The first performance of Soviet athletes at the Olympics. Moscow Olympiad
The USSR began to participate in the Winter Olympics only in 1956 at the Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The main triumphs of the team fell on the period 1956-1980s ...
Three recent Games- in Turin, Salt Lake City and Vancouver - the Russians did not even get into the top three (sixth, fifth and again sixth place). We offer you to get acquainted with the most successful winter Olympics in the history of the USSR.
Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 (Italy) 
When it took place: January 26 - February 5, 1956
Sets played: 24
Won: 16 medals - seven gold, three silver and six bronze 
The first Olympics, to which the USSR national team arrived, in total, 32 countries participated in it, represented by 821 athletes. The Soviet team took first place in the team standings - both in terms of the total number of medals and in gold awards. 
the first gold medal skier Lyubov Kozyreva won the women's ten-kilometer race. The men's ski team won the 4x10 km relay. 
The protagonists of the Games were the skaters, who overtook the recognized favorites - the Norwegians. Evgeny Grishin became a two-time Olympic champion at distances of 500 and 1500 m, Yuri Mikhailov (1500 m) and Boris Shilakov (5000 m) took the gold. 
The USSR national hockey team won all the matches, including over the teams of Canada (2:0) and the USA (4:0). best player hockey tournament was recognized Vsevolod Bobrov.
Squaw Valley 1960 (USA) 
When it took place: February 18 - 28, 1960
Sets played: 27
Won: 21 medals - seven gold, five silver and nine bronze 
In 1960, a series of postage stamps dedicated to the Winter Olympics was issued in the USSR for the first time, the opening ceremony of which was prepared by Walt Disney. Due to the lack of a track, bobsleigh competitions were not held at the Games, but biathlon was included in the program for the first time. 
Soviet athletes outsold the hosts twice in number of medals won (the US had 10 medals, 3–4–3), setting a new record. Almost all the medals were taken by Soviet skaters - six gold, three silver and three bronze.
Evgeny Grishin (500 and 1500 m) and Lydia Skoblikova (world record in 1500 m and Olympic record in 3000 m) had two gold medals each. Victor Kosichkin (5000 m) and Clara Guseva (1000 m) also excelled. 
The only non-skating gold for the Soviet team was brought by skier Maria Gusakova, who won the 10 km race. The USSR national hockey team, already without Vsevolod Bobrov, but with Viktor Yakushev, took bronze.
Innsbruck 1964 
When it took place: January 29 - February 9, 1964
Sets played: 34
Won: 25 medals - 11 gold, eight silver and six bronze 
Competitions in Innsbruck were on the verge of failure due to an atypical thaw for the region. The organizers had to produce snow for ski slopes in mountain hollows to save the Olympics. First time participation in Winter Games hosted by China, India and Mongolia, in total there were athletes from 36 countries. 
Nine out of 12 medals among women were won by athletes of the USSR. Soviet skaters again became victors. Four gold medals were taken home by Lydia Skoblikova, who set three Olympic records. In men, the 1500m distance was won by Ants Antson. Soviet skiers took three gold medals, two of them - Claudia Boyarsky. Vladimir Melanin, who won the 20 km race, won the first gold among biathletes. 
In competitions sports couples V figure skating gold medals for the first time went to the USSR thanks to Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov. The hockey team with the Mayorov brothers and Vyacheslav Starshinov won all the matches of the tournament.
Sapporo 1972 (Japan) 
When it took place: February 3 - 13, 1972
Sets played: 35
Won: 16 medals - eight gold, five silver and three bronze 
At the games in Grenoble in 1968, the Soviet team lost first place to the Norwegians, so it was decided to approach the Games in Sapporo (for the first time in Asia) in the USSR with all responsibility. As a result, Soviet athletes surpassed their rivals in the number of gold medals won - eight against four for the teams of the GDR (4-3-7), Switzerland (4-3-3) and the Netherlands (4-3-2). 
