Yelena Romanova

Yelena Romanova was one of the world's top distance runners in the early 1990s. In 1990, she placed third at the World Cross Country Championships and came second in the 3,000 m at the Goodwill Games. A year later, she earned the European title in the 10,000 m, while finishing second in the 3,000 m. She achieved that same position at the Tokyo World Championships a year later, placing behind compatriot [Tatyana Dorovskikh]). At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the roles were reversed, and Romanova beat Dorovskikh for the title. Romanova retired a few years later and worked as a gym teacher on a Volgograd school, while also training some top Russian runners. She suddenly died, of unknown causes, aged 43.

Personal Bests: 3000 – 8:30.45 (1988); 5000 – 14:59.70 (1991).