Laine Erik

A specialist in the 800 metres Laine Erik was the best female track and field athlete in Estonia during the 1960s. In the 400, 800, 1,000 metres, and relay races Erik won 26 national titles and broke 24 Estonian records. With her consistent performances she won three Soviet titles (1964, 1967, 1968) and was named as Estonia’s best female athlete in 1967 and 1968. Erik finished sixth in the 800 metres at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics before winning gold in the same event at the 1965 Summer Universiade in Budapest. She returned to the Olympics for the 1968 Mexico City Games but missed out on a place in the final by just half-a-second. Away from sports Erik graduated from the Zootechnics Faculty of Estonian Agricultural Academy in 1969, with her working as a researcher in animal science at the Estonian Agricultural University.

Personal Best: 800 – 2:03.6 (1967).