“At the age of 85, Anatoliy Bondarchuk, a legendary Ukrainian athlete and coach who raised several generations of world and Olympic champions, died in Canada. He was an Olympic champion, a world record holder, and a mentor to reigning Olympic champion Ethan Katzberg. The Athletics Federation of Ukraine announced Bondarchuk’s death. Bondarchuk was not just an outstanding athlete, but a person who”, — write on: ua.news
At the age of 85, Anatoliy Bondarchuk, a legendary Ukrainian athlete and coach who raised several generations of world and Olympic champions, died in Canada. He was an Olympic champion, a world record holder, and a mentor to reigning Olympic champion Ethan Katzberg. The Athletics Federation of Ukraine announced Bondarchuk’s death.
Bondarchuk was not just an outstanding athlete, but a person who for decades shaped the very philosophy of training hammer throwers. His name was known and respected in the sports world far beyond the borders of Ukraine.
As an athlete, Anatoly Bondarchuk reached the highest peaks. He became the European champion in 1969, the bronze medalist of the European Championship in 1971, the Olympic champion at the 1972 Games and the bronze medalist of the 1976 Olympics. He also twice set world records in the hammer throw.
After completing his sports career, Bondarchuk fully devoted himself to coaching. His students repeatedly climbed to the top of the Olympic podiums and world championships. It was Anatoly Bondarchuk who trained the two-time Olympic champion Yuri Sedykh, the medalist of the Olympic Games and World Championships Yuri Tamm, as well as the current Olympic champion – the Canadian Ethan Katzberg, who won the gold of the 2024 Olympics and became the world champion in 2023 and 2025.
The Athletics Federation of Ukraine emphasizes that Bondarchuk’s contribution to the development of sports cannot be overestimated. “Anatoly Pavlovich was not only a great coach, but also a scientist, thinker and mentor who raised not just athletes, but personalities,” the federation notes.
In addition to his sporting achievements, Bondarchuk had a doctorate in pedagogical sciences and was an honored coach of the USSR. His training methods are still used by trainers in different countries of the world.
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