Mikhail Rayevsky

Mikhail Raevsky was born in the Kherson Governorate (now Ukraine). He graduated in 1907 from the Alekseevskoye Military School. He considered one of the country’s best gymnasts, which is why he was chosen as the Russian flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. He also carried the national flag leading the parade of participants at the First Russian Olympiad in the same year.

After graduation Rayevsky served as lieutenant in the 95th Krasnoyarsk Infantry Regiment and taught gymnastics at the Main Gymnastics and Fencing School in St. Petersburg. In 1911, he was awarded the Order of St. Stanislaus. During World War I, he was transferred to the 271st Krasnoselsky Infantry Regiment as staff captain. He was wounded and left on the battlefield in March 1915 near Marijampolė in today’s Lithuania. Rayevsky was married to a woman from Georgia.