Valeriy Brumel

Brumel was born in a far eastern Siberian village to a family of geologists exploring the region.[3] They later moved to Luhansk and taught at a local university.

Brumel took up the high jump at age 12 in Lugansk, coached by P. S. Shtein. Aged 16 he cleared 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) using the then dominant straight-leg straddle technique. He improved his skills under the coaching of V. M. Dyachkov in Moscow. In 1960 he broke the USSR record, 2.17 metres (7 ft 1 in), and was selected to the Olympic team. At the 1960 Summer Olympics, he cleared the same height as the winner Robert Shavlakadze, but made more attempts and thus was awarded a silver medal.[2]

A plaque in Russian on Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, commemorating Brumel's world record of 2.25 m set on 31 August 1961

In 1961–1963 he broke his own world record in the high jump six times, improving it from 2.23 metres (7 ft 4 in) to 2.28 metres (7 ft 6 in).[4] He also won the high jump at the 1961 and 1963 Universiade, 1962 European Championships, the 1964 Summer Olympics and the USSR Championships of 1961–1963.[1][5]

After going undefeated during the 1965 season, Brumel suffered a multiple fracture in his right foot in a motorcycle crash, and faced an amputation. He was operated on successfully by professor Gavriil Ilizarov with a new leg-lengthening procedure using his external fixator. Yet even after 29 surgeries, he could not fully recover. He retired in 1970 after jumping 2.06 metres (6 ft 9 in) at local competitions.[1][5]

In retirement Brumel turned to acting and writing. He starred in the film Sport, Sport, Sport (1970) and wrote the script for Pravo na pryzhok (The right on a jump, 1973). He also wrote numerous novels and plays, including the novel Don't Change Yourself (1979), which was translated into seven languages, and the libretto to Rauf Hajiyev's operetta Golden Caravel (Золотая каравелла).[1][5]

Brumel had two brothers, Oleg (1944–2005) and Igor, a Russian politician born in 1952 in Rostov.[6] Brumel was married three times. His first wife, Marina, was a gymnastics instructor.[7] She left him with a son in 1965, when Brumel was recovering from his motorcycle crash. In 1973 Brumel married Yelena Petushkova, an equestrian and 1972 Olympic champion in dressage. The couple divorced 18 months later, citing irreconcilable differences. They had a daughter, Vlada Petushkova, born in 1974, who was raised by her mother.[8] In 1992 Brumel married Svetlana Belousova, who later founded and managed the Valeriy Brumel Fund. They had a son Viktor.[5][9]

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  Brumel with his first wife in 1963
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  Brumel jumping at a meet
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  Brumel after his leg injury
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  Brumel in 1968 and Ilizarov apparatus that restored his crushed leg

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Valeriy Brumel.

• Valeri Brumel. IMDb
• High Jump legend Brumel, dies after long illness. IAAF. 26 January 2003. Retrieved on 14 January 2011.
• IAAF Mourns Loss of Legendary High Jumper. IAAF. 28 January 2003. Retrieved on 14 January 2011.
• Frank Litsky, Valery Brumel Is Dead at 60; Russian Set High-Jump Marks. NYT 28 January 2003. Retrieved on 26 January 2014.
• Valeriy Brumel at Find a Grave