Raisa Smetanina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raisa Smetanina
Smetanina on a 2013 Russian coin
Country	Russia
Born	29 February 1952 (1952-02-29) (age 73) Mokhcha, Komi ASSR, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Ski club	VSS
World Cup career
Seasons	11 – (1982–1992)
Individual wins	3
Team wins	3
Indiv. podiums	16
Team podiums	9
Indiv. starts	52
Team starts	10
Overall titles	0 – (2nd in 1984)
Medal record Women's cross-country skiing Representing  Unified Team Olympic Games Gold 1992 Albertville 4 × 5 km relay Representing Soviet Union Olympic Games Gold 1976 Innsbruck 10 km Gold 1976 Innsbruck 4 × 5 km relay Gold 1980 Lake Placid 5 km Silver 1976 Innsbruck 5 km Silver 1980 Lake Placid 4 × 5 km relay Silver 1984 Sarajevo 10 km Silver 1984 Sarajevo 20 km Silver 1988 Calgary 10 km classical Bronze 1988 Calgary 20 km freestyle World Championships Gold 1974 Falun 4 × 5 km relay Gold 1982 Oslo 20 km Gold 1985 Seefeld 4 × 5 km relay Gold 1991 Val di Fiemme 4 × 5 km relay Silver 1978 Lahti 10 km Silver 1982 Oslo 4 × 5 km relay Silver 1989 Lahti 4 × 5 km relay Bronze 1974 Falun 5 km Bronze 1978 Lahti 5 km Bronze 1978 Lahti 4 × 5 km relay Bronze 1980 Falun 20 km

Raisa Petrovna Smetanina (Russian: Раиса Петровна Сметанина; born 29 February 1952) is a famous Soviet, Komi, and Russian cross-country skiing champion. She made history by becoming the first woman to win ten medals at the Winter Olympic Games.

Raisa Smetanina's Amazing Career

Raisa Smetanina had a long and successful career in cross-country skiing. She competed in five different Olympic Games, representing the Soviet team four times. In her last Olympics, she competed for the Unified Team.

Olympic Achievements

Raisa's Olympic journey began at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. There, she won two gold medals and one silver medal. This made her one of the most successful athletes at those Games!

She continued to shine at the Olympics. At the 1992 Winter Olympics, when she was 39 years old, Raisa won another gold medal. This was in the 4 × 5 km relay event. This incredible win made her the first woman ever to earn ten Winter Olympic medals. At that time, she was also the oldest woman to win a Winter Olympic gold medal.

Overall, Raisa Smetanina won 10 Olympic medals:

• 4 Gold medals
• 5 Silver medals
• 1 Bronze medal

World Championship Successes

Raisa also achieved great success at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. She won many medals there too!

She earned a total of 11 medals at the World Championships:

• 4 Gold medals
• 3 Silver medals
• 4 Bronze medals

Her gold medals included wins in the 20 km race in 1982 and several 4 × 5 km relay events in 1974, 1985, and 1991.

Other Awards and Honors

Beyond the Olympics and World Championships, Raisa Smetanina also won three times at the famous Holmenkollen ski festival in Norway. She won the 10 km race once and the 5 km race twice.

In 1979, she was honored with the Holmenkollen medal, a very special award in skiing. She also received the Order of Friendship of Peoples in 1984, which is a high award from the Soviet Union.

Images for kids

• 

  Smetanina on a 2013 Russian coin

See also

In Spanish: Raísa Smetánina para niños

• List of multiple Winter Olympic medalists
• List of multiple Olympic medalists