Aleksey Komarov

A veteran of World War II, Aleksey Komarov was considered one of the strongest Soviet rowers in the late 1940s and early 50s. During his career, Komarov won Olympic silver in 1952 in coxed eights, was a three-time European coxed eights champion (1953-55) and won the Henley Regatta Grand Challenge Cup in 1954. Domestically, Komarov won 11 Soviet titles – in 1949 and 1950 in coxless pairs, in 1950 in coxless fours, in 1951 in coxed fours and in 1946-47, 1949, 1952-54 and 1956 in coxed eights. After finishing his rowing career, Komarov worked as a rowing coach and judge. Komarov worked as a professor for more than 45 years and later was the head of the rowing department of the Russian State Academy of Physical Education and he wrote several rowing textbooks.