Saturday, December 17, 2016

Faina Melnyk

Faina Melnyk

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Faina Melnyk
Faina Melnyk 1972.jpg
Faina Melnik at the 1972 Olympics
Personal information
NationalitySoviet
Born9 June 1945
Bakota, Kamianets-Podilskyi Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Died16 December 2016(2016-12-16) (aged 71)
Moscow, Russia
Height1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight88 kg (194 lb)
Sport
Country Soviet Union
SportDiscus throw, shot put
ClubSevan Yerevan (1969–73)
Spartak Moscow (1976–80)
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)DT – 70.50 m (1976)
SP – 20.03 m (1976)
Faina Grigorievna Melnik (Ukrainian: Фаїна Григорівна Мельник (Faina Hryhorivna Melnyk), Russian: Фаина Григорьевна Велева-Мельник; 9 June 1945 – 16 December 2016) was a Soviet discus thrower, a 1972 Summer Olympics champion in the discus event. During her career she set 11 world records.[1][2]


Career[edit]

Faina Melnyk on a 2010 Armenian stamp
Melnik was Jewish, and was born in Bakota, Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine.[2] At the 1972 Summer Olympics, she broke the Olympic record three times, and set a world record at 66.62 metres. In 1976 she had her best ever discus throw of 70.50 m, but finished only fourth at the 1976 Summer Olympics. At those Olympics she also competed in the shot put and finished tenth. She failed to reach the final in the discus event at the 1980 Games.[1]
Continuing to throw after the 1980 Olympics, she set the masters world record in the W35 division that has stood since 1980.[3]
Melnik graduated from the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry and later worked as a dentist and athletics coach in Moscow. Her trainees include Natalya Lisovskaya and Svetlana Krivelyova. Melnik was married to Velko Velev, a Bulgarian discus thrower who also competed at the 1976 and 1980 Olympics.[1]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Records
Preceded by
West Germany Liesel Westermann
Women's Discus World Record Holder
12 August 1971 – 23 September 1972
Succeeded by
Romania Argentina Menis
Preceded by
Romania Argentina Menis
Women's Discus World Record Holder
25 May 1973 – 12 August 1978
Succeeded by
East Germany Evelin Jahl
Awards
Preceded by
Poland Irena Szewińska
Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year
1975
Succeeded by
Soviet Union Tatyana Kazankina
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Romania Argentina Menis
Women's Discus Best Year Performance
1973–1976
Succeeded by
East Germany Sabine Engel

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