The main hero of Sapporo-1972 was the Soviet skier Galina Kulakova (three gold medals). Skier Vyacheslav Vedenin added bright gold in the relay to gold and bronze. At the last stage of the 10 km distance, he played a minute and was ahead of his rival from Norway by nine seconds. The men's biathlon relay team also won gold. 
The duo of Irina Rodnina and Alexei Ulanov took first place in the competition of sports couples among figure skaters. 
The main medal of the Games was won by the hockey team with Vladislav Tretiak, Igor Ramishevsky, Valery Kharlamov, Alexander Maltsev, Anatoly Firsov, Alexander Yakushev, Vladimir Petrov and Boris Mikhailov.
Innsbruck 1976 (Austria) 
When it took place: February 4 - 14, 1976
Sets played: 34
Won: 27 medals - 13 gold, six silver and eight bronze
The USSR national team scored a record total of points in the history of the Winter Olympics - 192. The second-placed athletes from the GDR took 135 points and 19 medals (7-5-7). Team USA finished third with 73 points, ten medals (3–3–4). 
USSR national team at the opening ceremony of the XII Winter Olympic Games
In Innsbruck 1976, ice dancing first appeared in the figure skating competition program. The gold medal in this event was won by Soviet figure skaters Lyudmila Pakhomova and Alexander Gorshkov. Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev won again in pair skating. 
The USSR national hockey team, which included Tretyak, Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov and Yakushev, once again proved to be the strongest at the Olympics. 
Skiers won four gold medals: Nikolay Bazhukov (15 kilometers), Sergey Savelyev (30 kilometers), Raisa Smetanina (10 kilometers) and the relay team (Nina Baldycheva, Zinaida Amosova, Raisa Smetanina, Galina Kulakova). 
In speed skating, four out of nine gold medals were won by Soviet athletes. Biathlete Nikolai Kruglov won the individual 20 km race, adding personal gold to team gold in the relay.
Lake Placid 1980 (USA) 
When it took place: February 13 - 24, 1980
Sets played: 38
Won: 22 medals - 10 gold, six silver and six bronze 
Lake Placid hosted for the second time since 1932 winter Olympics. Organization failed: many sports objects were not completed, the athletes had to live in a prison building, for the first time in history, artificial snow was used, as the organizers could not stock up on real snow. 
The USSR national team won the unofficial medal standings, but lost to the GDR, which won one award more - 23 medals (9–7–7).
Skiers took four gold medals at once, and three of them were young Nikolai Zamyatov, who became the main sensation of the Olympics. The athlete unexpectedly won the 30 and 50 km races and contributed to the relay. At a distance of 5 km, Raisa Smetanina again excelled. In luge, Vera Zozulya won the first gold in singles. 
Irina Rodnina, paired with Alexander Zaitsev, took her third consecutive gold medal in the sports couples competition. Among the dance duets, Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov excelled. 
Biathletes won two gold medals - in Anatoly Alyabyev (20 km race) and in the relay. Alexander Tikhonov, who took part in it, took Olympic gold in the relay for the fourth time in a row.
Calgary 1988 (Canada) 
When it took place: February 13 - 28, 1988
Sets played: 46
Won: 29 medals - 11 gold, nine silver and nine bronze 
Canadian Calgary won the Olympics on the seventh attempt. Here, the USSR national team won the unofficial team standings, slightly ahead of their rivals from the GDR (25 medals: 9–10–6).
In Calgary, Soviet skiers especially distinguished themselves - they won 15 medals, five of them gold. In women, in addition to the relay squad, which was 1.5 minutes ahead of the Norwegians, Vida Vintsen (10 km) and Tamara Tikhonova (20 km) took gold. 
In men, Aleksey Prokurorov (30 km) and Mikhail Devetyarov (15 km) excelled. In biathlon, Soviet athletes won four medals out of nine possible. Janis Kipurs and Vladimir Kozlov presented a sensation in the bobsleigh competitions, who in the “two” managed to surpass the masters from the GDR. 
