Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. She was a discus thrower who won a gold medal at both the 1952 and 1960 Summer Olympics. She became interested in athletics in 1947, when she entered the Physical Training Faculty of the Stavropol Pedagogical Institute. Her first official performance was in 1948 at the Stavropol Krai Championships, where she set a new regional record at 30.53 m. After just three years of training she became one of the leading Soviet athletes. In 1949 she finished third at the USSR Championships. At that time an experienced coach Dmitry Markov began to train her. In 1951 she became the Soviet champion and repeated this success in 1952–1956, 1958 and 1959. She entered the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland and captured gold in the discus throw. In 1954 she won a gold medal at the European Championships. Four years later in the Melbourne Olympic Games, she earned a bronze medal in her event. In the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, she earned her second gold in the discus throw. Soon after that she finished her career and later worked as a coach in Kiev and Moscow.
Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. She was a discus thrower who won a gold medal at both the 1952 and 1960 Summer Olympics. She became interested in athletics in 1947, when she entered the Physical Training Faculty of the Stavropol Pedagogical Institute. Her first official performance was in 1948 at the Stavropol Krai Championships, where she set a new regional record at 30.53 m. After just three years of training she became one of the leading Soviet athletes. In 1949 she finished third at the USSR Championships. At that time an experienced coach Dmitry Markov began to train her. In 1951 she became the Soviet champion and repeated this success in 1952–1956, 1958 and 1959. She entered the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland and captured gold in the discus throw. In 1954 she won a gold medal at the European Championships. Four years later in the Melbourne Olympic Games, she earned a bronze medal in her event. In the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, she earned her second gold in the discus throw. Soon after that she finished her career and later worked as a coach in Kiev and Moscow.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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