The swimmers of the Dynamo Society made a significant contribution to the success of the national Olympic teams.
For a long time, domestic swimming remained outside the world sports calendar. Only in 1947 the USSR Swimming Federation was admitted to the International Amateur Swimming Federation (FINA), and in 1949 - in European league swimming (LEN). Soviet swimmers got the opportunity to participate in various international competitions, including the Olympic Games, World and European Championships. The best coaches could see with their own eyes the advanced methods of training swimmers, get acquainted with modern swimming centers. All this led to a qualitative leap in the achievements of the national swimming school.
The Dynamo swimmers also improved their results, winning the All-Union and international tournaments. Thus, the athletes of the Dynamo Society regularly won awards and main prizes in the swimming tournament of the friendly Dynamo sports societies of the socialist countries.
In 1952, at the Olympics in Helsinki, a large group of Soviet swimmers made their debut. Unfortunately, only from Kiev 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 national team a credit point. Among the participants of this Olympiad 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 for the first time managed to climb the Olympic podium twice. Among the awardees was Dynamo Tbilisi representative Boris Nikitin (coach V.A. Samarin) and Dynamo Leningrad graduate Vitaly Sorokin (coach, Honored Master of Sports K.I. Aleshina). They won bronze medals for their performance in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
After the first success in Olympic Games the first fruits of systematic work on the re-equipment of the material and technical base of the domestic sports swimming. Since the end of the 40s. winter and summer pools corresponding to the world level 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, to regularly train reserves, and improve the skills of swimmers. Dynamo Moscow trained a group of international-class swimmers who competed at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, including Lyudmila Korobova, 3inaida Belovetskaya (Plishkina), Marina Shamal, who took 6th place in the 4x100-meter medley relay and brought test points to the piggy bank USSR national team. Zinaida Belovetskaya also scored points in the 100m butterfly final, finishing sixth.
The period of great success of Dynamo swimming can be called the 60-70s. Participation in the Olympic Games has always confirmed high level athletes. At the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Dynamo swimmers formed the basis of the Soviet team. Close to winning the 200m breaststroke (second place) was Dynamo Lviv, world record holder Georgy Prokopenko. The bronze medal was awarded to the performance of the Leningrad athlete Tatyana Savelyeva (on the back) and Tatyana Devyatova from Kharkov (butterfly) in the combined relay.
Although 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 Evgeny Novikov (all of Dynamo Moscow) made it to the final with a new record Soviet Union. Vladimir Berezin swam in the final. Vladimir Shuvalov and Yury Sumtsov also became the finalists of the 4x100 meters relay with a national record. Natalia Bystrova took part in the preliminary heat of the 4x100m 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.
In 1968, at the Olympic Games in Mexico City, Dynamo Olympians not only fought for a place in the final, but also won medals. Semyon Belits-Geiman from Dynamo Moscow became a silver medalist 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, in two 100-meter freestyle and backstroke finals, he finished fifth. In the women's medley finals, the representative of the Moscow "Dynamo" Nina Petrova performed.
The 80s - early 90s brought new victories and achievements. By the 1980 Olympics, a wonderful swimming center appeared in the capital in the Olimpiysky sports complex, and back in 1971, an outdoor 50-meter swimming pool was built next to the Dynamo winter pool. At the home Olympics, Dynamo Moscow, unfortunately, did not win prizes, but Alexander Fedorovsky became a participant 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 the Novosibirsk swimmer Igor Polyansky (coach V.V. Semushev), who won the 200-meter backstroke. He added two more bronze medals to the gold medal (100 meters backstroke and 4x100 meters 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, there were radical changes in the economy and economic life new Russia. Under these conditions, some traditional centers of Russian navigation hardly retained their positions (for example, St. Petersburg and Moscow), others moved into the shadows (for example, Nizhny Novgorod), and some (primarily Volgograd and Omsk) have advanced to leading roles, having managed to prepare world-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 the Dynamo. In 1996, at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, he, in the rank of champion of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, increased the medal count: “gold” in the distances of 50 and 100 meters freestyle, “silver” and “bronze” in the relay races 4x100 meters freestyle and combined. In 2000, at the Sydney Olympics, Alexander Popov won the silver medal in the 100-meter freestyle.
