Olga Antonova (athlete) explained

Olga Antonova (Russian: Ольга Антонова; née Nasonova; born 16 February 1960) is a Russian former track and field sprinter who competed for the Soviet Union. She represented her country at the World Championships in Athletics in 1983 and 1987, winning a relay medal at the latter edition. She was a bronze medallist over 200 m at the 1984 European Athletics Indoor Championships and was a two-time Soviet indoor champion over 60 metres.

Career

Antonova won her first international medal at the 1981 Universiade, where she was the 100 metres bronze medallist.[1] Her first full senior outing came at the 1981 IAAF World Cup, where as part of the Soviet 4×100 metres relay team (alongside Olga Zolotaryova, Lyudmila Kondratyeva and Natalya Bochina) she won a further bronze medal.[2]

A run of 11.24 seconds for the 100 m earned her a place at the inaugural 1983 World Championships in Athletics. She reached the semi-finals of the event and was the fastest athlete not to reach the final.[3] Antonova established her indoor pedigree by taking her first national title in the 60 metres at the Soviet Indoor Athletics Championships in 1984. She opted for the longer 200 metres distance at the 1984 European Athletics Indoor Championships and came away with the bronze medal (although she was almost a second slower than the winner Jarmila Kratochvílová).[4]

Antonova slipped back in the national rankings after 1984 and only returned to the national team in 1987, after a lifetime best run of 11.19 seconds for the 100 m in Chelyabinsk.[2] She was chosen to run the anchor leg of the relay in a Soviet women's team including Irina Slyusar, Natalya Pomoshchnikova, and Natalya German. The team ended up a clear third place behind the American and East German women.[5]

Antonova did not compete internationally after 1987, though she achieved a second national title in the 60 m in 1988, setting a lifetime best of 7.25 seconds for the distance.

Personal bests

National titles

1984, 1988[6]

International competitions

1981UniversiadeBucharest, Romania3rd100 m11.54
World CupRome, Italy3rd4×100 m relay43.01
1983World ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland5th (semis)100 m11.30
1984European Indoor ChampionshipsGothenburg, Sweden3rd200 m23.80
Friendship GamesMoscow, Soviet Union8th100 m11.33
bgcolor=silver2nd4×100 m relay42.71
1987World ChampionshipsRome, Italy3rd4×100 m relay42.33

Notes and References

  1. http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/wsgw.htm World Student Games (Universiade - Women)
  2. http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=5722&Gender=W Olga Antonova
  3. http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/russia/olga-antonova-60059 Olga Antonova
  4. http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/eiw.htm European Indoor Championships (Women)
  5. http://www.iaaf.org/results/iaaf-world-championships-in-athletics/1987/2nd-iaaf-world-championships-in-athletics-4/women/4x100-metres-relay/final/result IAAF World Championships in Athletics> 2nd IAAF World Championships in Athletics> 4x100 Metres Relay - women
  6. http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/ursi.htm Soviet Indoor Athletics Championships