Medal record
Ivan Tikhan at the 2007 World Championships
Men's Athletics
Competitor for  Belarus
Olympic Games
Silver	2004 Athens	Hammer
World Championships
Gold	2003 Paris	Hammer
Gold	2005 Helsinki	Hammer
Gold	2007 Osaka	Hammer
European Championships
Gold	2006 Gothenburg	Hammer
IAAF World Cup in Athletics
Silver	2006 Athens	Hammer
IAAF World Athletics Final
Bronze	2003 Monaco	Hammer
Silver	2004 Monaco	Hammer
Gold	2005 Monaco	Hammer
Silver	2006 Stuggart	Hammer
Gold	2007 Stuggart	Hammer
Universiade
Gold	2003 Daegu	Hammer

Ivan Tikhon (Belarusian: Іван Ціхан, Russian: Иван Тихон; born July 24, 1976 in Slonim) is a Belarusian hammer thrower. He is a three-time world champion, an Olympic medalist, and European champion.

[edit] Biography

Tikhon was born in the village of Hlasievicy, Slonim district, Hrodna voblast in Belarus. He now lives in Hrodna. His wife Volha is also an athlete, a discus thrower. They have one son, Ivan. Tikhon is coached by the former Olympic champion Sergei Litvinov.^[1] He is 185 cm tall and weighs 105 kg. United States and BBC broadcasters and the IAAF spell and pronounce this name "Tsikhan". This is an anomaly, as Ivan himself pronounces and signs his name as Tikhon.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Sport career

Tikhon 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 Tikhon'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 Tikhon won the silver medal with a throw of 79.81 metres. 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.^[2] At the end of the season he won the World Athletics Final.

In 2006, Tikhon 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 Tikhon 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, Tikhon 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.

[edit] Doping Offense

Both Tikhon and silver medalist and fellow Belarusian Vadim Devyatovskiy tested positive for abnormal levels of testosterone after the hammer throw finals on August 12, 2008. Both were stripped of their medals by the International Olympic Committee. Both men have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If the Court rejects their appeal, Tikhon will serve a two-year suspension and be banned from the 2012 Olympics in London.^[3]

[edit] Distance Progression

• 2008 84.51 Grodno 09/07/2008
• 2007 83.63 Osaka 27/08/2007
• 2006 81.12 Stuttgart 10/09/2006
• 2005 86.73 Brest, BLR 03/07/2005
• 2004 84.46 Minsk 07/05/2004
• 2003 84.32 Minsk 08/08/2003
• 2002 79.04 Minsk 29/06/2002
• 2001 78.73 Brest, BLR 08/06/2001
• 2000 79.85 Minsk 27/06/2000
• 1999 70.37 04/09/1999
• 1998 78.03 Saint-Denis 04/06/1998
• 1997 77.46 Turku 11/07/1997
• 1996 75.32 Minsk 13/07/1996
• 1995 66.84 01/01/1995
• 1994 62.66 01/01/1994
• 1993 61.32 13/07/1993
• 1992 55.91 06/05/1992

[edit] References

• IAAF profile for Ivan Tsikhan
• Interview with Tsikhan