Irina Yegorova
Irina Nikolayevna Yegorova is a Russian speed skater who competed for the Soviet Union at the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics. In 1964 she won the silver medal in the 500 and 1000 m events. Four years later she finished fifth in the 1000 m and ninth in the 500 m contest.
Yegorova became known internationally in 1962–1963, when she skated 500 m and 1000 m in world record times, even though her records were not officially recognised. In 1963 she won a silver medal in the 500 m at the world championships and finished fourth all-around. In 1964, just a week after the Olympics, she won the 500 m at the world championships. She continued dominating sprint events at world all-around championships until 1967, when she won silver in the 500 m, but she never finished within the podium overall. Domestically she won only one title, in 1963; she finished second in 1969, but set a sprint all-around world record in late December.
In 1963 Yegorova graduated from the Ivanovo Textile Institute, where she then worked until 1964. Between 1964 and 1967 she was employed at a penal colony nearby, and after that coached speed skating in Ivanovo and Moscow. From 1989 to 2004 she worked as a school teacher in Ivanovo, and later resumed her coaching activities. In 1995 she won the national 500 m title in the masters division.
Yegorova was married, but her husband died by 2011; she has a son.
Personal bests: