Aleksey Spiridonov

Alexei Sergeyevich Spiridonov (Russian: Алексей Сергеевич Спиридонов, born November 20, 1951 in Leningrad † 9 April 1998) was a Soviet athlete. The 1.92 m wide and its competition time 117 kg heavy Spiridonov 1974 European Champion and 1976 Olympic silver medalist in the hammer throw.

Spiridonov was in 1970 with 64.88 meters second in the European Junior Championships in the hammer throw. In 1973 he again won the silver medal at the Universiade. With 71.82 meters he was 60 inches behind Valentin Dmitrijenko. In the Soviet Cup in 1973, he was also second, this time behind Anatoly Bondarchuk.

Also in 1974, he finished second behind the Soviet Championship Dmitrijenko. At the European Championships 1974 in Rome Spiridonov then won for the first time in a major competition. With 74.20 meters he threw eight inches further than Jochen axis from the GDR, the world record holder Reinhard Theimer was third ahead of Dmitrijenko. Four days later, Spiridonov succeeded in Munich with 76.66 meters a roll, with whom he surpassed Theimers world record by six inches.

In May 1975 a world record by Karl- Hans Riehm was exceeded. In the Soviet Championship was Spiridonov second behind Dmitrijenko. For the Universiade, 1975 World Cup discharged as the students, Spiridonov returned to Rome. And he was again not be beat in Rome. With 73.82 meters he won against Walter Schmidt and before the 20 -year-old Yuri Sedych. Schmidt improved in August, the world record to 79.30 meters.

Spiridonov 1976 increased his personal best to 78.62 meters, but this performance meant not even Soviet record as Sedych meanwhile had thrown 78.86. Sedych 1976 and Bondarchuk Soviet masters before and Spiridonov. The final at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal became the great duel between the launchers from the Soviet Union and the Germans from East and West. Spiridonov was the first attempt with Olympic record of 75.74 meters in the lead, Sedych threw in the second experiment 77,52 meters. Spiridonov increased in the last attempt 76.08 meters and won silver before Bondarchuk. The two West German Riehm and Schmidt, as well as the axis of the GDR followed behind the medals.

1978 Spiridonov was again third in the championship behind Soviet Sedych and Boris Saitschuk, but was not sent to the European Championships in 1978.