1980 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event
celebrated in Moscow
in the Soviet Union
. In addition, the yachting
events were held in Tallinn
, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament were held in Leningrad
, Kiev
, and Minsk
. The 1980 Games were the first to be staged in Eastern Europe.
The United States and a number of other countries boycotted the games because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
, though some athletes from some of the boycotting countries participated in the games, under the Olympic Flag. This prompted the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics
.
¹ New facilities constructed in preparation for the Olympic Games.
² Existing facilities modified or refurbished in preparation for the Olympic Games.
Despite the large boycott, six nations made their first Olympic appearance in 1980: Angola, Botswana, Jordan, Laos, Mozambique, and Seychelles. Cyprus made its debut at the Summer Olympics, but had appeared earlier at the 1980 Winter Olympics
in Lake Placid
. Sri Lanka competed for the first time under its new name (previously as Ceylon), Benin had competed previously as Dahomey and Zimbabwe competed for the first time under that name (previously as Rhodesia).
In the following list, the number in parentheses indicates the number of athletes from each nation that competed in Moscow. Nations in italics competed under the Olympic flag.
{
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
' (host nation)
65 countries and regions invited didn't take part in the 1980 Olympic Games. Many of these followed the United States' boycott initiative, while others (such as Zaire) cited economic reasons for not coming.
**
* Zaire
*Qatar did not attend the Games because they were not invited by the International Olympic Committee
.
**Chinese Taipei / Taiwan did not attend because of the 1979 Nagoya Resolution, in which the People's Republic of China agreed to participate in the IOC if the Republic of China/Taiwan were referred to as "Chinese Taipei".
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
celebrated in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. In addition, the yachting
Yachting
Yachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:...
events were held in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament were held in Leningrad
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, and Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. The 1980 Games were the first to be staged in Eastern Europe.
The United States and a number of other countries boycotted the games because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
, though some athletes from some of the boycotting countries participated in the games, under the Olympic Flag. This prompted the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics boycott
The boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. The boycott was a follow up to the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The boycott involved 14 Eastern Bloc countries and allies, led by the Soviet Union who initiated the boycott on May 8, 1984, and joined...
.
Host city selection
The only two cities to bid for the 1980 Summer Olympics were Moscow and Los Angeles. The choice between them was made on 23 October 1974 in the 75th IOC Session in Vienna, Austria.| 1980 Summer Olympics bidding result | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Country | Round 1 | ||||
| Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... |
 Soviet Union |
39 | ||||
| Los Angeles Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... |
 United States |
20 | ||||
Overview
- Although approximately half of the 24 countries that boycotted the 1976 Summer Olympics1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
(over the apartheid issue in South Africa) participated in these games, the 1980 Summer Olympics were disrupted by another, even larger, boycott led by the United States in protest of the 1979 Soviet war in AfghanistanSoviet war in AfghanistanThe Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
. Many of the boycotting nations participated instead in the Olympic Boycott GamesOlympic Boycott GamesThe Liberty Bell Classic was an event held at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1980 by 29 of the boycotting countries of the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics as an alternative to the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow...
or the "Liberty Bell Classic" in Philadelphia. - Eighty nations participated – the smallest number since 19561956 Summer OlympicsThe 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
. However, the nations that did compete had won 71% of the medals, including 71% of the gold medals, at the 1976 Summer Olympics1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal. - As a form of protest against the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, fifteen countries marched in the Opening Ceremony with the Olympic Flag instead of with their national flags, and the Olympic Flag and Olympic Hymn were used at Medal Ceremonies when athletes from these countries won medals. Competitors from one country – New ZealandNew Zealand at the 1980 Summer OlympicsNew Zealand did not officially participate in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, USSR as the government of that time supported the US-led boycott. Four New Zealand athletes competed as independents under the banner of the NZOCGA.-Canoeing:...
– competed under their association flag, the flag of the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games AssociationNew Zealand Olympic CommitteeThe New Zealand Olympic Committee is the body in New Zealand responsible for selecting athletes to represent New Zealand in the Summer and Winter Olympic and the Commonwealth Games....
Some of the teams who marched under other than their national flags were depleted by boycotts by individual athletes, and others did not march. - Italy won four times as many gold medals as it did in Montreal and France multiplied its gold medal results by three. Romania won more gold medals than it had at any previous Olympics. In terms of total medals, this was Ireland's most successful Olympics since Melbourne 19561956 Summer OlympicsThe 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
. The same was true for Great Britain. "Third WorldThird WorldThe term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
" athletes qualified for more events and took more medals than at any previous Olympics. - 21% of the competitors were female – a higher percentage than at any previous Olympics.
- There were 203 events – more than at any previous Olympics.
- 36 World records, 39 European records and 74 Olympic records were set. In total this was more records than were set at Montreal.
- New Olympic records were set 241 times over the course of the competitions and world records were beaten 97 times.
- Prince Alexandre de MerodeAlexandre de MerodePrince Alexandre of Mérode was a member of the Belgian princely House of Merode and was the head of drug testing policy for the International Olympic Committee until his death....
of Belgium, Chairman of the IOC Medical Commission, stated: "There were 9,292 drug tests. None positive". - Four Olympic records set in 1980 still stood – East German women 4×100 metre relay 41.6 seconds; Shot Put Ilona SlupianekIlona SlupianekIlona Briesenick, née Schoknecht divorced Slupianek is a retired German athlete, who starred mainly in the shot put...
of East Germany 22.41 metres; Soviet Nadezhda OlizarenkoNadezhda OlizarenkoNadezhda Fyodorovna Olizarenko is a retired athlete, who competed mainly in the 800 metres. She represented the Soviet Union.Olizarenko competed for Soviet Union in the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow, Russia in the 800 metres, where she won the gold medal ahead of country women Olga Mineyeva...
800 metres, 1:53.43; Modern Pentathlon Soviet Anatoli StarostinAnatoli StarostinAnatoli Starostin is a former Soviet modern pentathlete and Olympic champion.-Olympics:Starostin competed for the Soviet Union at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, where he received an individual gold medal, and a team gold medal with the Soviet team...
5568 points. - The impact of the boycott was mixed. Some events, like field hockey and equestrian sports, were hard hit. Others like boxing, judo, rowing, swimming, track and field and weightlifting actually had more participants than in 1976.
- Eight nations appeared for the first time at an Olympics – Angola, Botswana, Laos, Nicaragua, Seychelles, Mozambique and Cyprus. Zimbabwe also made its first appearance under that name; it had previously competed as Rhodesia.
- Athletes from 25 countries won Olympic gold (the same total as in the 1984 Games1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
and one fewer than in the 1976 Games) and competitors from 36 countries became Olympic medalists.
- Major broadcasters of the Games were USSR State TV and Radio (1,370 accreditation cards), EurovisionEurovision NetworkThe Eurovision Network is part of the European Broadcasting Union, itself founded in 1950 as a system of international broadcasting cooperation...
(31 countries, 818 cards) and IntervisionInternational Radio and Television OrganisationThe International Radio and Television Organisation The International Radio and Television Organisation The International Radio and Television Organisation (official name in French: Organisation Internationale de Radiodiffusion et de Télévision or OIRT (before 1960 Organisation Internationale de...
