Volodymyr Holubnychy

Holubnychy, the Ukrainian who walked for the Soviet Union, won Olympic 20km gold in Rome in 1960 and again in Mexico City in 1968, at altitude, with bronze in 1964 and silver in 1972 in between. Four medals across 12 years in an event decided by both clock and judges is extraordinary consistency, and he added the European title in 1974 aged 38. He set the template for the long careers the walks still produce.