Tatyana Ovechkina
Encyclopedia
Tatyana Nikolaevna Ovechkina (born 19 March 1950); is a former Soviet
Russian basketball player who played for a national team that won two Olympic gold medals, the 1975 World Championships
and six European Championships
. Today, she runs the Russia women's national basketball program
.
Ovechkina was born in Moscow
. At age 7, she was walking home from school when an automobile struck her and mangled her right leg. She spent a year in the hospital recovering. At 16, Tatyana joined Dynamo Moscow
's women's basketball team and soon became its star. At age 19, she was named captain of the national team.
Ovechkina won two Olympic gold medals with the USSR
team, in 1976 and 1980, and never lost a game in an official international competition. She also won the 1975 World Championship, six European Championships (1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980), and the 1977 Summer Universiade
.
She was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor
in 1976 and the Order of Friendship of Peoples
in 1980. In recent years, she was overwhelmingly chosen the century's best female point guard by the readers of the Sport-Express
, an Eastern European daily newspaper. Currently, she is a candidate for inducation into the FIBA Hall of Fame
.
Tatyana is the mother of professional ice hockey winger
Alexander Ovechkin
, who plays in the NHL
for the Washington Capitals
. He was selected 1st overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
. He won the Hart Trophy
as the league's most valuable player in and .
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....
Russian basketball player who played for a national team that won two Olympic gold medals, the 1975 World Championships
FIBA World Championship for Women
The FIBA World Championship for Women is a world basketball tournament for women's national teams held quadrennially...
and six European Championships
Eurobasket Women
Eurobasket Women is a bi-annual basketball competition held between the nations of Europe for women's national basketball team. Eurobasket Women is also used as a qualifying tournament for the FIBA World Championship for Women and also for Olympic Games.-Summaries:-Performance by nation:-See...
. Today, she runs the Russia women's national basketball program
Russia women's national basketball team
The Russia women's national basketball team represents Russia in international basketball competitions for Women. The team has participated in the FIBA World Championship for Women since 1998 and their best finish has been a silver medal in 1998, 2002 and 2006...
.
Ovechkina was born in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. At age 7, she was walking home from school when an automobile struck her and mangled her right leg. She spent a year in the hospital recovering. At 16, Tatyana joined Dynamo Moscow
Dynamo Moscow (women's basketball)
WBC Dynamo Moscow is a Russian women's basketball club.-Titles Won:* USSR Championship: 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1944, 1945, 1948, 1950, 1953, 1957, 1958* Russian Super League A: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001* FIBA EuroCup Women: 2007...
's women's basketball team and soon became its star. At age 19, she was named captain of the national team.
Ovechkina won two Olympic gold medals with the USSR
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....
team, in 1976 and 1980, and never lost a game in an official international competition. She also won the 1975 World Championship, six European Championships (1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980), and the 1977 Summer Universiade
1977 Summer Universiade
The 1977 Summer Universiade, also known as the IX Summer Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria.-Medal table:...
.
She was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor
Order of the Badge of Honor
The Order of the Badge of Honour was a civilian award of the Soviet Union.It was instituted on 25 November 1935 and conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding achievements in production, scientific research and social, cultural and other forms of social activity, for promotion of economic,...
in 1976 and the Order of Friendship of Peoples
Order of Friendship of Peoples
The Order of Friendship of Peoples was an order of the Soviet Union, and was awarded to persons , organizations, enterprises, military units, as well as administrative subdivisions of the USSR for accomplishments in strengthening of inter-ethnic and international friendship and cooperation, for...
in 1980. In recent years, she was overwhelmingly chosen the century's best female point guard by the readers of the Sport-Express
Sport-Express
Sport-Express is a Russian daily sports newspaper founded by Vladimir Kuchmiy. Printed in 31 cities of Russia, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and the United States, it is the biggest-selling sports newspaper in Russia, with the daily audience of over 700,000 people.Sport-Express was founded...
, an Eastern European daily newspaper. Currently, she is a candidate for inducation into the FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame honors basketball players, coaches and administrators who have contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA in 1991. It includes the "Samaranch Library", the biggest basketball library in the world that, as of 2007, has over 10,000 basketball...
.
Tatyana is the mother of professional ice hockey winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Mikhaylovich Ovechkin is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League...
, who plays in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. He was selected 1st overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
2004 NHL Entry Draft
The 2004 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is especially notable because it was the last NHL event to take place before the beginning of the lockout which canceled all the games scheduled for the 2004–05 NHL season.- Selections by round :Listed...
. He won the Hart Trophy
Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
as the league's most valuable player in and .