(11 countries, 342 cards). Asahi TV with 68 cards provided coverage for Japan, while OTIOrganización de Televisión IberoamericanaOrganización de Televisión Iberoamericana or "Organization of Iberoamerican Television" is the former name of Organización de Telecomunicaciones Iberoamericanas , an organization of television networks in Latin America , Spain, and Portugal. Its mission is to foster relations between television...
representing the Spanish-speaking world received 59 cards and the Channel SevenSeven NetworkThe Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
provided coverage for Australia (48 cards). NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, which had intended to be another major broadcaster, canceled its coverage in response to the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics, and became a minor broadcaster with 56 accreditation cards, although the network did air highlights and recaps of the games on a regular basis. (ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
aired scenes of the opening ceremony during its Nightline program, and promised highlights each night, but the next night, the show announced that they could not air any highlights as NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
still had exclusive broadcast rights in the USA.) The Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
almost canceled their plans for coverage after Canada took part in the boycott and was represented by nine cards. - The television centre used 20 television channels, compared to 16 for the Montreal Games, 12 for the Munich Games1972 Summer OlympicsThe 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, and seven for the Mexico City Games1968 Summer OlympicsThe 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
. - During the opening ceremony, Salyut 6Salyut 6Salyut 6 , DOS-5, was a Soviet orbital space station, the eighth flown as part of the Salyut programme. Launched on 29 September 1977 by a Proton rocket, the station was the first of the 'second-generation' type of space station. Salyut 6 possessed several revolutionary advances over the earlier...
crew Leonid PopovLeonid PopovLeonid Ivanovich Popov is a former Soviet cosmonaut.Popov was born in Oleksandriia, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukrainian SSR. He was selected as a cosmonaut on April 27, 1970, and flew as Commander on Soyuz 35, Soyuz 40 and Soyuz T-7, logging 200 days, 14 hours, and 45 minutes in space before his...
and Valery RyuminValery RyuminValery Victorovich Ryumin, born August 16, 1939 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur) is a former Soviet cosmonaut.In 1958, he was graduated from the Kaliningrad Mechanical Engineering Technical College with the specialty "Cold Working of Metal." In 1966, he was graduated from the Department of Electronics and...
sent their greetings to the Olympians and wished them happy starts in the live communicationLive televisionLive television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
between the station and the Central Lenin Stadium. They appeared on the stadium's scoreboardScoreboardA scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
and their voices were translated via loud speakerLoud SpeakerLoud Speaker is a play by American playwright John Howard Lawson. It was first produced by the New Playwrights' Theatre at the 52nd Street Theatre in New York, opening on March 2 1927. Harry Wagstaff Gribble directed, Mordecai Gorelik designed the sets, Eugene L. Berton composed its music, and...
s. - According to the Official Report, submitted to the IOC by the NOCNational Olympic CommitteeNational Olympic Committees are the national constituents of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, they are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games...
of the USSR, total expenditures for the preparations for and staging of the Games were 862.7 million rublesSoviet rubleThe Soviet ruble or rouble was the currency of the Soviet Union. One ruble is divided into 100 kopeks, ....
, total revenues being 744.8 million rubles.
- A series of commemorative coinsCommemorative coins of the Soviet UnionCommemorative coins were released in the USSR between 1965 and 1991. Most of them were made of copper-nickel alloy, but there were also silver coins, gold coins, palladium coins and platinum coins. All of the coins were minted either by the Moscow Mint or by the Leningrad Mint...
was released in the USSR in 1977–1980 to commemorate the event. It consisted of five platinum coinPlatinum coinPlatinum coins are a form of currency. Platinum has an international currency symbol under ISO 4217 of XPT. The issues of legitimate platinum coins were initiated by Spain in Spanish-colonized America in the 18th century and continued by the Russian Empire in the 19th century...
s, six gold coinGold coinA gold coin is a coin made mostly or entirely of gold. Gold has been used for coins practically since the invention of coinage, originally because of gold's intrinsic value...
s, 28 silver coinSilver coinSilver coins are possibly the oldest mass produced form of coinage. Silver has been used as a coinage metal since the times of the Greeks. Their silver drachmas were popular trade coins....
s and six copper-nickelCupronickelCupronickel or copper-nickel or "cupernickel" is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater...
coins. - The Games attracted five million spectators, an increase of 1.5 million from the Montreal Games.
- There were 1,245 referees from 78 countries.
- At the closing ceremony, the Los Angeles city flag, rather than the United States flagFlag of the United StatesThe national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
, was raised to symbolize the next host of the Olympic Games, and the Olympic flag was handed over to the IOC President rather than to the mayor of Los Angeles. This was the first time that the Olympic Flag Handover took place during the closing ceremony.
Highlights
Archery
- Tomi Poikolainen of Finland, who had not finished any of the previous 3 days shootings higher than 4th, came from 4th on the last day to win the men's archery competition, scoring 2455 points. He won gold just three points ahead of a Soviet.
- The women's archery gold was won by Ketevan Losaberidze (USSR) who was also the world, European and Soviet champion.
- The women's archery silver was won by Natalia Butuzova (USSR). In 1979 she had set nine national records and three world records.
Athletics
- Ethiopian Miruts YifterMiruts YifterMiruts Yifter ]] is a former Ethiopian athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics. His name is also sometimes spelled as Muruse Yefter....
won the 5000 metre and 10000 metre athletics double, emulating Lasse VirénLasse VirénLasse Artturi Virén is a former Finnish long-distance runner, winner of four gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics...
's 1972 and 1976 performances. - "I have a 90% chance of winning the 1,500 metres" wrote Steve OvettSteve OvettStephen Michael James "Steve" Ovett OBE , is a former middle distance runner from England. He was gold medalist in the 800 metres at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, U.S.S.R., and set world records for 1500 metres and the mile run...
in an article he did for one of Britain's Sunday papers just before the start of the Olympics. After he won the 800 metre Olympic gold, beating world-record holder Sebastian Coe, Ovett stated that he would not only win the 1,500 metres, but would beat the world record by as much as four seconds. Ovett had won 45 straight 1,500 meter races since May 1977. In contrast Coe had competed in only 8 1,500 meter races between 1976–1980. Coe won, however, holding off Ovett in the final lap. Ovett finished third. - Scotsman Allan WellsAllan WellsAllan Wipper Wells MBE is a former Scottish athlete, who became Olympic Champion in the 100 metres at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.-Biography:...
beat Cuban Silvio LeonardSilvio LeonardSilvio Leonard Sarría also known as Silvio Leonard Tartabull is a former sprinter from Cuba. He was the second athlete to run the 100 metres in less than 10 seconds with electronic timing, running in 9.98 seconds on August 11, 1977 in Guadalajara. The first was 1968 Olympic champion Jim Hines...
to become the first Briton since 1924 to win the Olympic 100 meters. It was the closest 100 m race at the Olympics in 28 years, ending in a photo finish in which both runners timed at 10.25 seconds. - Gerd WessigGerd WessigGerd Wessig was an East German high jumper who won a gold medal in the 1980 Summer Olympics....
– who had made the East German team only 2 weeks before the Games – easily won the gold medal with a 2.36m (7'9") high jump. This was 9 cm higher than he had ever jumped before. For the first time in history the world record in high jump was broken at the Olympic Games. - The 1980 Olympic women's long jump competition produced a surprise when the 3rd string Soviet jumper, Tatiana Kolpakova, bested her compatriots and other competitors by setting a new Olympic record of 7.06m (23'2").
