Nikolai Andrianov

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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