Viktor Chukarin

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Viktor Ivanovich Chukarin (Russian:Виктор Иванович Чукарин) (born November 9, 1921 – died August 25, 1984) was the first of the great Soviet gymnasts.

Early start

Born November 9, 1921, in Krasnoarmiys'ke, Crimea; died August 25, 1984, in Lviv.

At the age of 19 was awarded the title "Master of Sport", but put off training with the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War.

Enrolled in the Lviv Institute of Physical Culture in 1946 at the age of 25, and graduated in 1950.

Champion years

Became the USSR's gymnastic individual all-around champion in 1949, and repeated in 1950, 1951, 1953, and 1955.

At the 1952 Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki (the first Games to feature a team from the USSR) he won six medals, including the individual all-around by a margin of .7 points (115.7-115.0). Four years later, at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, at the age of 35, he won 5 medals.

He led the USSR to the victory at the 1954 World Championships, winning gold in the team all around and the individual all around.

In 1957 along with Larissa Latinina, Chukarin was awarded the first ever Order of Lenin given to an athlete.cite book|title=All about Olympic Games.|author=Boris Khavin|publisher=Fizkultura i sport|edition = 2nd ed.|pages=p. 589|year=1979|location=Moscow|language=Russian]

He recounted his sport career in the 1955 book entitled "The Road to the Peaks (Put K Vershinam)". In 1961, began coaching Armenian gymnastics team. In 1963, Chukarin became an assistant professor at the Lviv Institute of Physical Culture.

References

* Rysovanyy, Y. (1978). "Sportsmen of the Ukraine in the Olympic Games", Zdorovya.

ee also

*List of multiple Olympic gold medalists

External links

* [http://www.fig-gymnastics.com/events/athletes/bio.jsp?ID=1219 International Federation of Gymnastics' Profile on Viktor Chukarin]
* [http://www.gymn-forum.net/bios/men/chukarin.html List of competitive results]