Vladimir_Smirnov_(skier)

Vladimir Smirnov (skier)

Vladimir Smirnov (skier)

Kazakh cross-country skier

For other people named Vladimir Smirnov, see Vladimir Smirnov (disambiguation).

Vladimir Mikhaylovich Smirnov (Russian: Влади́мир Миха́йлович Смирно́в; born 7 March 1964) is a Kazakh former cross-country skier of Russian descent who raced from the 1982 until 1991 for the USSR and, later, for Kazakhstan. He is the first Olympic champion from independent Kazakhstan and the most decorated Olympian in history of Kazakhstan. He is also a vice president of the International Biathlon Union. Smirnov is a former member of International Olympic Committee.[2]

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Early life

Smirnov was born to Russian parents in Shchuchinsk, Kazakh SSR.[3] During the Soviet period, he trained at the Armed Forces sports society in Alma-Ata.

Career

Smirnov in 1994

Smirnov made his debut in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup on 18 December 1982 at Davos in a 15 km race, finishing in a 17th place. His first victory came in 1986, a classic style 15 km in Kavgolovo (URS). Smirnov gained a total of 30 victories in the World Cup, with 21 second and 15 third places. In 1994, he won the aggregate World Cup, thanks to seven victories in the course of the season.

At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships from 1987 to 1997, Smirnov totalled four gold (1989: 30 km, 1995: 10 km, 10 km + 15 km combined pursuit, 30 km), four silver (1987: 4x10 km, 1991: 30 km, 1993: 10 km, 10 km + 15 km combined pursuit) and three bronze medals (1991: 15 km, 1993: 30 km, 1995: 50 km). His best result was in Thunder Bay, Ontario (1995), when he won three events.

In 1994, he received the Holmenkollen Medal (shared with Lyubov Yegorova and Espen Bredesen). Smirnov also won twice at the Holmenkollen ski festival with a 15 km win in 1994 and a 50 km win in 1995.

A very regular and effective cross-country skier, especially in long-distance classic style races, Smirnov took part to the Winter Olympics from 1988 to 1998. His best known victory was the 50 km gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, the first Olympic gold medal for Kazakhstan. He was one of the leading characters of that Olympics, as his unending rivalry with home ever-winning Bjørn Dæhlie had gained him the affection of the Norwegian audience. He also became good friends with his rival Dæhlie, even participating with Dæhlie in several popular Norwegian TV shows.

In 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, Smirnov was flag-bearer of Kazakhstan Olympic team and won the bronze medal in the 15 km pursuit event.[2]

Smirnov headed the bid committee to have Almaty, Kazakhstan, host the 2014 Winter Olympics, a bid that failed to make the short list that was announced by the International Olympic Committee on 22 June 2006.[2] In 2011, Smirnov participated at the opening ceremony of 2011 Asian Winter Games in Astana.

Personal life

Smirnov moved to Sweden in 1991 and lives in the city of Sundsvall, where he was a co-founder and co-owner of a local brewery. He is married to Valentina Smirnova, and they have two daughters – Anna and Karolina. He became a Swedish citizen in 1998.[1] Smirnov speaks four languages: Russian, German, English and Swedish.[4]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[5]

Olympic Games

  • 7 medals – (1 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze)
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World Championships

  • 11 medals – (4 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze)
More information Year, Age ...

World Cup

Season titles

  • 2 titles – (2 overall)
Season
Discipline
1991Overall
1994Overall

Season standings

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Individual podiums

  • 30 victories
  • 66 podiums
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Team podiums

  • 2 victories
  • 8 podiums
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Note: 1 Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Winter Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

References

  1. [1]
    Österberg, Tobias (15 December 1998). "Smirre blir svensk". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  2. [2]
    Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Vladimir Smirnov". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  3. [3]
    "Владимир Смирнов объяснил, почему после распада СССР он решил выступать за Казахстан" [Vladimir Smirnov explained, why he decided to represent Kazakhstan after the dissolution of the Soviet Union]. sports.kz (in Russian). 2 April 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021. Я русский, но родился и вырос именно в Казахстане (I am a Russian, but I was born in Kazakhstan and grew up there)
  4. [4]
    Владимир Смирнов: «И после спорта судьба продолжает мне улыбаться». skisport.ru (interview in Russian) 25 October 2008
  5. [5]
    "SMIRNOV Vladimir". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 22 January 2018.

Further reading

  • Henry, Notaker (1994). Lillehammer 1994: A Fairy-Tale of Images. Oslo: Dreyers Forlag. ISBN 82-504-2145-0.
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