Raisa Smetanina


Raisa Petrovna Smetanina is a Komi cross-country skiing champion, representing the Soviet Union and later the Unified Team at the Winter Olympic games. She is the first woman in history to win ten Winter Olympic medals.

Career

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 39, 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, and 4 × 5 km relay, three silvers, and 4 × 5 km relay ), and four bronzes, 5 km, and 20 km ). She also won three times at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival, once in the 10 km and twice in the 5 km.
In 1979 Smetanina received the Holmenkollen Medal. She was also awarded Order of Friendship of Peoples.

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).

Olympic Games

  • 10 medals –
Year Age 5 km 10 km 15 km Pursuit 20 km 30 km 4 × 5 km
relay
197623SilverGoldGold
198027Gold4Silver
19843111SilverSilver4
19883510SilverBronze—
199239—4——Gold

World Championships

  • 11 medals –
Year Age 5 km 10 km
classical 		10 km
freestyle 		15 km 20 km 30 km 4 × 5 km
relay
197421Bronze—Gold
197825BronzeSilver5Bronze
198027Bronze
19822915—GoldSilver
198532—47Gold
19873449——
1989365—4—Silver
19913811———Gold

World Cup

Individual podiums

  • 3 victories
  • 16 podiums
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlace
11981–8226 February 1982ref label|worldcuprace|1

Team podiums

  • 3 victories
  • 9 podiums
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlaceTeammates
1 1981–82 24 February 1982ref label|worldcuprace|1