Yuliya Krevsun
Encyclopedia
Yuliya Krevsun (born Yuliya Gurtovenko on 8 December 1980) is a Ukrainian
middle-distance athlete who specialises in the 800 metres
. She is a member of the Fenerbahçe S.K.
athletics club in Turkey
.
She won the silver medal at the 1999 European Athletics Junior Championships
. In 2002–03 she competed in the European Championships and World Championships but began feeling tired of athletics. She gave up competitive athletics and settled down into family life, giving birth to her first child in 2005. However, in late 2005 she began feeling drawn back to running and started training with Olympic medallist Iryna Lishchynska
.
She regained full fitness in 2007 and won silver at the 2007 European Cup and gold at the 2007 Summer Universiade
. After a poor performance at the 2007 World Championships
, she rebounded in 2008, reaching the 800 metres final at the Beijing Olympics
and competing at the World Athletics Final
. She won the gold medal at the 2009 European Team Championships
in Leiria
, and finish fourth in the 800 metres final
at the World Championships
that year.
, Krevsun grew up around the track as her family was heavily involved in sports; her mother Militina Moskvina was an 800 m runner while her father, Yuriy Gurtovenko, was a talented shooter. Initially starting out as a 10 kilometres athlete, she switched to the 800 m in 1997. The family lived in poverty, affecting her athletics career, but she was invited to attend the Donetsk
Sport College in 1998 and met Serhiy Krevsun, an amateur boxer, whom she would later marry.
. She competed at the European Athletics U23 Championships
in 2001, finishing in fifth place. Krevsun came second at the 2001 national championships, and won the competition in 2002. That year, Krevsun competed at the European Cup
(finishing in sixth), and competed at the European Athletics Championships for the first time, but did not progress beyond the heats. She represented Ukraine at the 2003 World Championships
, but again lost in the heats. She grew dissatisfied with athletics in the 2003 and 2004 seasons, and she decided to start a family instead; her first son, Danil, was born in 2005. Reflecting on the situation she said "I was dissatisfied and decided to put an end to my athletics career. I wanted a quiet life, romantic dinners with my husband, and a baby’s laugh in our home."
at the 2006 national championships inspired her to restart her professional career and she began training with Iryna Lishchynska
. She was happy with her improving times but suffered a narrow exit in the semi-finals at the 2007 European Athletics Indoor Championships. The outdoor season in 2007 proved to be a turning point however; she took the silver medal at the 2007 European Cup and set new 400 metres
and 800 metres personal bests. She ran the 800 m under two minutes for the first time at the national championships, winning in 1.59.60 seconds. Further improvements came shortly afterwards at the 2007 Summer Universiade
where she won the gold medal, setting a world-leading time of 1.57.63 seconds. The pressure to compete at the 2007 World Championships
as world-leader proved too much for Krevsun, and she was knocked out in the heats with a below-par 2.02.45 minutes. However, at the end of the season she was still the fifth fastest 800 m athlete that year.
After strong performances in the 800 m at the 2008 IAAF Golden League
meets, including beating World Champion Janeth Jepkosgei
, she gained self-confidence and focused on competing at the 2008 Summer Olympics
. She ran a personal best of 1:57.32 in the qualifiers at the Beijing
Olympics and reached her first Olympic final, eventually finishing in seventh position in the 800 m final.
She started the 2009 season well with a win at the inaugural European Team Championships
, setting a world-leading time of 1:58.62 and fending off fast performances from Yekaterina Kostetskaya
, Élodie Guégan and Hannah England
. She competed for Ukraine
at the 2009 World Championships
, finishing fourth in the 800 metres final
, although winner Caster Semenya
was asked to take a gender test.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
middle-distance athlete who specialises in the 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
. She is a member of the Fenerbahçe S.K.
Fenerbahçe Athletics
Fenerbahçe Athletics is the men's and women's athletics section of Fenerbahçe S.K., a major sports club in Istanbul, Turkey.Fenerbahçe Athletics use Dereağzı Facilities.-Technical staff:-Men's squad:* Oğuz Akça* Halil Akkaş* Caner Alagöz...
athletics club in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
She won the silver medal at the 1999 European Athletics Junior Championships
European Athletics Junior Championships
The European Athletics Junior Championships are the European championships open for those of age. The IAAF defines Junior as athletes who are 19 years of age or under. It is currently organized by the European Athletic Association....
. In 2002–03 she competed in the European Championships and World Championships but began feeling tired of athletics. She gave up competitive athletics and settled down into family life, giving birth to her first child in 2005. However, in late 2005 she began feeling drawn back to running and started training with Olympic medallist Iryna Lishchynska
Iryna Lishchynska
Iryna Lishchynska , née Nedelenko is a Ukrainian middle distance runner who specializes in the 1500 metres.-Achievements:-Personal bests:*800 metres - 1:59.15 min...
.
