Wikipedia

Aleksandr Safoshkin

Aleksandr Safoshkin
Personal information
Full nameAleksandr Alekseyevich Safoshkin
Nickname
  • Alexandr, Alexander
Born (1976-03-13) 13 March 1976 (age 49)
Rostov-on-Don, Russia[1]
Height155 cm (5 ft 1 in)
Gymnastics career
SportMen's artistic gymnastics
Country
represented		Russia Russia
Retired2008
Medal record
Men's artistic gymnastics
Representing  Russia
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2005 Melbourne Rings
Silver medal – second place 2006 Aarhus Team
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2004 Ljubljana Rings
Gold medal – first place 2006 Volos Team
Gold medal – first place 2006 Volos Rings
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Debrecen Rings

Aleksandr Alekseyevich Safoshkin (Russian: Александр Алексеевич Сафошкин; born 13 March 1976) is a Russian former artistic gymnast. He is the 2004 and 2006 European champion and the 2005 World silver medalist on the rings. He also won a silver medal with the Russian team at the 2006 World Championships and a team gold medal at the 2006 European Championships. He represented Russia at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Gymnastics career

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When he was 19 years old, Safoshkin took a seven-year break from artistic gymnastics to join the Rostov Circus. He was encouraged to return to competition by his former coach due to new rules that allowed apparatus specialists to compete at the Olympic Games. He returned to competition in 2003 and won the rings competition at the Stuttgart World Cup. At the 2004 European Championships, he tied with Dimosthenis Tampakos for the rings title.[2][3] He also won the rings gold medal at the 2004 Lyon World Cup.[4]

Safoshkin competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics with the Russian team that placed sixth. He advanced into the rings final and placed seventh with a score of 9.750.[3][5] He won the rings bronze medal at the 2005 European Championships.[6] At the 2005 World Championships, he won the silver medal on the rings by 0.013 points behind Yuri van Gelder.[7][8]

Safoshkin helped Russia win the team title at the 2006 European Championships, where he also won the rings title.[9][10] He won a team silver medal at the 2006 World Championships and also placed seventh in the rings final.[11] After these World Championships, he injured his shoulder, which ultimately ended his career. He retired from the sport and began working as a coach for the junior national team.[3]

Personal life

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Safoshkin's wife, Ekaterina, is a former rhythmic gymnast, and they have a son.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Aleksandr Safoshkin". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Александр Сафошкин: Я – крутой!" [Aleksandr Safoshkin: I am cool!]. Soviet Sport (in Russian). 28 June 2004. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Loginova, Anastasia. "На 7 лет уходил из гимнастики, стал звездой цирка Никулина. А после сумел триумфально вернуться в большой спорт" [He left gymnastics for 7 years and became a star of the Nikulin Circus. And then he managed to triumphantly return to big-time sports.]. Sport24 (in Russian). Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Final Day of World Cup in Lyon". Gym Media. 14 March 2004. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Men's artistic gymnastics rings results". BBC Sport. 22 August 2004. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Yuri Van Gelder of Netherlands and Andres Coppolino of Italy are co-winners of Gold". United Press International. 5 June 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Liukin takes revenge at world champs". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Спортивная гимнастика. Александр Сафошкин стал вице-чемпионом мира" [Artistic gymnastics. Alexander Safoshkin became the vice-champion of the world]. Sports.ru (in Russian). 26 November 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Maras wins bars gold for Greece". BBC Sport. 7 May 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  10. ^ "27th Men's European Championships Artistic Gymnastics Men Senior Finals Volos (GRE) May 04 - 07, 2006". Gymnastics Results. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  11. ^ "39th World Championships Artistic Gymnastics Men Finals Aarhus, Denmark, 2006, October 13-21". Gymnastics Results. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
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