- Poland's Władysław Kozakiewicz won the pole vault with a jump of 5.78m (18'11.5") – only the 2nd pole vaulting world record to be established during an Olympics. The previous time had been at the Antwerp Olympics 1920.
- In the pole vault competition, despite pleas for silence in three languages, jeers, chants and whistles among the different factions in the crowd supporting French, Soviet and Polish pole vaulters could be heard. Immediately after Kozakiewicz secured his gold medal, he responded to the jeering Soviet crowds with an obscene bent elbow gestureBras d'honneurA bras d'honneur is an obscene gesture. To form the gesture, an arm is bent to make an L-shape, while the other hand then grips the inner side of the bent arm's elbow, and the bent forearm is then raised vertically in a gesturing motion...
. This gesture is now referred to in Polish as "Kozakiewicz's gesture". - In the pole vault an athlete topped the Olympic record by 15 cm (6"), yet finished fourth. Similarly, athletes who broke the Olympic record in men's high jump by 5 cm (2"), the women's long jump by 13 cm (5"),and the women's javelin by 60 cm (2'), wound up no better than fourth. A total of 12 track and field athletes performed so well that their scores would have won any previous Olympics, yet failed to win a medal at Moscow.
- In the long jump competition, three women beat 23 feet (7 m) for the first time ever in one competition.
- Waldemar CierpinskiWaldemar CierpinskiWaldemar Cierpinski is a former East German athlete and two time Olympic Champion in the marathon. He is living in Halle an der Saale.-Career:...
of the German Democratic RepublicGerman Democratic RepublicThe German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
(East Germany) won his second consecutive marathon gold. - Bärbel WöckelBärbel WöckelBärbel Wöckel, née Eckert is a retired East German sprinter who specialized in the 200 metres.She won four Olympic gold medals, two each in the 1976 and 1980 Olympics...
, also of the GDR, winner of the 200 metres in Montreal, became the first woman to retain the title.
- Tatiana Kazankina (USSR) retained the 1,500m title that she had won in Montreal.
- Soviet walker Anatoly Solomin was leading the 20 km walk with 1 lap to go when he was disqualified. The race was won by a hitherto little known Italian, Maurizio DamilanoMaurizio DamilanoMaurizio Damilano is an Italian former race walker.He was the 1980 Olympic Champion and the 1987 and 1991 World Champion in the 20 km race walk....
, in an Olympic record time. - For the first time in the history of the Olympics all 8 male participants in the long jump final beat the mark of 8 metres.
- Spain and Bulgaria earned their first ever medals in Men's track.
- Lutz DombrowskiLutz DombrowskiLutz Dombrowski is a former German track and field athlete and Olympic champion.Dombrowski was the best ever long jumper from the former East Germany. After winning at the European cup in 1979 he won the gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympic games in Moscow. In 1982, he was European champion. He...
(GDR) won the long jump gold. His was the longest jump recorded at sea level and he became only the 2nd human to jump further than 28 feet (8.5 m). - In the triple jump final Viktor SaneyevViktor SaneyevViktor Saneyev is a retired triple jumper, who competed internationally for the USSR and won four Olympic medals; three golds and one silver . He was born in Sukhumi, Georgian SSR. He dominated the event during the late 1960s and 1970s...
who won gold at Mexico, Munich and Montreal won silver behind his compatriot Jaak UudmäeJaak UudmäeJaak Uudmäe is a retired Estonian triple jumper and long jumper, gold medalist at the 1980 Summer Olympics.In 1979 and 1980 Uudmäe was acknowledged as Estonia's Sportsman of the Year...
. - Yuriy SedykhYuriy SedykhYuriy Georgiyevich Sedykh is a retired Soviet/Ukrainian athlete who represented the USSR, specialising in the hammer throw....
(USSR) won gold in the hammer throw event. 4 of his 6 throws broke the world record of 80m.No hammer thrower in the world had ever achieved this before. As in Montreal the USSR win gold, silver and bronze in this event. - Evelin JahlEvelin JahlEvelin Jahl, née Schlaak is a German former discus thrower, who won two Olympic gold medals as an athlete representing East Germany....
(GDR) the 1976 Olympic champion won discus gold again. She won with a new Olympic record – 69.96m. She had been undefeated since Montreal. - Cuba's María Caridad Colón won the women's javelin setting a new Olympic record and beating the favored Soviet throwers.
- Sara SimeoniSara SimeoniSara Simeoni is an Italian former high jumper, who won a gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics and twice set a world record in the women's high jump.-Biography:...
of Italy won the women's high jump, setting a new Olympic record. She had won a silver in the 1976 Games and would go on to win a silver in the 1984 Games. - In track-and-field six world records, 18 Olympic records and nine best results of the year were registered.
- In women's track and field events alone either a world or Olympic record was broken in almost every event.
- Daley ThompsonDaley ThompsonFrancis Morgan Ayodélé "Daley" Thompson CBE , is a former decathlete from England. He won the decathlon gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1980 and 1984, and broke the world record for the event four times....
of Great Britain won the gold in the Decathlon. He won gold again at the L.A. Olympics. - SovietSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Dainis KulaDainis KulaDainis Kūla is a Latvian former javelin thrower who represented the Soviet Union at the international level for most of his career. He is most famous for controversially winning the gold medal in men's javelin throw at the 1980 Summer Olympics, becoming the second Latvian to achieve this...
won gold in the men's javelin. He also had the best sum total of throws, showing his consistency. He finished ahead of his teammate Alexander Makarov. - IAAF President Adrian Paulen of the Netherlands said "Whereas at the 1976 Games in Montreal the Jury of Appeal had to deal with 16 protests, the fact remains that in Moscow there were only two. This was the smallest number of protests at any Olympic Games since Tokyo 1964".
Boxing
- Teófilo StevensonTeófilo StevensonTeófilo Stevenson Lawrence or Teófilo Stevenson is a former Cuban amateur boxer. He is one of the only three boxers to win three Olympic gold medals, alongside Hungarian László Papp and fellow Cuban Félix Savón....
of Cuba became the first boxerBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
to win three consecutive Olympic titles in heavyweight, the only boxer to win the same event in 3 Games. (László PappLászló PappLászló Papp was a Hungarian boxer, born in Budapest. A southpaw, he won gold medals in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, and the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia...
from Hungary was the first boxer to win three titles). In boxing Cuba won 6 gold, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes, a haul only equaled once before in the entire history of the Olympics (by the USA at St. Louis in 1904 when there were hardly any other boxers from other nations present). The USSR won 1 gold medal, the same as Italy, Yugoslavia, East Germany and Bulgaria. - The Val Barker TrophyVal Barker TrophyThe Val Barker Trophy, named for boxer Val Barker, is presented every four years to an Olympic boxing athlete who exemplifies style during competition.-Recipients:...
is presented by the International Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) to the competitor adjudged to be the best stylist at the Games. The winner was Patrizio OlivaPatrizio OlivaPatrizio Oliva is an Italian former boxer, who won the gold medal in the light welterweight division at the 1980 Moscow Olympics as an amateur and the WBA World light welterweight title as a professional....
of Italy who won gold at light-welterweight. In his final Oliva defeated Serik Konakbaev (USSR). In 1979 Konakbaev had beaten Oliva in the final of the European Championships. - Donald F. Hull, U.S. president of the Amateur International Boxing Federation (IABA) said "I consider the organization of the present boxing tournament to be the best among the last 3 Olympics".
