MOSCOW, June 1: Legendary Soviet fencer Mark Midler, a two-time Olympic champion, died late on Thursday after a long and serious illness, local media reported on Friday. He was 80.

Midler was a member of the Soviet foil squad from 1951-1967, winning gold medals in the team foil event at the 1960 Olympics in Rome and the 1964 Games in Tokyo.

He also won the world championships in 1959, 1961-63, 1965 and 1966.

After retiring from competition Midler became coach to the Soviet and then Russian national fencing teams. He guided the country’s squads at the Olympic Games in 1980, 1992, 1996 and 2000.—AFP