Viktor Mednov

Viktor Mednov won his only Soviet Championship in 1953. In 1947 and 1950 he was a runner-up and in 1949 and 1955 he won a bronze medal. At Helsinki Olympics, Mednov defeated his first opponent Norman Jones (AUS) by TKO and had a really tough fight in the second round with Ferencz Ambruş (ROU). Both the boxers were badly cut, with Mednov prevailing when the referee stopped the bout due to injuries sustained by both boxers, and awarded the fight to Mednov. Mednov won his next match against René Weissmann (FRA) by decision and had a walkover in his semifinal match, as Erkki Mallenius (FIN) withdrew due to hand injury. In the final against Chuck Adkins (USA), Mednov entered the bout with stitches over both of his eyes and was defeated by a 2-1 decision. This bout was the first boxing match ever fought between boxers from the United States and the Soviet Union. After his sporting career Mednov worked as a boxing coach and official with Trudovye Rezervy. He also liked to paint landscapes as a hobby.