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garycohenrunning.com
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"All in a Day’s Run" is for competitive runners,
fitness enthusiasts and anyone who needs a "spark" to get healthier by increasing exercise and eating more nutritionally.
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runners can relate to them."
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racing and nutrition."
Dave McGillivray — Boston Marathon Race Director
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Yevgeny Arzhanov, of Ukraine, represented the Soviet Union at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany in the 800 meters and earned the Silver Medal. He was edged by the USA’s Dave Wottle by 0.03 seconds in one of the most memorable races in Olympic history. Yevgeny also competed at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He won Gold Medals at 800 meters at the European Indoor Championships (1970, 1971), European Outdoor Championships (1971) and European Cup (1970). At the Soviet Championships, Yevgeny won Gold Medals (1970, 1971, 1973), a Silver Medal (1969) and a Bronze Medal (1975). He won Gold Medals at the USA-USSR meet (1970, 1973) and 1973 Summer Universiade. After his running career, Yevgeny worked as a sports commentator for the State Committee for Radio and Television of Ukraine in the sports of athletics, football, and hockey. He coached in many countries including South Korea, China, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Tunisia, and Burundi. Arzhanov was named an ‘Honored Master of Sports’ of the Soviet Union and received the ‘Order of the Badge of Honor.’ His personal best time for 800 meters is 1:45.3. Yevgeny currently lives in a small town 50 kilometers from his home in Kyiv, Ukraine as his residence is damaged and uninhabitable due to Russian bombings. He was very gracious to answer questions translated into Ukrainian for this interview in April 2025.
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THE BIG PICTURE First, how are you, your family and your friends faring in Ukraine as the Russian invasion and aggression has now lasted over three years?
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My family and I are currently in a very bad situation due to the daily Russian bombings of Ukraine. My apartment in the capital city, Kyiv, was damaged in the first days of the war by the explosion of a Russian missile 100 meters from my home, when the Russians were bombing a nearby factory. The Russians bombed this factory several more times, and the apartment suffered significant damage. It is now uninhabitable and requires major repairs. But that will only happen after the war, and it will require a considerable amount of money. Because of this, I am currently living in a small village 50 kilometers from Kyiv, near the infamous Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomel. The Russians were here in the first days of the war when they were advancing on Kyiv, and this is where they killed and raped innocent people, including children, and destroyed entire streets. This horror will remain in my memory forever.
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When you look back on the highlights of your running career, since you earned an Olympic Silver Medal, and many Gold Medals at the European Championships and Soviet Championships, how exciting was it to be racing as one of the best 800-meter athletes in the world and are you satisfied that you did your best to reach your potential?
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| YA |
Of course, I wanted the Gold Medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics. But I made two big mistakes in the final and only won Silver. The first mistake was when, for some reason, I slowed after the first 100 meters and let everyone pass, losing half a second. The second huge mistake was a very strong sprint 230 meters before the finish. I should have made a smooth acceleration, and everything would have been different. Overall, I am satisfied with my career, as I was an amateur and received nothing for my numerous victories. Of course, I could have done much more, but I was content with what I achieved. For example, in the Olympic year before the Munich Olympics, due to injury, from March 15th to May 7th, I did not run a single kilometer! It is clear that this negatively affected my performance in Munich.
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Though you raced for the Soviet Union and wore that uniform, how much national pride did you have and did fellow Ukrainians have that you were Ukrainian first and Soviet second?
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| YA |
Yes, of course, I was initially Ukrainian. Moreover, I was born in Western Ukraine in the town of Kalush, then in the Stanislav region, where the majority of the population were patriotic Ukrainians, and I was among them. This greatly influenced my future fate. I did not believe in the Communist Party and from an early age did not believe in communism. And I never became a member of the Communist Party, nor was I the only one among the elite of Soviet sports, where it was required to be a member of the only party in the Soviet Union. I did not succumb to pressure and thus never became a member of the CPSU.
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After your competitive days ended, you worked as athletics commentator with Ukrainian national television and radio stations. Were you beloved by the Ukrainian people and was it rewarding to continue to be close to athletics?
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Yes, after finishing my running career, I worked as a sports commentator for the State Committee for Radio and Television of Ukraine and commented not only on athletics but also on football and hockey. Viewers and listeners liked my commentary, and I was a favorite commentator among the residents of Ukraine.
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After the fall of the Soviet Union, you coached the national teams of South Korea and Vietnam. What were the similarities and differences of coaching and motivating others compared to motivating yourself and also dealing with cultural distinctions in South Korea and Vietnam?
