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Oleg LakerbayGrandson of Murzakan Lakrba
Date of Birth: 01.01.1916
Country:  Operator |
Content:
- Early Life and Athletic Success
- Education and Coaching Career
- Wartime Service and Post-War Success
- Exceptional Coaching Achievements
- Leadership and Legacy
- - Honored Worker of Education of the Georgian SSR
- Return to Abkhazia and Passing
Early Life and Athletic Success
Oleg Lakerbai, born as a grandson of Murzakan Lakrba, commenced his athletic journey in 1930 under the tutelage of B. Stavlaki. Exhibiting exceptional talent, he emerged as a champion and record holder in track and field and swimming throughout Abkhazia, Georgia, and the Transcaucasus region during the 1930s.
Education and Coaching Career
In 1936, Lakerbai enrolled at the Tbilisi Polytechnic Institute. However, he soon suspended his studies to assume the role of an instructor with the DSO "Spartak" organization. Subsequently, he pursued coaching at a youth sports school specializing in track and field. While continuing his own athletic pursuits, he excelled in skiing competitions and achieved a first-class ranking in chess.
Wartime Service and Post-War Success
During World War II, Lakerbai played a vital role in training hand-to-hand combatants. His dedication earned him the prestigious "For the Defense of the Caucasus" medal. In 1950, he completed his education by graduating from the Moscow Institute of Physical Culture in absentia. Along with his academic pursuits, he became a lecturer at the Tbilisi Institute of Physical Culture.
Exceptional Coaching Achievements
As head coach of the Georgian SSR Athletics Team in 1945, Lakerbai led the team to a remarkable victory in national competitions. He harmoniously balanced his coaching and teaching responsibilities, nurturing the talents of legendary athletes such as world record-breaking shot putter Tatyana Sevrukova, Georgian and Transcaucasus high jump record holder Marlene Mikhailova, and future Olympic medalist Levan Sanadze.
Leadership and Legacy
Throughout his career, Lakerbai held various leadership roles in the Georgian SSR track and field community, including heading the federation, coaching council, and referees' board. His contributions extended to authorship of numerous textbooks and methodological manuals. In recognition of his outstanding service to sports, he received multiple honors, including the following:
- Honored Worker of Education of the Georgian SSR
- Honored Coach of the Georgian SSR- All-Union Category Referee
- Honored Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of the Abkhaz ASSR
- Honored Coach of the Republic of Abkhazia
Lakerbai was widely acclaimed as one of the most esteemed coaches of Georgia in the 20th century.
Return to Abkhazia and Passing
In 1993, Lakerbai returned to his ancestral homeland of Abkhazia. He passed away peacefully at the age of 85, leaving behind an enduring legacy in the annals of sports.