In figure skating, Soviet athletes again had no equal. In ice dancing, Natalya Bestemyanova and Andrey Bukin were the best. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko were second. Among sports duets, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergey Grinkov celebrated the victory, Elena Valova and Oleg Vasilyev took second place. 
Vyacheslav Fetisov, Alexander Kozhevnikov, Alexei Kasatonov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Krutov, Valery Kamensky, Vyacheslav Bykov and Alexander Mogilny became Olympic champions in hockey.
Russian and Soviet athletes took part in the Winter Olympics 15 times. The first winter medal for Russia was won by figure skater Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin in London in 1908. The USSR began to participate in the Winter Olympics only in 1956 at the Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo . The main triumphs of the team fell on the period 1956-1980s. At the last three Games - in Turin, Salt Lake City and Vancouver - the Russians did not even get into the top three (sixth, fifth and sixth place again). The most successful Winter Olympics in the history of the USSR and Russia are in this gallery.
Cortina d "Ampezzo (Italy)
Sets played out: 24
Won: 16 medals - seven gold, three silver and six bronze
The first Olympics, to which the USSR national team arrived, in total, 32 countries participated in it, represented by 821 athletes. The Soviet team took first place in the team standings - both in terms of the total number of medals and gold awards.
Skier Lyubov Kozyreva won the first gold medal in the women's ten-kilometer race. The men's ski team won the 4x10 km relay.
The protagonists of the Games were the skaters, who overtook the recognized favorites - the Norwegians. Evgeny Grishin became a two-time Olympic champion at distances of 500 and 1500 m, Yuri Mikhailov (1500 m) and Boris Shilakov (5000 m) took the gold. The USSR national hockey team won all the matches, including over the teams of Canada (2:0) and the USA (4:0). Vsevolod Bobrov was recognized as the best player of the hockey tournament.
Squaw Valley (USA)
Sets played: 27
Won: 21 medals - seven gold, five silver and nine bronze
In 1960, a series of postage stamps dedicated to the Winter Olympics was issued in the USSR for the first time, the opening ceremony of which was prepared by Walt Disney. Due to the lack of a track, bobsleigh competitions were not held at the Games, but biathlon was included in the program for the first time.
Soviet athletes outsold the hosts twice in number of medals won (the US had 10 medals - 3-4-3), setting a new record. Almost all the medals were taken by Soviet skaters - six gold, three silver and three bronze. Evgeny Grishin (500 and 1500 m) and Lydia Skoblikova (world record at a distance of 1500 m and Olympic record at a distance of 3000 m) had two gold medals each. Victor Kosichkin (5000 m) and Clara Guseva (1000 m) also excelled. The only non-skating gold for the Soviet team was brought by skier Maria Gusakova, who won the 10 km race. The USSR national hockey team, already without Vsevolod Bobrov, but with Viktor Yakushev, took bronze.
Innsbruck (Austria)
Sets played: 34
Won: 25 medals - 11 gold, eight silver and six bronze
Competitions in Innsbruck were on the verge of failure due to an atypical thaw for the region. The organizers had to get snow for ski slopes in mountain hollows in order to save the Olympics. For the first time, China, India and Mongolia took part in the Winter Games, in total there were athletes from 36 countries.
Nine out of 12 medals among women were won by athletes of the USSR. Soviet skaters again became victors. Four gold medals were taken home by Lydia Skoblikova, who set three Olympic records. In men, the 1500m distance was won by Ants Antson. Soviet skiers took three gold medals, two of them - Klavdiya Boyarsky. Vladimir Melanin, who won the 20 km race, won the first gold among biathletes.
In figure skating couples competitions, the USSR won gold medals for the first time thanks to Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov. The hockey team with the Mayorov brothers and Vyacheslav Starshinov won all the matches of the tournament.
Sapporo (Japan)
Sets played: 35
Won: 16 medals - eight gold, five silver and three bronze
At the games in Grenoble in 1968, the Soviet team lost first place to the Norwegians, so it was decided to approach the Games in Sapporo (for the first time in Asia) in the USSR with all responsibility. As a result, Soviet athletes surpassed their rivals in the number of gold medals won - eight against four for the teams of the GDR (4-3-7), Switzerland (4-3-3) and the Netherlands (4-3-2).