Canoeing
- The prophets of the canoeing world had predicted that the USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
would triumph in at least 9 of the 11 classes for which there were gold medals to be won at the 1980 Olympic regatta. At MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
the USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
had won 6 of 11 titles and at MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
6 out of 7. - Sergei Postrekhin (USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) was favored to win the single canoe 1,000 metres gold but is beaten by Lubomir Lubenov of Bulgaria. - In canoeing Australia won its first medal since 1956.
- Ivan Patzaichin (Romania) won gold medals over a 16 year period,1968–1984.
- Apart from the boycott of the LA Olympics Birgit FischerBirgit FischerBirgit Fischer is a kayaker, who has won eight gold medals over six different Olympic Games, a record she shares with Aladár Gerevich, spanning seven Olympiads: twice representing East Germany , then four times representing the reunited nation...
(East Germany) won medals in each Olympics from 1980–2004. In the 500 metres kayak singles for women she won gold in Moscow, silver in SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, gold in BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. - Uladzimir Parfianovich of the USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
won 3 gold medals in canoeingCanoeingCanoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
.
Cycling
- Lothar Thoms of East Germany won the 1,000 metre individual pursuit cycling gold, breaking the world record by nearly 4 seconds.
- The surprise winner of the bronze in that race was Jamaica's David WellerDavid WellerDavid Weller is a retired Jamaican track cyclist.Weller won a bronze medal in 1000 metres time trial at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, becoming the first Jamaican to win an Olympic medal in another sport than athletics .At the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles 1984, Weller finished...
who also broke the 16 year old world record. - In the 4,000 metre team pursuit qualifying heats new world indoor records were set 8 times.
- In the 4,000 metre individual pursuit the Olympic flag was flown for all 3 medal winning positions – Switzerland gold, France silver, Denmark bronze. Robert Dill-Bundi became the 1st Olympic champion in the history of Swiss cycling.
- The 189 kilometer individual road race gold was won by Sergei SukhoruchenkovSergei SukhoruchenkovSergei Nikolaevich Sukhoruchenkov is a former Soviet cyclist and Olympic Champion. He won gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, on the Individual Road Race....
(USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
). British team manager Peter Crinnon called it "The greatest exhibition of power riding ever". Sukhoruchenkov is voted best racer in the world by the International Amateur Cycling FederationUnion Cycliste InternationaleUnion Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
. - In this race only a photo-finish can tell the next 2 finishers apart, giving the silver medal to the Polish cyclist and the bronze to a Soviet cyclist.
- The cycling team road race is won by the Soviet team as they had done in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. - In cycling world records were toppled 21 times.
Diving
- As Aleksandr Portnov waited to do a 2 and 1/2 reverse somersault in the springboard final, cheers broke out in three adjoining swimming pool during the closing stages of Salnikov's world record breaking 1,500m swim. The diver delayed his start until the noise had subsided but, as he took his first steps along the board, even greater cheers broke out as Salnikov touched in under 15 minutes. Under the rules Portnov, having started, could not stop before take-off. He crashed badly. On protest to the Swedish referee G.Olander he was allowed to repeat the dive and went ahead again of Mexico's Carlos GirónCarlos GirónCarlos Armando Girón Gutiérrez is a Mexican diver. He competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics, winning one medal....
. Later protests by Mexico against the re-dive and by East Germany that their Falk HoffmannFalk HoffmannFalk Hoffmann is a retired diver from East Germany, who won the gold medal in the men's 10 m platform event at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Soviet Union. He competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1972 . He ended his career in...
wanted to re-dive after allegedly being disturbed by photographic flashlights were both turned down by the International Amateur Swimming FederationInternational Swimming FederationFédération Internationale de Natation is the International Federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee for administering international competition in the aquatic sports...
(FINAInternational Swimming FederationFédération Internationale de Natation is the International Federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee for administering international competition in the aquatic sports...
). FINAInternational Swimming FederationFédération Internationale de Natation is the International Federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee for administering international competition in the aquatic sports...
President Javier Ostas of Mexico stated that the decision taken by the Swedish referee was the "correct one. FINAInternational Swimming FederationFédération Internationale de Natation is the International Federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee for administering international competition in the aquatic sports...
assessed all the Olympic diving events and considers the judging to have been objective". Portnov remained the winner with Giron taking silver and Cagnatto of Italy bronze. - Martina Jaschke (East Germany) was 4th after the preliminary high dives, behind 2 Soviets and a Mexican, but came back to win gold on the second day of competition.
- Irina Kalinina (USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) won gold in the springboard final. As a result of her 10 dives in the preliminaries she amassed a unique number of points : 478.86.In the previous 4 years no diver had scored so many. - In this final the Mexican judge A.Marsikal allowed Karin Guthke (East Germany) re-take a dive. Guthke then won bronze ahead of the Soviet Zhanna Tsirulnikova.
Equestrian
- In the individual show jumping event Poland's Jan KowalczykJan KowalczykJan Kowalczyk is a Polish show jumping champion, Olympic champion from 1980.- Olympic Record :Kowalczyk participated at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, where he won a gold medal in Individual Jumping. At the same Olympics he also received a silver medal in Team jumping with the Polish team.-...
and the USSR's Nikolai Koralkov beach had 8 faults, but Kowalczyk won gold as his horse completed the course the quicker. So Poland won the last of the 203 gold medals contested. - Austrian horsewoman Elisabeth TheurerElisabeth TheurerElisabeth Theurer is a horse rider from Austria, who is known as Elisabeth Max-Theurer after marriage.-Biography:...
, despite the decision of the federation of equestrian sports of her country not to participate in the Olympics, was flown to Moscow by former racing driver Niki LaudaNiki LaudaAndreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...
. Theurer won the gold medal in the dressage competition. - The oldest medalist at the Moscow Olympics was Petre Rosca (Romania) in the dressage at 57 years 283 days.
Fencing
- Soviet foil fencers, who had taken possession of all the World and Olympic titles, were not among the 6 challengers in the finals. The Soviet 5 time world champion Alexander Romankov won a bronze.
- France took 4 golds in fencing, an Olympic record in the post World War II era.
- In the team sabre fencing final, for the 5th Olympics in a row, Italy and the USSR met. The USSR won as they did in Tokyo, Mexico and Montreal.
- In the men's foil final the USSR and France record 8 wins each but the Frenchmen made more hits and this won them the gold.
Football
- The USSR were favorites to win gold in football but won bronze instead. CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
won the gold medal beating German Democratic Republic (East Germany) 1:0 in the final. After many years in the doldrums, Olympic football had a revival in 1980 when the matches attracted nearly 2 million spectators.
