Jumped To Gold

[wamego relays champ]

Suspect you were thinking of Yuriy Stepanov, he of built-up shoe fame

Or perhaps infamy?

Wiki describes the aftermath:

As a result of excessive media attention to the validity of his results, around 1959 Stepanov developed a depression that resulted in his hospitalization in 1959, alcoholism, divorce in 1961 and suicide in 1963.

[dukehjsteve]

Russian HJ'ers have a sad history... relatively early death for Brumel, and early death and alcohol problems for Yashchenko.