Career
Born in Sambir, Drohobych Oblast, Soviet Union, Borzov started his track and field career in 1968. He became a household name in the Track and Field circles after having won the sprint-double at the 1971 European Championships in Helsinki. He had already won the 100 m championship in 1969, when he equalled Armin Hary's nine year-old European record of 10.0 seconds.
At the 1972 Munich Olympics, two of the American favorites, Eddie Hart and Rey Robinson, missed the 100 m quarterfinals due to a misunderstanding about the starting time of the heats. Their times in the trials were both 9.9 with Eddie Hart just ahead. After Borzov had won the 100 m sprint with relative ease in a time of 10.14 seconds, the Americans promised they would beat Borzov in the 200 m competition.
However, with all three Americans in the final this time, Borzov won again in a great style. The picture, featuring Borzov winning the 200 m heats at the 1972 Summer Olympics was selected for the Voyager Golden Record and later launched into space aboard two Voyager spacecraft in 1977. However, the Americans won the 4x100 relay with the Soviets taking second place. Hart ran the anchor leg of that relay, and started his run just a fraction of a second behind Borzov. He passed him on his way to victory, providing some vindication for the individual 100m debacle.
Between the 1972 and the 1976 Olympics, Borzov spent more time on his studies and soccer. Still, this did not stop him from winning his third successive 100 m title at the European Championships in 1974. Rumours of a planned assassination attempt and his possible defection attempt surrounded his appearance at the Montreal Olympics. He finished third in the 100 m race, matching his 1972 finals time of 10.14, his fourth Olympic medal. In the 4 x 100 m relays, his team won another bronze.
A persisting injury forced Borzov to abandon his hopes to participate in his third Olympic Games. He ended his career in 1979. About that time, he married Ludmilla Tourischeva, a four-time Olympic champion in gymnastics.
Read more about this topic: Valeriy Borzov
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