Nikolay Smaga

Nikolai Jakowljewitsch Smaga (Russian Николай Яковлевич Смага, Ukrainian Mykola Smaha, born August 22, 1938 in Bobrowo, Sumy Oblast, † March 28, 1981 in Kiev ) was a Ukrainian -goers, who took for the Soviet Union. At a height of 1.80 meters his competition weight was 74 kilograms.

Nikolai Smaga belonged in the 1960s and early 1970s, the best -goers in the world.

He received his first international medal at the European Championships in Budapest in 1966, when he won the 20 km Walk behind Dieter Lindner from East Germany and his compatriot Volodymyr Holubnytschyj bronze. At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, he also won the bronze medal behind Holubnytschyj and local hero José Pedraza. Also at the European Championships 1969 in Athens Smaga won bronze, this time behind the Englishman Paul Nihill and the Romanians Leonida Caraiosifoglu.

In Helsinki at the European Championships in 1971, he then won his major title when he finished the race with a narrow margin against Gerhard Sperling from the GDR and before Paul Nihill. Add 1:27:20 hours he improved the Meisterschaftsbestzeit by Dieter Lindner by over two minutes. At the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972, he missed his second Olympic medal in fifth to one minute.

His best time in the 20 km walk of 1:25:49 hours he put up in 1968.

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