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I have worked in several countries as a head coach for endurance running and simply as a coach in South Korea, China, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Tunisia, Burundi, and others, and I have given lectures on the development of running. Of course, the training methods differed between Asian and African runners, primarily due to the physiological characteristics of the bodies of Asian and African runners. The difference in material support for runners between rich and poor countries also played a significant role.
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1972 MUNICH OLYMPICS Two weeks before the Olympics, you raced your personal best time of 1:45.3 and you hadn’t lost an 800-meter race in three years. However, the American, Dave Wottle, had tied the World Record with a time of 1:44.3. How confident were you in your ability to win over competitors such as Dave Wottle, Dieter Fromm, Mike Boit, and Robert Ouko?
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To be honest, I was confident in my victory at the 1972 Munich Olympics despite the injury I mentioned earlier. Before the Olympics, I was doing fantastic training sessions based on which I could run faster than 1:44. For example, I did 3×400 meters in 48.2, 48.3, 48.5 seconds with ten to twelve minutes of rest in between. I think no one had ever done such training. In a controlled run, I ran 800 meters myself in 1:44.5. All of this gave me confidence in my ability to achieve victory. But it didn't turn out that way. Well, I am to blame for my defeat.
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You raced in the third and final semifinal heat which was much faster than the first two heats. Did you use more energy than you planned, or were you under control and ready for the final?
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No, the fact that I spent significantly more energy in the third semifinal at the Olympics did not affect my readiness to run for victory in the final at all. I was excellently prepared.
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What was your racing strategy for the Olympic final and, when Dieter Fromm bumped you on the back stretch of the first lap, did that change your plan and disrupt you?
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| YA |
There was no initial strategy for the final of the 1972 Munich Olympics. It would have been oriented towards how fast the competitors would run. I was ready for any development of events. But they didn't run fast, and the race turned out to be uneven. Sometimes they ran a bit faster, sometimes slower. I have already mentioned my mistakes in such a scenario above.
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You made a very strong move down the back stretch of the second lap from the middle of the pack into the lead. Since this was earlier than you usually started your kick, was this planned or did you sense that it was time to make your move?
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The pace was slow and everyone was running together. I was afraid that in the jostling someone might tear off a spiked shoe or push someone off the running track as had happened sometimes before. Because of this, I decided to run away from the pushing for the final 230 meters to the finish. But the sprint turned out to be too strong - it was a big mistake - and a lot of energy was lost. It was necessary to make a smooth acceleration.
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Coming down the home stretch, your lead seemed insurmountable to those of us watching. Dave Wottle even said he thought he had no chance for the Gold Medal until the final five meters. How were you feeling in those last few seconds of the race and could you sense and see Dave Wottle making his move?
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I knew that I had significantly pulled ahead of the other runners, and usually I didn't have any problems on the final stretch. But this time, that sprint 230 meters from the finish line somewhat weakened me. And I didn't know that David Wottle was catching up with me.
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After the race, were you stunned that you ended up with the Silver Medal, did you consider that you possibly should have waited to start your kick, or were Dave Wottle and you two great athletes and he came out on top that day?
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| YA |
Yes, of course, David and I were the strongest 800-meter runners in the world that day. But he won, and I immediately congratulated him.
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OTHER BIG RACES At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, you reached the semifinals, but did not qualify for the finals. How thrilling was it to compete in your first Olympics and did the experience leave you wanting more?
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| YA |
At the 1968 Mexico Olympics, I reached the semifinals, but did not start due to an injury I sustained during warm-up before the race. I stepped on an iron fence that separates the running track from the football field. However, it should be noted that I had only been training in athletics for less than two years before the 1968 Mexico Olympics, and even then only periodically.
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At the 1969 European Championships, you finished fourth in the 800 meters behind Dieter Fromm, Jozef Plachy, and Manfred Matuschewski. Though you didn’t earn a medal, did you know you were close to a breakthrough in racing?
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Before the European Championship in Athens in 1969, I suffered a serious injury and did not train at all for a long time. Therefore, I couldn't expect to win a Gold Medal then. I was just getting back into shape.
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In 1970, you went to the top of the podium, winning Gold Medals at the USA versus USSR meet, the Soviet Championships and European Cup. Were you doing anything different, or had the years of hard work finally paid off?
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In 1970, I won all the competitions in the world that I participated in. I already had a good training base, and I easily won everywhere.
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The next year, you continued strong performances as you earned 1971 Gold Medals at the European Indoor and Outdoor Championships and the Soviet Championships. How exciting was it to be the best in the world and to know that you were the man to beat when you and your competitors were on the starting line?
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Yes, and in 1971, I won all the international competitions in the world that I participated in. Everything went very smoothly and there were no problems. That's how we finished with my clear advantage.
