Lyudmila Titova

Lyudmila Titova, was one of the best sprinters of the late 1960s and early 70s, She made her international début at the 1966 World All-around Championships, after winning three silver medals at the 1966 Soviet Championships, Titova won her only Soviet all-around title in 1968. At the 1968 World All-around Championships, she won both the 500 and 1,000. At the Olympics Games, Titova became the Olympic Champion in the 500 and won silver in the 1,000. Titova’s greatest season was 1970, in which she won a full set of medals at the 1970 Winter University Games, winning the 500, placing second in the 1,000 and winning bronze in the 1,500, then setting her first world record, at 1,000 metres, clocking 1:29.5 in Medeo, before winning her second 1,000 metre title at the Soviet Championships.

She won both the 500 and 1,000 events at the 1970 European All-around Championships, won the first World Sprint Championships, and ended the season by winning again both 500 and 1,000 at the 1970 World All-around Championships. At the 1971 World Sprint Championships, Titova skated her second and third World records in the 1,000, first clocking 1:29.0 and then a day later 1:27.7, but she lost the title because of a fall in the 500. In 1972 Titova won her last Soviet title in the 1,000, won the European All-around championships, again winning both the 500 and 1,000, and at the Winter Olympics, won bronze in the 500.

After the 1972 season, Titova took a break from competing, but returned in 1975, taking part in the 1975 World Sprint Championships, where she was disqualified. Titova competed in her third Olympics in 1976, placing seventh in the 1,000. After her sporting career, Titova worked as a TV speed skating commentator. In 1996, together with two other female graduates from the Moscow Aviation Institute, Titova was part of a skiing expedition team that reached the Geographic South Pole. She currently works as a director of public relations with association Sport Park, which deals with health issues in Russia.

Personal Bests: 500 – 42.35 (1975); 1000 – 1:24.31 (1976); 1500 – 2:14.77 (1975); 3000 – 5:01.89 (1972).