Valentin Nikolayev (wrestler)
Valentin Vladimirovich Nikolayev (, ; 6 April 1924 – 31 October 2004) was a Soviet Greco-Roman wrestler. He won the world title in 1955 and an Olympic gold medal in 1956. He also won gold medals at the World Festival of Youth and Students in 1951, 1953 and 1955. Domestically he held the Soviet light-heavyweight title in 1951 and 1954, placing second in 1953. Nikolayev took up wrestling in 1945 and until 1956 competed as a light-heavyweight, before moving to a heavier class and winning three silver medals at the Soviet championships in 1957–59. He retired in 1960 and then had a long career as a coach in Rostov-on-Don, where he spent most of his life. Nikolayev graduated from the Rostov Transport University. He was married to Nelli and had a daughter Stella and a son Vladimir. References

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1924 births
2004 deaths
Sportspeople from Kirovohrad Oblast
Communist Party of the Soviet Union members
Honoured Masters of Sport of the USSR
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Olympic gold medalists for the Soviet Union
Olympic medalists in wrestling
Olympic wrestlers for the Soviet Union
Soviet male sport wrestlers
Ukrainian male sport wrestlers
Wrestlers at the 1956 Summer Olympics