The main hero of Sapporo-1972 was the Soviet skier Galina Kulakova (three gold medals). Skier Vyacheslav Vedenin added bright gold in the relay to gold and bronze. At the last stage of the 10 km distance, he played a minute and was ahead of his rival from Norway by nine seconds. The men's biathlon relay team also won gold.
The duo of Irina Rodnina and Alexei Ulanov took first place in the competition of sports couples among figure skaters. The main medal of the Games was won by the hockey team with Vladislav Tretiak, Igor Ramishevsky, Valery Kharlamov, Alexander Maltsev, Anatoly Firsov, Alexander Yakushev, Vladimir Petrov and Boris Mikhailov.
Innsbruck (Austria)
Sets played: 34
Won: 27 medals - 13 gold, six silver and eight bronze
The USSR national team scored a record total of points in the history of the Winter Olympics - 192. The athletes from the GDR, who were in second place, took 135 points and 19 medals (7-5-7). Team USA finished third with 73 points, ten medals (3-3-4).
In Innsbruck 1976, ice dancing first appeared in the figure skating competition program. The gold medal in this event was won by Soviet figure skaters Lyudmila Pakhomova and Alexander Gorshkov. Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev won again in pair skating.
The USSR national hockey team, which included Tretyak, Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov and Yakushev, once again proved to be the strongest at the Olympics.
Skiers won four gold medals: Nikolay Bazhukov (15 kilometers), Sergey Savelyev (30 kilometers), Raisa Smetanina (10 kilometers) and the relay team (Nina Baldycheva, Zinaida Amosova, Raisa Smetanina, Galina Kulakova). In speed skating, four out of nine gold medals were won by Soviet athletes. Biathlete Nikolai Kruglov won the individual 20 km race, adding personal gold to team gold in the relay.
Lake Placid (USA)
Sets played: 38
Won: 22 medals - 10 gold, six silver and six bronze
Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics for the second time since 1932. The organization failed: many sports facilities were not completed, the athletes had to live in a prison building, for the first time in history, artificial snow was used, as the organizers could not stock up on real snow.
The USSR national team won the unofficial medal standings, but lost to the GDR, which won one more award - 23 medals (9-7-7).
Skiers took four gold medals at once, and three of them were young Nikolai Zamyatov, who became the main sensation of the Olympics. The athlete unexpectedly won the 30 and 50 km races and contributed to the relay. At a distance of 5 km, Raisa Smetanina again excelled. In luge, Vera Zozulya won the first gold in singles. Irina Rodnina, paired with Alexander Zaitsev, took her third consecutive gold medal in the sports couples competition. Among the dance duets, Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov excelled.
Biathletes won two gold medals - in Anatoly Alyabyev (20 km race) and in the relay. Alexander Tikhonov, who took part in it, took Olympic gold in the relay for the fourth time in a row.
Calgary (Canada)
Sets played: 46
Won: 29 medals - 11 gold, nine silver and nine bronze
Canadian Calgary won the Olympics on the seventh attempt. Here, the USSR national team won the unofficial team standings, slightly ahead of rivals from the GDR (25 medals: 9-10-6).
In Calgary, Soviet skiers especially distinguished themselves - they won 15 medals, five of them gold. In women, in addition to the relay squad, which was 1.5 minutes ahead of the Norwegians, Vida Vintsen (10 km) and Tamara Tikhonova (20 km) took gold. In men, Aleksey Prokurorov (30 km) and Mikhail Devetyarov (15 km) excelled. In biathlon, Soviet athletes won four medals out of nine possible. Janis Kipurs and Vladimir Kozlov presented a sensation in the bobsleigh competitions, who in the “two” managed to surpass the masters from the GDR.
