Biography

Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov(January 2, 1947, Uyskoye village, Kolkhoz district, Chelyabinsk region) - an outstanding Soviet biathlete, champion of the USSR Spartakiad. Winner of the 1978 USSR Cup, four-time Olympic champion, silver medalist at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, eleven-time world champion, fifteen-time USSR champion. President (1996-2008), vice-president (2008-2010) of the Russian Biathlon Union. First Vice-President of the International Biathlon Union (2002-2009). Honored Master of Sports of the USSR since 1968. Member of the CPSU since 1975. Lieutenant Colonel (internal troops of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs).

In October 1999, he ran for the post of governor of the Moscow region, but did not make it to the second round.

In 2007, he was convicted under Articles 33 and 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (complicity in the form of incitement to murder for hire) and sentenced to 3 years in prison. Amnestied.

On April 3, 2008, the biathlon center in the village was named after Tikhonov. Uvat, Tyumen region. September 26, 2008 in the village. Uvat museum opened "A. I. Tikhonov is a legend of world biathlon.”

Born in the village of Uyskoye, Uysky district, Chelyabinsk region. Father - Ivan Grigorievich, taught physical education at school, was the winner of regional competitions among rural teachers in ski racing, a participant in the Great Patriotic War, was wounded. Mother - Nina Evlampievna, also skied and worked as an accountant. In family Tikhonov there were four children: Sergei, Vladimir (died), Victor, eldest - Alexander.

In infancy, doctors diagnosed Sachet a terrible diagnosis - congenital heart disease. Until the age of 3, he lagged behind his peers in development, and at five and a half years old Sasha managed to fall into a cauldron of boiling water, received terrible burns and spent a whole year in the hospital.

He became interested in skiing as a child and excelled at school: in 1958, a fifth-grade student Sasha Tikhonov won his first ski race for a newspaper prize "Pioneer Truth".

After school Sasha went to Chelyabinsk and entered the factory training school (FZO). He worked for two years at the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant as a refractory masonry mason. At the same time, he did not give up skiing, continuing to ski on winter evenings in the park.

Later he was invited to Novosibirsk to study at the College of Physical Education. Here he practiced cross-country skating, cycling, and skiing. After graduating from the College of Physical Education, he served in the army. In 1966 he won 10 and 15 kilometers in junior competitions. He ran the relay as part of an adult team and became the winner. Thus, he qualified for the USSR ski team.

Summer 1966 Alexander injured his leg and did not go to the training camp with the skiers. To recover, I went to the Estonian town of Otepää, where biathletes trained. I walked on crutches and practically did not train. One day, the senior coach of the Soviet biathlon team, Alexander Privalov, approached him and offered to shoot:

“We went with him to the shooting range. Privalov's rifle (he himself is 2 meters tall) was clearly too big for me, but with five shots I hit five targets. The love for hunting that my father instilled in me affected me.” »

However, getting into the biathlon team was not easy. Tikhonov The expansion of the competition program to include the relay helped: first of all, fast racers were needed for the relay team. They immediately began training him for the 1st stage, where, due to his speed, he could make up for possible shooting mistakes.

He made his debut at the Olympic Games in 1968. However, the preparation for the games turned out to be crumpled: as soon as he arrived in the Olympic village, Tikhonov Got a bad cold because I wore sneakers in warm and wet weather.

With the help of a trainer Anatoly Akentyev managed to bring down the high temperature and reach the start of the 20 km individual race. Tikhonov started very first and eventually won a silver medal, losing in shooting to the Norwegian Magnar Solberg (2 misses and a loss of 50 seconds).

However, the main start for Tikhonov is the relay race. He ran the 1st stage:

“When, after the stand, I went into the distance with a penalty circle, some Swede walked ahead of me (I don’t remember the last name). I remember the blood rushing to my head. What a shame, I think! The Swede is ahead of the Russian! I don’t know where the strength came from, but in the remaining 2 kilometers 200 meters I beat him by more than 40 seconds.”

The advantage of the USSR national team was later retained and consolidated by its partners (the gap was more than 2 minutes). As a result, the 1st Olympic gold medal in biathlon was won for Tikhonova.