Gymnastics
- SovietSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
gymnast Alexander DityatinAlexander DityatinAlexander Nikolaevich Dityatin is a Russian gymnast, three-time Olympic Champion, and Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR. Winning eight medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics, he set the record for achieving the most medals of any type at a single Olympic Games. The American swimmer Michael Phelps...
won a medal in each of the eight gymnastics events, including three titles. He was the first athlete to win 8 medals at an Olympics. He scored several 10s, the first perfect scores in men's gymnastics since the 1924 Paris Olympics. - Nikolai AndrianovNikolai AndrianovNikolai Yefimovich Andrianov was a Soviet/Russian gymnast. He held the record for men for the most Olympic medals at 15 until Michael Phelps surpassed him at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics...
who had won gold on floor at both Munich and Montreal was pipped this time by Roland Bruckner of East Germany. Andrianov retained the vault title he had won in Montreal. - Zoltán MagyarZoltan MagyarZoltán Magyar was the premier pommel horse gymnast in the world in the 1970s...
(Hungary) retained the Olympic title on pommel horse that he had won in Montreal. He was also 3 times World champion and 3 times European champion on this piece of apparatus. - In women's gymnastics the USSR won 1 medal in the All-Around competition. In each Olympics before this they had always won 2 and in Rome 1960 had won all 3. In the Friendship GamesFriendship GamesThe Friendship Games or Friendship-84 was an international multi-sport event held between 2 July and 16 September 1984 in the Soviet Union and eight other socialist states which boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles....
at Olomouc '84 and at Seoul '881988 Summer OlympicsThe 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
they would win 2 again. In the Team Competition they won the gold medal for the eighth time, continuing the "gold" series started in 1952. - In the women's gymnastics event finals, a Romanian gymnast medals on each piece of apparatus for the first time:
- Balance Beam – Nadia ComăneciNadia ComaneciNadia Elena Comăneci is a Romanian gymnast, winner of three Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and the first female gymnast ever to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. She is also the winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer...
(gold) - Floor – Nadia ComăneciNadia ComaneciNadia Elena Comăneci is a Romanian gymnast, winner of three Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and the first female gymnast ever to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. She is also the winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer...
(gold) - Uneven Bar – Emilia EberleEmilia EberleGertrude Emilia Eberle , was a Romanian gymnast of ethnic Hungarian - German descent who was of European, World, and Olympic calibre.Eberle, a pupil of the famous fellow ethnic Hungarian husband-wife coaching team Béla Károlyi and Márta Károlyi before they defected from Romania to the United...
(silver) & Melita RuhnMelita RuhnMelita Ruhn is a retired Romanian artistic gymnast who represented Romania at the 1980 Summer Olympics.She won three olympic medals for Romania and scored a perfect ten for the vault optionals in the team competition of the 1980 Olympic Games...
(bronze) - Vault – Melita RuhnMelita RuhnMelita Ruhn is a retired Romanian artistic gymnast who represented Romania at the 1980 Summer Olympics.She won three olympic medals for Romania and scored a perfect ten for the vault optionals in the team competition of the 1980 Olympic Games...
(bronze)
- Balance Beam – Nadia Comăneci
- In women's gymnastics there was a judging scandal when the Romanian head judge refused to post the score of her fellow Romanian Nadia ComăneciNadia ComaneciNadia Elena Comăneci is a Romanian gymnast, winner of three Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and the first female gymnast ever to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. She is also the winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer...
. This score gave Comaneci a silver medal behind Yelena DavydovaYelena DavydovaYelena Victorovna Davydova , is a former Soviet gymnast. She is the 1980 Olympic all-around champion, and is now a top coach in Canada.-Childhood training:...
of the USSR, but the Romanian judge, Mili Simionescu, tried to persuade the other judges to increase Comaneci's score so that she would win gold. After the Olympics, Simionescu was severely criticized by the International Gymnastics Federation. Before the LA Olympics, the United States gymnastics federation proposed a change in the rules so that a head judge cannot interfere and meddle in the scoring of competitors.
Handball
- East Germany beat the USSR 23–22 in the handball final to take their first medal of any sort in the men's event.
Hockey
- Women's field hockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
was an Olympic sport for the first time. Six countries competed: Austria, India, Poland, CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, USSR, and Zimbabwe. The gold medal was won by the team of Zimbabwe ahead of the firm favorites of the USSR who won bronze. Zimbabwe did not learn it would get a place in the tournament until 35 days before the Games began and chose its team only the weekend before the opening ceremony. None of their players had prior playing experience on an artificial surface. They had not trained at all together before the tournament and warmed up by playing some friendly matches with different Soviet club teams. - India won a record 8th title in men's field hockey.
Judo
- In Japan's absence, the USSR was expected to improve its showing in judo but wound up with 5 medals, the same as Montreal, despite the fact that there were 2 more weight categories. 15 countries shared the medals in judo, more than the record 12 countries in Munich1972 Summer OlympicsThe 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
and Montreal.
Modern Pentathlon
- In the women's pentathlon the Soviet Nadezhda TkachenkoNadezhda TkachenkoNadezhda Vladimirovna Tkachenko is a former pentathlete. She won an Olympic gold medal for the USSR in 1980. A three-time Olympian Tkachenko trained at VSS Avanhard in Donetsk Oblast.-References:*...
scored 5,083 points to become the first athlete to exceed 5,000 points in the event during Olympic competition. - Although she won the silver medal Olga Rukavishnikova (USSR) held the world record for 0.4 seconds as she finished 1st in the last event of 800m.That gave her the shortest reign of any world record holder ever.
- In the men's Pentathlon Anatoly Starostin (USSR) became the youngest ever Olympic champion in this sport.
- 26 competitors scored over 5,000 points. In Munich 12 topped this mark and in Montreal 21.
- It was the 1st time ever at either a world championship or an Olympics that as many as 8 teams topped the 15,000 point level.
- In the modern pentathlon George Horvath (Sweden) recorded a perfect score in the pistol shoot. It had been achieved only once before, at the 1936 Olympics.
Rowing
- East Germany dominated rowingSport rowingRowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, winning eleven of the fourteen titles. The East German men won 7 out of 8 events, foiled from achieving a clean sweep by Pertti KarppinenPertti KarppinenPertti Johannes Karppinen is a Finnish rower who is legendary for his three consecutive Olympic Gold medals in Single Sculls in 1976, 1980, and 1984. He also won World Championships in 1979 and 1985. He once held the world record in indoor rowing. Karppinen's style was to row a steady race and...
of Finland (who defended his Olympic title from MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
). East German women won 4 of their 6 events. The Soviets had been expected to win most of these titles considering their success at MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. - The East German women's eights team win gold despite only having being selected 3 months before the Olympics began.
- In the rowing eights with coxswain the British team win silver just 0.74 seconds behind East Germany. The Britons had never rowed together before the Olympic trials and had only 10 weeks to prepare for Moscow. The stroke, Richard Stanhope, had never stroked on an 8 man shell before and in the final their steering broke.
Sailing
- SovietSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
sailor Valentyn MankinValentyn MankinValentyn Grigoryevich Mankin is a retired Soviet/Ukrainian sailor, three times Olympic champion for the USSR team.Mankin is Jewish...
won a gold medal in "Star" class. He won Olympic champion titles in "Finn" and "Tempest" classes before, and remains the only sailor in Olympic history to win gold medals in three different classes. - Finland (gold) won its first gold Olympic yachting medal and Ireland (silver) won its first ever Olympic yachting medal.
