Vera Krepkina
Encyclopedia
Vera Samuilovna Krepkina (later Kalashnikova) (born April 16, 1933) is a retired Russian athlete who competed for the Soviet Union
.
She is Jewish, and was born in Kotelnich
. She trained in Vologda
and later in Kiev
at Lokomotiv
.
In 1954 at Bern, she a won gold medal in the European championships 4x100-meter relay, with Maria Leontyavna Itkina
and two other Soviet runners. In 1956, she was part of a team from the USSR that set a world record in the same race.
In 1958, she matched the world record in the 100 meter dash, running it in 11.3 seconds.
Krepkina competed for the USSR
in the 1960 Summer Olympics
held in Rome
, Italy
. Better known as a sprinter, she won a surprise gold in the Long Jump
with an Olympic record of 6.37, ahead of the defending champion Elżbieta Krzesińska
and the world record holder Hildrun Claus
.
Krepkina was awarded Order of Lenin
(1960).
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....
.
She is Jewish, and was born in Kotelnich
Kotelnich
Kotelnich is a river port town in Kirov Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Vyatka River near its confluence with the Moloma, along the route of the Trans-Siberian Railway, southwest of Kirov. Population:...
. She trained in Vologda
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...
and later in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
at Lokomotiv
Lokomotiv (sports society)
Lokomotiv is the Russian sports club and a member of the International Railway Sports Association.Lokomotive traces its history to the All-Union Voluntary Sports Society of rail transport workers' Trade Unions, one of the first sports societies of workers of the USSR. Established in 1936, it...
.
In 1954 at Bern, she a won gold medal in the European championships 4x100-meter relay, with Maria Leontyavna Itkina
Maria Leontyavna Itkina
Maria Leontyavna Itkina is a former Soviet runner and world record holder.-Personal life:Itkina is Jewish, and was born in Roslavl, Smolensk, Russia, and later lived in Minsk.-Running career:...
and two other Soviet runners. In 1956, she was part of a team from the USSR that set a world record in the same race.
In 1958, she matched the world record in the 100 meter dash, running it in 11.3 seconds.
Krepkina competed for the USSR
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....
in the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
held in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Better known as a sprinter, she won a surprise gold in the Long Jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
with an Olympic record of 6.37, ahead of the defending champion Elżbieta Krzesińska
Elzbieta Krzesinska
Elżbieta Krzesińska née Duńska is a retired track and field athlete from Poland, who competed in the long jump. She competed for her native country at the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia where she won the gold medal in the Women's Long Jump...
and the world record holder Hildrun Claus
Hildrun Claus
Hildrun Claus is a former East German athlete, who competed mainly in the long jump.She competed for the United Team of Germany in the 1960 Summer Olympics held in Rome, Italy where she won the bronze medal in the women's long jump event.-References:...
.
Krepkina was awarded Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
(1960).
See also
- List of select Jewish track and field athletes