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Nikolai Andrianov

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In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Yefimovich and the family name is Andrianov.
Nikolai Andrianov
Andrianov c. 1974
Personal information
Full nameNikolai Yefimovich Andrianov
Born14 October 1952
Vladimir, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died21 March 2011(2011-03-21) (aged 58)
Vladimir, Russian Federation
Height166 cm (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Weight60 kg (132 lb)
Gymnastics career
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
Country represented Soviet Union
Head coach(es)Nikolai Tolkachev

Nikolai Yefimovich Andrianov (Russian: Никола́й Ефи́мович Андриа́нов; 14 October 1952 – 21 March 2011)[2] was a Soviet and Russian gymnast.

He held the record for men for the most Olympic medals at 15 (7 gold medals, 5 silver medals, 3 bronze medals) until Michael Phelps surpassed him at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Andrianov is the third athlete (male or female) in cumulative Olympic medals after Phelps's 28 and Larisa Latynina's 18. Andrianov won the most medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics with 6 individual medals and one team medal. Within the sport of Men's Artistic Gymnastics, he also holds the men's record for most individual Olympic medals (12) and shares the male record for most individual Olympic gold medals in gymnastics (6) with Boris Shakhlin and Dmitry Bilozerchev (the latter of which only if you count the 1984 Alternate Olympics). In many other rankings among all-time medal winners at the Olympic, World, and European levels, he ranks very high (for example, he is second only to Vitaly Scherbo in total individual medal counts at either the gold level or any level at the combined Olympic and World levels as well as at the combined Olympic, World, and European levels), easily making him one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time.

Early life and Olympic career

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Andrianov entered the Children and Youth Sports School of the Burevestnik sports society in Vladimir at age 11. His first international success came in 1971 at the European Championships in Madrid, where he won two gold medals. Between 1971 and 1980 he won many international gymnastics competitions, including the Olympic Games, world championships and European championships.[1]

Andrianov's first Olympic medal was a gold in the 1972 floor competition. He dominated the 1976 gymnastics competition, winning four golds, including the all-around, two silvers, and a bronze.[3] These medals included golds in the floor exercises, rings, and vault, as well as a prized gold in the 1976 all-around. His record of four gymnastic golds at a single games stood until Vitaly Scherbo won six other medals in 1992.[4]

Andrianov took the Olympic Oath for athletes at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. In the gymnastics competition, he won two more golds, two silvers, and a bronze.[3] Andrianov's golds in that Olympics were in the vault and team competition, his silvers were in the all-around and floor exercises, and his bronze medal was in the horizontal bar.[5] He retired shortly after that year's Olympics.[3]

Later life

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Andrianov married another famous Soviet gymnast, two-time Olympic champion Lyubov Burda. Together they worked as children's gymnastics coaches, with Andrianov being the head coach of the Soviet national men's junior team in 1981–1992. In 1990–1992 he also coached the Soviet senior gymnastics team, and in 1990–1993 headed the Soviet and later the Russian Gymnastics Federation.[1]

In 2001, Andrianov was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.[1] Between 1994 and 2002 he coached the Japan Olympic gymnastics team, on the invitation of his former rival, Mitsuo Tsukahara. Andrianov coached Tsukahara's son, Naoya Tsukahara, and both father and son credit him with raising Naoya's skills and confidence to equip him to compete at the international level.[6] In 2002 he became the director of gymnastics at the N.G. Tolkachyov Specialized Children and Youth sports school in Vladimir, where he first began the sport as a youth.[1]

Illness and death

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In his final years, Andrianov developed the degenerative neurological disorder multiple system atrophy and in his final months was unable to move his arms or legs or talk.[7] Andrianov died on 21 March 2011 at the age of 58,[8] in his hometown of Vladimir.[9] Russia's national gymnastic team coach, Alexander Alexandrov, called the death "tragic", but stated that he had been ill for a long time.[9]

Achievements (non-Olympic)

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Year Event AA Team FX PH RG VT PB HB
1971 European Championships 3rd 3rd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd
USSR Championships 1st
1972 USSR Championships 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st
USSR Cup 1st
1973 European Championships 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd
1973 Summer Universiade 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
USSR Championships 1st
1974 World Championships 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st 2nd 2nd
USSR Championships 1st 1st 1st 3rd 1st
USSR Cup 1st
1975 World Cup 1st 2nd 2nd 1st
European Championships 1st 1st 2nd 1st 1st 1st
USSR Championships 1st 1st
1977 World Cup 1st 1st 1st 2nd 1st
1978 World Championships 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 2nd
USSR Cup 3rd
1979 World Championships 1st 2nd
USSR Championships 3rd 3rd

Honours and awards

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Nikolay Andrianov". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  2. ^ London 2012 – Olympic legend Andrianov dies – Yahoo! Eurosport. Uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. Retrieved on 22 March 2011.
  3. ^ a b c Fyodorov, Gennady (21 March 2011). "Olympics-Gymnastics great Andrianov dies after long illness". Reuters. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  4. ^ Eskenazi, Gerald (3 August 1992). "BARCELONA: Gymnastics; On Scherbo's Night, Dimas Also Sparkles". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 20 June 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  5. ^ Pursuit of excellence, the Olympic story. Grolier Enterprises. 1983. p. 373. ISBN 978-0-7172-8171-8.
  6. ^ Strom, Stephanie (5 September 2000). "OLYMPICS; For a Japanese Gymnast, Honor Thy Father". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  7. ^ Amanda Turner. "Legendary Olympian In Fight For His Life". International Gymnast. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  8. ^ Amanda Turner. "Olympic Legend Andrianov Dies at 58". International Gymnast. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  9. ^ a b "London 2012 – Olympic legend Andrianov dies aged 58". Yahoo!. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
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Records
Preceded by Most career Olympic medals by a man
1980–2008 		Succeeded by
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