Ivan Tsikhan - Sport Career

Sport Career

Tsikhan competed at his first World Championships in 1997, but without reaching the final. He also failed to do so at the 1998 European Championships, but finished tied for third in the final at the 2000 Olympic Games. Unfortunately he was ranked fourth because he did not have a superior second best. He then finished sixth at the 2001 Summer Universiade and ninth at the 2002 European Championships, and competed at the 2001 World Championships without reaching the final.

The year 2003 was Tsikhan's break out season. He surpassed the 80-metre barrier for the first time. He became world champion for the first time in 2003 in Paris, with a throw of 83.03 meters. He won the 2003 Summer Universiade, and finished third at the inaugural World Athletics Final. He had a best of 84.32 metres, achieved in August in Minsk.

In 2004, At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens Tsikhan won the silver medal with a throw of 79.81 metres, however, after retesting his doping sample in 2012 IOC disqualified him.At the World Athletics Final he took the silver. He had a best of 84.46 metres, achieved in August in Minsk.

In 2005, at the 2005 World Championships he successfully defended his world title from Paris with a throw of 83.89 metres. In the Belarusian national championship in Brest in July, he came within one centimeter of the world record of 86.74 held by Youri Sedykh since 1986. At the end of the season he won the World Athletics Final.

In 2006, Tsikhan won the European Championships. He also finished second at the 2006 World Athletics Final and the 2006 World Cup. His season's best throe was 81.12 metres.

In 2007 Tsikhan won his third World Championships with a throw of 83.64 metres. This was his season's best. He again won the 2007 World Athletics Final.

In 2008, Tsikhan had a season's best of 84.51 metres, achieved in July in Grodno. He finished third at the 2008 Olympic Games with a throw of 81.51 metres.