January 6 Birthdays

1923
Vladimir Dmitrievich Kazantsev, Soviet Union, distance runner. After heroic service in his nation's armed forces during World War II, Kazantsev turned to athletics. Going into the 1952 (Helsinki) Olympic Games, he had run the fastest time ever in the 3,000m steeplechase, but world records in that event were not recognized until 1954. At the Games he finished second (8:51.6) in the steeplechase to Horace Ashenfelter of the United States, winning an Olympic silver medal.