Vladimir Mikhaylovich Smirnov (; born 7 March 1964) is a Soviet-Kazakhstani 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.
Early life Smirnov was born to Russian parents in Shchuchinsk, Kazakh SSR. During the Soviet period, he trained at the Armed Forces sports society in Alma-Ata.
Career
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 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 the 1998 Winter Olympics, Smirnov was the flag-bearer of the Kazakhstani Olympic team and won the bronze medal in the 15 km pursuit event.
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. In 2011, Smirnov participated at the opening ceremony of the 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. Smirnov speaks four languages: Russian, German, English and Swedish.Владимир Смирнов: «И после спорта судьба продолжает мне улыбаться». skisport.ru (interview in Russian) 25 October 2008
Cross-country skiing results All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Olympic Games 7 medals – (1 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze) Year Age 10 km 15 km Pursuit 30 km 50 km 4 × 10 km relay 1988 23 Bronze Silver — Silver 1992 27 13 8 9 35 5 1994 29 Silver Silver 10 Gold — 1998 33 4 Bronze 12 8 —
World Championships 11 medals – (4 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze) Year Age 10 km 15 km classical 15 km freestyle Pursuit 30 km 50 km 4 × 10 km relay 1985 20 16 24 — 6 1987 22 5 DNF — Silver 1989 24 10 — Gold 21 5 1991 26 22 Bronze Silver 31 5 1993 28 Silver Silver Bronze 21— 1995 30 Gold Gold Gold Bronze — 1997 32 4 8 42 19 —
World Cup Season titles 2 titles – (2 overall) SeasonDiscipline1991 Overall1994 Overall
Season standings Season Age OverallLong DistanceSprint 1983 19 59 1984 20 31 1985 21 30 1986 22 1987 23 5 1988 24 5 1989 25 5 1990 26 7 1991 27 1992 28 1993 29 1994 30 1995 31 1996 32 1997 33 9 37 1998 34 4
Individual podiums 30 victories 66 podiums No. Season Date Location Race Level Place1 1983–84 23 March 1984 Murmansk, Soviet Union 15 km Individual World Cup 2nd2 1985–86 8 December 1985 Labrador City, Canada 15 km Individual CWorld Cup 2nd3 1 January 1986 La Bresse, France 30 km Individual C World Cup 2nd4 23 February 1986 Kavgolovo, Soviet Union 15 km Individual C World Cup 1st5 1986–87 13 December 1986 Cogne, Italy 15 km Individual FWorld Cup 3rd6 20 December 1986 Davos, Switzerland 30 km Individual C World Cup 2nd7 1987–88 9 January 1988 Kavgolovo, Soviet Union 30 km Individual CWorld Cup 1st8 15 February 1988 Calgary, Canada 30 km Individual C Olympic Games 2nd9 19 February 1988 15 km Individual C Olympic Games 3rd10 1988–89 7 January 1989 Kavgolovo, Soviet Union 15 km Individual CWorld Cup 3rd11 18 February 1989 Lahti, Finland 30 km Individual C World Championships 1st12 1989–90 25 February 1990 Reit im Winkl, West Germany 30 km Individual FWorld Cup 1st13 10 March 1990 Örnsköldsvik, Sweden 30 km Individual C World Cup 3rd14 1990–91 9 December 1990 Tauplitzalm, Austria 10 km + 15 km Individual C/F World Cup 2nd15 15 December 1990 Davos, Switzerland 15 km Individual C World Cup 1st16 19 December 1990 Les Saisies, France 30 km Individual C World Cup 1st17 5 January 1991 Minsk, Soviet Union 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st18 7 February 1991 Val di Fiemme, Italy 30 km Individual C World Championships 2nd19 9 February 1991 15 km Individual F World Championships 3rd20 3 March 1991 Lahti, Finland 30 km Individual F World Cup 2nd21 1991–92 7 December 1991 Silver Star, Canada 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd22 4 January 1992 Kavgolovo, Russia 30 km Individual C World Cup 3rd23 7 March 1992 Funäsdalen, Sweden 30 km Individual F World Cup 3rd24 1992–93 12 December 1992 Ramsau, Austria 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd25 13 December 1992 15 km Pursuit C World Cup 3rd26 18 December 1992 Val di Fiemme, Italy 30 km Individual F World Cup 1st27 16 January 1993 Bohinj, Slovenia 