Robert Merkulov

Robert Merkulov took up speed skating while receiving education at a technical school in Russia. He had his first national podium finish in 1954, when he was third in both the 5000 and 10,000 metres events, and also competed at the World Championships for the first time. The following year, he was third again nationally in the 10,000 metres and advanced to second in the 5000 metres, while also competing again at the World Championships. He represented the Soviet Union in the 1500 metres at the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics, where he was fifth in the 1500 metres, but fared better at the Worlds, where he took silver in the all-around.

Merkulov was also fourth at the Europeans in the all-around in 1956, a feat that he repeated in 1958 and 1959. In the latter year, however, he captured the Soviet national titles in the 5000 metres and the all-around, and was also third in the 10,000 metres, in addition to taking all-around bronze at the Worlds. He skipped in the 1960 Olympic season, but was back in 1961, placing second in the 5000 metres and third in the 500 and 1500 metres domestically, while coming seventh overall at the Worlds. He then took the all-around title at the 1962 European Championships, while placing ninth at the Worlds. His final season was 1963, where he was third in the all-around domestically and did not qualify for the final at the Europeans.

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.6 (1960); 1500 – 2:10.3 (1956); 5000 – 7:57.8 (1964); 10000 – 16:20.7 (1965).