Boris Shakhlin

Boris Anfiyanovich Shakhlin (Russian: Борис Анфиянович Шахлин; 27 January 1932 – 30 May 2008) was a Soviet gymnast who was the 1960 Olympic all-around champion and the 1958 all-around World Champion. He won a total of 13 medals including seven gold medals at the Summer Olympics, and was the most successful athlete at the 1960 Summer Olympics. He held the record for most Olympic medals by a male athlete record until gymnast Nikolai Andrianov won his 14th and 15th medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics. He also won 14 medals at the World Championships.[1]

Boris Shakhlin
Boris Shakhlin in 1966
Personal information
Country represented Soviet Union
Born(1932-01-27)27 January 1932
Ishim, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died30 May 2008(2008-05-30) (aged 76)
Kyiv, Ukraine
Height1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight71 kg (157 lb)
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior international
ClubBurevestnik
Retired1966
Medal record
Men's Artistic Gymnastics

Representing  Soviet Union

Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1956 MelbourneTeam competition
Gold medal – first place1956 MelbournePommel horse
Gold medal – first place1960 RomeAll-around
Gold medal – first place1960 RomePommel horse
Gold medal – first place1960 RomeVault
Gold medal – first place1960 RomeParallel bars
Gold medal – first place1964 TokyoHorizontal bar
Silver medal – second place1960 RomeTeam competition
Silver medal – second place1960 RomeRings
Silver medal – second place1964 TokyoTeam competition
Silver medal – second place1964 TokyoAll-around
Bronze medal – third place1960 RomeHorizontal bar
Bronze medal – third place1964 TokyoRings
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1954 RomeTeam competition
Gold medal – first place1958 MoscowTeam competition
Gold medal – first place1958 MoscowAll-around
Gold medal – first place1958 MoscowPommel Horse
Gold medal – first place1958 MoscowParallel bars
Gold medal – first place1958 MoscowHorizontal bar
Silver medal – second place1954 RomeHorizontal bar
Silver medal – second place1962 PragueTeam competition
Silver medal – second place1962 PragueStill rings
Silver medal – second place1962 PragueParallel bars
Silver medal – second place1962 PraguePommel Horse
Silver medal – second place1966 DortmundTeam competition
Bronze medal – third place1962 PragueAll-around
Bronze medal – third place1962 PragueVault
European Championships
Gold medal – first place1955 FrankfurtAll-around
Gold medal – first place1955 FrankfurtParallel bars
Gold medal – first place1955 FrankfurtPommel horse
Gold medal – first place1955 FrankfurtHorizontal bar
Gold medal – first place1963 BelgradeStill rings
Gold medal – first place1963 BelgradeHorizontal bar
Silver medal – second place1955 FrankfurtStill rings
Silver medal – second place1963 BelgradeAll-around
Silver medal – second place1963 BelgradeParallel bars
Bronze medal – third place1963 BelgradePommel horse

Career edit

Shakhlin was born in Ishim, Russian SFSR. He began gymnastics at the age of 12. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, he "set a career record of 10 individual titles in the world championships and also won gold medals at three successive Olympic Games. His tally of seven gold, four silver, and two bronze Olympic medals placed him among the most-decorated at the Games".[2]

Shakhlin retired from competition at the age of 35 after suffering a heart attack. He joined the FIG Men's Technical Committee in 1968 and continued to work on the Committee until 1992. In the 1990s and 2000s (decade), he worked as a lecturer at the University of Kyiv.[3]

He was awarded the Red Banner of Labor in 1956 and the Order of Lenin in 1960. He was named an honorary citizen both in his birth town Ishim and in Kyiv where lived for many years.[1] In 2002, he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.[3][4]

He died on 30 May 2008.[5]

Philatelia edit

The Mongol Post issued a postage stamp - Boris Shakhlin (No.525, 1969).

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Borys Shakhlin". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17.
  2. ^ Boris Anfiyanovich Shakhlin – Britannica Online Encyclopedia
  3. ^ a b "Boris Shakhlin, 1932-2008" Archived 2008-06-03 at the Wayback Machine Amanda Turner International Gymnast, May 30, 2008
  4. ^ International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
  5. ^ "Obituary: Boris Shakhlin". The Guardian. 2008-06-10. Archived from the original on 2022-07-14.

External links edit

Records
Preceded by Most career Olympic medals by a man
1964 – 1980
Succeeded by
Preceded by