Yelena Nikolayeva (racewalker)

Yelena Nikolayeva

Nikolayeva in 2016
Medal record
Representing  Russia
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta 10 km walk
Silver medal – second place 1992 Barcelona 10 km walk
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2003 Paris 20 km walk
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Gothenburg 10 km walk

Yelena Nikolayevna Nikolayeva (Russian: Елена Николаевна Николаева, born 1 February 1966 in Akshiki, Chuvashia) is a Russian race walker.

Her first international achievement was a fifth place at the 1987 World Championships, something which happened again at the 1991 World Indoor Championships. One year later she won an Olympic silver medal behind Chen Yueling. Success followed over the next years, and in 1996 she became the second and last Olympic champion in the 10 kilometres distance, which was replaced by 20 km. Proving to handle the longer distance as well, she won the title at the 2003 World Championships in Paris.[citation needed]