18 Facts About Volodymyr Holubnychy

Volodymyr Stepanovych Holubnychy was a Soviet and Ukrainian race walker, who competed for the Soviet Union.

Volodymyr Holubnychy dominated the 20 kilometre race walk in the 1960s and 1970s, winning four Olympic medals from 1960 to 1972 and finishing seventh in 1976.

Volodymyr Holubnychy is regarded as one of the greatest race walkers of all time and competed at the Olympics on five occasions in 1960,1964,1968,1972 and 1976.

Volodymyr Holubnychy was born on 2 June 1936 and raised in Sumy, where he lived throughout his life.

Volodymyr Holubnychy was convinced to take up the sport of race walking by former Soviet Union weightlifting champion Zosima Petrovich who was one of his lecturers at the Kyiv Physical Education Institute.

Volodymyr Holubnychy had joined the Kyiv Physical Education Institute in 1953 with the intention of becoming a ski instructor.

Volodymyr Holubnychy rose to prominence after breaking the world record in men's 20 km in 1955 at the age of 19.

Volodymyr Holubnychy was believed to have afflicted with liver infection due to his malnourished childhood during World War II.

Volodymyr Holubnychy recovered successfully after undergoing rehabilitation for a year and returned to race walking.

Volodymyr Holubnychy reclaimed the world title in men's 20 km race walk in 1958 with a record time of 1:27:04; this record remained unbroken for nearly a decade.

Volodymyr Holubnychy became a member of the Soviet team in 1959.

Volodymyr Holubnychy clinched gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in the men's 20 km walk event on his Olympic debut which literally took everyone by surprise given his fifth place finish in a trial race which was held prior to the Olympic final.

Volodymyr Holubnychy was unable to defend his Olympic title in 20 km walk event at the 1964 Summer Olympics and had to settle for the bronze medal.

Volodymyr Holubnychy was past his prime when he competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics, which was his fifth and final Olympic appearance.

Volodymyr Holubnychy completed the race walk with a duration of 1:29:24 and was placed at seventh position in the final.

Volodymyr Holubnychy was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1960, the Order of the Badge of Honour in 1969 and the Medal "For Labour Valour" in 1972.

Volodymyr Holubnychy was inducted to the IAAF Hall of Fame on 15 September 2012.

Volodymyr Holubnychy died on 16 August 2021, two months after his 85th birthday.