Viktor Markin
Encyclopedia
Viktor Fyodorovich Markin (born 23 February 1957 in the village of Oktyabrsky, Ust-Tarksky District
, Novosibirsk Oblast
) is a former Soviet
athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics
.
After graduating from a secondary school he went to Novosibirsk
, where he entered the Faculty of Pediatrics
of the Institute of Medicine. Markin started athletics only at age 19 in the athletics section by the institute, coached by Aleksandr Bukhasheyev. He remained quite unknown until the Moscow
Olympic Games
.
On 27 April 1980, in Sochi
, Markin ran a new personal best in the one lap
event of 46.96 seconds. In early July Markin ran 45.34 at the Central Lenin Stadium
. In the Olympic final on July 30, Markin was only fifth at the halfway mark and as the final straight opened he was still three metres behind the leader Frank Schaffer
of East Germany. But with a very strong finish Markin won with a European record
and world season best 44.60 (still the Russian national record over 400 m). Markin captured his second gold
in the 4 × 400 m relay
when, as an anchor, he outran the winner of the 400 metre hurdles, East German Volker Beck
.
After a break from sports to complete his studies in medicine
, Markin returned at the European Championships in 1982, where he won two bronze medals (400 m and 4 × 400 m relay). At the inaugural World Championships
in Helsinki
Markin, the only Soviet competing in the individual 400 metres (as the rest were concentrating on the relay), was knocked out of the final in an extremely close photo finish
by eventual bronze medalist Sunder Nix
of the United States
. However, he finished on a high note as in the very last event of the Championships, the 4 × 400 m relay, the Soviets won an unexpected gold. West Germany
already lost their winning chances on the first leg as Erwin Skamrahl
(who had broken Markin's European record just three weeks earlier) gave up more than ten meters to Sergey Lovachov
; the other main favorites, United States
, hung with the Soviets for two and a half legs until Willie Smith tumbled and fell, leaving Markin an easy job to anchor home a USSR victory.
Markin decided to retire after hearing the Soviet decision to boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics
.
Ust-Tarksky District
Ust-Tarksky District is an administrative district , one of the 30 in Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia....
, Novosibirsk Oblast
Novosibirsk Oblast
Novosibirsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in southwestern Siberia. Its administrative and economic center is the city of Novosibirsk. Population: -Overview:...
) is a former Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
.
After graduating from a secondary school he went to Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
, where he entered the Faculty of Pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
of the Institute of Medicine. Markin started athletics only at age 19 in the athletics section by the institute, coached by Aleksandr Bukhasheyev. He remained quite unknown until the Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
On 27 April 1980, in Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
, Markin ran a new personal best in the one lap
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
event of 46.96 seconds. In early July Markin ran 45.34 at the Central Lenin Stadium
Luzhniki Stadium
The Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex in Moscow, or briefly Luzhniki Stadium , is the biggest sports stadium in Russia. Its total seating capacity is 78,360 seats, all covered. The stadium is a part of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, previously called the Central Lenin Stadium...
. In the Olympic final on July 30, Markin was only fifth at the halfway mark and as the final straight opened he was still three metres behind the leader Frank Schaffer
Frank Schaffer
Frank Schaffer is a retired East German athlete who specialized in the 400 metres.He won the bronze medal in the 400 metres at the 1980 Summer Olympics in a lifetime best time of 44.87 seconds...
of East Germany. But with a very strong finish Markin won with a European record
European record progression 400 metres men
The following table shows the European record progression in the men's 400 metres, as ratified by the EAA- Hand Timing : Performance timed over 440 yards- Automatic Timing :...
and world season best 44.60 (still the Russian national record over 400 m). Markin captured his second gold
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the 4 × 400 m relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
when, as an anchor, he outran the winner of the 400 metre hurdles, East German Volker Beck
Volker Beck (athlete)
Volker Beck is a former East German athlete, winner of 400 m hurdles at the 1980 Summer Olympics....
.
After a break from sports to complete his studies in medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, Markin returned at the European Championships in 1982, where he won two bronze medals (400 m and 4 × 400 m relay). At the inaugural World Championships
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
Markin, the only Soviet competing in the individual 400 metres (as the rest were concentrating on the relay), was knocked out of the final in an extremely close photo finish
Photo finish
A photo finish occurs in a sporting race, when two competitors cross the finishing line at near the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to discriminate between which of the competitors crossed the line first, a strip photo, a series of rapidly triggered photographs, or a video taken at the...
by eventual bronze medalist Sunder Nix
Sunder Nix
Sunder L. Nix was a 1984 Summer Olympics gold medalist in the men's 4x400 meter relay for the United States.-References:*...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. However, he finished on a high note as in the very last event of the Championships, the 4 × 400 m relay, the Soviets won an unexpected gold. West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
already lost their winning chances on the first leg as Erwin Skamrahl
Erwin Skamrahl
Erwin Skamrahl is a retired West German sprinter who specialized in the 200 and 400 metres.At the 1982 European Championships he finished fourth in the 200 metres, won a bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay and a gold medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay...
(who had broken Markin's European record just three weeks earlier) gave up more than ten meters to Sergey Lovachov
Sergey Lovachov
Sergey Lovachov is a retired track and field sprinter from Uzbekistan, known for winning the gold medal for the Soviet Union in the men's 4x400 metres relay at the inaugural 1983 World Championships. He did so alongside Aleksandr Troshchilo, Nikolay Chernetskiy, and Viktor Markin, clocking a total...
; the other main favorites, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, hung with the Soviets for two and a half legs until Willie Smith tumbled and fell, leaving Markin an easy job to anchor home a USSR victory.
Markin decided to retire after hearing the Soviet decision to boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
.