Raisa Smekhnova
Raissa Philipovna Smechnowa (Russian Раиса Филипповна Смехнова, English transcription Raisa Smekhnova, born Катюкова - Katjukowa - Katyukova, . Born September 16, 1950) is a former Russian middle and long distance runner who competed for the Soviet Union.
In 1975, she became Soviet champion in the 3000 m. The following year she became the Twelfth at the World Cross Country Championships in Chepstow gold with the Soviet team and reached at the Olympic Games in Montreal about 1500 m the semi-finals.
At the World Cross Country Championships 1977 in Dusseldorf they finished sixth and took another with the team title, and 1979 in Limerick, she was Cross Country World silver medalist in both the single and in the team standings. An eleventh place finish at the World Cross Country Championships in Paris in 1980 followed in 1982 in Rome an eighth place and the third team title.
In 1981 she ran her first marathon in 2:37:57 h in 1982 and 1983 she was runner- Soviet. One bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships 1983 in Helsinki in 2:31:13 hours followed at the end of a sixth place at the Tokyo International Women's Marathon.
In 1984, she was eighth at the Soviet Championships, third at the competitions of friendship and presented on October 7 at a marathon in 2:29:10 h Vilnius with a Soviet record.
In 1985 she sailed as Soviet champion for IAAF World Cup Marathon. She sat down on the very first half alone to the top and sometimes had a lead of over a minute. After she was caught at kilometer 36 of Katrin Dorre, she fell further and further behind, even though they tried to stimulate with pinholes in the thigh, and ran a tenth place. Since she had worn a headband unauthorized by dressing her mark in the race, it starts were forbidden abroad in the next two years. In 1987, she was second in the Bila - Tserkva Marathon and ran in the 300 meters to short course a time of 2:28:00 h
In the European Cup Marathon 1988 in Huy, they only had to concede defeat Katrin Dorre and won silver. Then the marathon of the Olympic Games in Seoul, she came on the 16th Place. In 1989, she was fifth respectively at Osaka Women's Marathon and the London Marathon, 1990 Eighth with the Pittsburgh Marathon.
Raissa Smechnowa is 1,66 m tall and weighed in their active time: 55 kg. She is a physical education teacher and was coached by her husband Valeri, with whom she has settled in Sochi.