- The USSR had its worst Olympic regatta since Mexico 19681968 Summer OlympicsThe 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
. - In 1980 the medals were awarded to yachtsmen from 12 countries, the widest medal distribution in the sport at an Olympics.
Shooting
- The 3-day skeet shooting marathon was won by Hans Kjeld RasmussenHans Kjeld RasmussenHans Kjeld Rasmussen is a Danish sports shooter and Olympic Champion. He won Gold medal in skeet shooting at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.-References:*...
of Denmark, the 2nd Olympic gold for Danish shooters since the 1900 Paris Games1900 Summer OlympicsThe 1900 Summer Olympics, today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1900 in Paris, France. No opening or closing ceremonies were held; competitions began on May 14 and ended on October 28. The Games were held as part of...
. - In the smallbore rifle, prone event, Hungarian Károly VargaKároly VargaKároly Varga is a Hungarian sports shooter and Olympic Champion. He won a gold medal in the 50 metre rifle prone event at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.-References:...
captured the gold and equalled the world record despite having broken his shooting hand just prior to the competition.
Swimming
- Vladimir SalnikovVladimir SalnikovVladimir Valeryevich Salnikov is a Russian former swimmer who competed for the USSR and set 12 world records in the 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1,500-meter freestyle. Nicknamed a "monster in the waves", he was the first man to swim under fifteen minutes in the 1500-meter freestyle...
(USSR) won three gold medals in swimming. He became the first man in history to break the magic 15 minute barrier in the 1500 metre freestyle, swimming's equivalent of breaking the 4-minute mile. He missed the LA Games because of the boycott but won gold again in this event at Seoul 88. - Salnikov also won gold in the 4x200m relay and the 400m freestyle. In the 400m freestyle he set a new Olympic record which was just eleven-hundredths of a second outside his own world record.
- In the Montreal final of the 400m freestyle the 7th and 8th place finalists finished in over 4 minutes. In Moscow 16 swimmers finished in under 4 minutes and 8 of them didn't make the final.
- Duncan GoodhewDuncan GoodhewDuncan Alexander Goodhew MBE is a British swimming athlete. After swimming competitively in America as a collegian at North Carolina State University, he was an Olympic swimmer for Great Britain and won Olympic gold and bronze medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.-Biography:Goodhew...
of Great Britain won the 100 metres breaststroke, beating Miskarov, a strongly favoured Soviet, into second place by half a second. - Sweden's Bengt BaronBengt BaronBengt Baron is a former backstroke swimmer from Sweden. He won the 100 m backstroke at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and was a member of the bronze winning team from Sweden in the 4×100 m freestyle at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. An undergraduate student from the...
, participating in his 1st major international competition, won gold in the 100 meter backstroke ahead of 2 Soviets. - In the men's 4×100 metres medley relay each of the 8 teams taking part in the final broke its country's national record.
- The first Australian gold since 1972 came in the 4×100 men's medley relay. The Australians had been expecting to win silver behind the hot favourites from the USSR but with Neil BrooksNeil BrooksNeil Brooks is a former Australian sprint freestyle swimmer best known for winning the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow as part of the Quietly Confident Quartet. Brooks was as much known for his swimming achievements as he was for disciplinary incidents...
swimming the final leg, the Australians swam the 2nd fastest time in history. - East German women dominated the swimming events, winning 9 of 11 individual titles, both the relays and setting 6 world records. They also won all 3 medals in 6 different races. In total they won 26 of the available 35 medals.
- Barbara KrauseBarbara KrauseBarbara Krause is a former freestyle swimmer from East Germany. Krause was a three times Olympic gold medalist and eight-time world record holder....
(East Germany) became the first woman to go under 55 seconds for the 100 m freestyle. - Backstroker Rica ReinischRica ReinischRica Reinisch is a retired swimmer from East Germany. She is 5'9" tall and weighs 132 lbs., and is a specialist in backstroke, setting four world records in the Moscow Games , at the age of fifteen...
(East Germany) was 20th in the world rankings for 100m in 1979 and not in the top 100 for the 200 m. At the Olympics she broke the world records in both distances winning golds. - In the 100m butterfly Caren Metschuk (East Germany) beats her more experienced team-mate Andrea PollackAndrea PollackAndrea Pollack is a former butterfly swimmer from East Germany, who won two gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada at age fifteen. She won individual 200 m butterfly and with the women's relay team in the 4×100 m medley...
to win gold. - Petra SchneiderPetra SchneiderPetra Schneider is a former medley and freestyle swimmer from East Germany in the 1970s and 1980s....
( East Germany) shaved 3 seconds off the world record in the 400m medley. - As in Montreal the Soviet women made a clean sweep of the medals in the 200m breaststroke.
- Yulia Bogdanova (USSR), the recent world title winner in the 200m breaststroke did not qualify for the Olympic final, the title in this event was won by her teammate Lina KačiušytėLina KaciušyteLina Kačiušytė is a Lithuanian swimmer who competed for the Soviet Union, winner of a gold medal in 200 m breaststroke with the Olympic record time of 2:29:54 at the 1980 Summer Olympics.-Biography:...
. - The Soviet women swimmers in the 4×100 metres freestyle relay were disqualified.
- Michelle FordMichelle FordMichelle Jan Ford MBE was an Australian long distance freestyle and butterfly swimmer of the 1970s and 1980s, who won a gold medal in the 800 m freestyle at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. She was the only non Soviet bloc female swimmer to win an individual gold medal at the boycott-marred games...
(Australia) won the 800m freestyle more than 4 seconds ahead of her East German rivals. - In swimming 230 national, 22 Olympic and 10 World records were set.
- Poland won its first ever swimming medal.
- The youngest male gold medallist of these Olympics was Hungarian backstroke swimmer Sándor WladárSándor WladárSándor Wladár is a Hungarian retired male swimmer. He won the gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow in 200 m backstroke.Wladár was a swimmer of Központi Sportiskola , Újpesti Dózsa...
, 17 years and 1 week old.
Volleyball
- The prominent nation in both volleyball competitions was the USSR; only once had their teams failed to reach the final. The Soviet men and women had lost only 6 games between them in the 5 Olympics since volleyball was incorporated into the list of Olympic sports at Tokyo 1964.
Water polo
- Hungary won a bronze medal in waterpolo. This continued their run of always winning a medal in this event since 1924.
Weightlifting
- The standard of weightlifting was the highest in the history of the Olympics. There were 18 senior world records,2 junior world records, more than 100 Olympic records and 108 national records set.
- The oldest of weightlifting's Olympic records – the snatch in the lightweight class set in 1964 – was bettered 13 times.
- 56 kg: Daniel NúñezDaniel NuñezDaniel Núñez is a Cuban weightlifter.He won a gold medal in the bantamweight class at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow....
(Cuba) won gold ahead of the favourite Yurik SarkisianYurik SarkisianYurik Sarkisian is a former Olympic weightlifter for the USSR and Australia. He trained at VSS Sevan in Echmiadzin.In 2007 he was elected member of the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame.- Weightlifting achievements :...
(USSR). - 60 kg: Viktor MazinViktor MazinViktor Ivanovich Mazin is a former Kazakh weightlifter and Olympic champion who competed for the Soviet Union. He won a gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.-References:...
