Bair Badënov
Russian archer of Buryat-Mongolian ancestry, Olympic fourth-place finisher.
Bair Badënov is a Russian archer of Buryat-Mongolian ancestry, born June 28, 1976, in Zugalay, now Zabaykalsky Krai. He was a World Champion among Youth in 1993 and a European champion in 1996, and competed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He is notable for finishing fourth in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and for his performance at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Quick Facts
- Full Name
- Bair Dorzhiyevich Badyonov
- Birth Date
- June 28, 1976
- Birth Place
- Zugalay, Russia
- Height
- 178 cm
- Weight
- 75 kg
- Header Color
- lightsteelblue
- Show Medals
- yes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Bair Badënov began his international career with a World Youth Championship in 1993 and a European championship in 1996. He competed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and achieved fourth place at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. In 2007 he won the World Cup in Turkey and took silver in individual competition at the European competitions in Turin, Italy. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Badënov finished the ranking round with 658 points, earning the 31st seed. He defeated Laurence Godfrey (114–109) in the first round, second seed Mangal Singh Champia (109–108) in the second, Jason Lyon (115–110) in the third, and Cheng Chu Sian (109–104) in the quarterfinal. In the semifinal, he and Viktor Ruban both scored 112 points in the regular match, forcing an extra round. Badënov scored 18 points in the extra round, while Ruban advanced with 20 points; Ruban went on to win the Olympic gold. Badënov also took part in the team event. With his 658 score combined with Abramov's 660 and Tsyrempilov's 671, Russia was fourth after the ranking round, earning a straight seed into the quarterfinals. However, they were beaten 217–209 by the Chinese team, which eventually won the bronze medal.
Reader's Guide
Bair Badënov's significance lies in his consistent presence at the highest levels of Olympic archery over three Games, culminating in a near-medal performance in 2008. His fourth-place finish in Sydney 2000 and his semifinal run in Beijing 2008, where he lost in a tiebreaker to eventual gold medalist Viktor Ruban, underscore his competitiveness. His victory at the 2007 World Cup in Turkey and silver at the European competitions in Turin further establish his standing. In the team event at Beijing 2008, Russia's fourth-place ranking round seed was not enough to overcome China in the quarterfinals. Badënov's career reflects the depth of Russian archery during the 1990s and 2000s, and his Buryat-Mongolian heritage adds a distinctive cultural dimension to his profile. His legacy is that of a durable, high-level competitor who repeatedly challenged for podium positions on the world stage.
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