Vyacheslav Ivanov (rower)

Vyacheslav Ivanov

Vyacheslav Ivanov in 1964
Personal information
Born	(1938-07-30) 30 July 1938 Moscow, Russia
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	85 kg (187 lb)
Sport
Sport	Rowing
Club	Krasnoye Znamya/CSKA, Moscow
Medal record Men's rowing Representing  Soviet Union Olympic Games 1956 Melbourne Single sculls 1960 Rome Single sculls 1964 Tokyo Single sculls World Championships 1962 Lucerne Single sculls European Championships 1956 Bled Single sculls 1959 Macon Single sculls 1961 Prague Single sculls 1964 Bosbaan Single sculls 1967 Vichy Single sculls 1957 Duisburg Single sculls 1958 Poznan Single sculls Diamond Challenge Sculls 1957 Henley-on-Thames Single sculls 1958 Henley-on-Thames Single sculls Gold Cup Challenge 1956 Philadelphia Single sculls 1958 Philadelphia Single sculls 1960 Philadelphia Single sculls 1962 Philadelphia Single sculls

Vyacheslav Nikolayevich Ivanov (Russian: Вячеслав Николаевич Иванов; born 30 July 1938) is a former rower, and one of the most accomplished rowers of his generation. He rowed for the Soviet Union, and he won the Olympic gold medals in the single sculls class at the 1956 Melbourne Games, the 1960 Rome Games and the 1964 Tokyo Games.^[1]

Ivanov was the first man to win the single sculls event three times in the Olympics. At the time, only Americans John B. Kelly Sr. and Paul Costello and Briton Jack Beresford had won three Olympic gold medals in the sport of rowing (since surpassed by Steve Redgrave and others). The only other person to match Ivanov's achievement and win three gold medals in the single scull is Finland's Pertti Karppinen.^[1]

Rowing career

Ivanov took up the sport of rowing in 1953. By 1955, at the age of 17, he won the USSR junior championships and finished third in the senior championships, beating defending Olympic single scull champion Yury Tyukalov in the process.

In 1956, Ivanov won the first of his eleven Soviet championship. He went on to take his first European Rowing Championships in Yugoslavia.^[2][3]

Ivanov won his first gold medal in rowing's single sculls event in 1956 Olympics as an 18-year-old. He was in fourth place at the 1500 meter mark. With only 500 meters left, he began a devastating sprint, first catching Poland's Teodor Kocerka, then American John B. Kelly Jr.. Finally, with 200 meters to go, he blew past fellow teenager Stuart Mackenzie of Australia who had led the entire race. Mackenzie had momentarily stopped rowing and according to his account Mackenzie believed that he had won the race. When Mackenzie realized his error, he was unable to regain his form. Ivanov went on to win by a 5½ seconds. At the award ceremony, excited, Ivanov dropped his gold medal into Lake Wendouree, where the race took place. His diving attempts to rescue he medal were fruitless, and the IOC later provided him with a replacement.^[1]

In both 1957 and 1958, as a prelude to the 1960 Summer Olympic Games, Mackenzie, who was now living in England, defeated Ivanov in the Diamond Challenge Sculls at the Henley Royal Regatta and at the European Rowing Championships.^[2][3]

In 1959 Ivanov won the European Rowing Championships for a second time.^[3] He also set a world best time of 6:58.8 for a 2000 m single scull race – the first person to break the seven-minute barrier.^[4]

At the 1960 Olympics, Ivanov won a second time, again with a blistering sprint, defeating East Germany's Achim Hill by 6¼ seconds to claim his second gold medal. Poland's Teodor Kocerka won the bronze medal. Australia's Stuart Mackenzie who had been Ivanov's prime competitor in 1956 withdrew because of illness, spoiling a much anticipated match up.^[1]

In 1962, Ivanov won the first ever World Rowing Championship, again by rowing through the field, and defeating longtime rival Stuart Mackenzie, now rowing for Great Britain, and American newcomer Seymour Cromwell who placed third.^[4]

Ivanov faced the East German Hill again in the 1964 Olympics. This time he trailed Hill by 7 seconds with 500 m to go, but finished so powerfully that he closed the gap and moved ahead. Ivanov made such a tremendous effort that he briefly blacked out. He regained awareness fifty meters before the finish line to find himself still in the lead and went on to win by 3.73 seconds.^[1]

In 1966, Ivanov tasted defeat, finishing sixth and last in the finals of the World Rowing Championship. In addition to the Olympics, Ivanov won the USSR single scull championship 11 straight years (1956–1966) and he won the European Rowing Championships 4 times.^[2] He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1960) and two Orders of the Badge of Honor (1957 and 1965).^[4]

Life after retirement

In 1960, at the peak of career, Ivanov graduated from a military school, and in 1969 received his master's degree from the Volgograd Institute of Physical Education. After retiring from competitions he served as a navy officer and retired in the rank of captain. He then resumed competing in rowing in the masters category.^[4]

Publications

• Вячеслав Николаевич Иванов (2010). Ветры олимпийских озер. Ассоциация любителей гребного спорта. ISBN 978-5-903274-40-6. 

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vyacheslav Ivanov (rower).

• Vyacheslav Ivanov at WorldRowing.com from FISA
• Ivanov and Karppinen on YouTube