Konstantin Volkov

Konstantin Volkov was the first Soviet pole vaulting star before the emergence of legendary Sergey Bubka. Coached by his father, he rose to prominence in 1979, when he won his only Soviet title. Volkov won a silver medal at the 1980 Olympics, but missed a possible medal, perhaps gold, at the 1984 Olympics due to the Soviet boycott. Instead of the 1984 Olympics, Volkov competed at the Friendship Games, and won gold ahead of a young Bubka with a result of 5.80, which was 5 cm better than the gold medal jump made by Pierre Quinon in the Olympic final. In addition to his Olympic silver, Volkov won golds at the 1981 and 1983 Universiade, the 1981 World Cup and the 1979 European Cup, adding silvers at the 1983 World Championships, 1980 Europeans and the 1979 and 1982 European Indoor Championships.

Volkov finished his sports career in 1986 and from 1986-91 worked as an athletics coach in his hometown of Irkutsk. After the fall of the Soviet Union Volkov became a businessman. From 2001-04, he was the general director of the Transsiberian Freight Company, from 2006-08 he was the deputy general director of the Siberian Metallurgical Company, and from 2008-09 he was the deputy managing director of the construction company Monolitstroy-Irkutsk. From 2009-10 Volkov was minister of the Physical Culture, Sport and Youth Policy of Irkutsk Oblast.

Personal Best: PV – 5.85 (1984).