Igor Novikov (pentathlete)

Igor Alexandrovich Novikov (Russian Игорь Александрович Новиков, * October 19, 1929 in Dresna, Moscow Oblast, † 30 August 2007 in Saint Petersburg ) was a Soviet Modern pentathlete, the 1956 and 1964 Olympic Champion in the team competition.

Novikov launched for Armenian Dynamo Yerevan. After he had become Armenian national swimming champion, he began in 1950 with the modern pentathlon. In 1953 he won his first Soviet Championship title; 1956, 1959 and 1964 was followed by other victories in the Soviet Championship.

In the 1956 Olympics he finished fourth in the individual standings. In the team competition, he won his first Olympic gold medal. From 1957 to 1959 he won every year the world title in the individual and in the team competition. At the 1960 Olympics in Rome, he traveled as a huge favorite, but forgave the riding and shooting all the chances to win. In the end he was fifth Olympics. With the team he was clearly behind the Hungarians, who had the places 1, 2, and 4 is in the individual standings.

In 1961 he was again double world champion. In 1962, he defeated his teammate Eduard Sdobnikow in the individual standings, with the team, he became the fifth consecutive world champion. 1963 won the Hungarians in the team competition and András Ferenc Török Balczó and secured gold and silver in the individual competition. Novikov won the bronze medal in the individual competition and silver with the team.

At the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964 Balczó was not at the start, Ferenc Török won gold before Novikov. In the team competition, the Hungarians fell back through their weak third man in third place, while Novikov won with his team gold against the Americans. His last major international appearance as Active Novikov had at the World Championships in 1965. In the individual competition, he won silver behind Balczó and the team fought for silver behind the Hungarians.

After his career Novikov built in Yerevan on a sports school, which he headed for long. His sport he remained connected as a functionary: In the 1970s, he became Vice President of the World Federation Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne Union ( UIPM ) from 1988 to 1992, Novikov UIPM President.

Novikov died on 30 August 2007 in Saint Petersburg.