Viktor Chukarin

Viktor Chukarin was a former World War II prisoner-of-war, who was 30 years old when the USSR first competed at the Olympic Games in 1952. Despite these handicaps, he dominated the gymnastics competition in Helsinki, winning the all-around title in addition to taking gold in the team event and four medals in the individual apparatus events – gold on the pommelled horse and horse vault, and silver on the parallel bars and rings. In 1956, he successfully defended his all-around title and added two more gold, one as a member of the winning team, a silver and a bronze medal to bring his tally of Olympic medals to a then record total of 11. His 1956 individual medals were as follows: gold – all-around, parallel bars, team; silver – floor exercises; and bronze – pommelled horse. He was also World Champion in 1954 in the all-around and parallel bars and, after retiring, he became head of gymnastics at the L’viv Institute of Physical Culture in his native Ukraine.