Which gymnast is the Tkachev release move named after?

The Tkachev release move is named after Soviet gymnast Aleksandr Tkachyov.

Tkachyov first performed the horizontal-bar element in 1977. The move is a release and regrasp: the gymnast swings upward, lets go of the bar, travels backward over it, and catches the bar again. In its classic form, the legs are straddled during flight.

The skill is also described as a reverse hecht, but “Tkachev” is the name associated with the gymnast who made the element famous in competition. It later became a staple of elite men’s high-bar routines and women’s uneven-bars routines, with variations in body position and entry.

The spelling can vary because Russian names are transliterated in different ways: Tkachyov, Tkachev and Tkatchev all appear in English sources. That variation does not indicate different gymnasts. The other options are famous gymnasts, but none gave the Tkachev its name.