Nina Otkalenko
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox sportsperson Nina Grigoryevna Otkalenko (née Pletnyova; Template:Langx; 23 May 1928 – 13 May 2015) was a Soviet middle-distance runner. She won a European title in the 800 m at the inaugural 1954 European Athletics Championships and set multiple world records in this event in 1951–54. She missed the 1952 and 1956 Olympics, where women's middle-distance events were not part of the program, and the 1960 Olympics due to an injury.[1]
In the 1950s Otkalenko became the most successful record breaker in the women's 800 m event. Starting with a world record of 2:12.0 minutes in 1951, she went on to improve her own 800 metres world record four more times. Spearheading a significant improvement in women's times in the event over her career, her last world record of 2:05.0 minutes in 1955 stood for almost five years, before it was beaten by her compatriot Lyudmila Shevtsova.[2] She ranked number one in the world in the 800 m every year from 1951 to 1958, bar 1956 and 1957 when she ranked second to Lyudmila Lysenko and Yelizaveta Yermolayeva. She also set world records in the pre-IAAF era, with a 400 m record of 55.5 in 1954 and a 1500 m record of 4:37.0 minutes in 1952.[3][4]
Outside of her European title, she won medals at the World Festival of Youth and Students, twice winning the 800 m title in 1953 and 1955, as well as taking 400 metres silver medals at both those championships.[5] She was highly successful in domestic competition, ending her career with a total of 22 Soviet titles in track and field and cross country disciplines.[1]
International competitions
| 1953 | World Festival of Youth and Students | Bucharest, Romania | 2nd | 400 m | 56.7 |
| 1st | 800 m | 2:10.5 | |||
| 1954 | European Championships | Bern, Switzerland | 1st | 800 m | 2:08.8 Template:AthAbbr |
| 1955 | World Festival of Youth and Students | Warsaw, Poland | 2nd | 400 m | 55.5 |
| 1st | 800 m | 2:09.4 |
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ a b Former world record-holder and 1954 European 800m champion Otkalenko dies. IAAF (14 May 2015). Retrieved on 17 May 2015.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Nina Otkalenko. Track and Field Brinkster. Retrieved on 17 May 2015.
- ↑ Women, 1500 m World record progression. Track and Field Brinkster. Retrieved on 17 May 2015.
- ↑ World Student Games (UIE). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 9 December 2014.
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
External links
- Profile(archived)
- Template:In lang Nina Otkalenko's profile in the Modern Museum of Sports includes photos of her and her awards and decorations
Template:Footer European Champions 800 m Women