At the Olympics in Sapporo Tikhonov runs in the relay again in the first stage. The first firing line went without any complications, I shot prone faster than anyone else and went into range before anyone else. In the standing shooting he earned two penalties, but confident in his abilities he continued the fight. However, on one of the sections he breaks one ski and is forced to run for almost a kilometer on one ski. Dieter Speer from the GDR team, the main rival of the USSR team, while preparing for his stage, he saw Alexander hobbling and, without hesitation, gave him his ski, which did not quite suit the Russian skier (the size of the bindings was different), but it was already possible to run. Then the Soviet team reserve gave Alexander a suitable ski. Having given chase, Tikhonov managed to return to the leading group, but passed the baton only to ninth. However, the teammates regained the lead and won gold.

At the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics he also took gold in the relay. This time Tikhonov ran the last stage, which went flawlessly. Wherein Tikhonov performed extremely unsuccessfully in the individual race: before the last shooting he had a 5-minute advantage. At the last shooting, he received a 6-minute penalty for 3 misses (hitting the “milk” immediately brought 2 minutes), and in the end he was left without medals.

A silver medal at the 1979 World Championships in the 20 km individual race allowed the veteran Tikhonov, in intense competition with his young friends and rivals, to gain the right to compete at his fourth Olympics.

At the opening of the Olympics in Lake Placid Tikhonov carried the banner of the USSR Olympic team.

He did not have the opportunity to compete due to a cold, which raised the question of his non-participation in the relay. Before the race itself, a decision was made at the meeting to participate Tikhonova at the start. He ran the 2nd stage, in a fierce fight with Klaus Siebert, finishes it in 1st position. The partners’ efforts ultimately consolidated the advantage and brought victory, the 4th gold in a row at the Olympics for Tikhonov.

After the 1980 Olympics, he finished his career as a racer and switched to coaching. In 1982 Tikhonov becomes the senior coach of the USSR youth biathlon team. From 1985 to 1987 - deputy. Chairman of the Novosibirsk Regional Council " Dynamo", and from 1987 to 1990 - coach of the country's experimental biathlon team.

Sports achivments

Four-time Olympic champion, silver medalist at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble
Eleven-time world champion
Biathlon World Cup 1977 (first edition)
Fourteen-time USSR biathlon champion: 10 km race (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978), 20 km race (1969, 1970, 1972, 1974), 4x7.5 km relay (1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1977).
Champion and silver medalist of the USSR cross-country skiing championship: 4x10 km relay (1969).
Two-time winner of the USSR Junior Biathlon Championship in cross-country skiing (10 and 5 km), 1966.
Champion of the USSR Spartakiad.
Winner of the USSR Cup 1978

Since 1992, he has created a network of commercial companies under the brand “ Tikhonov and K"(became business partner I. N. Shelenko, former athlete, international master of sports in speed skating). The network operated in the Moscow region town of Kolomna, baked bread products and sold them in company stores. Since 1996, Tikhonov and K has become a grain producer in the Rostov region.

Another company - " Tikhonov AL" (partners D. I. Lobzhanidze, A. I. Charkovsky- the son of a Russian skier) - established meat production in Moscow. In Zelenograd (with a partner E. I. Khodosom) the production of fish products was organized.

Later, the equestrian “Tikhonov Club” was created at the Central Hippodrome of Moscow. This hobby is so captivating Tikhonova that he began to participate in obstacle jumping competitions and was elected vice-president of the Russian Equestrian Federation. It was also established Tikhonov Equestrian Cup.

From 1996 to 2008 - President of the Russian Biathlon Union. During part of this period Alexander Tikhonov was absent from Russia, hiding from investigation in a criminal case (see below). At the reporting and election conference on October 27, 2008, he proposed to elect a famous entrepreneur in his place Mikhail Prokhorov, after which he served for some time as vice-president of the RBU.