She regained full fitness in 2007 and won silver at the 2007 European Cup and gold at the 2007 Summer Universiade
2007 Summer Universiade
The 2007 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXIV Summer Universiade, took place in Bangkok, Thailand.-Medal table:-External links:***...
. After a poor performance at the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
, she rebounded in 2008, reaching the 800 metres final at the Beijing Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and competing at the World Athletics Final
2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 6th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany on September 13 and September 14, 2008.A number of road races also took place on the second day of competition. There were seven different starting points around the Stuttgart area and the distances varied...
. She won the gold medal at the 2009 European Team Championships
2009 European Team Championships
The first SPAR European Team Championships took place on 20 and 21 June 2009. The track and field athletics tournament run by European Athletics was the successor of the old European Cup competition which was held annually until 2008...
in Leiria
Leiria
Leiria is a city in Leiria Municipality in the Centro Region, Portugal. It is the capital of Leiria District. The city proper has 50,200 inhabitants and the entire municipality has nearly 120,000...
, and finish fourth in the 800 metres final
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 800 metres
The women's 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 16, 17 and 19 August. Prior to the championships, there was no clear favourite for the race – the twenty fastest times of the season had been run by seventeen different athletes...
at the World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
that year.
Early life
Born in VinnytsiaVinnytsia
Vinnytsia is a city located on the banks of the Southern Bug, in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast.-Names:...
, Krevsun grew up around the track as her family was heavily involved in sports; her mother Militina Moskvina was an 800 m runner while her father, Yuriy Gurtovenko, was a talented shooter. Initially starting out as a 10 kilometres athlete, she switched to the 800 m in 1997. The family lived in poverty, affecting her athletics career, but she was invited to attend the Donetsk
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
Sport College in 1998 and met Serhiy Krevsun, an amateur boxer, whom she would later marry.
Junior athletics and family life
At her first major junior tournament she won the silver medal, setting a new 800 m personal best of 2:03.81 at the 1999 European Athletics Junior ChampionshipsEuropean Athletics Junior Championships
The European Athletics Junior Championships are the European championships open for those of age. The IAAF defines Junior as athletes who are 19 years of age or under. It is currently organized by the European Athletic Association....
. She competed at the European Athletics U23 Championships
European Athletics U23 Championships
The European Athletics U23 Championships is a biennial athletics competition for European athletes under the age of 23, which is organized by the European Athletic Association...
in 2001, finishing in fifth place. Krevsun came second at the 2001 national championships, and won the competition in 2002. That year, Krevsun competed at the European Cup
European Cup (athletics)
The European Cup is a now defunct athletics competition, replaced by the European Team Championships from 2009 onwards. The Europa Cup saw most of the major nations of Europe compete. Originally known as the Bruno Zauli Cup, it first took place in Stuttgart and Kassel , Germany in 1965...
(finishing in sixth), and competed at the European Athletics Championships for the first time, but did not progress beyond the heats. She represented Ukraine at the 2003 World Championships
2003 World Championships in Athletics
The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...
, but again lost in the heats. She grew dissatisfied with athletics in the 2003 and 2004 seasons, and she decided to start a family instead; her first son, Danil, was born in 2005. Reflecting on the situation she said "I was dissatisfied and decided to put an end to my athletics career. I wanted a quiet life, romantic dinners with my husband, and a baby’s laugh in our home."
Return to the track
In late 2005 she felt the urge to return athletics, juggling her training and caring for her son. A loss to Nataliya TobiasNataliya Tobias
Nataliya Viktorivna Tobias , née Sydorenko is a female middle distance runner from Ukraine, who specializes in the 1500 metres.-Achievements:She also competed at the 2004 Olympics....
at the 2006 national championships inspired her to restart her professional career and she began training with Iryna Lishchynska
Iryna Lishchynska
Iryna Lishchynska , née Nedelenko is a Ukrainian middle distance runner who specializes in the 1500 metres.-Achievements:-Personal bests:*800 metres - 1:59.15 min...
. She was happy with her improving times but suffered a narrow exit in the semi-finals at the 2007 European Athletics Indoor Championships. The outdoor season in 2007 proved to be a turning point however; she took the silver medal at the 2007 European Cup and set new 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
and 800 metres personal bests. She ran the 800 m under two minutes for the first time at the national championships, winning in 1.59.60 seconds. Further improvements came shortly afterwards at the 2007 Summer Universiade
2007 Summer Universiade
The 2007 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXIV Summer Universiade, took place in Bangkok, Thailand.-Medal table:-External links:***...
where she won the gold medal, setting a world-leading time of 1.57.63 seconds. The pressure to compete at the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
as world-leader proved too much for Krevsun, and she was knocked out in the heats with a below-par 2.02.45 minutes. However, at the end of the season she was still the fifth fastest 800 m athlete that year.