In figure skating, Soviet athletes again had no equal. In ice dancing, Natalya Bestemyanova and Andrey Bukin were the best. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko were second. Among sports duets, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergey Grinkov celebrated the victory, Elena Valova and Oleg Vasilyev took second place.
Vyacheslav Fetisov, Alexander Kozhevnikov, Alexei Kasatonov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Krutov, Valery Kamensky, Vyacheslav Bykov and Alexander Mogilny became Olympic champions in hockey.
Lillehammer (Norway)
Sets played: 61
Won: 23 medals - 11 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze
The first and so far the last Winter Olympic Games that the Russian team won. 1923 athletes from 67 countries of the world took part in the competition, which was a record. However, this achievement is conditional and was due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Norway lost to Russia in the number of gold medals, but surpassed in the total number - 25 awards (10-11-5). But if you add up all the awards of the former Soviet republics that participated in the 1994 Games, then the victory is unconditional - 31 medals (14-12-5).
Three gold medals were brought by biathletes. Sergey Chepikov and Sergey Tarasov won the sprint and individual race, the women's relay team was more than four minutes ahead of their rivals from Germany. Lyubov Egorova won three gold medals in the 5 and 10 km races and in the women's relay.
In men's figure skating, Lillehammer was conquered by Alexei Urmanov. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergey Grinkov were again the first in the sports couples competition, and Oksana Grischuk and Evgeny Platov won gold in ice dancing. The competition came to an abrupt end speed skating- no one expected gold medals from Alexander Golubev (500 meters) and Svetlana Bazhanova (3 thousand meters).
Source
Gradually, confidence appeared that the USSR national team could successfully compete with Western athletes and win. Due to the closeness of the Soviet state, its isolation from Western countries, the development of professional sports was complicated, many training methods had to be developed independently, without relying on world experience. In the first Olympics, Soviet athletes won in those sports that did not require special technical devices - skiing and speed skating. At the same time, Russian hockey had a rich history, and, as Canadians admitted, many of the techniques used by our hockey players were incomprehensible to them. Western athletes specially studied our method of play.
Over time, the leadership of the USSR had to deal with the development of the material and technical base for Olympic reserve, to buy abroad for them everything that was not produced in the Soviet Union.
In total, from 1952 to 1988, the USSR took part in 18 winter and summer Olympics, and during this period our team never dropped below second place.
The only time (in 1980) Summer Olympics took place in the Soviet Union. Then, in all the sports represented (21), Soviet athletes won medals, and our team took the lead in the medal standings. America, Germany, Japan and dozens of other Western countries boycotted this Olympics, thus protesting against the invasion of Soviet troops in Afghanistan.
Moscow 1980
Probably everyone knows what the Olympic Games are, many love and appreciate them. Each time, huge crowds of spectators and many athletes gather for the next games. Participation in the Olympic Games is a major achievement for every athlete. For Russia, the Olympic Games are an important part of the cultural heritage, because the USSR for the entire time of its participation in the Olympic Games was in the lead in the overall standings of the games, Soviet athletes won first places, set records and remained the best athletes in the world, competing only with the United States.
The Olympic Games have been around since antiquity. In the 19th century, known for its reverent attitude to ancient times, the idea arose to revive the Olympic Games. The idea was that people would be able to compete and fight peacefully by participating in sports and not on the battlefield. This idea belonged to the French baron - Pierre de Coubertin. Thanks to him, in 1894 the International Olympic Committee was founded, the model of the Olympic Games was created and the rules were approved. We can say that it was thanks to the enthusiasm of this man that the first Olympic Games of our time were held in 1896.
Cortina D'Ampezzo 1956
As you know, the Olympic Games are held every four years. Since 1924, the Winter Olympic Games have also been held, although in 1994 the timing of their holding was shifted by two years relative to summer games.
In the USSR, the Olympic Games were held only once in 1980 in Moscow. The mascot of these XXII Summer Games was Olympic bear. And the XXII Winter Olympic Games of 2014 in Sochi are being held for the first time in Russia.
