Vladimir Petrovich Kuts was a Soviet long-distance runner. Kuts was born in Aleksino, Ukraine, USSR. He started training in running in 1945, while serving in the Soviet Navy. In 1951 he won his first national titles, in the 5000 and 10000 m, an achievement he repeated in 1953?1956. His first international success came in 1954, when he defeated the favourites ? Emil Z�topek and Christopher Chataway ? in the 5000 m at the European Championships, setting a new world record. He lost the world record months later to Chataway, only to take it back 10 days later. Having lost his world record again in 1955, Kuts was still one of the favourites for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. His chief opponent in the 5000 m was British runner Gordon Pirie, who had broken the world record earlier that year. However, Kuts had set a new 10,000 metres world record shortly before the Games. In the first final, the 10,000 m, Kuts ? as always ? led from the start, finally breaking Pirie's spirit 4 laps from the end and winning by a wide margin. 

February 7th, 1927 in Ukraine  /  Died:   Aug 16th, 1975