Vyacheslav Ivanov

Vyacheslav Ivanov was the first man to win the Olympic single sculls three times consecutively - 1956-64, a feat later matched by Finland’s Pertti Karppinen. The remainder of his career is likewise impressive as he won the first World Championship in single sculls in 1962, and he was also European champion in 1956, 1959, 1961, and 1964. Ivanov’s great rival was Australian Stuart MacKenzie. Ivanov defeated MacKenzie at the 1956 Olympics, but MacKenzie never again competed in the Olympics due to injuries. Ivanov did not fare well at other meets against the Australian as MacKenzie twice defeated him in the European Championships and Ivanov lost to MacKenzie in his only two attempts at the Diamond Sculls at the Henley Royal Regatta.