Last years of stay Tikhonova his tenure as president and then vice president was marked by a number of scandals:

Conflicts with coaches and biathletes;
scandal with sponsorship contracts;
the doping scandal of 2009, when three leading Russian biathletes were convicted of using prohibited substances based on the results of tests in 2008.
Activity Tikhonova was sharply criticized by a number of athletes and functionaries. So, Olympic champion in biathlon and cross-country skiing Anfisa Reztsova states: “Alexander Ivanovich is a very respected person in biathlon. He is a smart guy, he has done a lot for both Soviet and Russian biathlon. But his time has passed. The time has passed when he could dictate his terms to everyone and do as he wants”; “... as a leader, he had to know what was happening with the athletes, he had to be involved. Otherwise, he’s not a leader.”

In July 2010 Tikhonov resigned from the post of first vice-president of the RBU, citing his reluctance to work with the current board, which in his opinion is incompetent.

Recently he has been blogging on his personal website, where he criticizes both the leadership of the RBU and many coaches and athletes.

August 8, 2000 Alexander Tikhonov and his brother Victor were detained on suspicion of organizing an assassination attempt on the governor of the Kemerovo region Amana Tuleyeva. August 10, 2000 Alexander Tikhonov was arrested, and on August 11, 2000, his brother was arrested Victor Tikhonov, who confessed. Alexander Tikhonov He denied his involvement in the case. September 24, 2000 preventive measure Alexander Tikhonov was changed to a recognizance not to leave.

February 4, 2001 Alexander Tikhonov addressed an open letter to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin with a request to intervene in the investigation of a criminal case. Tikhonov explained his appeal to the president by saying that the investigative authorities of Novosibirsk were violating his civil rights by not allowing him to fly to Moscow for an emergency surgical operation. As a result, on March 5, 2001, the prosecutor's office of the Novosibirsk region changed the preventive measure for Alexander Tikhonov: he was allowed to travel to Moscow for treatment. On April 20, 2001, the investigation of the criminal case against the Tikhonov brothers for organizing an attempt on the life of the governor of the Kemerovo region Aman Tuleyev was completed, but by the time the court hearings began Alexander Tikhonov left Russia, evading justice, and was allegedly in Austria, where, according to some reports, he underwent surgery on his legs and lived for some time. As a result of this, Tikhonov was put on the international wanted list, and his criminal case was separated into separate proceedings. His younger brother Victor On August 2, 2002, he was found guilty and sentenced to 4 years in prison. The court found that Viktor Tikhonov, on behalf of the head of the Micom group Mikhail Zhivilo(partner Alexandra Tikhonova for business) found killers in Novosibirsk and gave them an advance in the amount of $179,000.

In 2006 Alexander Tikhonov returned to Russia. The return was facilitated by a telegram that Alexander Tikhonov received from Amana Tuleyeva September 6, 2005: “Dear Alexander Ivanovich, I know you as a well-known personality in sports in Russia and the world, a multiple champion of the country and the planet. I have always been proud of your achievements. I have never held a grudge against you and I don’t, I have repeatedly reported this through the media. I know that all the blame lies with Zhivilo...”

On July 23, 2007, the trial ended and Alexander Tikhonov was found guilty of preparing an assassination attempt on the governor of the Kemerovo region Amana Tuleyeva; he was sentenced to three years in prison, but then released right in the courtroom under an amnesty declared in honor of the 55th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Tikhonov himself did not admit guilt in the last word. Information that Alexander Tikhonov appealed the court decision, no.

Married for the fourth time.

The first marriage was at the age of 16, the couple quickly separated.

Children from second marriage:
son - Alexander (born 1971), graduated from the Faculty of Law of Tomsk State University, married, two children:
Yulia (born 1992) and Alina (born 1997) live in Novosibirsk, work in their specialty;
son - Evgeniy (born 1973) died tragically.

Third marriage: Spouse - Tikhonova Elena Viktorovna(07/21/1957), administrator " Club Tikhonov" Daughter - Polina (born 1982)

Awards and recognition

Order of Lenin (1980)
Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1976)
Order of Friendship (1999)
Order of the Red Star (1969, for the capture of a particularly dangerous criminal)
Medal "For Labor Valor" (1968)
Medal "For Labor Distinction" (1972)
Knight of the Olympic Order of Glory (February 1999).
The world community named him “Mr. Biathlon” in 1977.
Recognized as a legend of Russian sports in the 20th century.

Four-time Olympic champion in biathlon Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov was born on January 2, 1947 in the village of Uyskoye, Chelyabinsk region.

