Russia's basketball coach Vladimir Kondrashin, who led the Soviet national team to its first Olympic title in 1972, died Thursday in St Petersburg, according to the source from ITAR-TASS news agency.

Kondrashin, 70, coached the Soviet national team in 1970-76 and led his squad to gold medals in the 1974 world and 1971 European championships.

The Soviet team also won bronze medals at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal under Kondrashin's coaching. (Xinhua)