Valery Medvedtsev

Valery Medvedtsev was one of the best Soviet biathletes at the end of the 1980s. He made a successful international début at the 1986 World Championships, winning all three events (10 km, 20 km and the relay). Besides those golds, Medvedtsev won another gold in the 20 km at the 1990 World Championships, silvers in the relay at the 1987 and 1993 World Championships and bronze in the 10 km team event at the 1991 World Championships. During his career Medvedtsev competed at three Olympic Winter Games, the 1988 Olympics his best, where he medaled again in all three events, winning gold in the relay and silvers in 10 and 20 km. At the 1992 Winter Olympics, Medvedtsev added another silver in the relay. Medvedtsev also won bronze at the 1989-90 World Cup. After his sporting career, Medvedtsev worked as a biathlon coach, and was the coach of Russian 2002 Olympic biathlon team. In the 1990s Medvedtsev was married to biathlete Nataliya Snytina, who won a gold medal in the relay at the 1994 Winter Olympics. He is currently married to another biathlete Olga Pylyova, who won 10 km gold and relay bronze at the 2002 Winter Olympics.