At the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Vladislav Kulikov, a pupil of the Moscow Dynamo swimming school, won the first bronze medal in the 100-meter butterfly final.
At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Stanislava Komarova performed with brilliance, winning silver in the 200 meters 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. Eugene lost only to American Michael Phelps and won the highest award in his sports career. Twice, in 2004 and 2008, Korotyshkin, speaking in the 4x100 meters combined relay, was close to the podium - 4th place.
At the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, 32 sets of awards will be played. Almost 900 swimmers will start in 16 types 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 4x100m relay, freestyle, 4x100m, combined relay),
2. Andrey Grechin (100m and 4x100m relay, freestyle),
3. Alexander Krasnykh (200, 400 m and 4x200 m relay, freestyle),
4. Yaroslav Potapov (1500 m freestyle),
5. Alexander Popkov (4x100m relay, freestyle),
6. Alexander Sukhorukov (relay races 4x100 and 4x200 m, 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, backstroke),
12. Andrey Shabasov (200m, backstroke),
13. Vsevolod Zanko (100m, breaststroke),
14. Anton Chupkov (200 m, breaststroke),
15. Kirill Prigoda (100m, breaststroke),
16. Ilya Khomenko (200 m, breaststroke),
17. Alexander Sadovnikov (100 m, butterfly),
18. Evgeny Koptelov (200 m, butterfly),
19. Natalia Lovtsova (50m, freestyle),
20. Veronika Popova (200m, 4x100 and 4x200m relays, freestyle),
21. Victoria Andreeva (relay races 4x100, 4x200 and 200 m, freestyle, 200 m, complex),
22. Rozalia Nasretdinova (4x100m relay, freestyle),
23. Arina Opyonysheva (relay races 4x100 and 4x200 m, freestyle),
24. Daria Mullakaeva (4x200m relay, freestyle),
25. Daria Ustinova (100 and 200 m, backstroke),
26. Anastasia Fesikova (100 and 200 m, backstroke),
27. Yulia Efimova (100, 200 m, breaststroke),
28. Daria Chikunova (100m, breaststroke),
29. Sofia Andreeva (200m, breaststroke),
30. Svetlana Chimrova (100m butterfly),
31. Vyacheslav Andrusenko (4x200m relay, freestyle),
32. Daniil Pakhomov (200 m, butterfly),
33. Alexey Bryansky (50m, freestyle),
34. Semyon Makovich (200 m, complex),
35. Ilya Druzhinin (1500 m, freestyle).
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 veterans of war, labor and sports of the MGO VFSO "Dynamo" Semyon Viktorovich Belits-Geiman and Yuri Borisovich Chirkov for their help 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 - winner of the championships of the USSR and the Spartakiad of the peoples of the USSR in 1967, multiple 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 of the USSR and Russia in swimming in the category "Masters". He was awarded the honorary signs "Honorary Dynamo" 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 200m butterfly, where he finished fifth.
23 gold medals Phelps won. This is an Olympic record. For comparison, the second Larisa Latynina won only 18 awards, nine of which are of the highest value.
28 Olympic medals Available in the Michael Phelps collection. In addition to a record amount of gold, he has three silvers and two bronzes.
29 individual world records set by Michael Phelps, seven of them have not been beaten so far. He performed most successfully at distances of 200 meters butterfly and 200 and 400 meters complex (eight world records each). Another 10 times with a world record won the American relay with Michael Phelps in the composition.
August 13, 2008. Beijing. Michael Phelps sets one of his world records in the 200m butterfly. Photo REUTERS
4 gold Phelps won in three events. At a distance of 200 meters in a complex and in relay races 4x200 freestyle and 4x100 complex.
In 2001 Phelps won his first world championship, becoming the best in the 200-meter butterfly.
8 gold medals won Phelps at the most successful Olympics for himself in Beijing. He was unmatched in the 100m and 200m butterfly, the 200m and 400m medley, the 200m freestyle, and all three relay events.
In 2004 Named after Michael Phelps street in his hometown Baltimore.
IN 9 disciplines won awards international competitions Phelps. In addition to eight golden Beijing events, he has a Pacific Games silver medal in backstroke. But at distances of 100 and 400 meters freestyle at the 2005 World Cup, Phelps did not get to the medals.
2 years missed Phelps, taking a break in his sports career. In 2014, he returned to big swimming and began to prepare for the Rio Olympics..
