LIDIA SKOBLIKOVA –THE QUEEN OF SKATES

1. LIDIA SKOBLIKOVA –THE QUEEN OF SKATES

2. A Natural Fit Lidia Skoblikova was born March 8, 1939, into a large family in Zlatoust, a small mining town in the mountains of Siberiain the Soviet Union. Her father worked as a metallurgical engineer, a position that gave his daughter the chance to pursue skating and be educated in the Soviet system.

3. With the area's long, cold winters and many rinks, skating was an obvious choice of recreation, and Skoblikova spent many hours on the ice. By the time she was twelve, her talent and fondness for speed skating took root, and she became serious about the sport.

4. In 1957, the 18-year old set the women's Soviet records in the 1,500 meter and 3,000 meter distances. That same year, she married her trainer, Alexander Skoblikov, who later placed her under the charge of a series of other trainers when he devoted himself to teaching at the Chelyabinsk Pedagogic Institute near Zlatoust.

5. Lidiya supported the career change, explaining to Israel Shenker of Sports Illustrated, "I think it's better not to be married to a skater. You have more to talk about." This attitude reflected her broad base of interests, including music and literature. Soon, she too became a teacher at the Chelyabinsk Pedagogic Institute, concentrating on physiology.

6. Although Skoblikova was not single-minded in her pursuit of speed skating glory, she did want to be the best. Along with her teammates, she undertook a strenuous and innovative training regimen that included gymnastics, running, and an early form of in-line skating for times when ice was unavailable. She was driven to work harder than anyone… She said, "If anyone else runs 20 times 200, I can do 40 times 200. And at faster speed."

7. Speed Skating's First Big Star • Skoblikova began her international skating career in 1959, winning an all-around bronze medal at the World Championships. At the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, the first to offer women's speed skating, she competed in three out of the four events. She placed fourth in the 1,000 meter but won a gold medal in the 1,500 meter (setting a world record) and the 3,000 meter, her favorite distance.

8. At the World Championships in Karuizawa, Japan, she swept all four races—the 500 meter, the 1,000 meter, the 1,500 meter, and the 3,000 meter. She was humble in victory, tellingSports Illustrated 's Shenker, "The others were just skating worse than I was."

9. Skoblikova cut back on her training during 1961 and 1962 to focus on teaching, but still won the all-around bronze medal at the 1961 World Championships and the all-around silver medal the following year. She returned in a big way in 1963.

10. Her greatest triumph, however, came at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, where the 24-year old duplicated her world championship success. The heavy favorite, she swept all four events: the 500, the 1,000, the 1,500, and the 3,000. She set world records in all but the 3,000.

11. Skoblikova's appearance and personality played a role in disarming detractors. The 5-foot, 5-inch blue-eyed blonde weighed a slim 126 pounds and was typically described as attractive in press accounts. Her ready, warm smile and gracious manner charmed spectators. After winning a race, she played to the crowd, waving and smiling broadly. “ People applaud and that gives me pleasure,“ she said.

12. An Enduring LegacyNearing thirty, Skoblikova competed in the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble,France, but was not able to replicate her previous success. She raced in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters but failed to medal. Although her achievements had already earned her a celebrated place in sports history, her name remains relatively unknown outside her native country, mainly a result of the Cold War context in which she competed and the extent to which the sport has evolved. But her speed skating exploits have not been forgotten. Among her honors, she was inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 and was named by Olympic historian and filmmaker Bud Greenspan in 2002 as one of the 25 Greatest Winter Olympians of All Time.

13. After finishing her competitive career, Skoblikova moved to Moscow and began to work as a speed skating coach with LokomotivMoskva. In 1973 Skoblikova began study at The Academy of Labor and Social Relations the Labor Union) and received a candidate in pedagogy in 1979. In 1983, Skoblikova, then a member of the Soviet National Olympic Committee, received the Olympic Order in Silver from the IOC. She also worked twelve years as a president of the Russian Skating Federation and in the 1990s, was the head coach of Russian national speed skating team. In 1996, Skoblikova was inducted to the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame. .

14. The world press dubbed the Innsbruck Games as “Skoblikova’s Olympics” as the 24-year-old Urals Lightning managed to achieve what no one had ever done before. Lidia Skoblikova took to the ice four times, and every time she came back with a gold medal.

15. Vladimir Putin congratulated the legendary speed skater, six-time Olympic champion, Merited Master of Sports of the USSR LidiyaPolozkova- Skoblikova on her birthday: “You have gone down in the history of national and world sports as an outstanding athlete and winner of the most covetable awards and titles. All your unique victories and achievements and your unbeatable Olympic records are a great contribution to the development of the national speed skating school. You are a commendable role model for the younger generation.Your participation in the opening ceremony of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi was yet another unforgettable page in the story of your life.” March 8, 2014

16. In 1983, the International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch presented the "ice queen" silver mark the Olympic Order for his contribution to the popularization of the Olympic ideals and outstanding achievements in sport. "

17. The legendary Soviet speed skater Lidia Skoblikova won twice as many Olympic gold medals during her sports career as the entire Russian national team did in 2010.

18. Chronology 1952Decides to pursue competitive speed skating 1957Marries Alexander Skoblikova1959Begins her international speed skating career 1960Wins two races in first women's speed skating events in Winter Olympics history 1962Begins teaching physiology at the Chelyabinsk Pedagogic Institute 1963Sweeps all four events at World Championships and is crowned world champion 1964Competes in her second Winter Olympics and wins all four races 1974Becomes head of the physical education department at a Moscow universityAwards and Accomplishments 1957Sets women's Soviet records in the 1,500 meter and 3,000 meter distances

19. 1959-61Wins all-around bronze medal at World Championships1960Wins two gold medals at Winter Olympics1962Wins all-around silver medal at World Championships1962-64Wins all-around silver medal at USSR National Championships1963Wins four gold medals at World Championships and is named world champion1964Wins three gold medals at World Championships and is named world champion1964Wins four gold medals at Winter Olympics1964First woman named Soviet Athlete of the Year1967Wins overall silver medal at USSR National Championships1996Inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame1999Named by Associated Press as one of top 10 female Winter Olympians of the 20th century2002Named to Bud Greenspan's list of 25 GreatestWinter Olympians

20. The pride and glory of our country, speed skater Lydia Skoblikova, set a standard of excellence. She was thefirst athlete, man or woman, to win six gold medals in Olympic competition and remains the only woman to win four gold medals in a single Winter Olympic Games.

21. Made byRimmaArutunyanForm 9 School 23PyatigorskSupervision Z.M. Davidova • THANK YOU