Olympic Games in the USSR
The USSR is a mighty sports powerAs you know, the USSR as a country appeared on political maps in 1922. Back in 1920, Vsevobuch (universal military training) as an organization, the USSR tried to send a delegation to the Olympic Games, but nothing happened, because European countries avoided and ignored the USSR as best they could. And only after the end of the Second World War, the USSR became a participant in the Olympic Games. In 1951 it was organized Olympic Committee USSR and accepted into the IOC.
For the first time the USSR took part in the Olympic Games in 1952 in Helsinki. The USSR team consisted of 295 participants. The first participation - and immediately took 2nd place in the overall standings of the games. Nina Ponomareva Romashkina became the first Olympic champion of the USSR. She took the gold medal in the track and field discus throwing competition, setting a record of 51.42 m. In total, the Soviet Union team won 22 gold medals, 30 silver and 19 bronze.
USSR Olympic football team 1956
In 1956, the city of Cortina d'Apmezzo hosted the Winter Olympic Games, in which the USSR also participated for the first time. Then our country won a confident victory in the overall standings of the games - 16 medals were taken, of which 7 were gold. Several Soviet athletes became Olympic champions: speed skaters Boris Shilkov and Yuri Mikhailov (distance 500 m and 1500 m), skier Lyubov Kozyreva (10 km race), speed skater Evgeny Grishin - became the champion twice (500 m and 1500 m), as well as the men's ski the USSR national team and the USSR national ice hockey team.
The 1960 Olympic Games, held in Rome, were just as successful for the USSR. The USSR national team took first place both in the total number of awards and in the number of all medals. For example, in the competition gymnastics, Soviet athletes took 15 out of 16 medals. famous Olympic champion Larisa Latynina won 6 awards in 1960. In total, the Soviet Union received 103 medals, of which 43 were gold.
The 1964 and 1968 Olympics also brought the Soviet Union 2nd place. At the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, 96 medals were won, of which 30 were gold, and at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, 91 medals were won, of which 29 were gold.
Between 1952 and 1968, about 28 Soviet athletes became Olympic champions.
The 1972 Olympics in Sapporo was a difficult task for Soviet athletes: by the 50th anniversary of the USSR, they had to win 50 gold medals and overtake the United States in the number of medals. It's hard to imagine, but the athletes fulfilled these requirements - they took exactly 50 gold medals! Eight Soviet athletes became the winners of the Olympic Games. Anatoly Bondarchuk set a new hammer throw record, Lyudmila Bragina started three times at a distance of 1500 meters and improved the world record all three times, Nikolai Avilov set a world record in the decathlon.
The 1976 Summer Olympics, held in Montreal, again brought the USSR 1st place and as many as 125 medals, of which 49 were gold.
olympiad 1980 in Moscow
In 1980, the XXII Summer Olympic Games were held in Moscow. But they were boycotted by more than 50 countries due to the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan in 1979. Nevertheless, some athletes from these countries came to the Olympics on their own. In total, 80 countries took part in the Moscow Olympiad. The USSR once again took 1st place, taking 195 medals, of which as many as 80 gold. Alexander Dityatin succeeded in something that no other participant in gymnastics has ever managed to do - he took 8 medals in 8 types of competitions. Alexander Melentiev set a world record in 50m pistol shooting, which no one has been able to beat for 30 years.
The XXIII Summer Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles were boycotted by the USSR in response to the US boycott of the Moscow Olympic Games.
Seoul 1988 Olympics
The 1988 Olympic Games were held in Seoul. These were the last Olympic Games for the USSR in history. At that time, the USSR again took first place, collecting 132 medals, of which 55 were gold.
For the entire period of the USSR's participation in the Olympic Games, 44 Soviet athletes became Olympic champions who received 3 or more gold medals. Soviet athletes took part in 18 Olympic Games (9 summer and 9 winter) and each time demonstrated incredible sports achivments, excellent training, set world records. The USSR has always been in the lead in the overall standings and has never dropped below 2nd place. The USSR took 2nd place in the number of medals in the history of the Olympic Games - 1204 medals, of which as many as 473 gold. They were really the best, strong in both body and spirit, athletes who never lost and always proudly glorified their country.
