Yelena Nikolayeva
Yelena Nikolaevna Nikolaeva (Russian: Елена Николаевна Николаева, born Kuznetsova, English transcription Yelena Nikolayeva, . Born February 1, 1966 at the village Akschiki, Chuvashia, Soviet Union) is a Russian athlete, who began her career in the Soviet Union. At a height of 1.64 m her competition weight is 58 kg.
Career
Her career began Jelena Nikolajewa for the Soviet Union in the 10 - km walk, where she was fifth at the World Championships in 1987. Also Fifth Nikolajewa was over 3000 meters at the World Indoor Championships in 1991. The first Olympic walking competition for women in 1992 in Barcelona, she won silver over 10 kilometers where she had in 44:33 min only one second behind the Chinese Chen Yueling.
1993 Nikolajewa was now antretend for Russia, World Indoor champion in the 3000 meters, outdoors they occupied at the World Championships in seventh place. In 1994 she was at the European Indoor Championships Fourth, at the European Championships in the open, she won bronze in 42:43 min, coinciding with the second-placed Italian Anna Rita Sidoti, and six seconds behind the Finn Sari Essayah.
Also won bronze Nikolaeva at the 1995 World Championships in 42:20 minutes at the same time in front of Sari Essayah, but seven seconds behind the winner Irina Stankina from Russia and four seconds behind Elisabetta Perrone from Italy. At the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996, she was Olympic champion in the 10 - km walk in 41:49 minutes and had 23 seconds ahead of Elisabetta Perrone. 1997 Nikolajewa Ninth was at the World Championships, which took place in 1997 once on the track.
From 1999 the line was extended with the women. In the 20 - km walk Nikolajewa finished in twelfth place finish at the 1999 World Championships.
At the European Championships in Munich in 2002 Nikolajewa won her first medal on the long distance, when she won silver in 1:28:20 hours behind her compatriot Olimpiada Ivanova ( 1:26:42 h). At the 2003 World Championships in Paris / Saint- Denis Nikolajewa won in 1:26:52 h gold before the Irish Gillian O'Sullivan in 1:27:34 h At the 2004 Olympic Games Nikolajewa arrived at number 17.