Nina Otkalenko
Nina Grigoryevna Otkalenko, née Pletnyova, 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.
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. 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|400 m record] of 55.5 in 1954 and a 1500 m record of 4:37.0 minutes in 1952.
Outside of her European title, she won medals at the World [Festival of Youth and Students], twice winning the 800 m title in 1953 [World Festival of Youth">Athletics at the 1953 World Festival of Youth and Students">1953 [World Festival of Youth and Students|1953] and Athletics at the 1955 [World Festival of Youth and Students|1955], as well as taking 400 metres silver medals at both those championships. 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.