Mark Midler

Mark Petrovich Midler (Russian Марк Петрович Мидлер; * September 24, 1931 in Moscow, † May 31, 2012 ) was a Soviet- Russian fencers and coaches. Midler was next to Yuri Sissikin and German Sveshnikov the only Soviet fencer, who was involved in all eight team gold medals at Olympics and World Championships from 1959 to 1966.

Career

Midler was a member of the Moscow University Sports Club Burewestnik. From 1951 to 1967 he fought internationally for the Soviet Union. At his first Olympic participation in 1952, he went to both the foil ( team and individual) and with the saber ( team), but different in all three competitions from an early stage. Four years later, in 1956 in Melbourne, he finished with the foil seventh place and with the foil - team, he retired in the quarterfinals of. His first international medal won Midler at the 1957 World Fencing Championships with silver in the individual standings behind Hungary Mihaly Fülöp, 1958 was followed by silver foil for the team. In the 1959 World Fencing Championships Midler won bronze in the individual standings in the team competition won the Soviet team. At the Olympic Games in 1960 was followed by a fifth place in the individual standings and winning the gold medal with the team. 1961 erfocht Midler at the World Fencing Championship again bronze medal in the individual competition as well as gold with the team. This was his last individual medal, with the team followed gold medals at the World Championships in 1962, 1963, 1965 and 1966, and in between he won gold at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. His last medal was awarded Midler in 1967 with silver at the World Fencing Championship in 1967.

After his career Midler was the coach of the Soviet and later the Russian team. The well in the Soviet Union revered Midler was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.