He graduated from the Factory Training School (FZO) in Chelyabinsk. He worked for two years at the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant as a refractory masonry mason.

Alexander Tikhonov - Honored Master of Sports (1968). Four-time Olympic champion (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980) in the relay race, multiple world champion (1969-1978) and the USSR (1969-1977) in biathlon. Received the first Biathlon World Cup (1977), winner of the 1978 USSR Cup.

After the 1980 Olympics, he ended his career as an athlete and switched to coaching. In 1982, Alexander Tikhonov was appointed head coach of the USSR youth team. From 1985 to 1987 he was deputy chairman of the Novosibirsk regional council "Dynamo". In 1987-1990 he worked as a coach of the country's experimental biathlon team.

In the late 1980s, Alexander Tikhonov began doing business. With a group of former athletes in Novosibirsk, he organized a Soviet-Austrian enterprise specializing in adventure tourism, a Soviet-Japanese joint venture "Avto-san" for the sale of cars, opened a network of commercial companies under the brand "Tikhonov and K", organized grain production in the Rostov region , established meat production in Moscow, and fish production in Zelenograd.

At the Central Hippodrome of Moscow, he created the equestrian “Tikhonov Club”, he himself participated in competitions in overcoming obstacles and was even elected vice-president of the Russian Equestrian Federation. After the closure of the club in Moscow, he gave fourteen horses to his friends - the owners of an equestrian club in Chuvashia.

In October 1999, Alexander Tikhonov ran for the post of governor of the Moscow region, but did not make it to the second round.

In August 2000, Tikhonov was charged with complicity in preparing an assassination attempt on the governor of the Kemerovo region, Aman Tuleyev. On July 23, 2007, the Novosibirsk Regional Court found Tikhonov guilty under Articles 133 and 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - complicity in the form of incitement to murder for hire - and sentenced him to three years in prison. On the same day, it was announced by the State Duma in honor of the 55th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Tikhonov himself did not admit guilt.

The International Biathlon Federation recognized him as the “Best Biathlete of the 20th Century”. In 1977, the world community named him "Mr. Biathlon."

In 1996-2008, Alexander Tikhonov was president of the Russian Biathlon Union. From 2008 to 2010 - vice president of this union. In addition, in 2002-2009, Tikhonov was the first vice-president of the International Biathlon Union.

Alexander Tikhonov is a lieutenant colonel of the internal troops of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. For the detention of a particularly dangerous criminal in 1969, he was awarded the Order of the Red Star.

For outstanding sporting achievements he was awarded the Order of Lenin (1980), the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1976), the Order of Friendship (1999), the medals “For Labor Valor” (1968) and “For Labor Distinction” (1972). In February 1999, he was awarded the International Olympic Committee - the Olympic Order of Glory.

The biathlon center in the village of Uvat, Tyumen region, was named after Tikhonov in 2008; in the same year, the museum “A.I. Tikhonov - the legend of world biathlon” was opened in the village of Uvat.

Alexander Tikhonov is married for the fourth time. He has a son from his second marriage and a daughter from his third. The youngest son from his second marriage died.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Four-time Olympic champion in biathlon Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov was born on January 2, 1947 in the village of Uyskoye, Chelyabinsk region.

He graduated from the Factory Training School (FZO) in Chelyabinsk. He worked for two years at the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant as a refractory masonry mason.

Alexander Tikhonov - Honored Master of Sports (1968). Four-time Olympic champion (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980) in the relay race, multiple world champion (1969-1978) and the USSR (1969-1977) in biathlon. Received the first Biathlon World Cup (1977), winner of the 1978 USSR Cup.

After the 1980 Olympics, he ended his career as an athlete and switched to coaching. In 1982, Alexander Tikhonov was appointed head coach of the USSR youth team. From 1985 to 1987 he was deputy chairman of the Novosibirsk regional council "Dynamo". In 1987-1990 he worked as a coach of the country's experimental biathlon team.

In the late 1980s, Alexander Tikhonov began doing business. With a group of former athletes in Novosibirsk, he organized a Soviet-Austrian enterprise specializing in adventure tourism, a Soviet-Japanese joint venture "Avto-san" for the sale of cars, opened a network of commercial companies under the brand "Tikhonov and K", organized grain production in the Rostov region , established meat production in Moscow, and fish production in Zelenograd.