(USSR), holder of all the world records in this class, was the expected winner with a new Olympic record total. But if only Marek Sewelyn (Poland) had succeeded with his last jerk, he would have scored a surprise win. After fixing the 162.5 kg bar overhead, he let it fall while making a faulty recovery. - 90 kg: After the 1976 Olympic champion and undisputed favourite, David RigertDavid RigertDavid Adamovich Rigert is a former Olympic weightlifter for the USSR. Rigert became one of the greatest weightlifters in history. He is Jewish....
(USSR) failed to register a snatch, Peter BaczakoPéter BaczakóPéter Baczakó was a Hungarian weightlifter.He won a bronze medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics and a gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics. Overall Baczako won a total of 23 medals, including four gold, at world and European championships from 1973-82...
(Hungary) became the surprise winner. - Yurik Vardanyan (USSR) became the 1st middleweight to total more than 400 kg.
- In the super heavyweight class Vasily Alexeyev (USSR) Olympic champion at Munich and Montreal, 8 times world champion and who in his career set 80 world records, failed to make a single lift.
- The new category in weightlifting – up to 100 kg – was won by Ota ZarembaOta ZarembaOta Zaremba is a Czechoslovak weightlifter, Olympic champion and world champion. He won gold medal in the heavyweight I class at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow....
of Czechoslovakia.
Wrestling
- In Greco-Roman wrestling Ferenc KocsisFerenc KocsisFerenc Kocsis is a Hungarian wrestler and Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Olympics:Kocsis competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow where he received a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling, the welterweight class.-References:...
of Hungary was declared the winner of the 163 pound class when the Olympic and Soviet defending champion Anatoly Bykov was disqualified for passivity. - 1980 witnessed the first ever "Graeco" to win a Greco-Roman title at an Olympics; Greece's Stilianos Migiakis took the gold in the featherweight division.
- In the 106 pound freestyle wrestling final Italy's Claudio Pollio put Soviet grappler and twice world champion Sergei Kornilaev to the mat to take an unexpected gold on point standings.
- None of the experts rated the Bulgarian welterweight freestyle wrestler Valentin Raitchev. He had no experience of international competition but won gold.
- The Soviet national head coach said that Nikolai Balboshin – the reigning Olympic champion from Montreal – was unbeatable in his heavyweight division. However Balboshin failed to win a medal.
Venues
- Central Lenin Stadium area
- Grand ArenaLuzhniki StadiumThe Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex in Moscow, or briefly Luzhniki Stadium , is the biggest sports stadium in Russia. Its total seating capacity is 78,360 seats, all covered. The stadium is a part of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, previously called the Central Lenin Stadium...
² – opening/closing ceremonies, athletics, football (final), equestrian (jumping individual) - Minor ArenaMinor ArenaThe Minor Arena is an 8700-seat indoor arena that is part of the Luzhniki Sports Complex in Moscow, Russia. The Arena was built in 1956 in the USSR. It hosted volleyball competitions during the 1980 Summer Olympics...
² – volleyball - Swimming PoolOlympic Pool, MoscowThe Olympic Pool, formerly Swimming Pool of the Central Lenin Stadium is an aquatics center that is part of the Luzhniki Sports Complex in Moscow, Russia. It was opened in 1957 and renovated in 1980. The 10,500-seat venue hosted water polo events at the 1980 Summer Olympics...
² – water polo - Sports PalaceLuzhniki Palace of SportsLuzhniki Palace of Sports, formerly the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium, is a sports palace in Moscow, Russia, a part of the Luzhniki Sports Complex. Built in 1956, it originally had a spectator capacity of 13,700...
² – gymnastics, judo - Druzhba Multipurpose ArenaDruzhba Multipurpose ArenaThe Druzhba Multipurpose Arena is an indoor arena in Moscow, Russia, part of the Luzhniki Sports Complex. It was built in 1979, and the first competition held there was the finals of the 7th USSR Summer Spartakiad...
¹ – volleyball - Streets of Moscow – Athletics (20 & 50 km walk, marathon)
- Grand Arena
- Olympiysky Sports Complex
- Indoor StadiumOlympic Stadium (Moscow arena)Olympic Stadium, known locally as the Olimpiyskiy or Olimpiski, is a large indoor arena, located in Moscow, Russia. It was built for the 1980 Summer Olympics and hosted the basketball and boxing events. A part of the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex, it makes up one architectural ensemble with another...
¹ – basketball (final), boxing - Swimming PoolSwimming Pool at the Olimpiysky Sports ComplexThe Swimming Pool at the Olimpiysky Sports Complex is a covered swimming centre in Moscow, Russia. The venue, built for the 1980 Summer Olympics, makes up the Olimpiysky Sports Complex architectural ensemble together with the Olimpiysky Arena. During the Olympics, it hosted the swimming, diving,...
¹ – swimming, diving, modern pentathlon (swimming), water polo (final)
- Indoor Stadium
- CSKA (Central Sports Club of the ArmyCSKA MoscowCSKA Moscow is a major Russian sports club based in Moscow. It is popularly referred to in the West as "Red Army" or "the Red Army team" because during the Soviet era, it was a part of the Armed Forces sports society, which in turn was associated with the Soviet Army...
) Sports Complex- CSKA Athletics FieldhouseCSKA Sports ComplexThe CSKA Sports Complex is an indoor arena that is part of CSKA Moscow in Russia. When it was part of the Soviet Union, the venue consisted of two fieldhouses which hosted competitions for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow...
, Central Sports Club of the Army¹ – wrestling - CSKA Football FieldhouseCSKA Sports ComplexThe CSKA Sports Complex is an indoor arena that is part of CSKA Moscow in Russia. When it was part of the Soviet Union, the venue consisted of two fieldhouses which hosted competitions for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow...
, Central Sports Club of the Army¹ – fencing, modern pentathlon (fencing) - CSKA Palace of SportsCSKA Universal Sports HallAlexander Gomelsky CSKA Universal Sports Hall, formerly known as CSKA Palace of Sports, is an indoor sporting arena located in Moscow, Russia...
¹ – basketball
- CSKA Athletics Fieldhouse
- Venues in metropolitan Moscow
- Dynamo Central Stadium, Grand Arena² – football preliminaries
- Dynamo Central Stadium, Minor ArenaDynamo Minor Arena (Moscow)The Dynamo Minor Arena is a sports venue in Moscow, Russia that is located near neighboring Dynamo Stadium. Constructed in 1928, but renovated in 1979 in time for the 1980 Summer Olympics, it hosted the field hockey tournament.-Reference:...
² – field hockey - Young Pioneers StadiumYoung Pioneers StadiumThe Young Pioneers Stadium was a sports complex in the Soviet Union, intended exclusively for children and youth training, the largest in Europe of this kind. It was located in Moscow...
² – field hockey (final) - Dynamo Palace of SportsDynamo Sports PalaceDvorec Sporta Dinamo is an indoor sporting arena located in Moscow, Russia. The capacity of the arena is 5,000. It hosted the home games of MBC Dynamo Moscow until 2006. It was built during the preparations for the 1980 Summer Olympics, hosted by Moscow, USSR and was used as a venue of the...
¹, Khimki-Khovrino – handball - Trade Unions' Equestrian ComplexTrade Unions' Equestrian ComplexThe Trade Unions' Equestrian Complex is an equestrian venue located near the Bitsa Park in the South District of Moscow city, Russia...
