Tokyo, October 1964, Games of the XVIII Olympiad. Men's artistic gymnastics: Boris SHAKHLIN of the Soviet Union competes on the horizontal bar. He won the gold medal. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum CollectionsOther names: SHAKHLIN, Borys
Born: 27 January 1932
Birthplace: Ishim (USSR)
Nationality: USSR
Sport: Gymnastics
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Melbourne / Stockholm 1956
Rome 1960
Tokyo 1964
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 7
Silver: 4
Bronze: 2
Other results:
World Championships
Gold : 6 (54, 58)
Silver: 4 (62, 66)
Bronze: 4 (54, 62)
Gymnastics Record Holder
Boris Shakhlin of the Soviet Union won six gold medals in individual gymnastic events, which remains an Olympic best for men, bettered only by Vera Caslavska. Between 1956 and 1964, he won a total of 13 medals (seven gold, four silver, two bronze) with his strongest individual event being the pommelled horse in which he won gold in 1960 and 1964. His 13 Olympic medals was a record for men until it was bettered by fellow Soviet gymnast Nikolay Andrianov. He also won a total of 14 medals at the World Championships. Shakhlin won four individual titles at the 1958 World Championships: all-around, horizontal bar, parallel bars, and pommelled horse. Unusually tall for a gymnast, his height and reach were a distinct advantage on the horizontal bar but caused him difficulty on the floor exercise.