Michael Phelps at the Swimmer of the Year Awards. Photo 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 United States nine times (2001-2004, 2006-2009, 2012).
2 major tournaments lost to Phelps in the 200m individual. At the 2011 World Cup, 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 carry out movement on water, many methods and methods were invented that still exist today. However, merge with the water element own body always exciting. Who can survive more underwater without oxygen? Who will swim further? Who swims faster? People began to compete in their skills on the water and it has grown into one of the most beautiful and exciting sports.
Swimming is a locomotive sport, the meaning of which is to move on water and overcome certain distances in the shortest time. To date, there are several types of swimming that are independent disciplines and are included in the 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, which is a separate discipline in which the athlete is allowed to swim different ways, changing them in the process of swimming arbitrarily. 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 keep on his chest after each stroke and turn. Hand manipulations should be simultaneous and performed in the same plane, without alternation. Manipulations of the legs should be similar - simultaneous, without alternation.
Butterfly- a type of breaststroke, characterized by greater speed.
Backstroke- a type of swimming when swimming strokes are made on the back, with the exception of the moment of rotation. The position of the head is not regulated in any way. Also, the program of some competitions may include integrated swimming - in which the athlete must overcome equal parts of the distance in breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, and combined 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 of FINA and must be 100m or 50m long. In addition, individual swims in open water for extra long distances are also held. The beginning of such competitions was laid back in the 19th century, and the loudest of them is the swim across the English Channel. Today, the World Championships in open water swimming include the following distances: 5 km, 10 km, 25 km. Since 2008 - the Beijing Olympics, the distance of 10 km 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 for men and women, is made of synthetic materials, nylon with lycra, and completely fits the body of the athletes, while not restricting movement at all.
Russian swimmers left their mark on the history of this sport with resounding victories
Larisa Ilchenko - Russian athlete specializing in open water swimming. Honored Master of Sports of Russia. The first ever Olympic champion in 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. She was awarded the Order of Friendship for her great contribution to the development of physical culture and high achievements at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.Evgeny Korotyshkin - Russian swimmer, specialization - butterfly, captain of the Russian swimmers team. World record holder in the 100m 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 champion of Russia, 25-time World Cup winner, finalist of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Danila Izotov - Russian athlete - swimmer. Honored Master of Sports of Russia, member of the national swimming team. World record holder in the combined relay, silver medalist Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing, freestyle relay, World champion, European champion.
Yulia Efimova is a Russian 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 style 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 - Russian athlete - swimmer, specialization - swim over long distances. Honored Master of Sports of Russia. Double Champion World 2003 and 2007 at a distance of 10 km in open water, European champion in 2002 at 10 km in open water, World vice-champion at a distance of 10 km in 2001, bronze medalist of the World Championship in 2003 at a distance of 5 km in open water, multiple champion of Russia.
This list of budding Russian swimmers can be continued, which means Russian sports all new deafening 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 all of them. But our history keeps 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 the most incredible athletes of our country 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 this day, she remains the only gymnast to have won three Olympics in a row: Melbourne (1956), Rome (1960) and Tokyo (1964). She is a unique athlete who has 18 Olympic medals, among which the most a large number of gold - 9 pieces. Sports career Larissa began in 1950. While still a schoolgirl, Larisa completed the 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 in the 9th grade fulfilled the standard of a master of sports. After graduating from school, Larisa was sent a challenge to the All-Union gathering in Bratsevo, where the USSR national team was preparing for the World Festival of Youth and Students in Bucharest. Qualifiers the young athlete passed with dignity and after that she received a woolen suit with a white "Olympic" strip around 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 the members of the squad 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 owner of 18 Olympic awards.
Tokyo, 1964
Egorova Lyubov, cross-country skiing
Lyubov Egorova - six times Olympic champion V cross-country skiing(1992 - at distances of 10 and 15 km and as part of the national team, 1994 - at distances of 5 and 10 km and as part 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.
Even at school, Love discovered a passion for skiing. Already in the 6th grade, she studied under the guidance of coach Nikolai Kharitonov. She took part in various city competitions many times. At the age of 20, Lyubov became a member of the USSR national team. In 1991, at the World Championships in Cavalese, the first success of the skier happened. Lyubov became the world champion in the relay, and then showed the best time in the 30 km race. Despite the fact that in the 15-kilometer race the skier came eleventh, 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 a gold medal.
