Irina Privalova

Irina Privalova

Personal information
Born	(1968-11-22) 22 November 1968 Malakhovka, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	54 kg (119 lb)
Medal record Women's athletics Olympic Games Representing the  Unified Team 1992 Barcelona 4x100 m relay 1992 Barcelona 100 m Representing Russia 2000 Sydney 400 m hurdles 2000 Sydney 4x400 m relay World Championships Representing Soviet Union 1991 Tokyo 4x100 m relay Representing Russia 1993 Stuttgart 4x100 m relay 1993 Stuttgart 4x400 m relay 1995 Gothenburg 200 m 1993 Stuttgart 200 m 1995 Gothenburg 100 m European Championships 1994 Helsinki 100 m 1994 Helsinki 200 m 1998 Budapest 200 m 1994 Helsinki 4x100 m relay 1998 Budapest 100 m 1998 Budapest 4x100 m relay

Irina Anatoljewna Privalova (Russian: Ирина Анатольевна Привалова; née Sergeyeva on 22 November 1968) is a Russian athlete who has won a gold medal at the Olympics.

She first competed in the sprint events, winning two Olympic medals in the 100 m and 200 m in 1992 whilst representing the Unified Team. Irina Privalova had been a formidable competitor during most of the 1990s but had not yet won an outdoor world championship gold medal. In 2000, she gambled successfully and switched to the 400 m hurdles discipline winning the Olympic title in Sydney 2000 in 53.02 s and a bronze in the 4 x 400 m relay team for Russia. It has been suggested that this change at the late age of 31 was because her chances of defeating Marion Jones (the overwhelming favourite for the 100 m/200 m double) were slim and the 400 m was also a repeat showdown between Marie-José Pérec and Cathy Freeman from the 1996 Atlanta Games. (That repeat showdown would not happen after Pérec left the Sydney games.)

Irina Privalova is currently the world indoor record holder in the 50 m (5.96 s), 60 m (6.92 s) sprints. She has also been the world indoor champion at the 60 m (7.02 s in 1991), 200 m (22.15 s in 1993), and 400 m (50.23 s in 1995) events.

Privalova achieved her best time in the 100 m for nine years in 2008.

References

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Sally Gunnell	Women's European Athlete of the Year 1994	Succeeded by Sonia O'Sullivan
Sporting positions
Preceded by Daimí Pernía	Women's 400 m Hurdles Best Year Performance 2000	Succeeded by Nezha Bidouane