Mankind did not remember the Olympic Games until 1920... And in Soviet Russia they "forgot" about them for almost forty years!
In the first post-war years, serious transformations began in our sport. Interest in youth sports grew, intensive training of coaches began, sports science developed, leading athletes began to receive state support. And all this taken together immediately led to success at the World and European Championships. Our sport is at the forefront.
Look at Olympic competitions changed after the victory over fascism in 1945. Relations with the leading capitalist countries, although not for long, improved. And the Soviet leaders decided to participate in the 1952 Games. They were to be held in Helsinki.
Helsinki, Finland, Games of the XV Olympiad, 1952.About 5 thousand athletes from 69 countries participated. The USSR team (about 300 people) participated in the Olympic Games for the first time. Soviet gymnast Viktor Chukarin became the hero of the games (4 gold and 2 silver awards). Unexpectedly for sports world USSR athletes shared with the US team team championship in the informal listing.
Melbourne, Australia, Games of the XVI Olympiad, 1956.More than 3,000 athletes from 68 countries took part. Soviet athlete Vladimir Kuts won at distances of 5000 m and 10000 m (with Olympic record) and was recognized as the best athlete. Gymnast Larisa Latynina became the record holder of the Games in terms of the number of awards won. She won in four types of gymnastic program. Soviet athletes won largest number gold (37), silver (29) and bronze (32) medals.
Rome, Italy, Games of the XVII Olympiad, 1960.More than 5 thousand athletes from 84 countries participated. Soviet heavyweight Yuri Vlasov was recognized as one of the best athletes of the Games. Once again, the USSR team overtook the US team in the unofficial team standings.
Tokyo, Japan, Games of the XVIII Olympiad, 1964.More than 5 thousand athletes participated. First Olympic Games in Asia. Soviet rower Vyacheslav Ivanov won the gold medal at the third Olympics in a row. Valery Popenchenko was recognized as the most technical boxer of the Games (2nd average weight). The USSR team took 1st place in the unofficial team standings.
Mexico City, Mexico, Games of the XIX Olympiad, 1968.More than 5.5 thousand athletes from 112 countries participated. Athlete Viktor Saneev set a world record in the triple jump, 17 m 39 cm. According to the number of gold awards of the USSR, he is in second place (first place - USA, third - GDR).
Munich, Germany, Games of the XX Olympiad, 1972.More than 7 thousand athletes from 121 countries participated. The most sensational results: the victory of the USSR basketball players in the final over the US team that had not previously lost at the Olympic Games; two gold medals by the Soviet sprinter Valery Borzov at distances of 100 m and 200 m. The Soviet team won a record number of gold medals - 50!
Montreal, Canada, Games of the XXI Olympiad, 1976.More than 6 thousand athletes from 88 countries participated. Among the heroes of the games are the Soviet gymnast Nikolai Andrianov, who interrupted the hegemony of the Japanese in the absolute championship; "most strong man planets in the 70s", heavyweight weightlifter Vasily Alekseev. Athletes of the USSR won the largest number of gold awards.
Moscow, USSR, Games XXII Olympics, 1980.5.5 thousand athletes from 81 countries participated. The hero of the games was the Soviet gymnast Alexander Dityatin (3 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals), the Soviet kayaker Vladimir Parfenovich also won three gold medals (no kayaker has ever achieved such a result in the history of the Olympics) and swimmer Vladimir Salnikov. In the unofficial general team standings of the USSR - 1st place.
Los Angeles, USA, Games of the XXIII Olympiad, 1984.About 7 thousand athletes from 140 countries participated. At the initiative of the USSR government, the Soviet Union refused to take part in the games.
seoul, South Korea, Games XXIV Olympics, 1988.Participated approx. 8.5 thousand athletes from 159 countries. In the unofficial team event, the first place was won by athletes of the USSR.
