996 Olympics, held in Atlanta, brought the swimmer worldwide fame. Alexander won two gold medals for 50 and 100 meters. This victory turned out to be especially bright because it was promised to the American swimmer Gary Hall, who was then in his best shape and beat Alexander in the preliminary competitions. The Americans were confident of victory, they openly announced this in the press, even Bill Clinton and his family came to support their athlete! But the “gold” ended up in the hands not of Hall, but of Popov. The disappointment of the Americans, who had savored their victory in advance, was enormous. And then Alexander became a legend.
Atlanta, 1996
Pozdnyakov Stanislav, fencing
Stanislav Alekseevich Pozdnyakov - Soviet and Russian saber fencer, four-time Olympic champion, 10-time world champion, 13-time European champion, five-time World Cup winner, five-time champion Russia (in individual competitions) in saber fencing. As a child, Stanislav was very active - he played football, swam, skated in winter, and played hockey. For a while young athlete continued to do everything at once, rushing from one sport to another. But one day his mother took Pozdnyakov to the Spartak stadium, where the Olympic reserve fencing school for children and youth was located. The phrase " Olympic reserve” bribed his parents, and Stanislav began studying there. Under the guidance of mentor Boris Leonidovich Pisetsky, Stanislav began to learn the fencing alphabet. The young fencer showed character in fights and always tried to win.
Pozdnyakov made his first successes at the All-Russian and All-Union levels in Novosibirsk, in youth tournaments. Then he made it to the United Independent States team and went to Barcelona for his first Olympic Games. And in 1996 in Atlanta he achieved absolute success, winning gold in both individual and team tournaments.
Atlanta, 1996
Tikhonov Alexander, biathlon
Alexander Tikhonov is the pride of the world and domestic sports, biathlon star, winner of four Olympics, outstanding champion. Diagnosed with congenital heart disease, Alexander became an outstanding athlete in our country. Skiing was present in the life of the future Olympic champion since childhood. Their parents set an example for their four sons: mother Nina Evlampievna, who worked as an accountant, and father Ivan Grigorievich, who taught physical education at school. Repeatedly participating in regional ski competitions held among teachers, he became a winner. At the age of 19, Alexander won the junior ski competitions Union scale at a distance of 10 and 15 km. The year 1966 became very significant in the fate of the athlete, because... this year Tikhonov suffered a leg injury and switched to a career as a biathlete.
Alexander's debut happened in 1968 in Grenoble, where the Olympic Games were held. A young athlete, unknown to anyone, wins a silver medal in the 20 km race, losing in shooting to the Norwegian Magna Solberg by some half a millimeter - the price of two penalty minutes and a gold medal. After this performance, Alexander was entrusted with the first stage of the relay, which the Olympic champion, the famous Vladimir Melanin, was supposed to run. Thanks to confident shooting and daring running, Tikhonov receives the title Olympic champion! The Olympic Games in Lake Placid in 1980 were Tikhonov's fourth and last. At the opening ceremony, Alexander carried the banner of his country. It was this Olympics that became the golden crown of his long journey in sports. Then Tikhonov became the first four-time winner of the Olympic Games in the history of domestic sports, after which, at the age of 33, he was forced to decide to end his sports career.
