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Raisa Petrovna Smetanina (Russian: Раиса Петровна Сметанина; born 29 February 1952) is a Soviet/Russian cross-country skiing champion of Komi descent. She is the first woman in history to win ten Winter Olympic medals (Stefania Belmondo being the second, Marit Bjørgen the third, and Ireen Wüst the fourth). Smetanina took part in five Olympics, representing the Soviet team four times and the Unified Team once. In particular, Smetanina won two gold and one silver medals at the 1976 Winter Olympics, becoming the most successful athlete there, along with Rosi Mittermaier of West Germany.
In the 1992 Winter Olympics, at the age of thirty-nine, Smetanina won a further gold medal competing for the Unified Team in the 4 × 5 km relay, becoming the first woman to win ten Winter Olympic medals and at that time the oldest woman to win a Winter Olympic gold.
Smetanina also had successes at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, winning four golds (20 km (1982), and 4 × 5 km relay (1974, 1985, and 1991), three silvers (10 km (1978), and 4 × 5 km relay (1982, 1989)), and four bronzes (4 × 5 km relay (1978), 5 km (1974, 1978), and 20 km (1980)). She also won three times at the Holmenkollen ski festival, once in the 10 km (1975) and twice in the 5 km (1975 and 1979).
In 1979, Smetanina received the Holmenkollen medal (shared with Erik Håker and Ingemar Stenmark). She was also awarded Order of Friendship of Peoples (1984).
Cross-country skiing results
All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Olympic Games
- 10 medals – (4 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze)
| Year | Age | 5 km | 10 km | 15 km | Pursuit | 20 km | 30 km | 4 × 5 km relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 23 | Silver | Gold | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Gold |
| 1980 | 27 | Gold | 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Silver |
| 1984 | 31 | 11 | Silver | N/A | N/A | Silver | N/A | 4 |
| 1988 | 35 | 10 | Silver | N/A | N/A | Bronze | N/A | — |
| 1992 | 39 | — | N/A | 4 | — | N/A | — | Gold |
World Championships
- 11 medals – (4 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze)
| Year | Age | 5 km | 10 km classical | 10 km freestyle | 15 km | 20 km | 30 km | 4 × 5 km relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 21 | Bronze | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Gold |
| 1978 | 25 | Bronze | Silver | N/A | N/A | 5 | N/A | Bronze |
| 1980 | 27 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Bronze | N/A | N/A |
| 1982 | 29 | 15 | — | N/A | N/A | Gold | N/A | Silver |
| 1985 | 32 | — | 4 | N/A | N/A | 7 | N/A | Gold |
| 1987 | 34 | 4 | 9 | N/A | N/A | — | N/A | — |
| 1989 | 36 | N/A | 5 | — | 4 | N/A | — | Silver |
| 1991 | 38 | 11 | N/A | — | — | N/A | — | Gold |
World Cup
Season standings
| Season | Age | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 30 | 21 |
| 1983 | 31 | 8 |
| 1984 | 32 |  |
| 1985 | 33 | 8 |
| 1986 | 34 | 14 |
| 1987 | 35 | 10 |
| 1988 | 36 | 6 |
| 1989 | 37 | 11 |
| 1990 | 38 | 13 |
| 1991 | 39 | 14 |
| 1992 | 40 | 18 |
Individual podiums
- 3 victories
- 16 podiums
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1981–82 | 26 February 1982 | Oslo, Norway | 20 km Individual | World Championships | 1st |
| 2 | 1982–83 | 5 March 1983 | Lahti, Finland | 5 km Individual | World Cup | 2nd |
| 3 | 1983–84 | 9 February 1984 | Sarajevo, Yugoslavia | 10 km Individual | Olympic Games | 2nd |
| 4 | 18 February 1984 | Sarajevo, Yugoslavia | 20 km Individual | Olympic Games | 2nd | |
| 5 | 25 February 1984 | Falun, Sweden | 10 km Individual | World Cup | 1st | |
| 6 | 3 March 1984 | Lahti, Finland | 5 km Individual | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 7 | 8 March 1984 | Oslo, Norway | 20 km Individual | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 8 | 24 March 1984 | Murmansk, Soviet Union | 10 km Individual | World Cup | 2nd | |
| 9 | 1984–85 | 23 February 1985 | Syktyvkar, Soviet Union | 20 km Individual | World Cup | 1st |
| 10 | 1985–86 | 15 February 1986 | Oberstdorf, West Germany | 20 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd |
| 11 | 22 February 1986 | Kavgolovo, Soviet Union | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd | |
| 12 | 1986–87 | 21 March 1987 | Oslo, Norway | 20 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd |
| 13 | 1987–88 | 19 December 1987 | Reit im Winkl, Yugoslavia | 5 km Individual F | World Cup | 2nd |
| 14 | 14 February 1988 | Calgary, Canada | 10 km Individual C | Olympic Games | 2nd | |
| 15 | 25 February 1988 | Calgary, Canada | 20 km Individual F | Olympic Games | 3rd | |
| 16 | 1989–90 | 14 January 1990 | Moscow, Soviet Union | 7.5 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd |
Team podiums
- 3 victories
- 9 podiums
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place | Teammates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1981–82 | 24 February 1982 | Oslo, Norway | 4 × 5 km Relay | World Championships | 2nd | Lyadova / Zabolotskaya / Kulakova |
| 2 | 1983–84 | 26 February 1984 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay | World Cup | 3rd | Markashanskaya / Zimyatova / Burlakova |
| 3 | 1984–85 | 22 January 1985 | Seefeld, Austria | 4 × 5 km Relay | World Championships | 1st | Tikhonova / Vasilchenko / Reztsova |
| 4 | 1988–89 | 22 February 1989 | Lahti, Finland | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Championships | 2nd | Shamshurina / Tikhonova / Välbe |
| 5 | 12 March 1989 | Falun, Sweden | 4 × 5 km Relay C | World Cup | 2nd | Lazutina / Tikhonova / Välbe | |
| 6 | 1989–90 | 4 March 1990 | Lahti, Finland | 4 × 5 km Relay F | World Cup | 2nd | Nageykina / Yegorova / Lazutina |
| 7 | 1990–91 | 15 February 1991 | Val di Fiemme, Italy | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Championships | 1st | Yegorova / Tikhonova / Välbe |
| 8 | 15 March 1991 | Oslo, Norway | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 2nd | Nageykina / Tikhonova / Välbe | |
| 9 | 1991–92 | 18 February 1992 | Albertville, France | 4 × 5 km Relay C/F | Olympic Games | 1st | Välbe / Lazutina / Yegorova |
Note: Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.