Vladimir Smirnov
Vladimir Smirnov on 1 2007 stamp of Kazakhstan
Country Kazakhstan
 Sweden[1]
Full nameVladimir Mikhaylovich Smirnov
Born (1964-03-07) 7 March 1964
Shuchinsk, Kokchetav Oblast, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Ski clubStockviks SF
World Cup career
Seasons16 – (1983–1998)
Individual wins30
Team wins2
Indiv. podiums66
Team podiums8
Indiv. starts132
Team starts14
Overall titles2 – (1991, 1994)
Discipline titles0
Medal record
Representing the  Soviet Union
Representing  Kazakhstan
Men's cross-country skiing
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 1 4 2
World Championships 4 4 3
Total 5 8 5
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1994 Lillehammer50 km classical
Silver medal – second place1988 Calgary30 km classical
Silver medal – second place1988 Calgary4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place1994 Lillehammer10 km classical
Silver medal – second place1994 Lillehammer10 km + 15 km 
 combined pursuit
Bronze medal – third place1988 Calgary15 km classical
Bronze medal – third place1998 Nagano10 km + 15 km 
 combined pursuit
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1989 Lahti30 km classical
Gold medal – first place1995 Thunder Bay10 km classical
Gold medal – first place1995 Thunder Bay10 km + 15 km 
 combined pursuit
Gold medal – first place1995 Thunder Bay30 km classical
Silver medal – second place1987 Oberstdorf4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place1991 Val di Fiemme30 km classical
Silver medal – second place1993 Falun10 km classical
Silver medal – second place1993 Falun10 km + 15 km 
 combined pursuit
Bronze medal – third place1991 Val di Fiemme15 km freestyle
Bronze medal – third place1993 Falun30 km classical
Bronze medal – third place1995 Thunder Bay50 km freestyle
Junior World Championships
Gold medal – first place1983 Kuopio3 × 5 km relay
Gold medal – first place1984 Trondheim3 × 5 km relay
Silver medal – second place1983 Kuopio15 km
Silver medal – second place1984 Trondheim15 km
Bronze medal – third place1982 Murau15 km
Bronze medal – third place1982 Murau3 × 5 km relay
Asian Winter Games
Gold medal – first place 1999 Gangwon15 km classical
Gold medal – first place1999 Gangwon4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place1999 Gangwon30 km freestyle

Vladimir Mikhaylovich Smirnov (Russian: Влади́мир Миха́йлович Смирно́в; born 7 March 1964) is a Kazakh former cross-country skier of Russian descent who raced from the 1982 until 1991 for the USSR and, later, for Kazakhstan. He is the first Olympic champion from independent Kazakhstan and the most decorated Olympian in history of Kazakhstan. He is also a vice president of the International Biathlon Union. Smirnov is a former member of International Olympic Committee.[2]

Early life

Smirnov was born to Russian parents in Shchuchinsk, Kazakh SSR.[3] During the Soviet period, he trained at the Armed Forces sports society in Alma-Ata.

Career

Smirnov in 1994

Smirnov made his debut in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup on 18 December 1982 at Davos in a 15 km race, finishing in a 17th place. His first victory came in 1986, a classic style 15 km in Kavgolovo (URS). Smirnov gained a total of 30 victories in the World Cup, with 21 second and 15 third places. In 1994, he won the aggregate World Cup, thanks to seven victories in the course of the season.

At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships from 1987 to 1997, Smirnov totalled four gold (1989: 30 km, 1995: 10 km, 10 km + 15 km combined pursuit, 30 km), four silver (1987: 4x10 km, 1991: 30 km, 1993: 10 km, 10 km + 15 km combined pursuit) and three bronze medals (1991: 15 km, 1993: 30 km, 1995: 50 km). His best result was in Thunder Bay, Ontario (1995), when he won three events.

In 1994, he received the Holmenkollen Medal (shared with Lyubov Yegorova and Espen Bredesen). Smirnov also won twice at the Holmenkollen ski festival with a 15 km win in 1994 and a 50 km win in 1995.

A very regular and effective cross-country skier, especially in long-distance classic style races, Smirnov took part to the Winter Olympics from 1988 to 1998. His best known victory was the 50 km gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, the first Olympic gold medal for Kazakhstan. He was one of the leading characters of that Olympics, as his unending rivalry with home ever-winning Bjørn Dæhlie had gained him the affection of the Norwegian audience. He also became good friends with his rival Dæhlie, even participating with Dæhlie in several popular Norwegian TV shows.