In 1992, Lyubov took part in the Olympic Games in France, where she managed to get a gold medal in the 15 km race. She also won gold in the 10 km race and in the relay. In 1994, in Norway, at the Winter Olympics, Egorova came first at a distance of 5 km. In the 10 km race, the Russian athlete fought with a strong rival from Italy, who only gave up closer to the finish line, allowing Egorova to get the "gold". And in the 4x5 km relay, the Russian girls proved themselves again 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 handed the winner 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 Lidia, speed skating
Lidia Pavlovna Skoblikova is the legendary Soviet speed skater, the only six-time Olympic champion in the history of speed skating, the absolute champion of the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck. Even at school, Lida was seriously engaged in skiing, participating in the section from the third grade. But after several years of training and hard work, skiing seemed to Skoblikova too slow a sport. The athlete came to skating accidentally. One day, her skating friend asked her to join her in a city competition. 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 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 Olympics, Lydia was able to leave behind all the strong athletes, moreover, she won with a world record. At the same Olympics, the 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 on three (500, 1000 and 1500 m) set Olympic records. In the same 1964, Skoblikova convincingly won the World Championship in speed run on skates (Sweden), again winning at 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 flag of Russia, and the only five-time Olympic champion in the history of synchronized swimming. Initially, Anastasia was engaged rhythmic gymnastics, but later, with the help of her mother, Davydova began to attend 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 awards in a duet in a pair with another well-known 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 a record holder out of Anastasia Davydova - she became the only five-time Olympic champion in history in 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 for swimming just like that, “for health”. And this event turned out to be incredible victories for Popov in the future. Training increasingly fascinated the future champion, taking away everything free time, which negatively affected the studies of the young athlete. But it was already too late to quit sports for the sake of grades in school disciplines. At the age of 20, Popov won the first victories, they turned out to be 4 gold medals at once. It happened at the European Championships in 1991, which was held 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 of the Soviet swimmer.
World fame brought the swimmer the 1996 Olympics, held in Atlanta. Alexander pulled out two gold medals for 50 and 100 meters. This victory turned out to be especially bright for the reason that 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 sure of victory, they openly declared it in the press, even Bill Clinton and his family came to support their athlete! But the "gold" was not in the hands of Hall, but 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, played hockey. some time young athlete continued to do everything at once, rushing from one sport to another. But one day, my mother took Pozdnyakov to the Spartak stadium, where the fencing school for children and youth of the Olympic reserve was located. The phrase " Olympic reserve bribed his parents, and Stanislav began to study there. Under the guidance of mentor Boris Leonidovich Pisetsky, Stanislav began to master the fencing alphabet. The young swordsman showed character in duels and all the time tried to win by all means.
Pozdnyakov made his first successes at the All-Russian and All-Union level in Novosibirsk, in youth tournaments. Then he made his way to the national team of the United Team of Independent States and went to Barcelona for his first Olympic Games. And in 1996 in Atlanta he achieved absolute success, having won "gold" both in personal 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. With a diagnosis of congenital heart disease, Alexander became an outstanding athlete in our country. skiing in the life of the future Olympic champion was present from childhood. Parents set an example for four sons: mother Nina Evlampievna, who worked as an accountant, and father Ivan Grigoryevich, who taught physical education at school. Repeatedly participating in regional skiing competitions held among teachers, he became the winner. At the age of 19, Alexander won the junior ski competition Union scale at a distance of 10 and 15 km. 1966 became very significant in the fate of the athlete, because. this year, Tikhonov suffered a leg injury and switched to a biathlete career.
Alexander's debut happened in 1968 in Grenoble, where the Olympic Games were held. A young, unknown athlete wins a silver medal in the 20 km race, losing only half a millimeter to the Norwegian Magna Solberg in shooting - the price of two penalty minutes and a gold medal. After this performance, Alexander is entrusted with the first stage in the relay race, which was supposed to run by the Olympic champion - the famous Vladimir Melanin. Thanks to confident shooting and a daring run, Tikhonov receives the title Olympic champion! The Olympic Games in Lake Placid in 1980 were the fourth and last for Tikhonov. 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 national sports, after which, at the age of 33, he was forced to decide to end his sports career.
