(January 13, 1972- )
Born in Minsk, Belarus
Won six gold medals at the Barcelona Olympics (1992)
Won four bronze medals at the Atlanta Olympics (1996)

Soviet coach Leonid Arkaev commented, 'Vitaly has a very high appreciation for Vitaly. He likes to admire himself from different angles.'
He frequently violated team curfews.
He appeared in a B-52s video.
He retired after breaking his hand in a motorcycle accident.

His father abandoned the family when he was five.
He promised his mother three gold medals, then won twice as many.
Most of his post-Barcelona earnings and some of his Olympic memorabilia (but not his medals) were stolen from his apartment by a former childhood friend.
He moved to the US in the wake of a plot to kidnap his infant daughter.
His wife Irina was in a car crash so severe that doctors said she had only a one in 100 chance of living.
When she came out of a coma after a month, Irina insisted that Vitaly resume training for the upcoming Olympics.
Despite the layoff, he won another four medals at Atlanta.

Credit: C. Fishel

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• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 13]
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• His and Hers
• I was Involved in a Motorcycle Accident
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