Yuriy Sedykh

Yuriy Georgiyevich Sedykh (Ukrainian: Юрій Георгійович Сєдих; Russian: Ю́рий Гео́ргиевич Седы́х) (born 11 June 1955[1]) is a retired Soviet track and field athlete who represented the Soviet Union, specialising in the hammer throw. He was a World and Olympic Champion and holds the world record with a throw of 86.74 m. Named as a ‘huge steroid abuser’ by Russian doping whistleblower Dr Grigory Rodchenkov in his 2020 book The Rodchenkov Affair[2] he vigorously denies any use of illegal substances.

Yuriy Sedykh
Personal information
Native nameЮ́рий Гео́ргиевич Седы́х
Full nameYuriy Georgiyevich Sedykh
NationalityRussian
Born (1955-06-11) 11 June 1955
Novocherkassk, Rostov Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Years active1976–1993
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight110 kg (243 lb)
Spouse(s)Natalya Lisovskaya
Sport
Country Soviet Union (1976–1991)
 Ukraine (1992–1995)
SportMen's athletics
Event(s)Hammer throw
Turned pro1976
Retired1993
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)86.74 m (1986)WR

Career

Sedykh began athletics in 1967, his first trainer being Vladimir Ivanovich Volovik.[3] He trained at Burevestnik and later at the Armed Forces sports society in Kiev (Sedykh attained the rank of major in the Soviet Army). From 1972 he was coached by Anatoliy Bondarchuk, who is widely regarded as one of the best hammer coaches in the world. In 1973 he became a member of the USSR National Junior Team.[3]

Competition

He won gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics and 1980 Summer Olympics as well as taking first at the 1986 Goodwill Games. He set a world record of 86.74 m. at the 1986 European championships in Stuttgart. He won a first at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics. Only Sedykh and Sergey Litvinov have thrown over 86 meters in the history of the sport (Ivan Tsikhan's 86.73 m throw in 2005 was annulled by the IAAF in April 2014 due to doping sanctions[4]).

Coaching

Sedykh coached hammer throwers of the French team; Nicolas Figére (80.88) for instance. His compatriot and rival, Sergey Litvinov, went on to coach the Belarusians; Ivan Tikhon and his own son Sergey Lytvynov Jr..

Technique

Unlike many hammer throwers Sedykh threw off three rotations rather than four – he felt three rotations were sufficient. Sedykh often practiced with lighter and heavier hammers.

Yuriy's technique centers on 'pushing' the ball left and letting the hammer turn you, whereas Litvinov advocates uniformly accelerating the hammer.

Personal life

Yuriy's married his first wife Lyudmila Kondratyeva in the mid-1980s but later divorced. Kondratyeva also won gold at the 1980 Olympics, in the Women's 100 metres.[5][6] Their daughter, Oksana, born in 1985, is also a high-level Russian hammer thrower.[7][8]

Yuriy subsequently married former Soviet thrower Natalya Lisovskaya. Lisovskaya won the shot put gold in the 1988 Olympics and has the world record of 22,63 m. They have one daughter, Alexia, born in 1993, who won gold in the girls' hammer throw at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore. Sedykh and his family moved to Paris, France, where Yuriy was engaged to teach strength and conditioning at university level.

References
  1. Khavin, Boris (1979). Всё об олимпийских играх [All About Olympic Games] (in Russian) (2nd ed.). Moscow: Fizkultura i sport. p. 578.
  2. Dr Grigory, Rodchenkov (2020). The Rodchenkov Affair. United Kingdom: WH Allen. pp. 37–39. ISBN 9780753553329.
  3. E. G. Bogatyrev (1982). Yuriy Sedykh. Heroes of the Olympic Games (in Russian). Moscow: Fizkultura i sport.
  4. http://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/ivan-tikhon-nadzeya-ostapchuk-results-annulle
  5. "Wall of Fame - Infostrada". Walloffame.infostradasports.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  6. Archived 24 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Galkina Clocks 4:03.62 In Sochi". IAAF.
  8. "Athlete profile for Oksana Kondrateva". IAAF.

Further reading
Records
Preceded by
Karl-Hans Riehm
Jüri Tamm
Sergey Litvinov
Sergey Litvinov		 Men's Hammer World Record Holder
16 May 1980
16 May 1980 – 24 May 1980
31 July 1980 – 4 June 1982
3 July 1984 –		 Succeeded by
Jüri Tamm
Sergey Litvinov
Sergey Litvinov
Incumbent
Awards
Preceded by
Saïd Aouita		 Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year
1986		 Succeeded by
Ben Johnson
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