Valeriy Borchin
Encyclopedia
Valeriy Viktorovich Borchin is a race walker
from Russia
who is the reigning Olympic and World champion over the 20 km distance.
He was born in the village of Povadimovo near Saransk
in what is now the Republic of Mordovia. After trying out weightlifting
and long-distance running in his youth, he began practising racewalking at the age of seventeen after a knee injury. He met Viktor Chegin, a prominent Olympic-level coach in the region, in 2004 and began practising with his training group. The year after he was the runner-up in the junior 10 km walk in the national championships. However, he received a year-long ban from competition soon after, lasting from June 2005 to 2006, after he failed an in-competition drugs test for the banned stimulant ephedrine
.
Upon his return to competition, he took the senior national title and won the 20 km walk silver medal
at the 2006 European Athletics Championships. Borchin formed part of a Russian medal sweep at the 2007 European Athletics U23 Championships
, taking the gold medal
and he competed at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
later that year, but did not manage to finish the race. He was runner-up to Francisco Javier Fernández
at the 2008 IAAF World Race Walking Cup
in Cheboksary
in May, leading Russia to the team victory.
A week prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics
, his coach Viktor Chegin admitted that Borchin and fellow Russian walker Vladimir Kanaykin
had failed an out-of-competition test in April that year, testing positive for the blood-booster EPO
. However, he dismissed the claims, saying he had not given a positive test and he not trained with or spoken to any of the other Russian walkers. Borchin was allowed to compete and won the gold medal in the 20 km race at the Olympics. It was not explained why Borchin was allowed to compete – in spite the admittance of a positive test by the Russian Athletics Federation, he did not received a doping ban and was allowed to keep his medal and continue racing.
He won his first world title the next year with a victory at the 2009 World Championships
. Borchin was absent for the 2010 season, which featured no major championships, and returned to compete the following year. He opened his 2011 season with a win at the 20th edition of the International Race Walking Grand Prix in Rio Maior
in April.
Race walking
Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance athletic event. Although it is a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times...
from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
who is the reigning Olympic and World champion over the 20 km distance.
He was born in the village of Povadimovo near Saransk
Saransk
Saransk is a city in central European Russia and the capital of the Republic of Mordovia, as well as its financial and economic center. It is located in the Volga basin at the confluence of the Saranka and Insar Rivers, about east of Moscow...
in what is now the Republic of Mordovia. After trying out weightlifting
Weightlifting
Olympic Weightlifting, also called Olympic-style weightlifting, or weightlifting, is an athletic discipline in the modern Olympic programme in which participants attempt a maximum-weight single lift of a barbell loaded with weight plates....
and long-distance running in his youth, he began practising racewalking at the age of seventeen after a knee injury. He met Viktor Chegin, a prominent Olympic-level coach in the region, in 2004 and began practising with his training group. The year after he was the runner-up in the junior 10 km walk in the national championships. However, he received a year-long ban from competition soon after, lasting from June 2005 to 2006, after he failed an in-competition drugs test for the banned stimulant ephedrine
Ephedrine
Ephedrine is a sympathomimetic amine commonly used as a stimulant, appetite suppressant, concentration aid, decongestant, and to treat hypotension associated with anaesthesia....
.
Upon his return to competition, he took the senior national title and won the 20 km walk silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 2006 European Athletics Championships. Borchin formed part of a Russian medal sweep at the 2007 European Athletics U23 Championships
2007 European Athletics U23 Championships
The 6th European Athletics U23 Championships was held between 12 and 15 July 2007 in the Gyulai István Athletic Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary.- Men :- Women :-Medal table:-References:General*-External links:**...
, taking the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
and he competed at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
later that year, but did not manage to finish the race. He was runner-up to Francisco Javier Fernández
Francisco Javier Fernández
Francisco Javier Fernández Peláez is a Spanish race walker. He specializes in the 20 km race walk....
at the 2008 IAAF World Race Walking Cup
2008 IAAF World Race Walking Cup
The 2008 IAAF World Race Walking Cup was held on 10 and 11 May 2008 in the streets of Cheboksary, Chuvashia, Russia.-Medallists:-Men's 20 km:-Men's 50 km:-Women's 20 km:-References:* - IAAF.org* - IAAF.org...
in Cheboksary
Cheboksary
-Twin towns/sister cities:Cheboksary is twinned with: Eger in Hungary Antalya in Turkey Santa Clara in CubaAlso Partnerships are shown with: Rundu in Namibia -External links:****...
in May, leading Russia to the team victory.
A week prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, his coach Viktor Chegin admitted that Borchin and fellow Russian walker Vladimir Kanaykin
Vladimir Kanaykin
Vladimir Alekseevich Kanaykin is a Russian race walker.On September 29, 2007 Kanaykin set a new world record for the 20 km race walk at the 2007 IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final, in Saransk, Russia...
had failed an out-of-competition test in April that year, testing positive for the blood-booster EPO
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
. However, he dismissed the claims, saying he had not given a positive test and he not trained with or spoken to any of the other Russian walkers. Borchin was allowed to compete and won the gold medal in the 20 km race at the Olympics. It was not explained why Borchin was allowed to compete – in spite the admittance of a positive test by the Russian Athletics Federation, he did not received a doping ban and was allowed to keep his medal and continue racing.
He won his first world title the next year with a victory at the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
. Borchin was absent for the 2010 season, which featured no major championships, and returned to compete the following year. He opened his 2011 season with a win at the 20th edition of the International Race Walking Grand Prix in Rio Maior
Rio Maior
Rio Maior is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 272.8 km² and a total population of 21,621 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 14 parishes, and is located in the Santarém District.The present Mayor is Isaura Morais, elected by the PSD....
in April.