Viktor RASHCHUPKIN

The apex of Viktor Rashchupkin’s career was undoubtedly the 1980 Olympics, where he won the discus gold medal. Before the Olympics, the 30-year-old engineering student from Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) was virtually unknown and the Olympics remained his only major international appearance. Taking up athletics and discus throwing at age 15, Rashchupkin trained most of his career without a coach, but still managed to work himself up to the Soviet national team in 1978, when he won his first medal, a silver, at the Soviet Championships. The next year, Rashchupkin won his only Soviet title and was selected for the Soviet Olympic team. In the Olympic final, Rashchupkin threw his personal best of 66.64 in round four to win Olympic gold. Rashchupkin retired from sports after the 1980 Olympics and later worked as an athletics coach in St. Petersburg.

Personal Best: DT – 66.64 (1980).