Nikolai Andrianov
Soviet gymnast with 15 Olympic medals, third most all-time.
Nikolai Yefimovich Andrianov (14 October 1952 – 21 March 2011) was a gymnast from the Soviet Union and later Russia. For men, he once held the record for the most Olympic medals—15 in total, made up of 7 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze. That record stood until Michael Phelps broke it at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Overall, Andrianov ranks third among all Olympians in total medals, behind Phelps (28) and Larisa Latynina (18).
Andrianov grew up with four sisters, raised by a single mother who often worked double shifts at a chemical plant. He described himself as a poorly behaved child who started smoking early and frequently skipped school. He credited gymnastics, and especially his coach Nikolai Tolkachov, with turning his life around. At age 11, he joined the Children and Youth Sports School of the Burevestnik sports society in Vladimir. His first big international win came in 1971 at the European Championships in Madrid, where he took two gold medals. From 1971 to 1980, he won many top competitions, including the Olympics, world championships, and European championships.
His first Olympic medal was a gold in the floor exercise in 1972. He dominated the 1976 Games, winning four golds—including the all-around, floor, rings, and vault—plus two silvers and a bronze. His four golds in a single Olympics stood as a record until Vitaly Scherbo won six in 1992. At the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Andrianov took the Olympic Oath for athletes. He added two more golds (vault and team), two silvers (all-around and floor), and a bronze (horizontal bar). He retired soon after.
Andrianov married fellow Soviet gymnast and two-time Olympic champion Lyubov Burda. They worked as children's gymnastics coaches. He served as head coach of the Soviet national men's junior team from 1981 to 1992, coached the senior Soviet team from 1990 to 1992, and headed the Soviet and later Russian Gymnastics Federation from 1990 to 1993. In 2001, he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. From 1994 to 2002, at the invitation of former rival Mitsuo Tsukahara, he coached the Japanese Olympic gymnastics team. He worked with Tsukahara’s son, Naoya Tsukahara, and both father and son credited him with boosting Naoya’s skills and confidence for international competition. In 2002, he became director of gymnastics at the N.G.
Quick Facts
- Full Name
- Nikolai Yefimovich Andrianov
- Spouse
- Lyubov Burda (1973–2002)
- Relatives
- Aleksandra Andrianova (granddaughter)
- Country
- URS · MAG
- Birth Date
- 14 October 1952
- Birth Place
- Vladimir, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
- Death Date
- 2011-03-21
- Death Place
- Vladimir, Russian Federation
- Height
- 166 cm
- Discipline
- MAG
- Head Coach
- Nikolai Tolkachev
- Show Medals
- yes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Andrianov and his four sisters were raised by a single mother who worked double shifts at a chemical plant. He recalled himself as a poorly behaved child who smoked early and skipped school, crediting gymnastics and his coach Nikolai Tolkachov with improving his character. He entered the Children and Youth Sports School of the Burevestnik sports society in Vladimir at age 11, and his first international success came in 1971 at the European Championships in Madrid, where he won two gold medals.
His first Olympic medal was a gold in the 1972 floor competition. He dominated the 1976 gymnastics competition, winning four golds (including the all-around), two silvers, and a bronze. At the 1980 Moscow Olympics, he took the Olympic Oath for athletes and won two more golds (vault and team), two silvers (all-around and floor), and a bronze (horizontal bar). Andrianov shares the male record for most individual Olympic gold medals in gymnastics (6) with Boris Shakhlin; Dmitry Bilozerchev has 4 individual Olympic gold medals, not 6.
Reader's Guide
Nikolai Andrianov ranks among the most decorated Olympians of all time, with 15 Olympic medals—a men's record until Michael Phelps in 2008. He holds the men's record for most individual Olympic medals in gymnastics (12) and shares the record for most individual Olympic gold medals in gymnastics (6) with Boris Shakhlin and Dmitry Bilozerchev. His four golds at the 1976 Games stood until Vitaly Scherbo in 1992. Beyond the Olympics, he ranks second only to Vitaly Scherbo in total individual medal counts at the combined Olympic and World levels, as well as at the combined Olympic, World, and European levels. His career spanned from 1971 to 1980, during which he won numerous international titles. After retiring, he became a coach and administrator, shaping future gymnasts in the Soviet Union, Russia, and Japan. His induction into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2001 underscores his lasting impact on the sport.
Did You Know?
- Andrianov held the men's record for most Olympic medals (15) until Michael Phelps surpassed him at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
- He won the most medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics with 6 individual medals and one team medal.
- In his final years, he developed multiple system atrophy, a degenerative neurological disorder, and died at age 58.
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