List of USSR top ten athletes of the year
Encyclopedia
Since a certain time until 1991 in the end of each year the Federation of Sports Journalists of the USSR held an inquest among its members to name top ten athletes of the year of the USSR. Here is a list of them.
1971
- Vasily Alexeyev (Athlete of the Year)
- Yevgeniy ArzhanovYevgeniy ArzhanovYevgeniy Aleksandrovich Arzhanov is a former middle distance runner who won a silver medal over 800 metres at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Arzhanov trained at VSS Avanhard and later at Dynamo in Kiev....
- Valeriy Borzov
- Alexander MedvedAlexander MedvedAlexander Vasiliyevich Medved is a famous Soviet/Russian Belarussian wrestler. He is considered by most to be the best freestyle wrestler of all time. He was the first person ever to win three gold medals in freestyle wrestling. FILA recognizes Medved as The Greatest Wrestler of the 20th Century...
- Faina MelnikFaina MelnikFaina Grigorievna Veleva-Melnik was a Ukrainian-born Soviet discus thrower, a 1972 Summer Olympics champion in the discus event.Melnik, who is considered to be one of the most dominant track and field athletes of the 1970s, set the world record twice and held the # 1 ranking in women's discus from...
- Boris OnishchenkoBoris OnishchenkoBoris Onishchenko is a former Ukrainian/Soviet modern pentathlete who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics, in the 1972 Summer Olympics, and in the 1976 Summer Olympics.He was a member of the Soviet Union's modern pentathlon team in the 1976 Summer Olympics, infamous...
- Lyudmila PakhomovaLyudmila PakhomovaLyudmila Alekseyevna Pakhomova was an ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union. With partner Alexandr Gorshkov, she was the 1976 Olympic champion.-Biography:...
and Alexander Gorshkov - Irina RodninaIrina RodninaIrina Konstantinovna Rodnina is one of the most successful figure skaters ever and the only pair skater to win 10 successive World Championships and three successive Olympic gold medals . She initially competed with Alexei Ulanov and later teamed up with Alexander Zaitsev...
and Aleksei Ulanov - Nina StatkevichNina StatkevichNina Andreyevna Statkevich is a former speed skater who competed for the Soviet Union.Nina Statkevich trained at VSS Trud in Leningrad. She won many titles – she was World Allround Champion, European Allround Champion twice, Soviet Allround Champion four times, and Soviet Sprint Champion...
- Ludmilla TourischevaLudmilla TourischevaLudmilla Ivanovna Tourischeva is a former Russian gymnast and a nine-time Olympic medalist for the Soviet Union.Tourischeva began gymnastics in 1965 and began competing for the Soviet team as early as in 1967...
1972
Alphabetical order.- Mykola AvilovMykola AvilovMykola Avilov is a former Ukrainian Soviet decathlete.Avilov trained at Dynamo in Odessa. He won a gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics decathlon with a new world record of 8454 points. He returned to win a bronze medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics...
- Vasily Alexeyev
- Valeriy Borzov
- Lyudmila BraginaLyudmila BraginaLyudmila Ivanovna Bragina is a former Soviet middle distance runner. She was born in Sverdlovsk and trained at Dynamo in Krasnodar....
- Olga KorbutOlga KorbutOlga Valentinovna Korbut , also known as the Sparrow from Minsk, is a Belarusian, Soviet-born gymnast who won four gold medals and two silver medals at the Summer Olympics, in which she competed in 1972 and 1976 for the USSR team....
- Galina KulakovaGalina KulakovaGalina Alexeyevna Kulakova is a female Soviet former cross country skier, arguably the best skier on distances shorter than 10 km in the early 1970s. Kulakova trained at Trud Voluntary Sports Society...
- Alexander MedvedAlexander MedvedAlexander Vasiliyevich Medved is a famous Soviet/Russian Belarussian wrestler. He is considered by most to be the best freestyle wrestler of all time. He was the first person ever to win three gold medals in freestyle wrestling. FILA recognizes Medved as The Greatest Wrestler of the 20th Century...
- 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...
- Ludmilla TourischevaLudmilla TourischevaLudmilla Ivanovna Tourischeva is a former Russian gymnast and a nine-time Olympic medalist for the Soviet Union.Tourischeva began gymnastics in 1965 and began competing for the Soviet team as early as in 1967...
- Vyacheslav VedeninVyacheslav VedeninVyacheslav Petrovitch Vedenin was a Soviet cross country skier who competed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, training at Dynamo in Moscow.He won the 50 km silver at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble...
1973
- Irina RodninaIrina RodninaIrina Konstantinovna Rodnina is one of the most successful figure skaters ever and the only pair skater to win 10 successive World Championships and three successive Olympic gold medals . She initially competed with Alexei Ulanov and later teamed up with Alexander Zaitsev...
