Vladimir Nevzorov

Vladimir Nevzorov was one of the best lightweight and half-middleweight judokas in the world during the mid-1970s. Nevzorov was 1976 Olympic half-middleweight champion and in 1975 became the first Soviet judoka to win a World title (in half-middleweight). He also won two individual European titles (1975 in half-middleweight and 1977 in lightweight), three team European titles (1973, 1975, 1977) and won the European sambo (a Soviet wrestling style similar to judo) lightweight title in 1972. Domestically, Nevzorov won Soviet judo half-middleweight titles in 1975-76 and a lightweight title in 1979. He was also Soviet sambo lightweight champion in 1971 and 1972. After finishing his sporting career, Nevzorov worked as a judo and sambo coach. From 1980-89 he was the coach of the Soviet national team and from 1989-91 he was a judo coach in France. He was head coach of the Russian national judo team from 1999-2001 and the head coach of the 2000 Russian Olympic judo team. Nevzorov later became vice-president of the Russian Judo federation.