The legendary — sometimes controversial — Head Gymnastics Coach of the former Soviet Union has died. Age-86.
Karelian Gymnastics:
From 1973 to 1992, Leonid Yakovlevich led the USSR men’s national team.
From 1992 to 2004, he served as head coach for both the Russian men’s and women’s national teams and headed the Artistic Gymnastics Federation of Russia.
Under his guidance, athletes won 77 Olympic medals and more than 200 awards at World and European Championships.
I never met him in person. But he always looked the hard man on the competition Floor. Very serious. Very much in control of the USSR program.
