Elena Belova

Elena Dmitriyevna Novikova-Belova (Russian: Елена Дмитриевна Новикова-Белова, née Novikova, born 28 July 1947) is a retired Russian foil fencer. She competed at the 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980 Olympics in the individual and team events and won four gold, one silver and one bronze medal, becoming the first female fencer to win four Olympic gold medals. She nearly won a fifth gold in 1976, but lost her last pool match to the last-placed fencer. Belova also won eight world titles, individually in 1969, and with the Soviet team in 1970–1979.[1]

Not to be confused with Elena Novikova.
For other people named Elena Belova, see Elena Belova (disambiguation).
Elena Belova
Elena Belova c. 1974
Personal information
Full nameElena Dmitriyevna Novikova Belova
Born (1947-07-28) 28 July 1947
Sovetskaya Gavan, Khabarovsk Kray, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
Sport
SportFencing
ClubDynamo Minsk
Army Club Minsk
Medal record
Representing  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1968 Mexico City Foil, ind.
Gold medal – first place 1968 Mexico City Foil, team
Gold medal – first place 1972 Munich Foil, team
Gold medal – first place 1976 Montreal Foil, team
Bronze medal – third place 1976 Montreal Foil, ind.
Silver medal – second place 1980 Moscow Foil, team
Pierre de Coubertin medal2007
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1969 HavanaFoil, ind.
Silver medal – second place1969 HavanaFoil, team
Gold medal – first place1970 AnkaraFoil, team
Silver medal – second place1970 AnkaraFoil, ind.
Gold medal – first place1971 ViennaFoil, team
Silver medal – second place1973 GothenburgFoil, team
Gold medal – first place1974 GrenobleFoil, team
Gold medal – first place1975 BudapestFoil, team
Gold medal – first place1977 Buenos AiresFoil, team
Silver medal – second place1977 Buenos AiresFoil, ind.
Gold medal – first place1978 HamburgFoil, team
Gold medal – first place1979 MelbourneFoil, team

Shortly before the 1968 Olympics she married Vyacheslav Belov, a future world champion in modern pentathlon, and changed her last name from Novikova to Belova.[1] She retired after the 1980 Olympics, and gave birth in 1987, aged 40. Her second husband, composer Valery Ivanov, devoted a waltz to her.[2]

In 1970 Belova graduated from the Minsk institute of Pedagogy, she holds a PhD in this discipline. In 1997 she was awarded the Olympic Order in Silver, and in 2007 the Pierre de Coubertin Medal.[3][4] On 14 May 2021, Jovian asteroid 24426 Belova, discovered by astronomers with the LINEAR program in 2000, was named in her honor.[5]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elena Belova.
  1. "Elena Novikova-Belova". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17.
  2. Елена Белова. Спортивная биография. rostmaster.ru
  3. Белова Елена Дмитриевна. Great Soviet Encyclopedia
  4. Elena Belova Awarded Pierre de Coubertin Medal. National Olympic Committee of Belarus.
  5. "WGSBN Bulletin Archive". Working Group Small Body Nomenclature. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021. (Bulletin #1)


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.