Yevgeny KULIKOV

Yevgeny Kulikov was the top sprinter in the World in the 1970s, and was the first to break the 38 second and the 37 second barrier in the 500. He first rose to prominence in 1975, when he won a silver at the World Sprint Championships. On 15 March 1975 Kulikov became the first athlete to skate a sub-38 second 500 m, clocking 37.99 in Medeo, and the next day lowered that record to 37.97. He won his only distance title at the 1975 Soviet All-around Championships in the 500 m, before lowering the World record further at the Soviet Sprint Championships, first clocking 37.20 and then 37.00 the next day. Kulikov won his first Soviet sprint title in 1975 with a new Sprint all-around record. After the 1975 season Kulikov was named the best speed skater in the World and was awarded the Oscar Mathiesen Trophy. In 1976 Kulikov won the Olympic 500 despite having a cold and fever that day. In 1976 he also broke his sixth World record in Medeo and won his second Soviet sprint title again with a new sprint all-around World record. Kulikov won his last medal – a bronze - at the 1977 World Sprint Championships and set his eighth World record in Medeo, in the 1,000 metres. Kulikov won his third and last Soviet sprint title in 1980 and also placed second in the 500 at the 1980 Winter Olympics, behind Eric Heiden. In 1981 Kulikov became the first athlete to skate a sub-37 second 500, setting his final world record with 36.91 at Medeo. After his competitive career ended Kulikov worked as a speed skating coach, and was the coach of the Soviet national team from 1982-84. Since 1995 he has worked as a chairman of the committee on physical culture and sports for the St. Petersburg government.

Personal Bests: 500 – 36.91 (1981); 1000 – 1:15.33 (1977); 1500 – 2:06.3 (1978).