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One of the closer finishes was at the 1971 European Championships in Helsinki where you won in 1:45.6 followed by Dieter Fromm in 1:46.0 and Andy Carter in 1:46.2. Were you in control and then outkicked them easily or did they put up quite a fight down the home stretch?
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Yes, at the 1971 European Championship in Helsinki, I controlled the race and won easily. There were no problems in the final.
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At the 1973 USA versus USSR meet in Minsk, you won the 800 meters and Dave Wottle won the 1,500 meters. The two of you met in the stands and spent some time together. Was there great mutual respect between the two of you?
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Yes, at the USSR-USA-World Team Stars match in Minsk in 1973, I ran 800 meters with the great Rick Wohlhuter, who had previously set the world record in the 880 yards. The match was in Minsk during July 2-3, 1973. I won without any problems. Second was Rick Wohlhuter. 40,000 spectators greeted us with prolonged applause. Dave Wottle ran 1,500 meters at this match and won easily. We sat together with David in the stands and talked a lot about various things. We had a wonderful relationship. There is even a photo where we are sitting together in the stands.
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At the 1973 Weltklasse Zurich meet, you earned the Silver Medal in one of your fastest times of 1:45.49. How exciting was it to race in that famous stadium?
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I don't remember that race in Zurich in 1973 very well. It wasn't very significant since it was an unofficial competition, and I didn't prepare much for it.
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You didn’t race in 1974 and only finished third at the Soviet Championships in 1975. Were you dealing with running injuries, is there truth to the story that the KGB hurt and injured you when they mistakenly thought you were defecting, and why did you decide to retire rather than prepare for the 1976 Montreal Olympics?
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In 1974, I had a very serious injury and practically did not participate in competitions after the winter tour in the USA in January and February. In 1975, I had just started to recover after a long break and then I got injured again. In 1976, people who completely misunderstood sports came to the leadership of the Soviet sports committee. They demanded high results from me as early as May. The 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal were only in July and I had just started recovering from many previous injuries. Then I went into the big office, put the spikes on the boss' desk, and said, ‘Run by yourself.’ I decided to end my running career because I wasn't being paid for my performances. I had no savings and I needed to make a living, especially since I had an invitation to work at Ukrainian radio and television for a very decent salary. I no longer wanted to endure huge physical exertion without any payment. As for the KGB, I loved my Ukraine very much and never had the desire to become a deserter in another country. Moscow offered me many times to move from Kyiv to Moscow. But I immediately rejected these offers. Yes, I had been to the USA, England, France, and other capitalist countries many times and had seen the difference between how people live there and here. The KGB always had such concerns. But athletes very rarely deserted. I never had such a thought either.
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CHILDHOOD SPORTS AND STARTING RUNNING Were you an active child and what were your sporting activities during your youth and teenage years?
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From an early age, I was a very active child. Even in kindergarten, I played all the games that were available. By the age of six, I was already playing football, skiing, and swimming quite well. When I was in school and college, I represented these educational institutions in competitions across many sports. This included football, basketball, handball, skiing, cycling, and table tennis. However, I only started athletics at the age of 18. So, when I joined athletics, I already had a good general sports foundation to begin training in running.
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What was your childhood like growing up in Ukraine, but as part of the Soviet Union of countries?
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As I already mentioned, my childhood in Ukraine was very active. We paid a lot of attention to sports, and the main thing was that all sports sections were free. Therefore, many parents gladly sent their children to various sections. I didn't attend any sections when I was a child; I just played active games wherever I could. I was practically never at home; apart from studying, I was outside playing something.
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How did you get started running, who were your mentors and coaches, and did you progress rapidly?
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I started practicing athletics quite late. In a physical education class at the technical school (college), the instructor was giving tests, and it was necessary to run 1,000 meters in 3:30 for a passing grade. I ran it in 3:03. They didn't believe that an untrained person could run so fast. And they suggested I run another 1000 meters after 15 minutes of rest. To everyone's great surprise, the second time I ran it in 2 minutes 47 seconds. It was a fantastic result for a college student who had never trained in running. The instructor suggested I come to track and field practice. Before that, I played for the local football team and sometimes trained a bit with the football players. My first coach was Roman Kozyi, a college instructor.
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What were some of your early racing results during your first two years of training and racing?
