Otto Barch

Kyrgyz race walker Otto Barch represented the Soviet Union from the late 1960s until the early 1980s. Barch began participating in athletics in 1963, competing for the Burevestnik Frunze sports club and eventually becoming a three-time national champion (1973 – 50 km, 1975 – 20 km, 1978 – 50 km). In 1968 he competed at his first Olympics, finishing sixth in the 20 kilometres at the Mexico City Games. Four years later he just missed out on a medal at the München Olympics, finishing fourth in the in the 50 kilometres event, just under a minute behind Larry Young (USA), who won bronze.

One year later Barch won silver in the 50 kilometres at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Lugano, before winning silver in the same event at the 1974 European Athletics Championships in Roma. He then made his third and final appearance at the Olympics in 1976, finishing 13th in the 20 kilometres in Montréal.

In 1981 Barch retired from the sport, with him later moving to Germany following the collapse of the Soviet Union. He was also the subject of a short documentary film about his life, which won awards at festivals in Europe.

Personal Bests: 20kmW – 1-24:13 (1976); 50kmW – 3-52:05 (1979).