Yevgeny Grishin

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Other
SexMale
Full nameYevgeny Romanovich•Grishin
Used nameYevgeny•Grishin
Original nameЕвгений Романович•Гришин
Born23 March 1931 in Tula, Tula (RUS)
Died9 July 2005 in Dedovsk, Moskva Oblast (RUS)
Measurements174 cm / 78 kg
AffiliationsCSKA Moskva, Moskva (RUS)
NOC Soviet Union
Nationality Russian Federation
Medals OG
Gold 4
Silver 1
Bronze 0
Total 5

Biography

As a youth, Yevgeny Grishin was one of the most promising young Soviet track cyclists, and he took up skating only as a winter training procedure. But in his first skating competition, Grishin skated a new Soviet junior record and decided after that to concentrate on speed skating. He specialized in sprints, becoming the first skater to break the 40 second barrier in the 500 m and 2:10 barrier over 1500 m. As Grishin could not skate distances well, he never won Soviet or World Championships titles in the all-round, but dominated the 500 m and 1500 m in both championships at the end of 1950s and early 1960s. He won twelve Soviet titles (500 m: 1956-57, 1959, 1961-65, 1967; 1500 m: 1957, 1962, 1967) and six distance gold medals in the 500 m at the World Championships (1954, 1957, 1960-63). At the Worlds, in addition to his six golds, Grishin won four silvers (500 m in 1956 and 1500 m in 1954, 1956 and 1960) and three bronzes (1954 and 1956 in the all-round and 1957 in the 1500 m). Grishin was European All-round champion in 1956 and won the 500 m in every European Championships in which he competed (1954-57, 1961-62). Besides those six golds, Grishin won another two golds (1955, 1957), one silver (1956) and one bronze (1954) in the 1500 m at the European Championships. Grishin set seven world records, four over 500 m, one at 1000 m, and twice at 1500 m. After his sporting career, Grishin worked as a coach with the Soviet national team, specializing in sprints. He also published several autobiographical books: 500 метров (500 Metres, 1969), Или – или (Or – Or, 1976), Годы триумфальных побед (The Years of My Triumphs, 1999) and Такое не забывается (This is not Forgotten, 2001).

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.5 (1963); 1000 – 1:22.8 (1955); 1500 – 2:06.6 (1968); 5000 – 8:17.7 (1955); 10000 – 17:05.0 (1965).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal Nationality As
1956 Winter Olympics Speed Skating (Skating) URS RUS Yevgeny Grishin
500 metres, Men (Olympic) 1 Gold
1,500 metres, Men (Olympic) =1 Gold
1960 Winter Olympics Speed Skating (Skating) URS RUS Yevgeny Grishin
500 metres, Men (Olympic) 1 Gold
1,500 metres, Men (Olympic) =1 Gold
1964 Winter Olympics Speed Skating (Skating) URS RUS Yevgeny Grishin
500 metres, Men (Olympic) =2 Silver
1,500 metres, Men (Olympic) =11
1968 Winter Olympics Speed Skating (Skating) URS RUS Yevgeny Grishin
500 metres, Men (Olympic) 4

Olympic Records

Records may have been broken subsequently during the same competition.
Games Date Sport Event Phase Mark Pos
1956 Winter Olympics 28 January 1956 Speed Skating (Skating) 500 metres, Men Final Standings 40.2 1
1956 Winter Olympics 30 January 1956 Speed Skating (Skating) 1,500 metres, Men Final Standings 2:08.6 WR =1
1960 Winter Olympics 24 February 1960 Speed Skating (Skating) 500 metres, Men Final Standings 40.2 1

Other participations

Games Role NOC Nationality As
1964 Winter Olympics Flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony URS RUS Yevgeny Grishin

Special Notes