Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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An exhibition dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Olympic victory of the Polytechnician, ten-time world record holder, and speed skater Evgeny Kulikov has opened at the SPbPU History Museum.
The opening date for the exhibition was suggested by the champion himself—on February 10, 1976, exactly 50 years ago, at the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, Evgeny Kulikov, a student at the M. I. Kalinin Leningrad Polytechnic Institute, won the gold medal in the 500-meter race. At the ceremony at the Polytechnic Museum, Evgeny Nikolaevich recalled that even the time of his winter race and victory coincided with the exhibition opening—10 a.m. The event was especially symbolic because the Winter Olympics are currently taking place in Italy. However, Russian athletes are participating as neutrals. All the more precious were the memories of past sporting achievements shared by Evgeny Nikolaevich and other participants in the ceremony.
As the famous song "Heroes of Sports" goes: "We want to give all the records our resounding names." Evgeny Kulikov named ten! In 1975, he became the first speed skater in the world to run 500 meters in under 38 seconds (37.99) and set the first world record for the distance. For this, he was awarded the Oscar Mathiesen Prize as the "Best Speed Skater of the Year." He also won gold and silver Olympic medals (silver at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics), a silver medal at the 1975 World Championships, a bronze medal at the 1977 World Championships, and 18 gold medals at the USSR and Leningrad Championships.
"Yevgeny Nikolayevich is our first Olympic champion. And, of course, his name is already etched in gold letters in the history of the Polytechnic University, meaning it will live on for centuries. And he will always be a role model for younger generations of a harmoniously developed individual, strong in spirit, body, and intellect," said SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy at the exhibition opening.
Yuri Avdeev, a member of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg and president of the city's Olympic Council, once again recalled Evgeny Kulikov's sporting achievements and his activities after retiring. From 1982 to 1984, Evgeny Nikolaevich coached the USSR national speed skating team. From 1985, he was involved in the development of short track speed skating. From 1994 to 1998, Evgeny Nikolaevich served as chairman of the St. Petersburg Committee for Physical Culture and Sports. Since 2001, he has been vice president and a member of the executive committee of the Russian Skating Union. From 2011 to 2015, he headed the St. Petersburg Speed Skating Federation.
At the exhibition opening, Yuri Avdeev presented Evgeny Kulikov with a Certificate of Gratitude from the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg.
"Yevgeny Nikolayevich is a legend. The victories he brought to Soviet sports are our pride. Thank you for your contribution to the development of physical education and sports. And a deep bow to the Polytechnic for perpetuating the achievements of this renowned athlete," added Igor Vasilyev, Head of the St. Petersburg Sports Facilities Management Directorate.
Another legend among the ceremony's honored guests was the renowned sports commentator Gennady Orlov. He told the following story: "I'm the only one here who witnessed Evgeny Kulikov win the silver medal in Lake Placid on February 14, 1980. I was commentating the race with Eric Heiden, the future five-time Olympic champion. The only hope of all the speed skaters was that Evgeny Kulikov, by then already the Olympic champion in Innsbruck, would give him a run for his money. And so they did. After the first turn, Evgeny had a breakdown. I immediately ran over to the commentary booth and called him a former champion, but Nikolai Ozerov corrected me: 'There are no former Olympic champions.'"
The exhibition opening was graced by the presence of the widow and daughter of Anatoly Yegorovich Pavlov, Evgeny Kulikov's coach. Also in attendance were Polytechnic graduates Sergei Startsev and Vladimir Geller, who, in fact, started this whole story. Fifty-five years ago, two students from the Leningrad Polytechnic's power engineering department came to Chita for summer vacation, where Evgeny Kulikov was serving in the SKA sports company of the Trans-Baikal Military District. They met him while playing football and invited him to the Polytechnic. Then a letter arrived from Leningrad addressed to the head of the Army Sports Club. He advised the young man not to pass up the offer. Evgeny submitted his application and left for Leningrad. He passed his exams, entered the Polytechnic, met a coach, began skating, and won competitions.
"My greatest achievements and awards came while I was studying at the Polytechnic," Evgeny Nikolaevich emphasized. "So, thank you to the university for the foundation it gave me and for the honor you bestow upon me today."
After cutting the symbolic ribbon, Evgeny Kulikov himself gave a tour of the museum for everyone who came. He introduced each exhibit, reminisced about competitions, and spoke warmly about his mother, his coach, and his family, who became like family to him.
At the end of the event, an autograph session took place.
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