Nikolai Yefimovich 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 16 and
Larisa Latynina, who earned 18
Olympic medals and holds the overall medal record. Andrianov was the
most medaled athlete at the
1976 Summer Olympics. Within the sport of Men's
Artistic Gymnastics, he also holds the men's record for
most individual Olympic medals (12) and shares the male record for most individual Olympic Gold medals in gymnastics (6), tied with
Boris Shakhlin and
Dmitry Bilozerchev (the latter of which only if you count the
1984 Alternate Olympics). In many other rankings among all-time medal winners at the Olympic, World, and European levels, he ranks very high, (for example, he is second only to
Vitaly Scherbo in total individual medal counts at either the gold level or any level at the combined Olympic and World levels as well as at the combined Olympic, World, and European levels) – easily making him one of the most decorated gymnasts of all-time.
== Early life and Olympic career == <!-- family? -->Andrianov entered the
Children and Youth Sports School of the
Burevestnik sports society in
Vladimir at...
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