Nina Romashkova
Encyclopedia
Nina Apollonovna Ponomaryova ' onMouseout='HidePop("59770")' href="/topics/Yekaterinburg">Sverdlovsk
, Russian SFSR) was a Soviet
/Russia
n discus throw
er, the first Soviet
Olympic
Champion.
She became interested in athletics since 1947, when she entered the Physical Training Faculty of the Stavropol
Pedagogical Institute. Her first official performance was in 1948 on the Stavropol Krai
Championships, where she threw discus 30.53m, this result was the new record of the Krai. After just three years of training she became one of the leading Soviet
athletes. In 1949 Nina was 3rd in the USSR Championships. At that time an experienced coach Dmitry Markov began to train her. In 1951 Romashkova became the USSR Champion, she repeated this success in 1952-1956, 1958, 1959.
In 1952
she was a member of the USSR Olympic team
, which participated in the Olympic Games
for the first time in history. At that time the Olympic Record was held since 1936 Summer Olympics
by Gisela Mauermayer
from Germany
at 47.63m. 20 athletes from 17 countries competed in the Discus Throwing
Event. In the Qualifying Round Nina took 1st place with the result 45.05m (36m were enough to qualify). In the Final Round after the first try Nina Romashkova was 2nd with the result 45.16m, the leader being her teammate Nina Dumbadze (45.85m). But already in the second try Romashkova improved the Olympic Record by more than 3 metres throwing the discus 50.84m, after that she was the leader until the end of the competition. In the 3rd try she set the Olympic Record at 51.42m. Romashkova managed to throw discus behind Mauermayer's limit for the 3rd time in her 6th try (49.37m), 4th and 5th tries being 47.24m and 44.66m respectively. Thus, July 20, 1952 Nina Romashkova became the Olympic Champion, setting the New Olympic Record at 51.42m and earning the first Olympic gold medal in the history of the USSR.
Just less than a month after the 1952 Summer Olympics
, August 9, 1952 in Odessa
Nina Romashkova set the New World Record at 53.61m. In 1954 she became the European Champion. At the 1956 Summer Olympics
Ponomaryova won the bronze medal. In 1957 Nina Ponomaryova was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
. At the 1960 Summer Olympics
Ponomaryova became the Olympic Champion for the second time. Soon after she finished her career and worked as a coach for some time.
.
In Russian
:Только ощутив в руке тяжелый золотой кружок, я осознала, что произошло. Ведь я первая советская олимпийская чемпионка, первая рекордсменка XV Олимпиады... Слезы щипали глаза. Как я была счастлива!...
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
, Russian SFSR) was a Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
/Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n discus throw
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
er, the first Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Champion.
She became interested in athletics since 1947, when she entered the Physical Training Faculty of the Stavropol
Stavropol
-International relations:-Twin towns/sister cities:Stavropol is twinned with: Des Moines, United States Béziers, France Pazardzhik, Bulgaria-External links:* **...
Pedagogical Institute. Her first official performance was in 1948 on the Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Stavropol. Population: -Geography:Stavropol Krai encompasses the central part of the Fore-Caucasus and most of the northern slopes of Caucasus Major...
Championships, where she threw discus 30.53m, this result was the new record of the Krai. After just three years of training she became one of the leading Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
athletes. In 1949 Nina was 3rd in the USSR Championships. At that time an experienced coach Dmitry Markov began to train her. In 1951 Romashkova became the USSR Champion, she repeated this success in 1952-1956, 1958, 1959.
In 1952
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
she was a member of the USSR Olympic team
USSR at the Summer Olympics
The Soviet Union first participated at the Olympic Games in 1952, and competed at the Games on 18 occasions since then. At seven of its nine appearances at the Summer Olympic Games, the team ranked first in the total number of medals won, it was second by this count on the other two...
, which participated in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
for the first time in history. At that time the Olympic Record was held since 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
by Gisela Mauermayer
Gisela Mauermayer
Gisela Mauermayer was a German athlete who competed mainly in the discus. She won the gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, Germany....
from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at 47.63m. 20 athletes from 17 countries competed in the Discus Throwing
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
Event. In the Qualifying Round Nina took 1st place with the result 45.05m (36m were enough to qualify). In the Final Round after the first try Nina Romashkova was 2nd with the result 45.16m, the leader being her teammate Nina Dumbadze (45.85m). But already in the second try Romashkova improved the Olympic Record by more than 3 metres throwing the discus 50.84m, after that she was the leader until the end of the competition. In the 3rd try she set the Olympic Record at 51.42m. Romashkova managed to throw discus behind Mauermayer's limit for the 3rd time in her 6th try (49.37m), 4th and 5th tries being 47.24m and 44.66m respectively. Thus, July 20, 1952 Nina Romashkova became the Olympic Champion, setting the New Olympic Record at 51.42m and earning the first Olympic gold medal in the history of the USSR.
Just less than a month after the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
, August 9, 1952 in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
Nina Romashkova set the New World Record at 53.61m. In 1954 she became the European Champion. At the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
Ponomaryova won the bronze medal. In 1957 Nina Ponomaryova was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
. At the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
Ponomaryova became the Olympic Champion for the second time. Soon after she finished her career and worked as a coach for some time.
Quote
Only after I had felt a heavy golden circle in my hand, I realized, what happened. I am the first Soviet Olympic Champion, you know, the first record-holder of the 15th Olympiad...Tears were biting my eyes. How I was happy!... After her win at the 1952 Summer Olympics1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
.
In Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
:Только ощутив в руке тяжелый золотой кружок, я осознала, что произошло. Ведь я первая советская олимпийская чемпионка, первая рекордсменка XV Олимпиады... Слезы щипали глаза. Как я была счастлива!...