Viktor Saneyev facts for kids
Saneyev c. 1972
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | Georgian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 3 October 1945 Sokhumi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union |
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| Died | 3 January 2022 (aged 76) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Height | 188 cm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 78 kg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | Soviet Union | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Triple jump | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Dynamo Sukhumi Dinamo Tbilisi |
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| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 17.44 m (1972) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Viktor Danilovich Saneyev (born October 3, 1945 – died January 3, 2022) was a famous Georgian triple jumper. He competed for the Soviet Union in athletics. Viktor is best known for winning four Olympic medals. He earned three gold medals (in 1968, 1972, and 1976) and one silver medal (in 1980). Saneyev also broke the world record in triple jump three times. He was born in Sukhumi, Georgia, and later passed away in Sydney, Australia.
Contents
Becoming a Triple Jump Champion
Viktor Saneyev started his athletics journey in 1956. He first trained in the high jump. His coach, Akop Kerselyan, later suggested he focus on the triple jump. In 1963, Viktor showed his talent by finishing third in a big competition for schoolchildren.
Olympic and World Records
Viktor's first major success came in 1968. He won the USSR Championships and then the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. On October 17, 1968, he set a new world record twice in the same event! He jumped 17.23 meters and then 17.39 meters. Four years later, in Sukhumi, he broke his own record again, jumping 17.44 meters.
He continued his amazing Olympic winning streak. Viktor won gold medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. He earned a silver medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
European Success
Beyond the Olympics, Viktor Saneyev also achieved great success in Europe. He won the European Championships in 1969 and 1974. He also won several European Indoor Championships. These wins happened in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, and 1977. He was also the USSR champion multiple times between 1968 and 1978.
The 1980 Moscow Olympics
Viktor Saneyev hoped to win his fourth Olympic gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Games. However, he knew that other jumpers, like Brazil's João Carlos de Oliveira, were strong competitors. In the end, Soviet athlete Jaak Uudmäe won the gold medal. Viktor Saneyev took the silver medal, and Oliveira won bronze.
Controversy in the Triple Jump Event
The triple jump event at the 1980 Olympics had some controversial moments. Several jumps by athletes like Australia's Ian Campbell and Brazil's De Oliveira were not counted. Officials claimed these jumps were fouls, even though some seemed very far. All international inspectors were replaced by Soviet staff for the final.
Both Campbell and De Oliveira jumped further than Uudmäe's winning mark. However, their jumps were disallowed. Viktor Saneyev himself had one of his best jumps disallowed. He later thought that Uudmäe's winning jump might have been a foul too. After the 1980 Olympics, Viktor Saneyev decided to retire from competing.
Awards and Later Career
Viktor Saneyev received many important awards for his achievements. He was given the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1969. He also received the Order of Lenin in 1972 and the Order of Friendship of Peoples in 1976. At the 1980 Olympics, he was chosen to be an Olympic torch bearer. This is a special honor usually given to athletes who have retired.
After retiring from competing, Viktor Saneyev continued to be involved in athletics. He led the USSR jumping team for four years. Later, he worked at his old club, Dynamo in Tbilisi.
Life in Australia
In the early 1990s, after the Soviet Union broke up and a civil war started in Georgia, Viktor Saneyev moved to Australia. He went there with his wife and young son. He found a brief coaching job, but it ended quickly. For a short time, he even considered selling his Olympic medals to support his family. Luckily, he decided not to and took other jobs, like delivering pizzas.
Eventually, he found a steady job as a physical education teacher at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill. He also became a jumping coach at the New South Wales Institute of Sport. Viktor Saneyev enjoyed growing subtropical plants in his garden. He passed away on January 3, 2022, at the age of 76.
See also
In Spanish: Víktor Sanéiev para niños
