Viktor Markin

Viktor Fyodorovich Markin ( _ru. Виктор Фёдорович Маркин) (born February 23, 1957 in the village of Oktyabrsky, Ust-Tarksky District, Novosibirsk Oblastcite book|title=Viktor Markin|author=V. V. Leibovsky|publisher=Fizkultura i sport|series=Heroes of the Olympic Games|year=1983|location=Moscow|language=Russian|url=http://www.sportlib.ru/books/la/markin/] ) is a former Soviet athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics.

After graduating from a secondary school he went to Novosibirsk, where he entered the Faculty of Pediatrics of the Institute of Medicine. Markin started athletics only at age 19 in the athletics section by the institute, coached by Aleksandr Bukhasheyev. He remained quite unknown until the Moscow Olympic Games.

On April 27, 1980, in Sochi, Markin ran his personal best 46.96. In the early July Markin ran 45.34 at the Central Lenin Stadium. In the Olympic final, Markin was only fifth on a half distance and in the beginning of the finishing straight line he was still three metres behind of the leader East German Frank Schaffer. But with a very strong finish Markin won with a European record and world season best 44.60 (still a Russian national record in 400 m). Markin captured his second gold in the 4 × 400 m relay when, as an anchor, outran the East German Volker Beck.

After a break from sports to complete his studies in medicine, Markin returned at the European Championships in 1982, where he won two bronze medals (400 m and 4 × 400 m relay). In the first World Championships in Helsinki Markin won a gold in 4 × 400 m relay, but decided to retire after hearing the Soviet decision to boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics.

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