Galina Kulakova

Galina Kulakova was the greatest cross-country skier of the 1970s, setting records for Olympic medals that would stand until the program was expanded for women in the late 1980s. Her finest Olympics came in 1972 at Sapporo when she won both individual events for women – 5 and 10 km – and helped the Soviet Union to a relay gold medal. She repeated this triple at the 1974 World Championships. In all she won eight Olympic medals and four golds at four Olympics, those of 1968 through 1980. In addition to her three golds in 1972, she won another gold in the relay in 1976, won silvers in 1968 (5 km) and 1980 (relay) and bronzes in 1968 (relay) and 1976 (10 km). She earned five golds at the World Championships, with a 5 km and relay gold in 1970 added to her feats of 1974, adding silver in the 20 km at the 1980 World championships and bronzes in 1970 (10 km) and 1978 (relay). She also won the fist Women’s World Cup in 1978-79, won the 10 km race at the 1970 and 1979 Holmenkollen Ski Festival and won 39 Soviet titles between 1969 and 1981. In 1983 she received an Olympic Order in Silver. Her career was marred somewhat by a doping positive for ephedrine at the 1976 Olympics. In an unusual ruling, the IOC gave her a warning, but no suspension and allowed her to enter the remaining races.