In 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, Smirnov was flag-bearer of Kazakhstan Olympic team and won the bronze medal in the 15 km pursuit event.[2]

Smirnov headed the bid committee to have Almaty, Kazakhstan, host the 2014 Winter Olympics, a bid that failed to make the short list that was announced by the International Olympic Committee on 22 June 2006.[2] In 2011, Smirnov participated at the opening ceremony of 2011 Asian Winter Games in Astana.

Personal life

Smirnov moved to Sweden in 1991 and lives in the city of Sundsvall, where he was a co-founder and co-owner of a local brewery. He is married to Valentina Smirnova, and they have two daughters – Anna and Karolina. He became a Swedish citizen in 1998.[1] Smirnov speaks four languages: Russian, German, English and Swedish.[4]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[5]

Olympic Games

  • 7 medals – (1 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze)
 Year   Age   10 km   15 km   Pursuit   30 km  50 km   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
198823—Bronze—Silver—Silver
19922713—89355
199429Silver—Silver10Gold—
1998334—Bronze128—

World Championships

  • 11 medals – (4 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze)
 Year   Age   10 km   15 km 
 classical 		  15 km 
 freestyle 		  Pursuit   30 km   50 km   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
198520—16————6
198722—5————Silver
198924—10——Gold215
199126——Bronze—Silver—5
199328Silver——SilverBronze21—
199530Gold——GoldGoldBronze—
1997324——84219—

World Cup

Season titles

  • 2 titles – (2 overall)
Season
Discipline
1991Overall
1994Overall

Season standings

 Season   Age 
Overall Long Distance Sprint
19831959——
19842031——
19852130——
1986223rd place, bronze medalist(s)——
1987235——
1988245——
1989255——
1990267——
1991271st place, gold medalist(s)——
1992283rd place, bronze medalist(s)——
1993292nd place, silver medalist(s)——
1994301st place, gold medalist(s)——
1995312nd place, silver medalist(s)——
1996322nd place, silver medalist(s)——
19973393rd place, bronze medalist(s)37
1998343rd place, bronze medalist(s)43rd place, bronze medalist(s)

Individual podiums

  • 30 victories
  • 66 podiums
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
1 1983–84 23 March 1984Soviet Union Murmansk, Soviet Union15 km IndividualWorld Cup2nd
2 1985–86 8 December 1985Canada Labrador City, Canada15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
31 January 1986France La Bresse, France30 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
423 February 1986Soviet Union Kavgolovo, Soviet Union15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
5 1986–87 13 December 1986Italy Cogne, Italy15 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
620 December 1986Switzerland Davos, Switzerland30 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
71987–889 January 1988Soviet Union Kavgolovo, Soviet Union30 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
815 February 1988Canada Calgary, Canada30 km Individual COlympic Games[1]2nd
919 February 198815 km Individual COlympic Games[1]3rd
10 1988–89 7 January 1989Soviet Union Kavgolovo, Soviet Union15 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
1118 February 1989Finland Lahti, Finland30 km Individual CWorld Championships[1]1st
121989–9025 February 1990West Germany Reit im Winkl, West Germany30 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
1310 March 1990Sweden Örnsköldsvik, Sweden30 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
14 1990–91 9 December 1990Austria Tauplitzalm, Austria10 km + 15 km Individual C/FWorld Cup2nd
1515 December 1990Switzerland Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
1619 December 1990France Les Saisies, France30 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
175 January 1991Soviet Union Minsk, Soviet Union15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
187 February 1991Italy Val di Fiemme, Italy30 km Individual CWorld Championships[1]2nd
199 February 199115 km Individual FWorld Championships[1]3rd
203 March 1991Finland Lahti, Finland30 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
21 1991–92 7 December 1991Canada Silver Star, Canada10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
224 January 1992Russia Kavgolovo, Russia30 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
237 March 1992Sweden Funäsdalen, Sweden30 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
24 1992–93 12 December 1992Austria Ramsau, Austria10 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
2513 December 199215 km Pursuit CWorld Cup3rd
2618 December 1992Italy Val di Fiemme, Italy30 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
2716 January 1993Slovenia Bohinj, Slovenia15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
2820 February 1993Sweden Falun, Sweden30 km Individual CWorld Championships[1]3rd
2922 February 199310 km Individual CWorld Championships[1]2nd
3024 February 199315 km Pursuit FWorld Championships[1]2nd
317 March 1993Finland Lahti, Finland30 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
321993–9411 December 1993Italy Santa Caterina, Italy30 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
3321 December 1993Italy Toblach, Italy10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
3421 December 199315 km Pursuit FWorld Cup1st
359 January 1994Russia Kavgolovo, Russia15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
3615 January 1994Norway Oslo, Norway15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
3717 February 1994Norway Lillehammer, Norway10 km Individual COlympic Games[1]2nd
3819 February 199415 km Pursuit FOlympic Games[1]2nd
3927 February 199450 km Individual COlympic Games[1]1st
405 March 1994Finland Lahti, Finland15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
41 1994–95 27 November 1994Sweden Kiruna, Sweden10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
4220 December 1994Italy Sappada, Italy10 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
4327 January 1995Finland Lahti, Finland15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
4429 January 199515 km Pursuit CWorld Cup1st
454 February 1995Sweden Falun, Sweden30 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
4611 February 1995Norway Oslo, Norway50 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
479 March 1995Canada Thunder Bay, Canada30 km Individual CWorld Championships[1]1st
4811 March 199510 km Individual CWorld Championships[1]1st
4913 March 199515 km Pursuit FWorld Championships[1]1st
5019 March 199550 km Individual FWorld Championships[1]3rd
5125 March 1995Japan Sapporo, Japan15 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
521995–9626 November 1995Finland Vuokatti, Finland10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
539 December 1995Switzerland Davos, Switzerland30 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
5413 December 1995Italy Brusson, Italy15 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
5516 December 1995Italy Santa Caterina, Italy10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
5617 December 199515 km Pursuit FWorld Cup3rd
579 January 1996Slovakia Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia50 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
5813 January 1996Czech Republic Nové Město, Czech Republic15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
5910 February 1996Russia Kavgolovo, Russia15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
6024 February 1996Norway Trondheim, Norway30 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
619 March 1996Sweden Falun, Sweden10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
6210 March 199615 km Pursuit CWorld Cup1st
631996–9719 January 1997Finland Lahti, Finland30 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
64 1997–98 22 November 1997Norway Beitostølen, Norway10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
6513 December 1997Italy Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
668 March 1998Finland Lahti, Finland30 km Individual CWorld Cup1st

