Igor Lotaryov (Russian: И́горь Лотарёв; born 30 August 1964) is a Russian former Soviet male middle-distance runner who competed mainly in the 1500 metres. He set his lifetime best of 3:34.49 minutes for the event in Brussels in 1985.[1]
He made his international debut as a junior athlete, running in the Soviet teams at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1982 and 1983.[2] He won his first international medal at the 1983 European Athletics Junior Championships, finishing second in the 1500 m behind East German Maik Dreissigacker.[3]
He enjoyed senior success in the mid-1980s including bronze medals at the Friendship Games and 1985 IAAF World Cup, then a silver medal behind compatriot Pavel Yakovlev at the 1986 Goodwill Games.[4] [5] [6] He was also a 1500 m finalist at the 1986 European Athletics Championships and the 1987 European Athletics Indoor Championships.
He set the first IAAF-recognised world indoor record for the 1000 metres event, running 2:18.00 on 14 February 1987. This stood for almost five years before being beaten by Rob Druppers of the Netherlands.[7] As of 2017, his time remains in the top 40 of all-time.[8]
Lotaryov was a three-time national champion, taking the indoor 1500 m title twice at the Soviet Indoor Athletics Championships (1984, 1987) and once outdoors at the Soviet Athletics Championships in 1985.[9] [10]
| 1982 | World Cross Country Championships | Rome, Italy | 40th | Junior race | 24:18.9 | |
| 8th | Junior team | 146 pts | ||||
| 1983 | World Cross Country Championships | Gateshead, United Kingdom | 45th | Junior race | 27:12 | |
| 9th | Junior team | 171 pts | ||||
| European Junior Championships | Schwechat, Austria | bgcolor=silver | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:41.41 | |
| 1984 | Friendship Games | Moscow, Soviet Union | 3rd | 1500 m | 3:38.42 | |
| 1985 | World Cup | Canberra, Australia | 3rd | 1500 m | 3:41.92 | |
| 1986 | European Championships | Stuttgart, West Germany | 11th | 1500 m | 3:44.80 | |
| Goodwill Games | Moscow, Soviet Union | bgcolor=silver | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:40.18 | |
| 1987 | European Indoor Championships | Liévin, France | 4th | 1500 m | 3:46.11 |
Alternative transliterations of his surname include Lotaryev, Lotarev, Lotorev, and a Lotoryev.[11]