Vladimir Shilykovsky

Shilykovsky competed internationally from 1956 to 1960, and took part in two Winter Olympics, both times in the 10,000 m. His best season was 1958, when he won the overall silver medal in both the European Championships at Eskilstuna and in the World Championships at Helsinki, on both occasions trailing just behind Oleg Goncharenko.

On 31 January 1960 at Medeo, both Shtelbaums (16:18.9) and Shilykovsky (16:13.1) skated below Andersen's record time, at the traditional "Prize of the Soviet Ministry of the Kazakh Republic" competition; but again these world record times were not officially ratified by the ISU.

At the 1960 Winter Olympics four weeks later, first Kjell Bäckman (16:14.2) and then Knut Johannesen (15:46.6) lowered the official world record, while Shilykovsky only managed a 20th place, skating in unfavourable conditions.

He held a degree in technical sciences (кандидат технических наук) from 1969, and published scholarly articles in his field.

Shilykovsky was a highly unusual athlete by being able to compete at world top level in spite of a severe handicap; he lost his right arm when he was six months old as the result of an illness.