Vladimir Markelov

During his career Soviet gymnast Vladimir Markelov won titles at the European Championships, the World Championships, and the Olympics. At a national level Markelov won four Soviet titles with two USSR Championships (1976, 1980), and two titles as the Absolute Champion of the USSR (1977, 1978). He competed at his first Olympics in 1976 in Montréal, winning silver in the team all-round competition.

1977 was a very successful year for Markelov, as he won gold in the rings and the individual all-round competition at the European Championships in Vilnius. At the Summer Universiade in Sofia he won gold in the team competition and the horse vault, and the silver medal in the all-round, horizontal bar, and rings. At the 1980 Moskva Olympics Markelov was part of the Soviet team that went one better than their performance at the Montréal Games by taking the all-round gold.

Markelov retired from gymnastics following the Moskva Games becoming an international judge. He was awarded with the Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR in 1992.