Grigori KOSYKH

Grigory Kosykh was the top pistol shooter of the World in the late 60s and early 70s. Kosykh won the free pistol event at the 1968 Olympics, and at the World Championships, he won eight gold medals and one bronze. He was World Champion in 1974 individual air pistol, in team free pistol in 1962, 1966, 1970 and 1974, in 1974 team center-fire pistol, in team air pistol in 1970 and 1974 and won bronze at the team center-fire pistol in 1970. At the European Championships, Kosykh won 13 gold, 6 silver and one bronze medal, winning individual titles in individual free pistol in 1965 and 1969, and individual air pistol in 1973,. Kosykh was an 18-time Soviet champion, including in individual free pistol in 1965, 1968 and 1975 and in individual air pistol in 1971 and 1976. Kosykh also set eight World records, the most important of which was his 572 in individual free pistol, set in 1969. Kosykh retired from sports in 1981 and later worked as a pistol shooting coach in Moscow.