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At first, I trained for running irregularly. Sometimes I ran twice a week, sometimes once. I wasn't interested in just running without a game plan. The results came very quickly. After two months, I ran 800 meters in 1:57.0 and easily won the Ivano-Frankivsk regional championship in both the 800 and 1,500 meters. Then training became more interesting. My results quickly improved. This was in 1966 during my college years. The following year, I graduated from college and moved from the western Ukrainian city of Kalush in the Ivano-Frankivsk region to the capital, Kyiv. In 1967, I easily won all competitions in the USSR among juniors and youth. Then I was included on the Soviet Union national team. The next year, in 1968, I had already won many competitions and went to the XIX Olympic Games in Mexico City. I have already talked about my performance there.
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When you showed promise as a runner, were you asked to join a club or to attend a special group for young, fast runners?
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At the time when I started training, there were no running clubs or specialized running schools in Ukraine. Also, the coaches knew very little about the proper training methods for middle-distance running. So, I had to forge my own path in an unknown training methodology.
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TRAINING In your early running period, were you doing cross country season and track season, and were you increasing the kilometers of your longer runs?
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When I arrived in Kyiv in 1967 for permanent residence, I met the best Ukrainian middle and long-distance runners. In middle-distance running, both in Ukraine and in the USSR, there were no strong runners. But in long-distance running, they were. Remember Volodymyr Kuts? He was the Olympic champion in Melbourne in 1956 in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. By the way, he is from Ukraine. There is also Pyotr Bolotnikov, the Olympic champion in Rome in 1960 in the 10,000 meters. So, in 1968, I started training in Kyiv with Ukrainian steeplechase runners - Viktor Kudyńskiy, the European champion of 1966 in Budapest in the 3,000 meters steeplechase, and Stepan Baydiuk, who placed 10th in the finals at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in the 5,000 meters, where Bob Schul from the USA won Gold. I trained with them in cross-country running and, after a year, I was running cross-country very strongly, which gave me a good overall running base. And for speed, I trained by myself, as there were no people who could do such speed workouts. The total volume in the base months (November, December, April, May) sometimes exceeded 400 kilometers for each month. This is considerable since I am an 800-meter runner. I had great potential in the 1,500 meters, but I didn't want to train for that distance. 800 meters was enough for me.
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What were some of your favorite workouts to increase your strength and speed?
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| YA |
I loved training for speed. My favorite workout was three times 400 meters. As I mentioned, my times were 48.2, 48.3 and 48.5 with ten to twelve minutes of rest in between. Another favorite was eight times 200 meters in 23 seconds with four to five minutes of rest. I enjoyed working with a barbell with a light weight.
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When you were racing your best results from 1970 to 1973, what were the key periods in your yearly training cycle and the main workouts that took you to a world class level?
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I had two annual competition cycles because I competed a lot in the winter from 1971 to 1976, during which winters I was on a long tour in the USA, where I participated in a large number of events, most of which were successful. I also competed twice in the European Winter Championships, where I easily won, and in the summer, where I mainly participated only in official competitions. The winter and summer training were somewhat similar, only in the winter did I maintain a higher overall volume, while in the summer the training was more speed oriented. Summer training mainly consisted of developing special speed and special endurance. Depending on the situation over the years, these trainings could vary, but the goal was always the same - the training had to be with speed and rest as close to competition conditions as possible. Overall endurance was maintained through cross-training. In the summer, this period was in May-June. In the winter, it depended on the situation.
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When you look back, is there anything you would do differently in training that may have helped you to race better?
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I had my own extensive training experience, including with foreign runners. For example, I trained with the Englishmen Ian Stewart and David Bedford. I trained a lot with them at the high-altitude base Font-Romeou, France. I saw a lot of how others train. I worked as a coach for many years. Of course, now I would change quite a bit in the training methodology. But I would keep the main principles of training.
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WRAP UP You have received awards including Master of Sports of the USSR and Order of the Badge of Honor. Is it both rewarding and humbling to receive these accolades?
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I am an ‘Honored Master of Sports’ of the Soviet Union. This was the highest sports title in the USSR. Besides the Order of the Badge of Honor, I also have other government awards from the USSR and Ukraine. Sometimes it is nice to remember this about my youth.
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How is your health and what do you routinely do for fitness?
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| YA |
With health, it's unlikely that there are people my age who have no problems at all. Sometimes I have issues too. For example, an injury I sustained while playing football more than 30 years ago is now causing me joint problems that may need to be addressed with radical measures. I maintain my physical fitness by walking and doing various physical exercises in large quantities.
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What are your goals and hopes for your future years?
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| YA |
I still have many goals, but war is an obstacle. I love to travel. But for more than three years, due to Russian aggression, planes haven't been flying from Ukraine. This creates significant problems for transportation. I hope for the end of the war and that I will be able to travel. I really want to finish the renovation of my apartment in Kyiv and my house in the village, which were both partially destroyed by Russian missiles and bombs. I dream very much of the end of the war. This is the main dream of all Ukrainians.