At the Central Hippodrome of Moscow, he created the equestrian “Tikhonov Club”, he himself participated in competitions in overcoming obstacles and was even elected vice-president of the Russian Equestrian Federation. After the closure of the club in Moscow, he gave fourteen horses to his friends - the owners of an equestrian club in Chuvashia.

In October 1999, Alexander Tikhonov ran for the post of governor of the Moscow region, but did not make it to the second round.

In August 2000, Tikhonov was charged with complicity in preparing an assassination attempt on the governor of the Kemerovo region, Aman Tuleyev. On July 23, 2007, the Novosibirsk Regional Court found Tikhonov guilty under Articles 133 and 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - complicity in the form of incitement to murder for hire - and sentenced him to three years in prison. On the same day, it was announced by the State Duma in honor of the 55th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Tikhonov himself did not admit guilt.

The International Biathlon Federation recognized him as the “Best Biathlete of the 20th Century”. In 1977, the world community named him "Mr. Biathlon."

In 1996-2008, Alexander Tikhonov was president of the Russian Biathlon Union. From 2008 to 2010 - vice president of this union. In addition, in 2002-2009, Tikhonov was the first vice-president of the International Biathlon Union.

Alexander Tikhonov is a lieutenant colonel of the internal troops of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. For the detention of a particularly dangerous criminal in 1969, he was awarded the Order of the Red Star.

For outstanding sporting achievements he was awarded the Order of Lenin (1980), the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1976), the Order of Friendship (1999), the medals “For Labor Valor” (1968) and “For Labor Distinction” (1972). In February 1999, he was awarded the International Olympic Committee - the Olympic Order of Glory.

The biathlon center in the village of Uvat, Tyumen region, was named after Tikhonov in 2008; in the same year, the museum “A.I. Tikhonov - the legend of world biathlon” was opened in the village of Uvat.

Alexander Tikhonov is married for the fourth time. He has a son from his second marriage and a daughter from his third. The youngest son from his second marriage died.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Biathlon, winner of four Olympics, an outstanding champion who managed to successfully realize himself in sports and business.

Start of a sports career

The diagnosis of “congenital heart disease” did not become an obstacle for Alexander in his sports career. Skiing has been present in the life of the future Olympic champion since childhood. In addition, their parents set an example for their four sons: mother Nina Evlampievna, who worked as an accountant, and father Ivan Grigorievich, who taught physical education at school. Repeatedly participating in regional competitions held among teachers, he became a winner.

Alexander, a native of the village of Uyskoye (Chelyabinsk region), was born on January 2, 1947. In his sixth year of life, he accidentally fell into a cauldron of boiling water, resulting in severe burns. The year spent in the hospital may have strengthened the character of the future athlete. While in fifth grade, he won a regional skiing competition.

Next on his life's path was studying at the Chelyabinsk School, then working as a refractory masonry mason at a metallurgical plant. And during this period, Tikhonov remained faithful to skiing, regularly training in a nearby park after the end of the working day. Next, the promising young man entered a physical education college, where he simultaneously practiced speed skating and cycling. Service in the Soviet Army led to a forced break in Tikhonov’s nascent career, who returned to the sport with new zeal.

Alexander Tikhonov: biathlon for life

In 1966, Alexander Tikhonov won the union-scale junior ski competitions at distances of 10 and 15 kilometers. The champion has already passed the relay race as part of the adult team of the USSR national team. This year became fateful for Tikhonov. He suffered a leg injury, which gave a successful start to his biathlete career.

To restore his health, Alexander was sent to the Estonian town of Otepää, where the biathletes settled at that time. The guy on crutches, watching their training with interest, was noticed by Alexander Privalov, the coach of the national team, and suggested they practice shooting for a change. Hitting a target without a miss and speed were the talents that Tikhonov possessed in order to try himself in a new sport. We can say that he was lucky: literally immediately Alexander got into the main team of the national team, where fast riders were urgently needed for the relay.

