What's a

[meikel14]

I?m seeking an explanation to the ?Master of Sports? degree or award, which ? as I understand it ? is presented to young athletes for their accomplishments. The most I know so far is that there?s a candidacy and an actual award.

Could someone please explain to me ? if possible in detail ? how this ?Master of Sport? works, what is needed to qualify, how one is nominated and so on.

Thanks very much in advance,

Meikel14

[ILay]

That's quite easy.

In Russia you have degrees (or, better say, levels) in sports, namely:

3d degree youth
2nd degree youth
1st degree youth

3 degree adult
2nd degree adult
1st degree adult

candidate to become master
master of sports

master of sports of international level
honoured master of sports

(sorry if I forgot some)

This means you have to achieve some level in the sport you're making. There are normatives in each sport. As soon as you can show some (on a competition, and there are some other rules as well in different sports) results matching this normative - you get the next degree. Without it you will not be allowed to enter a high ranked competition. Of course, if you don't get a new degree for a certain time, your trainer may tell you - get the hell out, you're not fit for the sport.

But it has nothing to do with education.

[vorosilov]

I got an award in highschool with a big brass statue,

It was a Good Sportman-Good Student award. I am from Hungary so I don't know the situation in Russia.

I think Vladimir Kuc was a Master. So was Bolotnikov.
My favorite Russian Master was Arzhanov. Men 800 meter Silver Medalist in Munich. He lost to the brilliant David Wottle of US. But Arzhanov was Europian champion in 71.