Tamara Rylova
Encyclopedia
Tamara Nikolayevna Rylova ' onMouseout='HidePop("65406")' href="/topics/Vologda">Vologda
, Russia
) is a former speed skater
.
After World War II
had ended, Soviet
women started dominating speed skating and would continue do so for at least 20 years. Tamara Rylova was one of them. She trained at Burevestnik in Leningrad
. Having debuted nationally at the 1952 Soviet Allround Championships and internationally at the 1954 World Allround Championships
, Rylova soon became a force to be reckoned with. Early 1955, Rylova proved this by setting a new world record on the 500 m – breaking Laila Schou Nilsen
's record that had stood for almost 18 years. That same month, she would break two more world records.
The next month, she won silver at the 1955 World Allround Championships behind fellow Soviet skater Rimma Zhukova
and that already showed that most of the time, Rylova's strongest competition was from other Soviet skaters. The next year, she won bronze, behind two Soviet skaters, thus making all three medals going to the Soviet Union. And this was not an exception, rather it was the rule. In fact, in the years 1953–1964, Soviet women won all three medals at every one of those twelve World Allround Championships.
In 1957 and 1958, Rylova won two more silver medals at the World Allround Championships, both behind Inga Artamonova
. Finally, in 1959, she became World Allround Champion, with a big lead over silver medallist Valentina Stenina
. The next year, she won yet another silver medal at the 1960 World Allround Championships, this time not being able to retain her lead after three of the four distances because Stenina skated the final distance, the 3,000 m, more than seven seconds faster. At the Winter Olympics
of Squaw Valley the next month, Rylova (now the world record holder on the 500 m and the 1,000 m) had a somewhat disappointing performance; she finished fourth on the 500 m, one tenth of a second short of a medal, and she won the bronze medal on the 1,000 m.
After that, Rylova would not make any more international appearances except once, four years later, when she won another bronze medal at the 1964 World Allround Championship. During the intermediate years, she had not won much on a national level. Her last appearance at the Soviet Allround Championships was in 1966.
Vologda
Vologda is a city and the administrative, cultural, and scientific center of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the Vologda River. The city is a major transport knot of the Northwest of Russia. Vologda is among the Russian cities possessing an especially valuable historical heritage...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) is a former speed skater
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
had ended, Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
women started dominating speed skating and would continue do so for at least 20 years. Tamara Rylova was one of them. She trained at Burevestnik in Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
. Having debuted nationally at the 1952 Soviet Allround Championships and internationally at the 1954 World Allround Championships
World Allround Speed Skating Championships
The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world...
, Rylova soon became a force to be reckoned with. Early 1955, Rylova proved this by setting a new world record on the 500 m – breaking Laila Schou Nilsen
Laila Schou Nilsen
Laila Schou Nilsen was a Norwegian speed skater, alpine skier and tennis player. She was one of the pioneers in Norwegian as well as international speed skating for women.-Biography:...
's record that had stood for almost 18 years. That same month, she would break two more world records.
The next month, she won silver at the 1955 World Allround Championships behind fellow Soviet skater Rimma Zhukova
Rimma Zhukova
Rimma Mikhaylovna Zhukova was a speed skater. She was born in Sverdlovsk, Russia.Rimma Zhukova competed for the Soviet Union and after having become Soviet Allround Champion three times and having won the prestigious Kirov prize four times, she became World Allround Champion in 1955. Zhukova was...
and that already showed that most of the time, Rylova's strongest competition was from other Soviet skaters. The next year, she won bronze, behind two Soviet skaters, thus making all three medals going to the Soviet Union. And this was not an exception, rather it was the rule. In fact, in the years 1953–1964, Soviet women won all three medals at every one of those twelve World Allround Championships.
In 1957 and 1958, Rylova won two more silver medals at the World Allround Championships, both behind Inga Artamonova
Inga Artamonova
Inga Grigoryevna Artamonova was a Soviet speed skater, the first four-time Allround World Champion in women's speed skating history. After her marriage in 1959 to fellow speed skater Gennady Voronin , she was also known as Inga Voronina ....
. Finally, in 1959, she became World Allround Champion, with a big lead over silver medallist Valentina Stenina
Valentina Stenina
Valentina Sergeyevna Stenina is a former speed skater who competed for the Soviet Union.Born Valentina Miloslavova in Babruysk , she fled to Sverdlovsk – taken by her mother – in 1941 because of World War II...
. The next year, she won yet another silver medal at the 1960 World Allround Championships, this time not being able to retain her lead after three of the four distances because Stenina skated the final distance, the 3,000 m, more than seven seconds faster. At the Winter Olympics
1960 Winter Olympics
The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
of Squaw Valley the next month, Rylova (now the world record holder on the 500 m and the 1,000 m) had a somewhat disappointing performance; she finished fourth on the 500 m, one tenth of a second short of a medal, and she won the bronze medal on the 1,000 m.
After that, Rylova would not make any more international appearances except once, four years later, when she won another bronze medal at the 1964 World Allround Championship. During the intermediate years, she had not won much on a national level. Her last appearance at the Soviet Allround Championships was in 1966.
Medals
An overview of medals won by Rylova at important championships she participated in, listing the years in which she won each:| Championships | Gold medal | Silver medal | Bronze medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Speed skating at the Winter Olympics Speed skating has been featured as a sport in the Winter Olympics since the first winter games in 1924. Women's events were added to the Olympic program for the first time in 1960.-History:... |
– | – | 1960 (1,000 m) |
| World Allround World Allround Speed Skating Championships The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world... |
1959 | 1955 1957 1958 1960 |
1956 1964 |
| Soviet Allround | 1955 1957 1959 1960 |
1958 | 1954 1964 |
World records
Over the course of her career, Rylova skated four world records:| Event | Result | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 45.6 | 11 January 1955 | Medeo Medeo The Medeu , or Medeo , is an outdoor speed skating and bandy rink. It is located in a mountain valley on the south-eastern outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan. Medeu sits 1,691 metres above sea level, making it the highest skating rink in the world... |
| 1,000 m | 1:33.4 | 12 January 1955 | Medeo Medeo The Medeu , or Medeo , is an outdoor speed skating and bandy rink. It is located in a mountain valley on the south-eastern outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan. Medeu sits 1,691 metres above sea level, making it the highest skating rink in the world... |
| Old combination Samalog Samalog is a scoring system in speed skating. It is used in allround tournaments to convert results at various distances into points in order to determine an overall champion... |
203.920 | 22 January 1955 | Medeo Medeo The Medeu , or Medeo , is an outdoor speed skating and bandy rink. It is located in a mountain valley on the south-eastern outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan. Medeu sits 1,691 metres above sea level, making it the highest skating rink in the world... |
| Mini combination Samalog Samalog is a scoring system in speed skating. It is used in allround tournaments to convert results at various distances into points in order to determine an overall champion... |
196.416 | 21 January 1960 | Medeo Medeo The Medeu , or Medeo , is an outdoor speed skating and bandy rink. It is located in a mountain valley on the south-eastern outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan. Medeu sits 1,691 metres above sea level, making it the highest skating rink in the world... |