Tikhonov - world-class biathlete

Tikhonov's first Olympic Games took place in 1968. Having started, he earned a silver medal, making two mistakes and losing 5 seconds to the Norwegian Magnar Solberg. The main start for the biathlete was the relay race, in which he ran the first stage. Seeing the Swede ahead of him, Alexander could not allow him to be ahead of the Russian. Gathering his will into a fist, Tikhonov won about 40 seconds over the remaining two kilometers. As a result, the USSR national team became the leader in this race, and the chest of the Soviet athlete was decorated with the first gold medal of the Olympic Games. The next 4 gold medals were added a little later, all for winning relays.

There was an incident that showed the unity of athletes and the desire to win at any cost. It was in Sapporo (Japan). Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov confidently overcame his first stage at the Olympics and was significantly ahead of his rivals when the unexpected happened: the ski fell to pieces. The biathlete had to move for almost a kilometer on one ski. Dieter Speer (GDR team) came to the rescue: when he saw the Soviet athlete hobbling, the German gave him his own ski. True, it was somewhat unsuitable for Tikhonov, but it was quite possible to run in it. As a result, Alexander managed to rehabilitate himself and passed the baton ninth in a row. His courage and perseverance inspired his partners, who brought the USSR national team to first place and won the title of Olympic champions. Tikhonov was the first in the history of biathlon to be awarded the World Cup, established in 1977.

Life after sports

Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov ended his sports career at the age of 33, unable to withstand competition with the promising younger generation. The coaching work in which he tried to realize himself did not work out, so the Olympic champion’s interest switched to business.

In the 80s, Alexander Tikhonov and a group of former athletes formed a Soviet-Austrian enterprise engaged in adventure tourism. A few tours were enough to understand that this line of business turned out to be unprofitable for him. Then the former athlete began selling Japanese cars. Near his salon there was an Italian company that sold baking equipment. Tikhonov worked there on commission, and took the required interest from a second-hand bakery. This became the starting point for the creation in the Moscow region of a successful network of companies under the Tikhonov and K brand, which sold bakery products in their own stores and retail outlets. Later, such a business grew into a company producing grains in the Rostov region, and then fish and meat products.

Dark spot in biography

Having established a food business, Alexander Tikhonov decided to create an equestrian club under his own name. The starting point for making such a decision was a horse given to the athlete in 1994. At the age of 47, Alexander began learning to ride a horse. The habit of not feeling sorry for himself gradually turned horse riding lessons into training, which led to his full participation in competitions. For some time, Tikhonov served as vice president of the Russian Equestrian Federation.

In 1996, Tikhonov returned to biathlon as president of the Russian Biathlon Union, where he remained until 2008. The former athlete was forced to spend a significant part of this time abroad, hiding from criminal prosecution (suspicion of an attempt on the life of Aman Tuleyev, the governor of the Kemerovo region). In 2007, he was found guilty, sentenced to 3 years in prison and released right in the courtroom (due to an amnesty announced in honor of the 55th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War). The athlete himself did not admit guilt, and Aman Tuleyev, through news agencies, several times refused claims against A. Tikhonov.

As for his personal life, Tikhonov is married for the fourth time and has 3 children. Lives and works in Moscow.

Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov is a legend of domestic sports. The Soviet biathlete won the Olympic Games four times and is rightfully recognized as the best shooting skier in the world of the twentieth century.

Tikhonov Alexander Ivanovich

Born 01/02/1947

Achievements:

• Four-time Olympic champion in relay races (Grenoble 1968, Sapporo 1972, Innsbruck 1976, Lake Placid 1980).
• Silver medalist at the Grenoble Olympic Games (individual race) in 1968.
• Eleven-time world champion (1969, 1970, 1973 – individual races, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977 – relay races, 1976, 1977 – sprints).
• Four-time silver medalist of the world championships (1967, 1975 - relay races, 1971, 1979 - individual races).
• Two-time bronze medalist at the World Championships (1977 – individual race, 1979 – relay race).

Childhood and youth

Often children start playing sports to overcome weakness or some kind of illness. So Sasha Tikhonov realized that he couldn’t rely on fate, and decided to take care of his own health. The boy grew up physically weak, and only sports could correct the situation.

