# Alexander Chaev
**Alexander Chaev** (Aleksandr Yuryevich Chayev, Александр Юрьевич Чаев; born 1962 in Voronezh) is a Soviet freestyle swimmer who won the silver medal in the men's 1,500 m freestyle at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, finishing behind his teammate and training partner [Vladimir Salnikov](https://www.edgepedia.org/vladimir-salnikov).[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914) He competed for the Soviet Union (URS) and was affiliated with Spartak Voronezh.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962, Voronezh, RSFSR, Soviet Union[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914) |
| Measurements | 181 cm / 66 kg[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914) |
| Olympic result | Silver, men's 1,500 m freestyle, Moscow 1980, 15:14.30[2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/6773) |
| European title | Gold, 4×200 m freestyle relay, 1981 European Championships, Split (7:24.41)[3](https://clever-geek.imtqy.com/articles/6729181/index.html) |
| Universiade golds | 1981 București 1,500 m freestyle; 1983 Edmonton 4×200 m freestyle relay[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914) |
| Personal bests | 200 m free 1:51.81 (1982); 400 m free 3:55.53 (1983); 1,500 m free 15:14.30 (1980)[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914) |
| After competing | Swimming coach; graduate of the Lesgaft Institute of Physical Culture (1985)[4](https://www.russwimming.ru/press/news/10440/) |
## The 1980 Olympic final
Chayev's first international competition was the 1980 Moscow Olympics, where he entered the 1,500 m freestyle as the second Soviet swimmer behind Vladimir Salnikov, the 1978 world champion and clear favorite.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914) • [2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/6773) In the heats he won his heat in 15:20.68 to qualify.[5](https://olympteka.ru/olymp/athlets/profile/3372.html)
The final, held on 22 July 1980 at the Olimpiysky pool, became famous for Salnikov's swim: he became the first man under 15 minutes, touching in 14:58.27 for a world record.[2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/6773) • [6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1980/07/23/salnikov-cracks-15-minute-bar-in-1500-freestyle/8e9a808d-ac05-443e-86e5-c24d1fcfa765/) Chayev took the silver in 15:14.30, about 16 seconds behind, with Australia's Max Metzker third at 15:14.49.[2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/6773) The Washington Post reported that Salnikov, after touching, turned and rooted his countryman on to the silver medal.[6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1980/07/23/salnikov-cracks-15-minute-bar-in-1500-freestyle/8e9a808d-ac05-443e-86e5-c24d1fcfa765/)
## Career beyond the Olympics
Chayev's international career was brief. Besides the Olympics, Chayev competed in at least two other international meets, winning gold in the 4×200 m freestyle relay swimming with Vladimir Shemetov, Salnikov, and [Sergey Koplyakov](https://www.edgepedia.org/sergey-koplyakov), and placing fourth in the 1,500 at the 1981 European Championships in Split, and also competing at the 1983 [Universiade](https://www.edgepedia.org/universiade) in Edmonton.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914) • [3](https://clever-geek.imtqy.com/articles/6729181/index.html) The Soviet relay's winning time was 7:24.41, ahead of [West Germany](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-germany) and Sweden.[3](https://clever-geek.imtqy.com/articles/6729181/index.html) In August 1981 he swam in the USA–USSR dual meet in Kiev, finishing fourth in the 400 m freestyle in 3:56.19.[7](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/08/21/Swimming-Results-NEWLNUnited-States-vs-Soviet-Union-At-Kiev-USSR-Aug-21/5991367214400/)
At the Summer Universiade, Olympedia credits him with two gold medals: the 1,500 m freestyle at București 1981 and the 4×200 m freestyle relay at Edmonton 1983.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914) The Russian Swimming Federation's birthday notice instead lists Universiade victories in 1979 and 1981.[4](https://www.russwimming.ru/press/news/10440/)
**Domestic record.** Olympedia states that Chayev never won a Soviet title, taking five silver medals (1979–81 in the 1,500, 1983 in the 200 free, and 1981 and 1983 in the 4×200 free relay) and two bronzes (1985–86 in the 200 free).[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914) Russian sources disagree: the mononews profile calls him USSR champion in 1982, and the Russian Swimming Federation describes him as a Soviet champion and record holder from 1975 to 1981.[8](https://mononews.ru/%D0%A7%D0%B0%D0%B5%D0%B2%2C_%D0%90%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%80_%D0%AE%D1%80%D1%8C%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87) • [4](https://www.russwimming.ru/press/news/10440/)
## Training and later life
Chayev began swimming at age nine at the Spartak pool in Voronezh, training under Vyacheslav Alekseev and Viktor Lyubar; he progressed through the candidate master of sport, master of sport, and international master of sport ranks while still in school, then joined the national distance-swimmer group under Igor Koshkin, where he trained in sparring with Salnikov.[4](https://www.russwimming.ru/press/news/10440/) Olympedia notes that he spent his career in Salnikov's shadow and switched to shorter distances late in his career without comparable success.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914)
He graduated from the P. F. Lesgaft Institute of Physical Culture in 1985 and worked as a coach at the SDYuShOR swimming school Ekran.[4](https://www.russwimming.ru/press/news/10440/) He was named an Honored Master of Sport in 2008 and received the medal "For Labor Distinction".[4](https://www.russwimming.ru/press/news/10440/) • [8](https://mononews.ru/%D0%A7%D0%B0%D0%B5%D0%B2%2C_%D0%90%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%80_%D0%AE%D1%80%D1%8C%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87)
## References
1. [Aleksandr Chayev, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50914)
2. [1,500 metres Freestyle, Men, Moscow 1980, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/results/6773)
3. [1981 European Aquatics Championship results](https://clever-geek.imtqy.com/articles/6729181/index.html)
4. [Александр Юрьевич Чаев отмечает 60-летие!, Всероссийская федерация плавания](https://www.russwimming.ru/press/news/10440/)
5. [Александр Чаев, Olympteka.ru](https://olympteka.ru/olymp/athlets/profile/3372.html)
6. [Salnikov Cracks 15-Minute Bar in 1,500 Freestyle, The Washington Post, 23 July 1980](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1980/07/23/salnikov-cracks-15-minute-bar-in-1500-freestyle/8e9a808d-ac05-443e-86e5-c24d1fcfa765/)
7. [Swimming Results, United States vs. Soviet Union at Kiev, UPI, 21 August 1981](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/08/21/Swimming-Results-NEWLNUnited-States-vs-Soviet-Union-At-Kiev-USSR-Aug-21/5991367214400/)
8. [Чаев, Александр Юрьевич, mononews](https://mononews.ru/%D0%A7%D0%B0%D0%B5%D0%B2%2C_%D0%90%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%80_%D0%AE%D1%80%D1%8C%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Water sports › Swimmers (biographies and medalists) › Freestyle swimmers › Russian and Soviet freestylers*
*Initially written Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license