Vladimir Kuts-Double Olympic Gold Medalist (5K & 10K)

Vladimir Kuts was born in Oleksyne, Ukraine, USSR. During World War II he falsified his age and served two years with the Soviet Army as a courier. He took up running after the war, while continuing his military service as a navy sniper. In 1951 he won his first national titles, in the 5000 and 10000 m, an achievement he repeated in 1953–1956. His first international success came in 1954, when he defeated the favorites – Emil Zátopek and Christopher Chataway – in the 5000 m at the European Championships, setting a new world record. He lost the world record months later to Chataway, only to take it back 10 days later.

Having lost his world record again in 1955, Kuts was still one of the favorites for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. His chief opponent in the 5000 m was British runner Gordon Pirie, who had broken the world record earlier that year. However, Kuts had set a new 10,000 meters world record shortly before the Games. In the first final, the 10,000 m, Kuts – as always – led from the start, finally breaking Pirie's spirit 4 laps from the end and winning by a wide margin. He broke away from Pirie with a final, desperate sprint, and admitted later that had Pirie stayed with him on that sprint, he might have dropped out due to fatigue. The 5,000 m final 5 days later ended in a similar fashion, with Kuts leading from start to finish. His winning margin of 11 seconds was the largest ever for this event in Olympic history.