May They RIP (Gold Olympians) - Q1 2025 (Part 2) Quiz

Answer: Norair Nurikyan

Norair Nurikyan was born in Sliven, Bulgaria in 1948 and he was one of the most decorated weightlifters of the 1970s. At the 1972 Munich Olympics he participated in the under 60 kg (132 lb) division and at the 1976 Montreal Olympics he was in the under 56 kg (123 lb) division.

In addition to these two gold medals, Nurikyan received the honorary title of Hero of Socialist Labor of Bulgaria, First Degree. He was inducted into the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame in 1994. Norair Nurikyan passed away on March 11, 2025 at the age of 76.

Answer: Dick Button

Dick Button was born in Englewood, NJ in 1929. He won five consecutive figure skating world championships (1948-1952) in addition to the two gold medals at the 1948 St. Moritz Olympics and the 1952 Oslo Olympics. Button is credited with inventing the move known as the flying camel spin and he was the first athlete to land a double Axel jump and a triple loop in competition.

After his competing career, Button was a skating analyst at the world championships and Olympics from the 1960s to the 2010s. Dick Button died on January 30, 2025 at the age of 95.

Answer: Akinori Nakayama

Akinori Nakayama was born in Nagoya in 1943 and he won 10 medals (6 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze) during his Olympic career. Nakayama was especially successful on rings where he became the second man to defend the Olympic gold medal title in that event. After his competing career, Nakayama was the vice-president of the Japanese Gymnastics Federation. Akinori Nakayama died on March 9, 2025 at the age of 82.

Answer: Dusan Maraviĉ

Dusan Maraviĉ was born in Injoux-Génissiat, France in 1939. He played the position of midfielder for the Serbian based clubs Spartak Subotica and Red Star Belgrade between 1956 and 1964 and the French clubs Racing Paris and Entente BFN from 1964 to 1968. Maraviĉ scored three goals in seven games for the Yugoslavia national football team that won a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Dusan Maraviĉ died on January 6, 2025 at the age of 85.

Answer: Greg Bell

Greg Bell was born in Terre Haute, IN in 1930 and he set an NCAA record in the long jump that held for seven years. At the 1956 Melbourne Olympics he won a gold medal with a long jump of 7.83m (25ft 6in). After his athletic career, Bell worked at Logansport State Hospital for more than 50 years as the director of dentistry. Greg Bell passed away on January 25, 2025 at the age of 94.

Answer: Galina Minaicheva

Galina Minaicheva was born in Moscow in 1929. Although Minaicheva did not win an individual gold medal, she finished in the top 10 of all artistic gymnastics events at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. She won three medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) at those games and after her competing career she worked as a gymnastics coach. Galina Minaicheva passed away on January 28, 2025 at the age of 95.

Answer: Dick McTaggart

Dick McTaggart was born in Dundee, Scotland in 1935 and his four brothers were also boxers. At the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and 1960 Rome Olympics he competed in the lightweight (under 60kg (132 lb)) division and he won two medals (1 gold, 1 bronze). McTaggart was a coach for the Scottish team after his competing days and he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1985. Dick McTaggart died on March 9, 2025 at the age of 89.

Answer: Fred Newhouse

Fred Newhouse was born in Honey Grove, TX in 1948. At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Newhouse ran the third leg of the 4x400m relay for the USA which won the gold medal in 2:58.65. In the individual 400m race, Newhouse had a time of 44.40 which was the second fastest time of the 1970s decade but it was only good enough for a silver medal as Alberto Juantorena (Cuba) had a time of 44.26. Fred Newhouse died on January 20, 2025 at the age of 76.

Answer: Ján Zachara

Ján Zachara was born in Trenèín, Czechoslovakia in 1928. Zachara was an underdog going into the 1952 Helsinki Olympics but he managed to outlast all other boxers in the featherweight (under 57kg (126 lb)) division. Zachara also competed in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics but he was defeated in the quarterfinals. Ján Zachara passed away on January 2, 2025 at the age of 96.

Answer: Buvaisar Saitiev

Buvaisar Saitiev was born in Khasavyurt in 1975. Widely considered to be the best freestyle wrestler of his generation, Saitiev won six world championships and three Olympic gold medals between 1995 and 2008. He served in the 7th State Duma representing Dagestan from 2016 to 2021 and he was also the President of the Chechen Wrestling Federation from 2015 until his death. Buvaisar Saitiev died on March 2, 2025 at the age of 49.