Vladimir Salnikov biography

 Vladimir Salnikov biography

Vladimir Salnikov, (born May 21, 1960, Leningrad, Russia, U.S.S.R. [now St. Petersburg, Russia]), Russian swimmer who gained 4 Olympic gold medals and was the primary to interrupt the 15-minute barrier within the 1,500-metre freestyle.

Salnikov turned the primary Soviet swimmer to excel on the worldwide degree, profitable the European championship at 1,500 metres in 1977 and the world championship at 400 metres and 1,500 metres in 1978. At the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, he gained the 1,500 metres in a world-record time of 14 min 58.27 sec after which went on to win golds within the 400 metres and the 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay. From 1979 to 1986, Salnikov set six world data within the 400 metres, 4 within the 800 metres, and three within the 1,500 metres and in addition repeated his triumphs within the 400 metres and the 1,500 metres on the 1982 world championships. The Soviet boycott, nevertheless, prevented him from persevering with his Olympic success on the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Salnikov returned to type on the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea, the place, at age 28, he once more gained the 1,500 metres, changing into the oldest Olympic swimmer in 56 years to win a gold. The efficiency marked solely the third time in historical past that an Olympic swimmer had gained gold medals eight years aside.