Vyacheslav Zaytsev

Vyacheslav Alekseyevich Zaytsev (Russian: Вячеслав Алексеевич Зайцев, 12 November 1952 – 12 June 2023) was a Russian volleyball player who competed for the Soviet Union in the 1976 Summer Olympics, in the 1980 Summer Olympics, and in the 1988 Summer Olympics.[1]

For the basketball player, see Vyacheslav Zaytsev (basketball).

Vyacheslav Zaytsev
Zaytsev in 2019
Personal information
Full nameVyacheslav Alekseyevich Zaytsev
NationalityRussian
Born(1952-11-12)12 November 1952
Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died12 June 2023(2023-06-12) (aged 70)
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Volleyball information
PositionSetter
Number2 (1976-1980)
3 (1988)
National team
1971-1988 Soviet Union
Honours
Men's volleyball
Representing  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1980 Moscow Team
Silver medal – second place1976 Montreal Team
Silver medal – second place1988 Seoul Team
World Championship
Gold medal – first place1978 ItalyTeam
Gold medal – first place1982 ArgentinaTeam
Silver medal – second place1974 MexicoTeam
Silver medal – second place1986 FranceTeam
World Cup
Gold medal – first place1977 JapanTeam
Gold medal – first place1981 JapanTeam
Silver medal – second place1985 JapanTeam
Goodwill Games
Gold medal – first place1986 MoscowTeam
Friendship Games
Gold medal – first place1984 HavanaTeam
European Championship
Gold medal – first place1975 YugoslaviaTeam
Gold medal – first place1977 FinlandTeam
Gold medal – first place1979 FranceTeam
Gold medal – first place1981 BulgariaTeam
Gold medal – first place1983 East GermanyTeam
Gold medal – first place1985 NetherlandsTeam
Universiade
Gold medal – first place1973 MoscowTeam
European Junior Championship
Gold medal – first place1971 SpainUnder-20
Last updated: 21 December 2017

Zaytsev was born in Leningrad. In 1976, he was part of the Soviet team which won the silver medal in the Olympic tournament. He played all five matches.[1]

Four years later, he won a gold medal with the Soviet team in the 1980 Olympic tournament. He played five matches. With the Soviet Union, Zaytsev won two other Olympic silver medals, two World Championships and six European titles.[1]

He was a major player to help Soviet Union men's national volleyball team to dominate the World in late 1970s to early 1980s by winning 1977 FIVB Men's World Cup, 1978 FIVB Men's World Championship, 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, 1981 FIVB Men's World Cup and 1982 FIVB Men's World Championship in row. At the 1988 Games, he was a member of the Soviet team that won the silver medal in the Olympic tournament. He played five matches.

Zaytsev played for Avtomobilist Leningrad, with which he won two Cup Winners' Cups in 1982–1983. He finished his career in Italy, playing in Spoleto, Agrigento, and Città di Castello.[1]

In 2013, Zytsev was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.[2]

Personal life and death

Zaytsev was married to Irina Pozdnyakova, a former competitive swimmer. They had a daughter, Anna (born 1975), and a son, Ivan, who is an Olympic volleyball player. Both children hold Italian citizenship: Ivan was born on 2 October 1988 in Italy, where his father played for several years, whereas Anna married an Italian in 1993.[3][4]

Zaytsev died on 12 June 2023, at the age of 70.[5]

References
  1. Vyacheslav Zaytsev. Sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020.
  2. "Vyacheslav Zaytsev". International Volleyball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  3. Позднякова Ирина. ussr-swimming.ru
  4. ИГРА БЕЗ ЗАЙЦЕВА Archived 22 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine. spbvolley.ru
  5. Sbardella, Massimo (12 June 2023). "E' morto Slava Zaytsev, con lui Spoleto anticipò la fine della Guerra fredda". Tuttoggi (in Italian). Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
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