Veniamin Soldatenko

Veniamin Vasilievich Soldatenko (Russian: Вениамин Васильевич Солдатенко, 4 January 1939 – 15 July 2023) was a Soviet athlete who competed mainly in the 50 km walk. He acquired Kazakhstani citizenship after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Veniamin Soldatenko

Soldatenko in 1972
Personal information
Born	4 January 1939 (1939-01-04) Shkurovka, Beinetkorsky District, North Kazakhstan Region, Kazakh SSR, USSR[1]
Died	15 July 2023 (2023-07-16) (aged 84)
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	63 kg (139 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	50 km walk
Club	SKA Almaty
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	3:53:24 (1978)
Medal record Representing the  Soviet Union Olympic Games 1972 Munich 50 km walk World Championships 1976 Malmö 50 km walk

Soldatenko took up athletics in 1962 and became a member of the USSR National Team in 1967.[1] He competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics and won the silver medal. He also won a silver medal at the 1970 World Race Walking Cup, a gold medal at the 1976 World Championships and bronze, gold and silver medals at the European Championships in 1969, 1971 and 1978, respectively. Soldatenko was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor in 1972.[1]

Soldatenko was the first ever IAAF world champion and remains the oldest male world champion in athletics, having taken his 50 km walk title at 37 years and 258 days.[2] In retirement he coached race walkers in his native Kazakhstan.[3]

Soldatenko died on 15 July 2023, at the age of 84.[4]