View source for Viktor Saneyev

{{short description|Georgian triple jumper (1945–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| honorific_prefix = 
| name = Viktor Saneyev
| honorific_suffix = 
| image = Viktor Saneyev c1972.jpg
| image_size = <!-- Use only when absolutely necessary -->
| alt = 
| caption = Saneyev c. 1972
| headercolor = 
| textcolor = |<!-- Personal information -->
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| birth_name = 
| full_name = Viktor Danilovich Saneyev<br>Виктор Данилович Санеев<br>
ვიქტორ სანეევი<ref name=sports-reference/>
| nickname = 
| nationality = [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]]
| citizenship = 
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1945|10|3}}<ref name=britannica/>
| birth_place = [[Sukhumi]], [[Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic|Georgian SSR]], Soviet Union<ref name=britannica/>
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2022|1|3|1945|10|3}}
| death_place = [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]], Australia
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| height = 188 cm<ref name=sports-reference/>
| weight = 78 kg<ref name=sports-reference/>
| spouse = 
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| website = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} -->
| module = |<!-- Sport -->
| country = [[Soviet Union]]
| sport = Athletics
| position = 
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| weight_class = 
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| rank = 
| event = [[Triple jump]]
| event_type = 
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| club = Dynamo Sukhumi<br>[[Dinamo Tbilisi]]
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| module2 = |<!-- Achievements and titles -->
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| pb = 17.44 m (1972)<ref name=sports-reference/>|<!-- Medal record -->
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country | {{URS}} }}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold| [[1968 Summer Olympics|1968 Mexico City]]|[[Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump|Triple jump]]}}
{{Medal|Gold| [[1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Munich]]|[[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump|Triple jump]]}}
{{Medal|Gold| [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976 Montreal]]|[[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump|Triple jump]]}}
{{Medal|Silver| [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980 Moscow]]|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump|Triple jump]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold| [[1969 European Athletics Championships|1969 Athens]]|[[1969 European Athletics Championships – Men's triple jump|Triple jump]]}}
{{Medal|Gold| [[1974 European Athletics Championships|1974 Rome]]|[[1974 European Athletics Championships – Men's triple jump|Triple jump]]}}
{{Medal|Silver| [[1971 European Athletics Championships|1971 Helsinki]]|[[1971 European Athletics Championships – Men's triple jump|Triple jump]]}}
}}
[[File:Viktor Saneyev 1968.jpg|thumb|235px|Saneyev c. 1968]]

'''Viktor Danilovich Saneyev''' ({{langx|ru|Виктор Данилович Санеев}}; {{lang-ka|ვიქტორ სანეევი|Vikt’or Saneevi}}; 3 October 1945 – 3 January 2022) was a Georgian [[Triple jump|triple jumper]] who competed internationally for the [[Soviet Union|USSR]]. He won four [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] medals – three golds (1968, 1972 and 1976) and one silver (1980). Saneyev set the world record on three occasions. He was born in [[Sukhumi]], [[Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic|Georgian SSR]], trained in Sukhumi and [[Tbilisi]],<ref name="Khavin"/> and died in [[Sydney]].

==Athletics career==
Saneyev was born into a poor family in 1945, with a disabled and paralyzed father who died when Saneyev was 15 years old.<ref name=int/> He took up athletics in 1956, training in the [[high jump]] at the [[Gantiadi]] [[boarding school]]; his first coach was Akop Kerselyan. Six years later Kerselyan advised him to specialize in the [[triple jump]]. In 1963 Saneyev finished third in his first All-Union competition – Schoolchildren's [[Spartakiad]].<ref name="Book">{{cite book |title=Viktor Saneyev |author=E. B. Chen |publisher=[[Fizkultura i sport (publisher)|Fizkultura i sport]] |series=Heroes of the Olympic Games |year=1978 |location=Moscow |language=ru |url=http://www.sportlib.ru/books/la/saneev/ |access-date=28 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927205846/http://www.sportlib.ru/books/la/saneev/ |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 
 
His first major success came in 1968, when he won both the USSR Championships and the [[Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump|1968 Summer Olympics]], where on 17 October he set the [[World Record]] twice, 17.23 m and 17.39 m.<ref name="Olympic Bio">{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/athletes/viktor-saneev|title=Viktor Sanayev Biography|publisher=Olympics.com|year=2022|accessdate=8 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1968/ATH/mens-triple-jump.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417174802/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1968/ATH/mens-triple-jump.html |url-status=dead |access-date=8 January 2022 |title=Athletics at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Games: Men's Triple Jump |archive-date=17 April 2020 |work=sports-reference.com}}</ref> On the same date four years later, in [[Sukhumi]], Saneyev improved the World Record to 17.44 m.<ref name="Olympic Bio"/> He won gold medals at the [[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump|1972 Summer Olympics]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/ATH/mens-triple-jump.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417174759/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1972/ATH/mens-triple-jump.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Athletics at the 1972 Munich Summer Games: Men's Triple Jump |work=sports-reference.com |access-date=8 January 2022}}</ref> and at the [[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump|1976 Summer Olympics]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Montreal 1976 triple jump men Results - Olympic athletics |url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/montreal-1976/results/athletics/triple-jump-men |website=Olympics.com |access-date=8 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref> and a silver at the [[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump|1980 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1980/ATH/mens-triple-jump.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417174809/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1980/ATH/mens-triple-jump.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Athletics at the 1980 Moscow Summer Games: Men's Triple Jump |access-date=8 January 2022 |work=sports-reference.com}}</ref>

