Sergey Sharikov

Sergey Aleksandrovich Sharikov (, 18 June 1974 – 6 June 2015), also known as Serguei/Sergei Charikov, was a left-handed Russian Olympic champion sabre fencer. In the Olympics he won two gold medals, a silver medal, and a bronze medal.

Early life Sharikov was born in Moscow, Russia, and was Jewish.

Fencing career One of the best sabre fencers in the world, Sharikov began fencing at the age of 12. He was a protege of sabre fencer David Tyshler. Sharikov was on the Russian national fencing team from 1994 to 2005.

In 2001, while ranked second in the world in sabre, he won the 21st World University Games sabre championship and was part of the Russian team that won the team gold (beating Hungary, 45–37).

European Championships He won the 2000 European Fencing Championships, and came in second at the 2002 European Fencing Championships, and third at the 2004 European Fencing Championships. His team won the gold medal in 2000–02 and 2004.

At the 1996 Atlanta Games, ranked as world # 4, he competed in both the individual and team events. In the team sabre competition, Sharikov and the Russians defeated Hungary in the final (45–25) to win the gold medal. In the individual competition, Sharikov easily advanced to the final before losing 15–12 to teammate Stanislav Pozdnyakov; he was awarded the silver medal.

Sharikov returned to the Olympics at the 2000 Sydney Games and helped lead the Russian team to its second consecutive gold medal in the team sabre event; they easily defeated France in the final, 45–32.

Sharikov was seeded fourth in the individual sabre event in the 2004 Athens Games. The Russian lost a close match, 13–15 in the quarterfinal, to Italian Aldo Montano, who went on to win the gold.

Maccabiah Games Sharikov competed for the Russian team at the 2001 Maccabiah Games in Israel. He won the gold medal in the individual sabre over fellow Olympian, Vadim Gutzeit of Ukraine.

He also competed in the 2005 Maccabiah Games in Israel, this time winning the silver medal as Vadim Gutzeit beat him 15–13 for the gold medal.

Coaching and federation career Sharikov coached the Russia fencing team at the 2001 Maccabiah Games. After finishing his competitive career, Sharikov was a member of the executive committee of the Russian Fencing Federation, and in 2009 he became head coach of the Russian national sabre reserve team.

Death Sharikov died in the evening of 6 June 2015 in an automobile accident at the age of 40. The other car's driver was hospitalized. Sharikov was rushed to the Tarusa district central hospital, but died there from his injuries.