After strong performances in the 800 m at the 2008 IAAF Golden League
2008 IAAF Golden League
The 2008 Golden League was the 11th edition of the IAAF's annual series of six athletics meets, held across Europe, with athletes having the chance to win the Golden League Jackpot of $1 million.-Programme:- Men :- Women :...
meets, including beating World Champion Janeth Jepkosgei
Janeth Jepkosgei
Janeth Jepkosgei is a Kenyan middle distance runner and world champion.- Early career :Janeth, nicknamed "Eldoret Express" is from Kabirirsang, near Kapsabet. Famous athletes Wilson Kipketer and Wilfred Bungei are also from the same village. She started athletics while at Kapsumbeiywo Primary...
, she gained self-confidence and focused on competing at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. She ran a personal best of 1:57.32 in the qualifiers at the Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
Olympics and reached her first Olympic final, eventually finishing in seventh position in the 800 m final.
She started the 2009 season well with a win at the inaugural European Team Championships
European Team Championships
The European Team Championships is an athletics competition, between different countries of Europe, over 4 leagues. It is the successor of the former Europa Cup.-History:...
, setting a world-leading time of 1:58.62 and fending off fast performances from Yekaterina Kostetskaya
Yekaterina Kostetskaya
Yekaterina Aleksandrovna Kostetskaya is a Russian track athlete. She came fifth in the 800 meters final at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics.-Achievements:-References:* *...
, Élodie Guégan and Hannah England
Hannah England
Hannah England is a British middle-distance athlete who specialises in the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run.Born in Oxford, England, she attended the Cherwell School in Summertown, North Oxford. England joined Oxford City Athletic Club as an under 13, her first major success coming in the UK...
. She competed for Ukraine
Ukraine at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
Ukraine competes at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics from 15–23 August in Berlin.-External links:*...
at the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
, finishing fourth in the 800 metres final
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 800 metres
The women's 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 16, 17 and 19 August. Prior to the championships, there was no clear favourite for the race – the twenty fastest times of the season had been run by seventeen different athletes...
, although winner Caster Semenya
Caster Semenya
Mokgadi Caster Semenya is a South African middle-distance runner and world champion. Semenya won gold in the women's 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships with a time of 1:55.45 in the final....
was asked to take a gender test.
Personal life
Krevsun completed a course in foreign economic management at the University of Management and Administrative Department in 2007; her studies enabled her to enter the 2007 Summer Universiade.Competition record
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | European Athletics Junior Championships 1999 European Athletics Junior Championships The 1999 European Athletics Junior Championships is the 1999 version of the European Athletics Junior Championships. It was held in Riga, Latvia.-Men's results:-Women's results:- Medal table :-References:* - GBR Athletics* - GBR Athletics... |
Riga Riga Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,... , Latvia |
2nd | 800 m |
| 2001 | European Athletics U23 Championships 2001 European Athletics U23 Championships The 2001 European Athletics U23 Championships is the 2001 version of the European Athletics U23 Championships. It was held in the Dutch city of Amsterdam.-Men's Results:-Women's Results:-Medals table:- References :*... |
Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... , Netherlands |
5th | 800 m |
| 2002 | European Cup | Annecy Annecy Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:... , France |
6th | 800 m |
| European Athletics Championships | Munich Munich Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... , Germany |
5th | 800 m | |
| 2003 | World Championships 2003 World Championships in Athletics The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:... |
Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... , France |
5th (heats) | 800 m |
| 2007 | European Athletics Indoor Championships | Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , United Kingdom |
4th (semi-final) | 800 m |
| European Cup | Munich Munich Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... , Germany |
2nd | 800 m | |
| Summer Universiade 2007 Summer Universiade The 2007 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXIV Summer Universiade, took place in Bangkok, Thailand.-Medal table:-External links:***... |
Bangkok Bangkok Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom... , Thailand |
1st | 800 m | |
| World Championships 2007 World Championships in Athletics The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan |
5th (heats) | 800 m | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
7th | 800 m |
| World Athletics Final 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final The 6th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany on September 13 and September 14, 2008.A number of road races also took place on the second day of competition. There were seven different starting points around the Stuttgart area and the distances varied... |
Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany |
8th | 800 m | |
| 2009 | European Team Championships 2009 European Team Championships The first SPAR European Team Championships took place on 20 and 21 June 2009. The track and field athletics tournament run by European Athletics was the successor of the old European Cup competition which was held annually until 2008... |
Leiria Leiria Leiria is a city in Leiria Municipality in the Centro Region, Portugal. It is the capital of Leiria District. The city proper has 50,200 inhabitants and the entire municipality has nearly 120,000... , Portugal |
1st | 800 m |
Personal bests
| Event | Time | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 metres 400 metres The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and... |
52.45 | Kiev Kiev Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press.... , Ukraine |
3 August 2007 |
| 800 metres 800 metres The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps... |
1:57.32 | Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
16 August 2008 |
| 1000 metres | 2:41.65 | Istanbul Istanbul Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and... , Turkey |
3 June 2006 |
| 1500 metres 1500 metres The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could... (indoors) |
4:13.43 | Ghent Ghent Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of... , Belgium |
4 February 2007 |
- All information taken from IAAF profile.