Summer Olympics

Olympic hammer champion Litvinov dies aged 60

Published Feb. 20, 2018 12:06 a.m. ET

MOSCOW (AP) Sergei Litvinov, the 1988 Olympic gold medalist in the men's hammer throw, has died. He was 60.

The Russian track and field federation said in a statement that Litvinov ''suddenly fell'' from his bicycle while riding back from a practice session in the southern city of Sochi.

The federation said an ambulance crew ''arrived immediately after being called but was unable to save him.''

Litvinov was a two-time world champion in the hammer throw and also won Olympic silver in 1980. He remains the Olympic record holder after throwing 84.80 meters to win the gold medal in Seoul, South Korea, in 1988 during a Soviet podium sweep.

Litvinov later coached athletes including his son, also named Sergei Litvinov, who is a former European bronze medalist in the hammer.

Get more from Summer Olympics Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Summer Olympics