(Athlete of the Year) - Ludmilla TourischevaLudmilla TourischevaLudmilla Ivanovna Tourischeva is a former Russian gymnast and a nine-time Olympic medalist for the Soviet Union.Tourischeva began gymnastics in 1965 and began competing for the Soviet team as early as in 1967...
- Faina MelnikFaina MelnikFaina Grigorievna Veleva-Melnik was a Ukrainian-born Soviet discus thrower, a 1972 Summer Olympics champion in the discus event.Melnik, who is considered to be one of the most dominant track and field athletes of the 1970s, set the world record twice and held the # 1 ranking in women's discus from...
- Galina Shugurova
- Nadezhda ChizhovaNadezhda ChizhovaNadezhda Vladimirovna Chizhova is a Soviet shot putter who won three Olympic medals and set seven new world records. Nadezhda Chizhova trained at VSS Spartak. She became the first woman to break both the 20 metre and 21 metre barrier...
- Valeri Kharlamov
- Pavel Pervushin (weightliftingPowerliftingPowerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman...
) - Levan TediashviliLevan TediashviliLevan Tediashvili is a former Soviet wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling.-Olympics:...
- Pavel Lednev
- Anatoly KarpovAnatoly KarpovAnatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
1975
- Tatyana AverinaTatyana AverinaTatyana Borisovna Averina was a Soviet Russian speed skater. After getting married, her name would also appear as Tatyana Barabash .-Short biography:...
- Sergei BelovSergei BelovSergei Alexandrovich Belov is a former basketball player, most notably playing for the Soviet Union at the Olympic Games. He trained at Trud Voluntary Sports Society and later at Armed Forces sports society.- Career :...
- Oleg BlokhinOleg BlokhinOleh Volodymyrovych "Oleg" Blokhin is a Ukrainian football coach and current head coach of the Ukrainian national team. Blokhin was formerly a standout striker for Dynamo Kyiv and the Soviet national team...
- Irina KalininaIrina KalininaIrina Vladimirovna Kalinina is a former Soviet diver and olympic champion. She competed at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, where she won the gold medal in Women's 3 metre springboard.-References:*...
- Anatoly KarpovAnatoly KarpovAnatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
- Yevgeny KulikovYevgeny KulikovYevgeny Nikolayevich Kulikov is a former speed skater who specialised in the sprint.Yevgeny Kulikov trained at Burevestnik Voluntary Sports Society...
- Pavel Lednev
- Zebinisso RustamovaZebiniso RustamovaZebinisso Sanginovna Rustamova is an archer from the Soviet Union. She competed for the Soviet Union in the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Canada in the individual event where she finished in third place...
- Ludmilla TourischevaLudmilla TourischevaLudmilla Ivanovna Tourischeva is a former Russian gymnast and a nine-time Olympic medalist for the Soviet Union.Tourischeva began gymnastics in 1965 and began competing for the Soviet team as early as in 1967...
- Alexander YakushevAlexander YakushevAlexander Sergeyevich Yakushev was an ice hockey player for the Soviet Union.Born in Moscow, Soviet Union, Alexander Yakushev is best known to North American hockey fans as one of the stars for the Soviet team that played Team Canada in the famous 1972 Summit Series...
1979
Ordered by number of points:- Boris MikhailovBoris Mikhailov (ice hockey)Boris Petrovich Mikhailov is a former Soviet ice hockey player. He played for Kristall Saratov from 1962–65, Lokomotiv Moscow from 1965–67, and CSKA Moscow from 1967-1981...
(Athlete of the Year) - 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...
- Yurik Vardanyan
- Anatoly KarpovAnatoly KarpovAnatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
- 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...
- Natalya Linichuk and Gennadi KarponossovGennadi KarponossovGennadi Mikhailovich Karponosov is a Russian former competitive ice dancer and current ice dancing coach. Along with his partner, Natalia Linichuk, he was the 1980 Olympic gold medalist and a two-time World Champion.- Competitive career :...
- 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....
- Lyudmila KondratyevaLyudmila KondratyevaLyudmila Andreyevna Kondratyeva is a Russian athlete, who competed for the USSR and is the 1980 Olympic 100 m champion....
- Galina KulakovaGalina KulakovaGalina Alexeyevna Kulakova is a female Soviet former cross country skier, arguably the best skier on distances shorter than 10 km in the early 1970s. Kulakova trained at Trud Voluntary Sports Society...
- Nellie KimNellie KimNellie Vladimirovna Kim is a retired Soviet gymnast who won three gold medals and a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics...
1983
- Tamara BykovaTamara BykovaTamara Vladimirovna Bykova is a former Russian track and field athlete and Olympic medal winner. She was born in Rostov on Don, Rostov Oblast, Russian SFSR.-Biography:Bykova had a long and successful sport career with three world records in the high jump...
