Ivan Tsikhan facts for kids

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Ivan Tsikhan

Tsikhan at the 2007 World Championships
Personal information
Native name	Іван Рыгоравіч Ціхан
Full name	Ivan Ryhoravich Tsikhan
Nationality	Belarusian
Born	24 July 1976 (1976-07-24) (age 49) Hloŭsievičy, Slonim District, Soviet Union
Height	1.86 m
Weight	110 kg
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Hammer throw
Club	Dynamo Hrodna
Coached by	Sergey Litvinov
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	84.51 m (2008)
Medal record Representing  Belarus Olympic Games Disqualified 2004 Athens Hammer Bronze 2008 Beijing Hammer Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro Hammer World Championships Gold 2003 Paris Hammer Disqualified 2005 Helsinki Hammer Gold 2007 Osaka Hammer European Championships Silver 2016 Amsterdam Hammer Disqualified 2006 Gothenburg Hammer IAAF World Cup in Athletics Silver 2006 Athens Hammer IAAF World Athletics Final Disqualified 2005 Monaco Hammer Gold 2007 Stuggart Hammer Disqualified 2004 Monaco Hammer Silver 2006 Stuggart Hammer Bronze 2003 Monaco Hammer Universiade Gold 2003 Daegu Hammer

Tsikhan (right) on a 2016 stamp of Belarus

Ivan Ryhoravich Tsikhan (born 24 July 1976) is a famous Belarusian athlete. He competes in the hammer throw event. He has won world championships and Olympic medals.

About Ivan Tsikhan

Ivan Tsikhan was born in a village called Hloŭsievičy. This village is in the Slonim district of the Grodno Region, in what was then the Belarusian SSR. Today, he lives in Grodno. His wife, Volha, is also an athlete who throws the discus. Ivan and Volha have a son, also named Ivan. Ivan Tsikhan was coached by Sergey Litvinov, who was also an Olympic champion.

Ivan's Sports Journey

Early Career and First Competitions

Tsikhan started competing in big events in 1997. He reached the final at the World Championships that year but didn't record a valid throw. He also had trouble at the 1998 European Championships. At the 2000 Olympic Games, he finished tied for third place. However, he was officially ranked fourth because his second-best throw wasn't as good as others.

He continued to compete, finishing sixth at the 2001 Summer Universiade. He was ninth at the 2002 European Championships. He also took part in the 2001 World Championships but didn't make it to the final round.

Breaking Through in 2003

The year 2003 was a big one for Tsikhan. For the first time, he threw the hammer over 80 meters. He became a world champion in Paris with a throw of 83.03 meters. He also won the 2003 Summer Universiade. He finished third at the first-ever World Athletics Final. His best throw that year was 84.32 meters, which he achieved in Minsk.

Olympic and World Events (2004-2008)

In 2004, Tsikhan competed at the Olympic Games in Athens. He won a silver medal with a throw of 79.81 meters. However, after his test samples were re-checked in 2012, the Olympic Committee changed his result. He also won silver at the World Athletics Final that year. His best throw in 2004 was 84.46 meters.

In 2005, he won first place at the World Championships and the World Athletics Final. But later, these gold medals were taken away due to rule violations. In a Belarusian competition in Brest that July, he threw almost as far as the world record.

Tsikhan won the European Championships in 2006. He also placed second at the World Athletics Final and the World Cup. His best throw for that season was 81.12 meters.

In 2007, Tsikhan won his third World Championships title. His winning throw was 83.64 meters, which was his best for the year. He also won the World Athletics Final again.

In 2008, Tsikhan achieved his personal best throw of 84.51 meters in Grodno. He finished third at the 2008 Olympic Games with a throw of 81.51 meters.

Later Olympic Success

In 2016, Tsikhan represented Belarus at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He won a silver medal with a throw of 77.79 meters. He was also chosen to carry the flag for Belarus during the closing ceremony of the Games.

Changes to Results

Sometimes, after big sports events, test samples are re-examined. This can lead to changes in results if rules were not followed.

2008 Olympic Games

After the 2008 Summer Olympics, there were questions about some of Tsikhan's test results. He and another Belarusian athlete had their medals taken away by the International Olympic Committee. They both appealed this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In June 2010, the CAS decided to give Tsikhan his bronze medal back. This was because there were problems with how the tests were done. The court said this decision didn't mean he was completely cleared of suspicion.

2004 Olympic Games and Other Events

In May 2012, more issues were found in Tsikhan's samples from the 2004 Summer Olympics after they were retested. Because of this, he was not allowed to compete in the 2012 Summer Games. The Olympic Committee later changed his result from the 2004 Olympics.

In 2014, it was announced that all of Tsikhan's results between August 22, 2004, and August 21, 2006, were officially removed. This meant that some of his wins and medals from that time were no longer counted.

Best Throw

• 84.51 meters (achieved in Grodno on 9 July 2008)

Yearly Best Throws

• 2018: 75.79 m in Berlin
• 2016: 80.04 m in Grodno
• 2015: 77.46 m in Yerino
• 2012: 82.81 m in Brest
• 2008: 84.51 m in Grodno
• 2007: 83.63 m in Osaka
• 2006: 81.12 m in Stuttgart
• 2004: 84.46 m in Minsk
• 2003: 84.32 m in Minsk
• 2002: 79.04 m in Minsk
• 2001: 78.73 m in Brest
• 2000: 79.85 m in Minsk
• 1999: 70.37 m
• 1998: 78.03 m in Saint-Denis
• 1997: 77.46 m in Turku
• 1996: 75.32 m in Minsk
• 1995: 66.84 m
• 1994: 62.66 m
• 1993: 61.32 m
• 1992: 55.91 m

See also

In Spanish: Iván Tsijan para niños