He also won the [[1969 European Athletics Championships|1969]] and [[1974 European Athletics Championships|1974 European Championships]], the [[1970 European Athletics Indoor Championships|1970]], [[1971 European Athletics Indoor Championships|1971]], [[1972 European Athletics Indoor Championships|1972]], [[1975 European Athletics Indoor Championships|1975]], [[1976 European Athletics Indoor Championships|1976]] and [[1977 European Athletics Indoor Championships]]. Saneyev was USSR champion in 1968–71, 1973–75 and 1978.<ref name="Khavin"/>

===1980 Olympics===
{{main|Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump}}
Saneyev came to the 1980 Olympics hoping for a fourth gold medal, though he understood that several jumpers had better chances for a gold, especially the world record holder [[João Carlos de Oliveira]] of Brazil. Estonian [[Jaak Uudmäe]] won the gold medal (17.35 m), followed by Saneyev (17.24 m) and Oliveira (17.22 m). [[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump|The event]] was marred by controversial judging. Five out of seven jumps by Australia's [[Ian Campbell (triple jumper)|Ian Campbell]] were discarded, as well as four jumps by De Oliveira; Uudmäe had two fouls and Saneyev one.<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1980/ATH/mens-triple-jump.html |title=Athletics at the 1980 Moskva Summer Games: Men's Triple Jump |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417174809/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1980/ATH/mens-triple-jump.html |archivedate=17 April 2020}}</ref> All [[World Athletics|IAAF]] inspectors were pulled out of the field on the day of the triple jump final and replaced by Soviet staff.<ref name="dunaway">{{cite news |url=http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2048486/posts |title=In 1980, the Soviets Turned the Olympics Into the Games of Shame |author=Dunaway, James |newspaper=[[Austin American-Statesman]] |date=20 July 2008 |access-date=15 November 2014}}</ref>

Both Campbell and De Oliveira jumped beyond Uudmäe's leading mark more than once, but all of these jumps were discarded despite protests.<ref name="Siukonen"/><ref name="Torro"/> The longest of Campbell's jumps<ref name="Torro"/> was ruled a "scrape" foul: the officials claimed his trailing leg had touched the track during the step phase,<ref name="Siukonen"/><ref name="onlycon"/> though it was unlikely to scrape and jump that far.<ref name="Siukonen"/><ref name="onlycon"/> Saneyev did not contest his foul, though it also fell on his strongest jump. He later noted that the winning jump by Uudmäe was likely overstepped.<ref name=int>[http://runnersclub.ru/articles/viktor-saneev-ot-pryzhkov-ya-poluchal-udovolstvie Виктор Санеев: от прыжков я получал удовольствие]. runnersclub.ru (Interview in Russian). 29 June 2015</ref> Saneyev retired after the 1980 Olympics.

==Honors==
He was awarded the [[Order of the Red Banner of Labour]] in 1969, [[Order of Lenin]] in 1972, and [[Order of Friendship of Peoples]] in 1976.<ref name="Khavin"/> At the 1980 Games he was selected as an [[Olympic flame|Olympic torch]] bearer, though this honor is usually given to retired athletes.<ref name=int/> In retirement, he headed the USSR jumping team for four years, and later worked at his formative club, [[Dynamo Sports Club|Dynamo]] [[Tbilisi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.european-athletics.com/news/three-time-olympic-triple-jump-champion-saneyev-dies-at-the-age-of-76|title=Three-time Olympic triple jump champion Saneyev dies|date=3 January 2022|publisher=European-Athletics.com|accessdate=8 January 2022}}</ref>

==Later life and death==
In the early 1990s, after the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union|Soviet Union broke up]] and a [[Georgian Civil War|civil war started in Georgia]], Saneyev lost his job and moved to Australia with his wife and 15-year-old son. His brief coaching contract soon expired, and Saneyev was about to sell his Olympic medals to feed his family. He reconsidered at the last moment and took odd jobs instead, such as pizza delivery. He found a regular job as a physical education teacher at [[St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill]], and later as the jumping coach at the [[New South Wales Institute of Sport]].<ref>Forrest, Brad. [http://www.coolrunning.com.au/general/1998e005.shtml "Viktor Saneyev"]. ''[[St George and Sutherland Shire Leader]]'', 31 March 1998. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813051900/http://www.coolrunning.com.au/general/1998e005.shtml |date=13 August 2012 }}</ref><ref name=nov/>

