Nikolai Andrianov (October 14, 1952 – March 21, 2011) was a Soviet/Russian gymnast…..who held the record for men for the most Olympic medals at 15….with 7 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 3 bronze medals….until USA swimmer Michael Phelps surpassed him at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Andrianov is the third athlete (male or female) in total Olympic medals after Phelps’s 28 and USSR gymnast Larisa Latynina….who earned 18. Andrianov won the most medals at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics with 6 individual medals and one team medal. Within the sport of Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, he also holds the men’s record for most individual Olympic medals at 12….and shares the male record for most individual Olympic gold medals in gymnastics at 6….while being tied with Boris Shakhlin and Dmitry Bilozerchev….with the latter of which only if you count the 1984 Alternate Olympics. In many other rankings among all-time medal winners at the Olympic, World, and European levels….Andrianov ranks very high….for example, he is second only to Vitaly Scherbo in total individual medal counts at either the gold level or any level at the combined Olympic and World levels….as well as at the combined Olympic, World, and European levels….which easily makes him one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time.
