Nikolai Andrianov (14 October 1952 – 21 March 2011) was a Soviet/Russian gymnast. He held the record for men for the most Olympic medals at 15 (7 gold medals, 5 silver medals, 3 bronze medals) until Michael Phelps surpassed him at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Andrianov is the third athlete (male or female) in cumulative Olympic medals after Phelps’s 28 and Larisa Latynina, who earned 18. …
In his final years, Andrianov developed the degenerative neurological disordermultiple system atrophy and in his final months was unable to move his arms or legs or talk. Andrianov died on 21 March 2011 at the age of 58 in his hometown of Vladimir. …
The city of Vladimir has just erected a statue to honour his memory.
via papaliukin
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