Nina Otkalenko
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women's Athletics | ||
Representing the  Soviet Union |
||
| European Championships | ||
 |
1954 Bern | 800 metres |
Nina Grigoryevna Otkalenko (née Pletnyova; Russian: Нина Григорьевна Откаленко; May 23, 1928 – May 13, 2015) was a Soviet athlete, who mainly competed in the 800 metres. She won the European title in that event at the inaugural 1954 European Athletics Championships. She was born in Kursk.
Otkalenko became the most successful record breaker in the women's 800 m during the 1950s. 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.[1] 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 Women's 400 metres world record of 55.5 in 1954 and also a 1500 metres world record of 4:37.0 minutes in 1952.[2][3]
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.[4] 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.[5]
Personal bests
- 400 metres – 55.0 seconds (1954)
- 800 metres – 2.05.0 minutes (1955)
- 1500 metres – 4:37.0 minutes (1952)
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 CR |
| 1955 | World Festival of Youth and Students | Warsaw, Poland | 2nd | 400 m | 55.5 |
| 1st | 800 m | 2:09.4 |
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Nina Otkalenko. Track and Field Brinkster. Retrieved on 2015-05-17.
- ↑ Women, 1500 m World record progression. Track and Field Brinkster. Retrieved on 2015-05-17.
- ↑ World Student Games (UIE). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2014-12-09.
- ↑ Former world record-holder and 1954 European 800m champion Otkalenko dies. IAAF (2015-05-14). Retrieved on 2015-05-17.
External links
- Profile(archived)
- (Russian) Nina Otkalenko's profile in the Modern Museum of Sports includes photos of her and her awards and decorations
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Women's 800 metres world record holder 26 August 1951 – 3 July 1960 |
Succeeded by Lyudmila Shevtsova |
- Articles containing Russian-language text
- Articles with Russian-language external links
- 1928 births
- 2015 deaths
- People from Kursk
- Russian middle-distance runners
- Soviet middle-distance runners
- Female middle-distance runners
- Soviet female athletes
- Russian female athletes
- European Athletics Championships medalists
- Former world record holders in athletics (track and field)
