Pavel Lednev

Pavel Lednev was one of the outstanding athletes of his time. His collection of Olympic medals amounts to seven (two gold, two silver and three bronze), he was world champion six times, European champion three times and champion of the USSR numerous times.

Pavel Lednev was also the longest-serving athlete in Modern Pentathlon as he competed until he was 38. His life and sporting career were full of dramatic events and ordeals, described in the book Lednev wrote 10 years after he had finished competing.

He was born in 1943 and never saw his father who, by that time, was at war and would never come back. His mother was a famous doctor and Pavel was brought up by his grandmother, Vera Korytskaya, who came from Russian nobility. It was his grandmother who taught Pavel aristocratic manners and exquisite taste.

Having finished his competitive career he became the head coach of USSR junior team, which was one of the most successful teams of that era. He always said that internal confidence, intellect and psychological stability were very important for pentathletes and tried to cultivate this in his pupils.

Later he became Vice-President of the Modern Pentathlon Federation of Russia and a UIPM Technical Committee member. He was highly respected by the pentathlon family.

A love of sport, an indomitable character and diligence made Pavel Lednev a legend of Modern Pentathlon.