Igor Zhelezovski

Igor Zhelezovski

Igor Nikolayevich Zhelezovski (Belarusian: Ігар Мікалаевіч Жалязоўскі; born 1 July 1963) is a former speed skater, considered to be one of the best sprinters ever, which resulted in his nickname "Igor the Terrible". Originally competing for the Soviet Union, then for the Commonwealth of Independent States, and finally for Belarus, he became World Sprint Champion a record number of six times, a record still unequalled as of (and including the Championships of) 2012. In Soviet times, he trained at Armed Forces sports society in Minsk.

Igor Zhelezovski won silver at the World Junior Allround Championships in 1982. Specialising in the sprint, he became World Sprint Champion in 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992, and 1993. He finished eighth in the 1987 edition, having just recovered from an illness, and decided to skip the 1988 edition in favour of preparing for the Winter Olympics in Calgary that same year. These, however, turned out to be a disappointment for him, finishing sixth on the 500 m, "only" third on his favourite 1,000 m, and fourth on the 1,500 m. The remaining two World Sprint Championships he participated in, in 1990 and 1994, he finished third and sixth, respectively.

His final two seasons, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Zhelezovski skated for Belarus. After ending his skating career in 1994, Zhelezovski became president of the skating union of Belarus, a position he held for several years.