Nikanchikov, Aleksei
Nikanchikov, Aleksei Vladimirovich
Born July 30,1940, in the settlement of Iagodnoe, now in Magadan Oblast; died Jan. 29, 1972, in Minsk. Soviet athlete; Honored Master of Sports (1966); instructor.
Nikanchikov was repeatedly world champion (1966, 1967, 1970) and USSR champion (1969, 1971) in individual contests and world champion (1967, 1969) in team contests in épée fencing. He was the first recipient of the World Cup (1970), which is awarded to the world’s best épée fencer. In 1970 he received the Feyerick Prize of the International Fencing Federation for honesty and integrity in athletic competition. Nikanchikov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.