Olga Bondarenko facts for kids
Olga Petrovna Bondarenko was born on June 2, 1960, in Slavgorod, Russia. She is a retired Russian track and field athlete who was very good at long-distance running, especially the 10,000 metres race. She trained with the Armed Forces sports society in Volgograd and ran for the Soviet Union in international competitions.
Olga Bondarenko competed for the Soviet Union at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. This was a very special event because it was the first time women competed in the 10,000 metres race at the Olympics! Olga won the gold medal and even set a new Olympic record with a time of 31 minutes and 5.21 seconds.
Olga Bondarenko's Amazing Career
Olga Bondarenko had a successful career, winning many medals and setting records. She was known for her strength and speed in long-distance running.
Early Achievements
Before her big Olympic win, Olga showed her talent in several major competitions. In 1985, she won a bronze medal at the World Cup in Canberra, Australia, for the 10,000 metres race.
The next year, in 1986, she competed at the European Championships in Stuttgart, West Germany. She had an amazing performance, winning a gold medal in the 3000 metres race and a silver medal in the 10,000 metres race. This showed she was one of the best long-distance runners in Europe.
World and Olympic Success
In 1987, Olga won another silver medal at the World Indoor Championships in Indianapolis, United States, for the 3000 metres. Later that year, at the World Championships in Rome, Italy, she finished fourth in the 10,000 metres.
Her biggest moment came in 1988 at the Olympic Games in Seoul. She won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres, making history as the first woman to win this event at the Olympics. Her time of 31:05.21 was an Olympic record at the time.
Olga also competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, representing the Unified Team (EUN). She competed in the 10,000 metres again, but unfortunately, she did not finish the race.
See also
- List of Olympic medalists in athletics (women)
- List of 1988 Summer Olympics medal winners
- List of IAAF World Indoor Championships medalists (women)
- List of European Athletics Championships medalists (women)
- List of European Athletics Indoor Championships medalists (women)
- List of Russian sportspeople
