Ihar Mikalaevich Zhalyazouski or Igor Nikolayevich Zhelezovski or Ihar Mikałajevič Žalazoŭski (Belarusian: Ігар Мікалаевіч Жалязоўскі; Russian: Игорь Николаевич Железовский; 1 June 1963 – 12 June 2021) was a Soviet and Belarusian speed skater.

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Ihar Zhalyazouski

Zhalyazouski in 1994
Personal information
Birth name	Ihar Mikalaevich Zhalyazouski
Nickname	Bear from Minsk [1]
Nationality	Belarusian
Born	(1963-06-01)1 June 1963 Orsha, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union
Died	12 June 2021(2021-06-12) (aged 58) Minsk, Belarus
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	95 kg (209 lb)
Sport
Country	Soviet Union  CIS  Belarus
Sport	Speed skating
Club	SK VS Minsk
Turned pro	1982
Retired	1994
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	500 m: 36.49 (1988) 1000 m: 1:12.58 (1989) 1500 m: 1:52.50 (1987) 3000 m: 4:12.85 (1988) 5000 m: 7:09.84 (1983) 10 000 m: 15:40.82 (1983)
Medal record Men's speed skating Olympic Games Representing the  Soviet Union 1988 Calgary 1000 m Representing  Belarus 1994 Lillehammer 1000 m World Sprint Championships Representing the  Soviet Union 1985 Heerenveen Sprint 1986 Karuizawa Sprint 1989 Heerenveen Sprint 1990 Tromsø Sprint 1991 Inzell Sprint Representing  CIS 1992 Oslo Sprint Representing  Belarus 1993 Ikaho Sprint

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His imposing physical appearance resulted in the nicknames "Igor the Terrible" and "The bear from Minsk". Originally competing for the Soviet Union, then for the Commonwealth of Independent States, and finally for Belarus, he became World Sprint Champion a record six times. In Soviet times, he trained at Armed Forces sports society in Minsk.^[2]

Zhalyazouski won silver at the World Junior Allround Championships in 1982. Specialising in the sprint, he became World Sprint Champion in 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992, and 1993. He finished eighth in the 1987 edition, and decided to skip the 1988 edition in favour of preparing for the Winter Olympics in Calgary that same year. These, however, turned out to be a disappointment for him, finishing sixth in the 500 m, only third in 1000 m, and fourth in the 1500 m. In the remaining two World Sprint Championships he participated in, in 1990 and 1994, he finished third and sixth, respectively.

In his final two seasons, which followed the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Zhalyazouski represented Belarus. It was during this time that he achieved a career highlight of winning the silver medal in the 1000 m event at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.^[3] At the opening ceremony of the 1994 Winter Olympics, he was the Belarusian flag bearer.

After ending his skating career in 1994, Zhalyazouski became president of the skating union of Belarus, a position which he held for several years.

Zhalyazouski died on 12 June 2021, at the age of 57.^[4]

An overview of medals won by Zhalyazouski at important championships he participated in, listing the years in which he won each:^[2]