Saneyev had graduated from the [[Georgian State University of Subtropical Agriculture]] and [[Tbilisi State University]],<ref name=nov/> and enjoyed growing subtropical plants in his backyard, including lemons and grapefruits.<ref name=int/> He died on 3 January 2022, at the age of 76.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Triple jump great Saneyev dies|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/heritage/news/viktor-saneyev-obituary|access-date=3 January 2022|work=[[World Athletics]]}}</ref><ref>[https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2022/01/03/viktor-saneyev-dies-triple-jump/ Viktor Saneyev, three-time Olympic triple jump champion, dies at 76]</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=britannica>{{cite web |title=Viktor Saneyev |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/522281/Viktor-Saneyev |website=britannica.com |publisher=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=23 May 2015}}</ref>
<ref name=int>[http://runnersclub.ru/articles/viktor-saneev-ot-pryzhkov-ya-poluchal-udovolstvie Виктор Санеев: от прыжков я получал удовольствие]. runnersclub.ru (Interview in Russian). 29 June 2015</ref>
<ref name=nov>[http://www.novayagazeta.ru/sports/30397.html Three-time WILL] {{in lang|ru}} ''[[Novaya Gazeta]]'', 24 July 2006</ref>
<ref name="Khavin">{{cite book |title=All about Olympic Games. |author=Boris Khavin |publisher=[[Fizkultura i sport (publisher)|Fizkultura i sport]] |edition=2nd |year=1979 |location=Moscow |language=ru |page=577}}</ref>
<ref name="onlycon">{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/athletics/cheating-the-only-conclusion-you-can-jump-to-20130817-2s3q6.html |title=Cheating the only conclusion you can jump to |author=Lane, Tim |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=15 November 2014 |date=18 August 2013}}</ref>
<ref name="Siukonen">{{cite book |title=Urheilutieto 5 |last=Siukonen |first=Markku |year=1980 |publisher=Oy Scandia Kirjat Ab |isbn=951-9466-20-7 |language=fi |pages=363–364 |display-authors=etal}}</ref>
<ref name=sports-reference>{{cite Sports-Reference |title=Viktor Saneyev |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/viktor-saneyev-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417115419/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/viktor-saneyev-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020}}</ref>
<ref name="Torro">{{cite web |url=https://jyx.jyu.fi/dspace/bitstream/handle/123456789/12014/URN_NBN_fi_jyu-2006367.pdf?sequence=1 |language=fi |format=PDF |title=Suomalainen näkökulma Moskovan olympiakisoihin sanomalehdistössä kesällä 1980 |access-date=15 November 2014}}</ref>
}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Viktor Saneyev |author=E. B. Chen |publisher=[[Fizkultura i sport (publisher)|Fizkultura i sport]] |series=Heroes of the Olympic Games |year=1978 |location=Moscow |language=ru |url=http://www.sportlib.ru/books/la/saneev/ |access-date=28 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927205846/http://www.sportlib.ru/books/la/saneev/ |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{World Athletics|14348517}}
* {{European Athletics|14348517|old_id=s/athlete=203046-sanejev-viktor|archive=20200930054619}}
* {{Olympics.com|org_archive=20200611005238}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=758 Viktor Saneyev] at sporting-heroes.net

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{succession box|title=[[Men's triple jump world record]] holder
|years=1968-10-17<br>1968-10-17 – 1971-08-05<br>1972-10-17 – 1975-10-15
|before=[[Giuseppe Gentile]]|after=[[Nelson Prudêncio]]
|before2=[[Nelson Prudêncio]]|after2=[[Pedro Pérez]]
|before3=[[Pedro Pérez]]|after3=[[João Carlos de Oliveira]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Triple Jump Men}}
{{Footer European Champions Triple Jump Men}}
{{Footer European Champions Indoor Triple Jump Men}}
{{Footer Universiade Champions Triple Jump Men}}
{{Footer WBYP Triple Men}}
{{IAAF Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saneyev, Viktor}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:2022 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century people from Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Sukhumi]]
[[Category:Communist Party of the Soviet Union members]]
[[Category:Tbilisi State University alumni]]
[[Category:Soviet male triple jumpers]]
[[Category:Male triple jumpers from Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Georgian people of Russian descent]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Dynamo Sports Club sportspeople]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:European Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:World record setters in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Emigrants from Georgia (country) to Australia]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1970 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1973 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Immigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:Soviet Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Honoured Masters of Sport of the USSR]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Honor (Georgia)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Lenin]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the October Revolution]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Presidential Order of Excellence]]