Alexander's father was a physical education teacher in a rural school and instilled in his son a love of physical labor. Sasha began to do exercises, did hardening, and worked with dumbbells. Having finally believed in himself, he simultaneously starts skiing and skating.

Tikhonov understood early what labor is. He leaves school in the seventh grade and gets a job as a turner's apprentice. Having received a rank and a salary, Alexander began to provide for himself. During the day at work, in the evening at training - a strict routine developed by itself.

Having moved to Chelyabinsk, Tikhonov gets a job at a factory and continues to train in the late evenings. Nevertheless, a difficult work schedule does not prevent him from progressing in sports. He becomes the regional record holder in skating, and in cross-country skiing he goes even further - he wins the USSR championship among youths.

So, the young athlete has decided on his profile event, in which he continues to grow. Alexander becomes the first at the Spartakiad among juniors and, based on his results, comes close to the level of the adult Union team.

Most likely, Tikhonov would have achieved success in pure ski racing (with his character), but one day he caught the eye of Alexander Privalov, the head coach of the USSR biathlon team, who had recently completed his career. He invited the young skier to show how he shoots, and soon lured the young talent into his sport.

Mr. Biathlon

Tikhonov quickly mastered biathlon and within a year was included in the main team. At the age of twenty, he makes his debut at the World Championships and becomes its winner in the relay race. A similar triumph awaits him a year later at the Olympic Games in Grenoble. The debutant performs well in the individual race, showing the second result, being the best on the track, and earns the right to enter the relay four. Alexander passes his starting stage brilliantly, passes the baton first, and the rest of the team calmly brings the job to the end.

After such a performance, Tikhonov becomes the team leader. First of all, he is distinguished by his strongest move - in all races he is the best in speed, and if there are no incidents on the shooting range, victory remains with Alexander. This happened at the 1969 and 1970 World Championships. Tikhonov convincingly wins individual races and adds gold medals in relay races, making a good margin for his partners in his first stage.

Alexander is approaching the Olympics in Sapporo as a clear favorite. Everyone is waiting for a repeat of the successes of the world championships, but Tikhonov is let down by the final “stand”, and he is off the prize podium. And in the relay race, a real embarrassment happened to him - having failed the second shooting and rewinding the penalty loops, Alexander rushed to catch up with his opponents who had run ahead and broke his ski. For about a kilometer, he actually rode on one leg, until the German biathlete gave Tikhonov one ski. Having heroically overcome his stage, he passed the baton to ninth. Fortunately, his teammates did not disappoint, and Alexander became a two-time Olympic champion.

Since then he stopped running the first stages. So, four years later, at the Olympics in Innsbruck, Tikhonov brilliantly passes the fourth - final - stage and for the third time in his career becomes the champion of the Olympic Games. True, he was supposed to become one a week before the relay. After three shooting stages of the individual race, he had a huge advantage, but in the end he finished only fifth. The reason for this is the failure on the ill-fated “stand”.

Despite the fact that Tikhonov suffered failures in individual races at the Olympics, he was still good at the World Championships. So, twice in a row he became the best in short sprint races, which are primarily beneficial for strong runners.

In the late 70s, Alexander began to gradually slow down in his speed on the highway. This is no wonder - he is already in his fourth decade. Nevertheless, Tikhonov is still the leader of the team and continues to win medals in individual races and relays.

Tikhonov is going to his fourth Olympics in the USA, being the most experienced in our team. Moreover, Alexander is given the honor of carrying the Soviet flag at the opening ceremony of the games. Realizing that he has one last chance for personal gold at the Olympics, Tikhonov is full of desire to correct the historical misunderstanding. But in vain - a cold and fever did not allow him to express himself.

Unsuccessful performances in the individual and sprint races raised a question that had not even been discussed before - whether to put Tikhonov in the relay or not. As a result, the coaches decided that the veteran was no longer the same and could ruin the race, and announced the day before that Alexander would remain in reserve. But he is not a timid man and begged the coaching staff to give him a chance, promising that he would not let him down.

By some miracle, Tikhonov managed to convince his mentors, and they entrusted him with the second stage. Alexander did not disappoint, showing the best time among all biathletes, and less than an hour later, together with Alikin, Barnashov and Alyabyev, he celebrated a well-deserved victory. There is a fourth Olympic gold!