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st28 20 February 1993 Falun, Sweden 30 km Individual C World Championships 3rd29 22 February 1993 10 km Individual C World Championships 2nd30 24 February 1993 15 km Pursuit F World Championships 2nd31 7 March 1993 Lahti, Finland 30 km Individual F World Cup 2nd32 1993–94 11 December 1993 Santa Caterina, Italy 30 km Individual CWorld Cup 1st33 21 December 1993 Toblach, Italy 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st34 21 December 1993 15 km Pursuit F World Cup 1st35 9 January 1994 Kavgolovo, Russia 15 km Individual C World Cup 1st36 15 January 1994 Oslo, Norway 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st37 17 February 1994 Lillehammer, Norway 10 km Individual C Olympic Games 2nd38 19 February 1994 15 km Pursuit F Olympic Games 2nd39 27 February 1994 50 km Individual C Olympic Games 1st40 5 March 1994 Lahti, Finland 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st41 1994–95 27 November 1994 Kiruna, Sweden 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd42 20 December 1994 Sappada, Italy 10 km Individual F World Cup 3rd43 27 January 1995 Lahti, Finland 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st44 29 January 1995 15 km Pursuit C World Cup 1st45 4 February 1995 Falun, Sweden 30 km Individual C World Cup 3rd46 11 February 1995 Oslo, Norway 50 km Individual C World Cup 1st47 9 March 1995 Thunder Bay, Canada 30 km Individual C World Championships 1st48 11 March 1995 10 km Individual C World Championships 1st49 13 March 1995 15 km Pursuit F World Championships 1st50 19 March 1995 50 km Individual F World Championships 3rd51 25 March 1995 Sapporo, Japan 15 km Individual F World Cup 2nd52 1995–96 26 November 1995 Vuokatti, Finland 10 km Individual CWorld Cup 1st53 9 December 1995 Davos, Switzerland 30 km Individual C World Cup 2nd54 13 December 1995 Brusson, Italy 15 km Individual F World Cup 3rd55 16 December 1995 Santa Caterina, Italy 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd56 17 December 1995 15 km Pursuit F World Cup 3rd57 9 January 1996 Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia 50 km Individual F World Cup 1st58 13 January 1996 Nové Město, Czech Republic 15 km Individual C World Cup 1st59 10 February 1996 Kavgolovo, Russia 15 km Individual C World Cup 2nd60 24 February 1996 Trondheim, Norway 30 km Individual F World Cup 1st61 9 March 1996 Falun, Sweden 10 km Individual F World Cup 1st62 10 March 1996 15 km Pursuit C World Cup 1st63 1996–97 19 January 1997 Lahti, Finland 30 km Individual CWorld Cup 1st64 1997–98 22 November 1997 Beitostølen, Norway 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd65 13 December 1997 Val di Fiemme, Italy 10 km Individual C World Cup 3rd66 8 March 1998 Lahti, Finland 30 km Individual C World Cup 1st
Team podiums
2 victories 8 podiums No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates1 1986–87 17 February 1987 Oberstdorf, West Germany 4 × 10 km Relay F World Championships 2nd Batyuk / Devyatyarov / Sakhnov 2 1987–88 24 February 1988 Calgary, Canada 4 × 10 km Relay F Olympic Games 2nd Sakhnov / Devyatyarov / Prokurorov3 1988–89 5 March 1989 Oslo, Norway 4 × 10 km Relay F World Cup 2nd Badamshin / Sakhnov / Prokurorov4 12 March 1989 Falun, Sweden 4 × 10 km Relay CWorld Cup 1st Badamshin / Sakhnov / Prokurorov5 1989–90 1 March 1990 Lahti, Finland 4 × 10 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Badamshin / Prokurorov / Botvinov6 16 March 1990 Vang, Norway 4 × 10 km Relay C World Cup 3rd Badamshin / Golubev / Botvinov7 1991–9228 February 1992 Lahti, Finland 4 × 10 km Relay F World Cup 1st Kirilov / Botvinov / Prokurorov8 8 March 1992 Funäsdalen, Sweden 4 × 10 km Relay C World Cup 2nd Kirilov / Botvinov / Prokurorov
Note: Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Winter Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.
References
Further reading
External links
Vladimir Smirnov - 1998 Nagano Olympics athlete profile at CNN/SI (archived)