1. Maria Leontievna Itkina was a Soviet runner who set multiple world records in various sprint events.
13 Facts About Maria Itkina
1. 2.
Maria Itkina competed at the 1956,1960, and 1964 Olympics and finished four times in fourth place.
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Maria Itkina later moved with her family to Minsk in the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.
4.
Maria Itkina competed in athletics for Spartak Minsk and Dynamo Minsk.
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Maria Itkina graduated from the Belarusian State University of Physical Culture in 1957.
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Maria Itkina came to specialise in sprint races, competing in the 100m, 200m, 400m and relay.
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Maria Itkina won 32 USSR championship titles and set 18 national records.
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Maria Itkina won a sprint event at the first Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR in 1956.
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Maria Itkina won the 200 m sprint at the 1957 World University Games in Paris, in 24.6 seconds.
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Maria Itkina won a sprint event at the first European Cup.
11.
In July 1956, Maria Itkina set a 220-yard world record of 23.6 seconds, yet her favorite events were the 400 m and 440 yd, in which she set at least four world records between 1957 and 1962, improving the record from 54.0 to 53.4 seconds.
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In 1960 Maria Itkina ran her personal best of 11.4 seconds in the 100 meter sprint, which remained a world-top level result for many decades.
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Maria Itkina was recognised as an Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR and an Honoured Trainer of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.