(Athlete of the Year) - Dmitry BilozerchevDmitry BilozerchevDmitry Vladimirovich Bilozerchev is a Soviet/Russian gymnast. One of the most accomplished gymnasts in history, he is a two-time World All-Around Champion and three-time Olympic Champion. He trained at the Armed Forces sports society in Moscow....
- 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...
- Garry KasparovGarry KasparovGarry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
- Natalia YurchenkoNatalia YurchenkoNatalia Vladimirovna Yurchenko was a Soviet artistic gymnast, who was the women's all-around gold medalist at the 1983 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships...
- Yurik Vardanyan
- Vladislav Tretyak
- Anatoly Starostin
- Fyodor CherenkovFyodor CherenkovFyodor Fyodorovich Cherenkov is a Soviet and Russian football midfielder who played for Spartak Moscow and Red Star Football Club ....
- Sergei Litvinov
1984
Announced on December 28, 1984.- Sergey Bubka (Athlete of the Year)
- Yurik Vardanyan
- Yuri Sedykh
- Oleg BozhevOleg BozhevOleg Felevich Bozhev is a former speed skater. He trained at VSS Trud.-Short biography:Competing for the Soviet Union, Oleg Bozhev had his best year in 1984 when he won a bronze medal on the 1,500 m at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, became World Allround Champion ten days later, became...
- Anatoly Beloglazov (wrestlingAmateur wrestlingAmateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
) - Sergei ZabolotnovSergei ZabolotnovSergei Zabolotnov , born 11 August 1963, is a former backstroke swimmer from the USSR. In 1983, he set a European record in the 200 metre backstroke. The time of 2:00.42 was achieved on 4 July 1983 at Edmonton, Canada, when winning a gold medal whilst competing in the World University Games...
- Nikolay ZimyatovNikolay ZimyatovNikolay Semyonovich Zimyatov , name also spelled Nikolaj Zimjatov, was one of the most successful Soviet/Russian male cross-country skiers ever. He trained at Spartak and later at the Armed Forces sports society...
- Elena ValovaElena Valova- External links :** - Navigation :...
and Oleg VasilievOleg Kimovich VasilievOleg Kimovich Vasiliev is a Russian pair skater who competed internationally for the Soviet Union. With partner Elena Valova, he is the 1984 Olympic Champion, 1988 Olympic silver medalist, and three-time World Champion . Their coach throughout their career was Tamara Moskvina... - Sergei KopylovSergei KopylovSergei Vladimirovich Kopylov is a racing cyclist from the Soviet Union.He competed for the Soviet Union in the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow, Soviet Union in the individual sprint event, where he finished in third place. In 1981, he won the world amateur sprint championship gold medal...
- Olga MostepanovaOlga MostepanovaOlga Vasilyevna Mostepanova is a retired prominent Soviet gymnast. Her birth year has been variously reported as 1968 or 1969, but Mostepanova herself has stated that she was actually born in 1970.-Gymnastics career:...
1986
Announced on December 27, 1986.- Sergey Bubka (Athlete of the Year)
- Igor BelanovIgor BelanovIhor Ivanovych Belanov is a retired Ukrainian footballer who played as a striker.He made a name for himself at Dynamo Kyiv, winning five major titles and being named European Footballer of the Year in 1986...
- Igor ZhelezovskiIgor ZhelezovskiIgor Nikolayevich Zhelezovski is a former speed skater, considered to be one of the best sprinters ever, which resulted in his nickname "Igor the Terrible"...
- Yury Zakharevich
- Garry KasparovGarry KasparovGarry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
- Igor PolyanskyIgor Polyansky"Polyansky" redirects here. For other people with the same name, see disambiguation page Igor Polyanski.Igor Nikolaevich Polyansky is a former backstroke swimmer from the USSR. He is married and has a son and a daughter living in New Zealand.Polyansky trained at Dynamo in Novosibirsk...
- Arvydas SabonisArvydas SabonisArvydas Romas Sabonis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player and a businessman. He was an eight-time European Player of the Year, winning the Euroscar Award six times, and the Mr...
- Yuri Sedykh
- Marina StepanovaMarina StepanovaMarina Stepanova is a former Soviet track and field athlete who was the first woman to run under 53 seconds in the 400 metres hurdles.-Career:...
- Andrei ChesnokovAndrei ChesnokovAndrei Eduardovich Chesnokov is a former professional tennis player from Russia.Chesnokov's highest singles ranking was World No. 9 in 1991. The biggest tournament victories of his career came at the Monte Carlo Open in 1990, and at the Canadian Open in 1991 .Chesnokov's best performance at a...
1988
Ordered by number of points:- 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...
