Alevtina Kolchina

Alevtina Pavlovna Kolchina (Russian: Алевти́на Па́вловна Ко́лчина alternate spelling: Alevtina Koltsjina; 11 November 1930 – 1 March 2022) was a Soviet cross-country skier who competed during the 1950s and 1960s for Burevestnik and later for Dynamo sports societies. She competed in four Winter Olympics, earning a total of five medals. Kolchina also competed several times at the Holmenkollen ski festival, winning three times at 10 km (1961–1963) and once at 5 km (1966).[2]

Alevtina Kolchina
Kolchina at the 1968 Winter Olympics
Personal information
Born11 November 1930 (1930-11-11)
Pavlovsk village, Perm Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union[1]
Died1 March 2022 (2022-04) (aged 91)
Height162 cm (5 ft 4 in)[2]
Weight56 kg (123 lb)
Sport
SportCross-country skiing
ClubIskra Leningrad
Burevestnik Moscow
Dynamo Moscow[2]
Medal record
Women's cross-country skiing
Representing the  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1964 Innsbruck 3 × 5 km relay
Silver medal – second place 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo 3 × 5 km relay
Bronze medal – third place 1964 Innsbruck 5 km
Bronze medal – third place 1968 Grenoble 5 km
Bronze medal – third place 1968 Grenoble 3 × 5 km relay
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1958 Lahti 10 km
Gold medal – first place 1958 Lahti 3 × 5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 1962 Zakopane 5 km
Gold medal – first place 1962 Zakopane 10 km
Gold medal – first place 1962 Zakopane 3 × 5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 1966 Oslo 5 km
Gold medal – first place 1966 Oslo 3 × 5 km relay
Silver medal – second place 1966 Oslo 10 km

Personal life and death

Kolchina was born in the village of Pavlovsk, Ochyorsky District, Perm Oblast, and took up skiing at the age of 13.[1] She was married to four-time Olympic cross country medalist Pavel Kolchin until his death in 2010. In 1973, the family moved to Otepää, where Kolchins worked as national cross-country ski coaches, functionaries and consultants. Their son Fjodor Koltšin placed 15th in the Nordic combined at the 1980 Winter Olympics, competing for the Soviet Union (Estonia restored its independence in 1991.).[1][2][3]

Kolchina died on 1 March 2022, at the age of 91.[4]

Career

Kolchina's biggest success was at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, where she won three medals in 10 km (golds in 1958 and 1962, silver in 1966), three medals in the 3×5 km relay (golds in 1958, 1962, and 1966), and two medals in 5 km (golds in 1962 and 1966).[2] Kolchina also was Soviet champion in women's cross country skiing thirteen times in her career.[5]

For her successes in the world championships and at the Holmenkollen, Kolchina received the Holmenkollen medal in 1963 (shared with her husband, Astrid Sandvik, and Torbjørn Yggeseth). Kolchina is the third woman, first Soviet/Russian, and first female Nordic skier to ever win the Holmenkollen medal. Kolchina and her husband are the first husband and wife team to ever win the Holmenkollen Medal.[2]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[6]

Olympic Games
  • Five medals – (one gold, one silver, three bronze)
 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   3 × 5 km 
 relay 
195625—4Silver
196029—4—
196433Bronze7Gold
196837Bronze7Bronze

World Championships
  • 8 medals – (7 gold, 1 silver)
 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   3 × 5 km 
 relay 
195423—5—
195827—GoldGold
196231GoldGoldGold
196635GoldSilverGold

References
  1. "Только тренировалась и спала". Олимпийской чемпионке Алевтине Колчиной исполнилось 90 лет. tass.ru. 11 November 2020
  2. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Alevtina Kolchina". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  3. "Jäädavalt lahkus suusalegend Alevtina Koltšina". Lõuna-Eesti Postimees (in Estonian). 3 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  4. "СМИ: умерла олимпийская чемпионка по лыжным гонкам Алевтина Колчина". TASS. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  5. 4 March 2022 TASS report on Alevtina Kolchina's passing. (in Russian) - accessed 8 March 2022.
  6. "KOLTSJINA Alevtina". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
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