Vladimir Akimov*

FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1980: gold; WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1982: gold; WORLD CUP: 1981: gold; EUROPEAN SUPER CUP: 1976, 1980, 1982: gold; EUROPEAN CHAMPION CUP: 1976: gold; EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1981: silver; EUROPEAN WINNERS CUP: 1980, 1982: gold; CHAMPION OF THE USSR: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983; CUP OF THE USSR CHAMPION: 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982; WINNER OF THE SPARTAKIAD PEOPLES OF THE USSR: 1983

He was born in 1953, in a suburb of Moscow, in the former Soviet Union, and he began swimming and playing water polo with his older brothers at an early age. At the time Vladimir Akimov was growing up, the Soviet Union was one of the superpowers of the water polo world.  The Soviets had won the Olympic bronze medal in 1956,  silver in 1960, bronze in 1964 and silver again in 1968.  And at the 1972 Games in Munich, his older brother Anatoly was a member of the Soviet team that won the gold medal.

Another brother, Viktor was a national champion many times over.  And in the mid 70’s,  all three brothers played together — for the CSK Navy military team.  

After the Soviets won silver and gold medals at the 1973 and 1975 World Championships, the Soviets finished eighth at the 1976 Montreal Games. And over the next three years, the team failed to reach the podium at any major international tournament.  It was during these years that Vladimir Akimov was
developing his talents and leading CSK Navy to the U.S.S.R. national championships.  In these games he was peerless in defense and had a keen understanding of the game that made him equally dangerous in attack.   

In late 1979, the Soviets elevated Boris Popov, who had success with the Soviet Juniors Team to coach the national team.  By deftly mixing the younger players he developed, with Olympic veterans Aleksei Barkalov and Aleksandr Kabanov – and the addition of  Vladimir Akimov,  Popov led his team to the gold medal in their hometown of Moscow, at the 1980 Summer Olympics.

The USSR team’s gold medal win in Moscow came during the USA led boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games, however the Soviets confirmed their supremacy the following year, at the FINA World Cup event in Long Beach, California in 1981. They won gold again at the 1982 FINA World Championship in Guayaquil and again at the 1983 FINA World Cup in Malibu. Unfortunately, the world never got to see what the Soviets could do at the Los Angeles Olympic Games due to the Soviet Block’s retaliatory boycott in 1984.

Tragically, Vladimir Akimov was murdered at just 34 years of age. He left behind a wife and son. But today, Vladimir Akimov, the greatest attacking defender of his era, is finally getting the recognition he so rightfully deserves – as an Olympic gold medalist, World and World Cup Champion, three-time European uper Cup Champion, two-time European Winners Cup Champion, Seven-time USSR National Champion, Five-time USSR Cup Champion, and Spartakiad People of USSR Champion.