Semyon Rzhishchin

Semyon Ivanovich Rschischtschin (Russian: Семён Иванович Ржищин, * February 15, 1933 in Troitsk in the Ryazan Oblast; † 27 December 1986) was a Russian athlete, who competed for the Soviet Union. He was third in the 1960 Olympic 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Rschischtschin 1955 won his first Soviet Championship title in 8:49,6 minutes. A year later, on 14 August 1956, he defended his title in Moscow in 8:39,8 minutes. He improved the world record of Poland Jerzy Chromik by 0.4 seconds, and was the very first steeplechaser at the time of 8:40 minutes. Only a month later the Hungarian Sándor Rozsnyói Rschischtschins world record undercut by four seconds. In the fast -finals at the Olympic Games in Melbourne both Rschischtschin and Rozsnyói were among the six runners who sprinted for the medals. The gold medal was won by Briton Chris Brasher before Rozsnyói and the Norwegian Ernst Larsen, behind the German Heinz Laufer took Rschischtschin in 8:44,6 the fifth place with a second behind second place.

1957 won Rschischtschin in 8:40,0 minutes for the third time the Soviet Championship title, this time he led at the end of the world top list. The UIE sports weeks of the Universiade the Eastern Bloc, he won in 8:50,2 minutes. On July 21, 1958 Rschischtschin hired the world record of 8:35,6 minutes at his fourth championship win in Tallinn. Only twelve days later, Jerzy Chromik improve that record by over three seconds. At the European Championships 1958 in Stockholm, only these two runners remained under 8:40 minutes; Chromik initially led the final lap significantly, but Rschischtschin came down to 0.6 seconds and won zoom in 8:38,8 seconds the silver medal.

His last Soviet championship titles won Rschischtschin 1959 in 8:42,4 minutes with 8:37,8 minutes he led at the end of the annual global leaderboard. In the Soviet Cup in 1960 Nikolay Sokolov won in 8:36,4 minutes with 0.2 seconds ahead Rschischtschin. At the Olympic Games in Rome pole Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak won ahead of Sokolow, Rschischtschin won in 8:42,2 minutes the bronze medal. In 1960, Rschischtschin the end on the fifth of annual global leaderboard, according to the season in 1961 he finished his sports career.

At a height of 1.73 m his competition weight was 64 kg.