Alexander Tikhonov - four-time Olympic champion

ordeals

Tikhonov ends his sports career on a beautiful note. Alexander is 33, he is full of strength and ambition, but life after sports is not as smooth as his biathlon career. Having enormous experience and practical knowledge, he was ready to use them for the benefit of his country, but those people who just yesterday thanked Alexander for his victories did not allow him to work where he was supposed to according to his calling.

Difficult times began for Tikhonov - for some time he worked in Novosibirsk in the Dynamo society, in the late 80s he created an experimental team, but in 1990 he was forced to leave it - his athletes were not accepted into the main team of the country.

Alexander Ivanovich, of course, is not sugar - he has a difficult character. Even when he was an athlete, he could “push” his teammates on the national team if he understood that they were slacking and not dedicated to the job. Now, realizing that he would lead biathlon with the same passion, his path to his sport was closed.

Life became very difficult - perestroika, no work, they were transferred from the army to the reserves. It got to the point that Tikhonov sold his car - he had no other ways to feed his family at that time. At some point, Alexander Ivanovich realized that he shouldn’t wait for handouts from fate, and it was time to turn his life around.

Successful businessman and philanthropist

Tikhonov decides to go into business - so that, as in biathlon, he can rely only on himself.
First, he and his partner set up an enterprise for baking bread products in Kolomna, near Moscow. Gradually his business is growing - shops and retail outlets are opening in the city.

Alexander Ivanovich gets to his feet and registers the company “Tikhonov and Co.” His business is gaining momentum - he is going into agriculture, producing grain crops in the Rostov region. In parallel, his company is engaged in the production of meat and fish products. What is important, in addition to his own income, Tikhonov is engaged in production, while simultaneously opening jobs for ordinary people.

In the early 90s, Tikhonov returned to sports, but in a different way. He organizes an equestrian club named after himself and invests himself in it with all his heart and financial resources. Having invited the best specialists to work, Alexander Ivanovich himself begins to engage in equestrian sports, performing in competitions.

President of the RBU

Despite the fact that he has plenty to do, Tikhonov continues to closely follow biathlon. He sincerely rejoices at the successes of Russian athletes and is upset at the failures. Of course, when in 1995 he was called to save the domestic biathlon, he forgave everyone, realizing that he could not leave in trouble those who were not to blame for anything - the athletes.

By that time, the entire material and technical base had fallen into disrepair, there was a problem with financing, and no one had any idea about such a thing as sponsorship contracts. Alexander Ivanovich rolled up his sleeves and began to build processes as he saw fit. Under him, new biathlon complexes began to open in Siberia, athletes no longer felt the need for anything and could only focus on training and performances.

Yes, it was difficult to work with Tikhonov - he remained as demanding of others as during his sports career. Alexander Ivanovich allowed himself to interfere in the work of the national team’s coaching staff, which is wrong in terms of official responsibilities, but true in essence.

Tikhonov, despite his managerial work, retained the correct view of the sports component. He understood how and where to prepare for the season, and especially highlighted those who should be given a chance. So, thanks to his insight and perseverance, he returned to biathlon and shone.

Alexander Ivanovich Tikhonov - President of the RRF

Character

At the end of the 2000s, Tikhonov moved away from big biathlon affairs - he did not work well with a team of business managers, for whom sport is a foreign and incomprehensible matter. Nevertheless, Alexander Ivanovich is still cheerful, follows with interest what is happening in his native sport and does not hesitate to give sharp, sometimes even excessive, comments. Whoever criticizes him for this must admit that while he was at the helm of Russian biathlon, we won much more often.

Many people don’t like him, but they respect him because they understand that everything that Tikhonov says, as a rule, comes true. Alexander Ivanovich, this cannot be taken away from him, likes to talk a lot, but at the same time he is always to the point. Yes, sometimes he is too shocking, sometimes he behaves too provocatively, but all this can be forgiven for him - there have never been such strong biathletes as Tikhonov in our country.

Such people who can win four Olympics in a row and personally detain an armed criminal, which Tikhonov did in his time, returning from competitions on a train, are worth their weight in gold. And Alexander Ivanovich brought so much of it to his country that it was enough for ten.