¹ – equestrian, modern pentathlon (riding, running) - Izmailovo Sports PalaceIzmailovo Sports PalaceThe Izmailovo Sports Palace is an indoor arena located in the Eastern Planning Zone in Moscow, Russia. It hosted the weightlifting competitions for the 1980 Summer Olympics.-Reference:* Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 112-4....
¹ – weightlifting - Sokolniki Sports PalaceSokolniki ArenaSokolniki Arena or Sokolniki Sports Palace is an indoor sporting arena located in Moscow, Russia. It is located in the Sokolniki District of the city, a fifteen minute walk from Sokolniki metro station, right by Sokolniki Park. Initially it was an outdoor skating rink, roofed in 1973 during the...
² – handball (final) - Dynamo Shooting RangeDynamo Shooting RangeThe Dynamo Shooting Range is a firing range located in Mytishchi in the then Eastern Planning Zone of Moscow, Russia. Constructed in 1957 and renovated in 1979, it hosted the shooting and the shooting part of the modern pentathlon events for the 1980 Summer Olympics.-Reference:* Volume 2. Part 1....
², Mytishchi – shooting, modern pentathlon (shooting)
- Krylatskoye Sports Complex
- Krylatskoye Sports Complex Canoeing and Rowing BasinMoscow Canoeing and Rowing BasinThe Moscow Canoeing and Rowing Basin is a canoe sprint and rowing venue located in the Krylayskote Sports Complex in Moscow, Russia.Constructed in 1973, the venue hosted the canoeing and rowing competitions for the 1980 Summer Olympics. It will be the host venue for the 2014 ICF Canoe Sprint World...
², Krylatskoye – canoeing, rowing - Krylatskoye Sports Complex VelodromeKrylatskoye Sports Complex VelodromeThe Krylatskoye Sports Complex Velodrome is a velodrome constructed in Moscow, Russia. It hosted the track cycling events for the 1980 Summer Olympics.The track was 333.3 meters long and 10 meters wide.-Reference:* Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 97-101....
¹, Krylatskoye – cycling (track) - Krylatskoye Sports Complex Cycling CircuitKrylatskoye Sports Complex Cycling CircuitThe Krylatskoye Sports Complex Cycling Circuit was a temporary cycling circuit constructed next to the velodrome used for the track cycling events for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The venue, long, hosted the individual road race cycling event at those same games.-Reference:* Volume 2. Part...
– cycling (individual road race) - Krylatskoye Sports Complex Archery FieldKrylatskoye Sports Complex Archery FieldThe Krylatskoye Sports Complex Archery Field is a sports venue located in Moscow, Russia. Located near the Canoeing and Rowing Basin, it hosted the archery competitions for the 1980 Summer Olympics.-Reference:* Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 95–6....
¹, Krylatskoye – archery
- Krylatskoye Sports Complex Canoeing and Rowing Basin
- Venues outside Moscow
- Moscow-Minsk HighwayM1 highway (Russia)The Russian route M1 is a major trunk road that runs from Moscow through Smolensk before reaching the border with Belarus. The length is . The highway runs south of Odintsovo, Kubinka, Mozhaysk, Gagarin, north of Vyazma, through Safonovo and Yartsevo...
– cycling (road team time trial) - Kirov StadiumKirov StadiumKirov Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, and was one of the largest stadiums anywhere in the world. The stadium was named after Sergey Kirov....
², LeningradLeningradLeningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
, Russian SFSR – football preliminaries - Dynama Stadium², MinskMinsk- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
, Byelorussian SSRByelorussian SSRThe Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union. It was one of the four original founding members of the Soviet Union in 1922, together with the Ukrainian SSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
– football preliminaries - Republican StadiumOlimpiysky National Sports ComplexThe Olympic National Sports Complex is a multi-use sports facility in Kiev, Ukraine, located on the slopes of city's central Cherepanov Hill, Pechersk Raion. The stadium is the premier sports venue of Ukraine and one of the world's largest...
², KievKievKiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukrainian SSRUkrainian SSRThe Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
– football preliminaries - Olympic Regatta in TallinnPirita RiverThe Pirita River is a long river in northern Estonia that drains into the Gulf of Finland in Pirita, Tallinn. The basin area of Pirita is 799 km²....
¹, TallinnTallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonian SSR – sailing
- Moscow-Minsk Highway
¹ New facilities constructed in preparation for the Olympic Games.
² Existing facilities modified or refurbished in preparation for the Olympic Games.
Medals awarded
See the medal winners, ordered by sport:Medal count
These are the top medal-collecting nations for the 1980 Games. (Host country is highlighted).| 1 | (host nation) | 80 | 69 | 46 | 195 |
| 2 | 47 | 37 | 42 | 126 | |
| 3 | 8 | 16 | 17 | 41 | |
| 4 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 20 | |
| 5 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 15 | |
| 6 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 32 | |
| 7 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 25 | |
| 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 14 | |
| 9 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 21 | |
| 10 | 3 | 14 | 15 | 32 | |
| Total | 204 | 204 | 223 | 631 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Participating nations
A total of 81 nations were represented at the Moscow Games, but Liberia withdrew after marching in the Opening Ceremony, so a total of 80 nations actually competed.Despite the large boycott, six nations made their first Olympic appearance in 1980: Angola, Botswana, Jordan, Laos, Mozambique, and Seychelles. Cyprus made its debut at the Summer Olympics, but had appeared earlier at the 1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
in Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
. Sri Lanka competed for the first time under its new name (previously as Ceylon), Benin had competed previously as Dahomey and Zimbabwe competed for the first time under that name (previously as Rhodesia).
In the following list, the number in parentheses indicates the number of athletes from each nation that competed in Moscow. Nations in italics competed under the Olympic flag.
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Non-participating countries and regions
**
* Zaire
DR Congo at the Olympics
The Democratic Republic of the Congo first participated at the Olympic Games in 1968, when it was known as Congo Kinshasa. The nation's next Olympic appearance was sixteen years later in 1984, when it was known as Zaire. The nation has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since...
*Qatar did not attend the Games because they were not invited by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
.
**Chinese Taipei / Taiwan did not attend because of the 1979 Nagoya Resolution, in which the People's Republic of China agreed to participate in the IOC if the Republic of China/Taiwan were referred to as "Chinese Taipei".
Further reading
- John Goodbody, The Illustrated History of Gymnastics, 1982, ISBN 0-09-143350-9.
- Bill Henry, An Approved History of the Olympic Games, ISBN 0-88284-243-9.
- The Olympic Games, 1984, Lord Killanin and John Rodda, ISBN 0-00-218062-6.
- Stan Greenberg, Whitakers Olympic Almanack, 2004 ISBN 0-7136-6724-9.
- Olympics 1984, produced by Philips International B.V.
- Chronicle of the Olympics, ISBN 0-7894-2312-X.
- Peter Arnold, The Olympic Games, ISBN 0-603-03068-8
- Official British Olympic Association Report of the 1980 Games, published 1981, ISSN 0143-4799
- Evelyn Mertin, The Soviet Union and the Olympic Games of 1980 and 1984: Explaining Boycotts to their Own People. In: S. Wagg/D. Andrews (Eds.) East plays West. Sport and the Cold War, 2007, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 235–252, ISBN 978-0-415-35927-6.