Galina Kulakova

Summary

Galina Alexeyevna Kulakova (Russian: Галина Алексеевна Кулакова, born 29 April 1942) is a Soviet-Russian former cross-country skier, arguably the best skier on distances shorter than 10 km in the early 1970s. She won four Olympic golds, two individual in 1972 and two relay golds in 1972 and 1976. She was the most successful athlete at the 1972 Winter Olympics, along with Ard Schenk of the Netherlands. Competing in the World Championships, she won three individual golds, two in 1974 and one in 1970, and also two relay golds in those years. Kulakova also won the 10 km event at the Holmenkollen ski festival in 1970 and 1979. Galina Kulakova was also 39 times Champion of the USSR between 1969 and 1981.[1]

Galina Kulakova
Kulakova at the 1968 Winter Olympics
Country Soviet Union
Full nameGalina Alexeyevna Kulakova
Born (1942-04-29) 29 April 1942 (age 81)
Logachi, Udmurtia, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Ski clubTrud Prokofyevsk
Trud Izhevsk
World Cup career
Seasons1 – (1982)
Starts3
Podiums0
Overall titles0 – (22nd in 1982)
Medal record
Women's cross-country skiing
Representing the  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1972 Sapporo 5 km
Gold medal – first place 1972 Sapporo 10 km
Gold medal – first place 1972 Sapporo 3 × 5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 1976 Innsbruck 4 × 5 km relay
Silver medal – second place 1968 Grenoble 5 km
Silver medal – second place 1980 Lake Placid 4 × 5 km relay
Bronze medal – third place 1968 Grenoble 3 × 5 km relay
Bronze medal – third place 1976 Innsbruck 10 km
Disqualified 1976 Innsbruck 5 km
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1970 Vysoké Tatry 5 km
Gold medal – first place 1970 Vysoké Tatry 3 × 5 km relay
Gold medal – first place 1974 Falun 5 km
Gold medal – first place 1974 Falun 10 km
Gold medal – first place 1974 Falun 4 × 5 km relay
Silver medal – second place 1980 Falun 20 km
Silver medal – second place 1982 Oslo 4 × 5 km relay
Bronze medal – third place 1970 Vysoké Tatry 10 km
Bronze medal – third place 1978 Lahti 4 × 5 km relay

For her achievements she was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Badge of Honour. She was also awarded the silver Olympic Order in 1984 by the International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch. Galina Kulakova ended her sports career in 1982.

Drug controversy edit

At the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Kulakova finished third in the 5 km event, but was disqualified due to a positive test for banned substance ephedrine. She claimed that this was a result of using the nasal spray that contained the substance. Both the International Ski Federation and the International Olympic Committee allowed her to compete in the 10 km and the 4 × 5 km relay.[1]

Cross-country skiing results edit

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[2]

Olympic Games edit

  • 8 medals – (4 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)
 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   3/4 × 5 km 
 relay 
1968 25 Silver 6 Bronze
1972 29 Gold Gold Gold
1976 33 DSQ Bronze Gold
1980 37 6 5 Silver

World Championships edit

  • 10 medals – (5 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze)
 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   20 km   3/4 × 5 km 
 relay 
1970 27 Gold Bronze Gold
1974 31 Gold Gold Gold
1978 35 4 4 Silver Bronze
1980 37 Silver
1982 39 13 10 5 Silver

World Cup edit

Season standings edit

 Season   Age  Overall
1982 39 22

Team podiums edit

  • 1 podium
No Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates
1 1981–82 24 February 1982   Oslo, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay World Championships[1] 2nd Lyadova / Zabolotskaya / Smetanina

Note: 1 Until the 1999 World Championships, World Championship races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Galina Kulakova". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 20 January 2011.
  2. ^ "KULAKOVA Galina". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 23 December 2019.

External links edit