Vera Popkova

Born in Chelyabinsk, Russia in the middle of World War II to an Ukrainian family who had fled there when the front reached Kirovohrad, Ukraine (her parents’ home), Vera Popkova (née Kabrenyuk) first rose to international fame at the 1961, 1963, and 1965 Universiade, where she won golds as a member of Soviet 4×100 m relay teams (in 1963 and 1965). She also won Universiade individual 100 m silver in 1963 and 200 m bronze in 1961. In 1964, Popkova was selected to the Soviet 1964 Olympic team, but did not compete due to the birth of her son. After graduating from the Chelyabinsk Pedagogical Institute in 1965, Popkova established herself as the best Soviet female sprinter by winning national 100 m titles in 1966 and 1967, 200 m titles in 1965 and 1966 and 4×100 m titles in 1963, 1967 and 1968. In 1966, she also won bronzes at 200 m and in the 4×100 m relay at the European Championships. In 1968, Popkova set her only two world records, both in the 4×100 m relay, the first at the Soviet Championships and the other in Mexico City, just two weeks before the Olympics. But at the Olympics, the Soviet relay team had to settle for a bronze medal behind the United States (who broke the Soviet world record) and Cuba. After the 1968 Olympics, Popkova started to run the long sprint and concentrated solely on the 400 m in 1970, when she won both the 400 m and 4×400 m at the Soviet Championships. Popkova also won her only major international titles (besides the Universiade golds) in the long sprint, winning at both the 400 m and 4×400 m at the 1971 European Indoor Championships. Popkova was also selected to the Soviet 1972 Olympic team, but did not compete due to injury and retired from sports in 1973. After retiring from sports, Popkova moved back to her native Ukraine, working as an engineer and researcher at the Lviv Institute of Radio Engineering, retiring in 1993.

Personal Bests: 100 – 11.3 (1968); 200 – 23.0 (1968).