Vladimir Valeryevich Salnikov

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Vladimir Salnikov (left) at the 1980 Olympic Games after winning the 1,500 meter freestyle swimming. Right: Max Metzker (Australia, 3rd place)
Vladimir Salnikov, 2010

Wladimir Valerjewitsch Salnikow ( Russian Владимир Валерьевич Сальников ; born May 21, 1960 in Leningrad ) is a former Russian swimmer who competed for the Soviet Union .

At the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal , he swam a European record over 1500 m freestyle and finished fifth in the finals. Two years later at the World Championships in Berlin in 1978 he won his first title when he became world champion in both the 400 m and 1500 m freestyle and also set a new world record in the 400 m freestyle . In 1979 he was the first swimmer to swim the 800 m under eight minutes.

At the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow , he won the gold medal in the 400 m freestyle, 1500 m freestyle and the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay . However, due to the Olympic boycott of the USA and other western states, some promising competitors were not at the start. Four years later at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles , he was affected by the boycott by the Soviet Union and was unable to defend his Olympic victories. At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul , he managed to win the gold medal again on his parade route, the 1500 m freestyle.

In total, Salnikow won four Olympic gold medals, four European titles and four gold medals at world championships. In his career he set 12 world records in the 400 m, 800 m and 1500 m freestyle. He was the first swimmer to swim the 1,500 m freestyle in under 15 minutes . In 1982 he was voted Europe's Sportsman of the Year and World Swimmer of the Year . From 1989 until at least 1994 he was the head coach of the Russian Federation. In 1993 he was inducted into the hall of fame of international swimming .

He was Soviet champion several times (1979, 1981–1988 - over 400 m; 1978, 1979, 1981–1988 - over 1500 m; 1979 - 4 × 200 m).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Sport-Bild, May 18, 1994, p. 58
personal data
SURNAME Salnikow, Vladimir Valeryevich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Сальников, Владимир Валерьевич (Russian)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Russian swimmer
DATE OF BIRTH May 21, 1960
PLACE OF BIRTH Leningrad