Sergey Olizarenko

Sergey Olizarenko was a Ukrainian track and field athlete who represented the Soviet Union in the late 1970s and early 1980s. A specialist in middle-distance running, Olizarenko was selected to compete at the 1980 Moskva Olympics where he ran in the 3,000 metres steeplechase. He finished third in his heat to advance to the semi-finals; however, he then suffered with an Achilles tendon injury and did not finish. This would ultimately spell the end of his career after he underwent surgery but failed to recover fully. In 1978 Olizarenko married fellow middle-distance runner Nadezhda Olizarenko, who won gold in the 800 metres and bronze in the 1,500 metres at the Moskva Games.

Personal Best: 3000S – 8:24.0 (1978).