Team podiums

  • 2 victories
  • 8 podiums
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates
1 1986–87 17 February 1987West Germany Oberstdorf, West Germany4 × 10 km Relay FWorld Championships[1]2ndBatyuk / Devyatyarov / Sakhnov
2 1987–88 24 February 1988Canada Calgary, Canada4 × 10 km Relay FOlympic Games[1]2ndSakhnov / Devyatyarov / Prokurorov
3 1988–89 5 March 1989Norway Oslo, Norway4 × 10 km Relay FWorld Cup2ndBadamshin / Sakhnov / Prokurorov
412 March 1989Sweden Falun, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay CWorld Cup1stBadamshin / Sakhnov / Prokurorov
5 1989–90 1 March 1990Finland Lahti, Finland4 × 10 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndBadamshin / Prokurorov / Botvinov
616 March 1990Norway Vang, Norway4 × 10 km Relay CWorld Cup3rdBadamshin / Golubev / Botvinov
71991–9228 February 1992Finland Lahti, Finland4 × 10 km Relay FWorld Cup1stKirilov / Botvinov / Prokurorov
88 March 1992Sweden Funäsdalen, Sweden4 × 10 km Relay CWorld Cup2ndKirilov / Botvinov / Prokurorov

Note: 1 Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Winter Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

References

  1. 1 2 Österberg, Tobias (15 December 1998). "Smirre blir svensk". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Vladimir Smirnov". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  3. ↑ "Владимир Смирнов объяснил, почему после распада СССР он решил выступать за Казахстан" [Vladimir Smirnov explained, why he decided to represent Kazakhstan after the dissolution of the Soviet Union]. sports.kz (in Russian). 2 April 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021. Я русский, но родился и вырос именно в Казахстане (I am a Russian, but I was born in Kazakhstan and grew up there)
  4. ↑ Владимир Смирнов: «И после спорта судьба продолжает мне улыбаться». skisport.ru (interview in Russian) 25 October 2008
  5. ↑ "SMIRNOV Vladimir". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 22 January 2018.

Further reading

  • Henry, Notaker (1994). Lillehammer 1994: A Fairy-Tale of Images. Oslo: Dreyers Forlag. ISBN 82-504-2145-0.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vladimir Smirnov (skier).
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.