Vladimir Salnikov

Vladimir Valeryevich Salnikov is a Russian former competitive swimmer, born May 21, 1960, in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, who specialized in middle and long distance freestyle events. He was the first person to swim the 1500 meter freestyle in under fifteen minutes and the first to swim the 800 meter freestyle in under eight minutes. He won four Olympic gold medals, three at the 1980 Moscow Games in the 400 meter freestyle, 1500 meter freestyle and 4x200 meter relay, and one at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in the 1500 meter freestyle, along with four World Championship golds and four European Championship golds. Swimming World named him Male World Swimmer of the Year in 1979 and 1982, he set 12 world records across freestyle distances, and he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1993.