Raisa Smetanina, Date of Birth

    

Raisa Smetanina

cross-country skier

Date of Birth: 29-Feb-1952

Profession: cross-country skier

Nationality: Russia

Zodiac Sign: Pisces


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About Raisa Smetanina

  • Raisa Petrovna Smetanina (Russian: ????? ???????? ?????????; born 29 February 1952) is a former Soviet/Russian cross-country skiing champion.
  • Smetanina is an ethnic Komi.
  • She is the first woman in history to win ten Winter Olympic medals (Stefania Belmondo being the second, Marit Bjørgen the third, and Ireen Wüst the fourth).
  • Smetanina took part in five Olympics, representing the Soviet team four times and the Unified Team once.
  • In particular, Smetanina won two gold and one silver medals at the 1976 Winter Olympics, becoming the most successful athlete there, along with Rosi Mittermaier of West Germany.In the 1992 Winter Olympics, at the age of thirty-nine, Smetanina won a further gold medal competing for the Unified Team in the 4 × 5 km relay, becoming the first woman to win ten Winter Olympic medals and at that time the oldest woman to win a Winter Olympic gold. Smetanina also had successes at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, winning four golds (20 km (1982), and 4 × 5 km relay (1974, 1985, and 1991), three silvers (10 km (1978), and 4 × 5 km relay (1982, 1989)), and four bronzes (4 × 5 km relay (1978), 5 km (1974, 1978), and 20 km (1980)).
  • She also won three times at the Holmenkollen ski festival, once in the 10 km (1975) and twice in the 5 km (1975 and 1979). In 1979, Smetanina received the Holmenkollen medal (shared with Erik HÃ¥ker and Ingemar Stenmark).
  • She was also awarded Order of Friendship of Peoples (1984).

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