(Athlete of the Year) - Sergey Bubka
- Arvydas SabonisArvydas SabonisArvydas Romas Sabonis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player and a businessman. He was an eight-time European Player of the Year, winning the Euroscar Award six times, and the Mr...
- Vladimir ArtemovVladimir ArtemovVladimir Nikolaevich Artemov is a former Russian gymnast, Olympic champion and world champion who competed for the Soviet Union.He was born in Vladimir....
- Yuri Zakharevich
- Yelena ShushunovaYelena ShushunovaYelena Lvovna Shushunova is a Russian gymnast, World, European, and Olympic Champion. Shushunova is renowned for her dynamic vaulting and tumbling skills as well as her longevity and exceptional consistency...
- Alexei MikhailichenkoAlexei MikhailichenkoOleksiy Oleksandrovych Mykhaylychenko , is a Ukrainian football coach and former professional football player. He currently holds an administrative position in his home club, Dynamo Kyiv, as director of sport...
- Tatyana Samolenko-Dorovskikh
- Tamara TikhonovaTamara TikhonovaTamara Ivanovna Tikhonova is a former Soviet Russian cross-country skier who competed from 1984 to 1992...
- Gintautas UmarasGintautas UmarasGintautas Umaras is a retired track and road racing cyclist from Lithuania, who represented the USSR at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. There he won the gold medal in the men's 4 km individual pursuit and in the men's team pursuit, alongside Vyacheslav Ekimov, Dmitry Nelyubin...
1989
Ordered by number of points:- Garry KasparovGarry KasparovGarry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
(Athlete of the Year) - Elena Välbe
- Fyodor CherenkovFyodor CherenkovFyodor Fyodorovich Cherenkov is a Soviet and Russian football midfielder who played for Spartak Moscow and Red Star Football Club ....
- Igor KorobchinskyIgor KorobchinskyIgor Korobchinsky is a former gymnast that represented the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Ukraine.-External links:...
- Svetlana Boguinskaya
- Radion Gataullin
- Alexandra TimoshenkoAlexandra TimoshenkoOlexandra Olexandrivna Tymoshenko born 18 February 1972 in Boguslav, Ukraine, USSR) is a former Soviet Individual Rhythmic Gymnast. She started gymnastics in 1980 at age 8 and she retired at age 20 in 1992. She was coached by the famous mother/daughter combination of Albina and Irina Deriugina...
- Igor ZhelezovskiIgor ZhelezovskiIgor Nikolayevich Zhelezovski is a former speed skater, considered to be one of the best sprinters ever, which resulted in his nickname "Igor the Terrible"...
- Israel Akopkokhyan (boxingBoxingBoxing, 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...
) - Alexander KarelinAlexander KarelinAleksandr Aleksandrovich Karelin, or simply Alexander Karelin, is a Hero of the Russian Federation and was a dominant Greco-Roman wrestler for the Soviet Union and later, after its dissolution, for Russia. He won gold medals at the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Olympic Games...
1990
Ordered by number of points:- Garry KasparovGarry KasparovGarry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
(Athlete of the Year) - Elena Välbe
- Andrei CherkasovAndrei CherkasovAndrei Cherkasov is a former professional tennis player from Russia.Born in Ufa, Soviet Union, Cherkasov first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player. In 1987, he was ranked the World No. 3 junior player and finished runner-up in the boy's singles at the US Open...
- Sergei YuranSergei YuranSergei Nikolayevich Yuran is a Ukrainian-association football coach and a former striker.-Career:At club level he played in six different countries...
- Anatoly KhrapatyAnatoly KhrapatyAnatoly Mikhaylovich Khrapaty or Chrapaty was an Olympic weightlifter for the USSR and Kazakhstan . He trained at the former Soviet Armed Forces sports society in Tselinograd....
- Jüri JaansonJüri JaansonJüri Jaanson is the most successful Estonian rower of all time and the winner of five medals at Rowing World Championships. He became World Champion in Tasmania 1990 in the single sculls event. 14 years later, at age 38 he won an Olympic silver medal in the single sculls event at the 2004 Summer...
- Radion Gataullin
- Alexander KarelinAlexander KarelinAleksandr Aleksandrovich Karelin, or simply Alexander Karelin, is a Hero of the Russian Federation and was a dominant Greco-Roman wrestler for the Soviet Union and later, after its dissolution, for Russia. He won gold medals at the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Olympic Games...
- Svetlana Boguinskaya
- Andrei Kurnyavka (boxingBoxingBoxing, 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...
)
Further reading
- Evelyn Mertin, Presenting Heroes. Athletes as Role Models for the New Soviet Person. In: The International Journal of the History of Sport 26(3)(Regional Issue: Europe, Regional Academic Editor: Thierry Terret), 2009, pp. 469–483.