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What are the major lessons you have learned during your life from the discipline that running encourages, balancing aspects of life, and adversity you have faced that encompasses the philosophy of Yevgeny Arzhanov that you would like to share which will encourages people to reach their potential as a runner and as a human being?
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Endurance running is a very demanding sport. But it is extremely popular and simple in everyday life. You don't need expensive equipment, and you don't need special conditions for training. Just put on a tracksuit, the cheapest sneakers, and go run anywhere. This sport is developed in practically every country that exists. Almost all sports turn to running in their training. And first and foremost, these are team sports - football, basketball, rugby, handball, hockey, and others. Also cycling, cross-country skiing, biathlon, swimming, and many more. Therefore, there is no need to talk about the importance of endurance running. Endurance running helps to be simply a healthy person and to be more disciplined in life and everyday activities. On this topic, I have given lectures in many countries in Africa and Asia. The lectures brought considerable benefits as many new runners started coming to training sessions, which is a very important point. In all my speeches in Ukraine or abroad, I always promote that running is the best way to engage in sports and physical culture for people of all ages, from schoolchildren to the elderly.
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Inside Stuff |
| Hobbies/Interests |
My hobby now and before has been fishing. I listen to and collect various types of music - pop, soul, jazz, and classical. Recently, I've taken up gardening. I have a sizable garden and grow various fruit trees
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| Nicknames |
I didn't have a nickname
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| Favorite movies |
I really love American movies from the 1960s, 1970s, and earlier featuring Kirk and Mike Douglas, Gregory Peck, Clark Gable, Clint Eastwood, and many others
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| Favorite music |
Next to the general education school, I also graduated from a music school with honors. I have a good understanding of classical and popular music. I really enjoy listening to American performers from the 1960s and 1970s like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, and others. I love pop and soul music, and sometimes, depending on my mood, I enjoy listening to jazz. Occasionally, I like to listen to famous arias from popular operas by Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Gioachino Rossini, and others
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| Favorite books |
Lately, I haven't had much time to read, but before, I loved reading classics and various detective stories
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| First car |
My first car was the best Soviet car of that time, the ‘Volga’
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| Current car |
Right now, I have an Opel car
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| First Jobs |
For the first time, I started working during my holidays while studying at the technical school. My family lived in great poverty, and I began working at the ages of fifteen to sixteen. I carried bricks, mixed concrete, and dug trenches. I also played in the city orchestra and earned some money from it
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| Family |
I currently live with my wife Natalia. Our daughter lives in another country. My parents have long since passed away
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| Pets |
I really love animals, both wild and domestic, but due to constant travels, I didn't have the opportunity to keep a pet. Now we have a domestic cat whose owner passed away, and we took it in. Many stray dogs and cats come to our yard, and we always feed them. The thing is, in our village and neighboring areas, Russian rockets and shells have destroyed many houses and killed many people, leaving their pets homeless. We don't abandon them when they are in trouble
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| Favorite breakfast |
My breakfasts are always varied and to everyone's taste. Sometimes I do a detox and don't have breakfast until lunch
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| Favorite meal |
My favorite food is fish in any way it is prepared, as well as fish of any kind. I also love various seafood - shrimp, squid, etc.
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| Favorite beverages |
I don't consume sweet drinks, only mineral water. Sometimes I allow myself a glass or two of good wine on special occasions
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| Running heroes |
Volodymyr Kuts, Pyotr Bolotnikov, Viktor Kudyriskiy, Stepan Bayduk
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| Childhood dreams |
In my childhood, every month I had different dreams. Sometimes I wanted to be a firefighter, sometimes a traveler, sometimes an astronaut. I never dreamed of becoming an athlete
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| Funny memories |
Once Valery Borzov, a two-time Olympic champion in the sprints from the 1972 Munich Olympics, and I went fishing on the Kaniv Sea. It was the end of March, and there was still some ice floating around. It was cold. We rowed about 200 meters into the sea on a rubber boat to an island. We tied the boat to the tall reeds and started fishing with a spinning rod. The fish were biting very well. We became distracted and didn't notice how the wind tore the boat away from the island and carried it out to the open sea. While the boat was close, we argued about who would jump into the icy water to retrieve it, but by then it had already been carried very far away. We couldn't expect help from anyone, so we had to swim in our warm clothes through the icy water to the shore, a good 200 meters. That was quite a funny story
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| Favorite places to travel |
My favorite travel destination is Southeast Asia. I have worked in several countries there and know those places well and love them. Before the war, I used to go there to escape the cold Kyiv winter. Maybe one day I will be able to visit there again
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