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Ruslan Zakharov

Russia

SportSpeed Skating
FederationIDSSRUS12403198701
NOCRussia
Born24 Mar 1987 in  Gorky
GenderMen
LanguagesEnglish, Russian
ResidenceKrasnogorsk, RUS
Higher educationEconomics, Philosophy - Bashkir State University: Ufa, RUS
FamilyWife Sitora, sons Artur [2016] and David [2019]
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 37.42 28 Jan 2023 Irkutsk  
    1500m 1:46.46 08 Feb 2022 Beijing  
    5000m 6:09.82 03 Dec 2021 Salt Lake City, UT  
    10000m 12:59.83 14 Feb 2021 Heerenveen  
Main Achievements
 
Main Achievements
Olympic Games
Event  
Olympic Games
    Team Pursuit 8 Laps   1    
World Single Distances Championships
Event  
World Single Distances Championships
    Team Pursuit 8 Laps     2  
European Single Distances Championships
Event  
European Single Distances Championships
    Mass Start 16 Laps     2  
General Interest
General Interest
Other informationSHORT TRACK TO SPEED SKATING
In 2017 he switched from short track to speed skating in order to continue his sporting career. "I have always had thoughts about speed skating. A year before Pyeongchang 2018 [the Olympic Winter Games], I realised that it had become hard to compete, but I didn't want to finish. So I took a risk and transitioned to speed skating. I still can't call myself a 100% speed skater [speaking in 2022]. I have not yet adopted some of the subtleties, I have not fully assimilated. However, thanks to short track, I have no problems with muscle mass, for example. Although everyone on the Russian speed skating team is at least 20 centimetres taller than me." (vedomosti.ru, 31 Jan 2022)

FURTHER EDUCATION
He earned a master's degree in coaching from Smolensk State University of Sport in the Russian Federation. (khl.ru, 02 Aug 2020; Athlete, 21 Nov 2018)
 
MilestonesHe became the first Russian athlete to win an Olympic medal in both short track and speed skating when he claimed silver in the speed skating team pursuit event at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. He had previously won gold in short track in the 5000m relay at the 2014 Games in Sochi. He was representing the Russian Federation at the 2014 Games, and the ROC in 2022. (iz.ru, 16 Feb 2022; SportsDeskOnline, 14 Nov 2022)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Club / TeamCentral Army Sports Club [CSKA]: Russia  
General Interest
General Interest
Memorable sporting achievementWinning gold in short track in the 5000m relay at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. (Athlete, 16 Nov 2021)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachViktor Sivkov, RUS; Valery Muratov, RUS  
When and where did you begin this sport?He took up short track in 1996 in Ufa, Russian Federation. He switched to speed skating in June 2017 in Moscow, Russian Federation.  
General Interest
General Interest
Hero / IdolRussian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)  
Sporting philosophy / motto"Patience and hard work will grind it all." (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)  
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/zakharovruslan87  
twitter.com/zakharovruslan  
General Interest
General Interest
Awards and honoursIn recognition of the silver medal he won at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, he received the Order for Merits to the Fatherland [first class] in the Russian Federation. (publication.pravo.gov.ru, 25 Feb 2022)

He was presented the Order of Friendship by the president of the Russian Federation in recognition of his performance at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. (kremlin.ru, 24 Feb 2014)

At the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, he took the Olympic oath on behalf of all the athletes at the Games. (ONS, 07 Feb 2014)

In 2011 he received the title of Honoured Master of Sport in the Russian Federation. (minsport.gov.ru, 15 Dec 2011)
 
Famous relativesHis younger brother Timur Zakharov has represented the Russian Federation in short track and speed skating. Competing in short track, he finished on top of the podium in the 5000m relay at the 2016 World Cup event in Dresden, Germany. (khl.ru, 02 Aug 2020; championat.com, 07 Feb 2017; infosport.ru, 2016; SportsDeskOnline, 21 Jan 2021)  
Most influential person in careerHis first coach Albert Timerbulatov. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)  
InjuriesShortly after the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi he sustained an Achilles tendon injury when he fell during a training session. (khl.ru, 02 Aug 2020; Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)  
Other sportsHe has represented the Russian Federation in short track, winning gold in the 5000m relay at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. He made his World Cup debut in speed skating during the 2017/18 season. (SportsDeskOnline, 13 Nov 2017)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sport"I have had the idea of trying long track [skating] for a long time. When I was named a reserve for the national short track team after the [2016/17] season, I realised the time had come. I needed to change something."  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2022 Olympic Games Team Pursuit2  
    2021/2022 European Single Distances Championships Mass Start3  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 8 Laps3  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 8 Laps3  
    2017/2018 European Single Distances Championships Mass Start 16 Laps3  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships 10000m5  
    2019/2020 European Single Distances Championships Mass Start 16 Laps5  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships 5000m9  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships Mass Start 16 Laps10  
    2021/2022 European Single Distances Championships 5000m10  
    2020/2021 European Allround Championships Allround13  
    2022 Olympic Games 5000m14  
    2022 Olympic Games 1500m15  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships Mass Start 16 Laps15  
    2019/2020 World Allround Championships Allround17  
    2018/2019 World Single Distances Championships Mass Start 16 Laps22  
    2022 Olympic Games Mass Start29  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2019/2020 Nagano Team Pursuit 8 Laps1  
    2021/2022 Tomaszów Mazowiecki Mass Start2  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification Mass Start3  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification Mass Start 16 Laps3  
    2019/2020 Nur-Sultan Team Pursuit 8 Laps3  
    2019/2020 Tomaszów Mazowiecki Team Pursuit 8 Laps3  
    2021/2022 Salt Lake City, UT Mass Start3  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification Mass Start 16 Laps10  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 5000m10  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m10  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification Mass Start 16 Laps14  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m17  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m17  
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification Mass Start 16 Laps23  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 1500m38