View source for Irina Privalova

{{Short description|Russian athlete (born 1968)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
|image = Irina Privalova, January 2020-1.jpg
|caption = Privalova in 2020
|birth_date={{birth date and age|df=y|1968|11|22}}
|birth_place=[[Malakhovka, Moscow Oblast|Malakhovka]], [[Russian SFSR]], Soviet Union<ref name=sports-reference>{{cite sports-reference|title=Irina Privalova |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pr/irina-privalova-1.html  |access-date=24 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030133244/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pr/irina-privalova-1.html |archive-date=30 October 2014 }}</ref>
|height = 174 cm<ref name=sports-reference/>
|weight = 54 kg<ref name=sports-reference/>
|medaltemplates=
{{Medal|Sport|Women's [[Sport of athletics|athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Comp|Olympic Games}}
{{Medal|Country|the {{flagIOC|EUN|1992 Summer}}}}
{{Medal|Silver| [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona]] | [[Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 m]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze| [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona]] | [[Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metres|100 m]] }}
{{Medal|Country|{{flagu|Russia}}}}
{{Medal|Gold  | [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]] | [[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metres hurdles|400 m hurdles]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze| [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]] | [[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[World Athletics Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{URS}}}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1991 World Championships in Athletics|1991 Tokyo]]|4 × 100 m relay}}
{{Medal|Country|{{flagu|Russia}}}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics|1993 Stuttgart]]|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 m]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics|1993 Stuttgart]]|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995 Gothenburg]]|200 m}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics|1993 Stuttgart]]|200 m}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995 Gothenburg]]|100 m}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[World Indoor Athletics Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{URS}}}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1991 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1991 Seville]]|60 m}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1991 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1991 Seville]]|200 m}}
{{Medal|Country|{{flagu|Russia}}}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics|1993 Toronto]]|60 m}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics|1993 Toronto]]|200 m}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics|1995 Barcelona]]|400 m}}
{{Medal|Comp|[[European Athletics Championships|European Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1994 European Athletics Championships|1994 Helsinki]]|100 m}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1994 European Athletics Championships|1994 Helsinki]]|200 m}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1998 European Athletics Championships|1998 Budapest]]|200 m}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1994 European Athletics Championships|1994 Helsinki]]| [[1994 European Athletics Championships – Women's 4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 m]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1998 European Athletics Championships|1998 Budapest]]|100 m}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[1998 European Athletics Championships|1998 Budapest]]|4 × 100 m}}
{{Medal|Comp|[[IAAF Continental Cup|IAAF World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1994 IAAF World Cup|1994 London]]|100 m}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1994 IAAF World Cup|1994 London]]|200 m}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1994 IAAF World Cup|1994 London]]|400 m}}
}}
'''Irina Anatolyevna Privalova''' ({{langx|ru|Ирина Анатольевна Привалова}}; born 22 November 1968) is a Russian Olympic gold medallist [[athletics (sport)|athlete]].
Her [[Summer Olympics]] debut was in [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992]] in the [[Sprint (running)|sprint]] events, where she won two medals— a bronze in the 100&nbsp;m and running the anchor leg in the 4x100 team, a silver — and came fourth in the 200, representing the [[Unified Team at the Olympics|Unified Team]]. With three European individual championships and three individual world medals, Irina Privalova had been a formidable competitor during most of the 1990s (see [[#Sprints|Sprints]]) but had not yet won an outdoor international event gold medal (as an individual athlete, she had won relay gold in 1993).

In 2000, she switched to the 400&nbsp;m [[hurdling|hurdles]] discipline winning the gold medal in 53.02 s (see [[#400m Hurdles|400 m Hurdles]]) and a bronze in the 4 x 400&nbsp;m [[relay race|relay]] team for Russia.

Irina Privalova is currently the world indoor record holder in the 50 m (5.96 s) and 60 m (6.92 s) sprints (See [[#World Indoor Records|World Indoor Records]]). 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 – the first athlete to win titles, indoors or outdoors, at three different distances.

Privalova achieved her best time (10.77 s) in the 100 m in 1994 – the fastest time for nine years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=RUS/athcode=62916/index.html |title=IAAF Profile |access-date=26 July 2008}}</ref>

In 2008, aged 39, she reached the semi-finals of the 100 m at Russian championships in attempting to qualify for her fourth Olympics.<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Veteran Privalova fails to make Olympic team |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-athletics-russia-privalova-idUSL1816121720080718 |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Reuters |date=July 18, 2008}}</ref> She had tried moving to the 800 m to qualify for the 2004 Olympics.<ref name="reuters2">{{cite news |last1=Fyodorov |first1=Gennardy |title=Privalova wants to run again at 39 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/businessproco-olympics-athletics-privalo-idUKL2330425520080710?edition-redirect=uk |access-date=4 April 2021 |work=Reuters |date=10 July 2008}}</ref>

In 2020, Privalova stood for the presidency of the Russian Athletics Federation. She failed to win but became vice-president. She later was called to stand-in as acting president when the elected president moved to a government agency (See [[#Russian Athletics Federation Presidency|Russian Athletic Federation Presidency]]).<ref>{{cite news |title=Privalova succeeds Ivanov |url=https://www.francsjeux.com/breves/privalova-succeeds-ivanov |access-date=4 April 2021 |publisher=francsjeux.com |date=15 February 2021}}</ref>

== Sprints ==
Privalova came to international recognition in 1991 at the World Indoor Championships that year. Racing as Irina Privalova-Sergeyeva, in the 60 m she defeated the great Jamaican sprinter [[Merlene Ottey]] who reached the final undefeated in 82 successive races.
Ottey had her revenge in the 200 m with Privalova coming second, Ottey equalling the world record in her victory.<ref name="indoor1">{{cite book |last1=Birkinshaw |first1=R. Grant |title=A History of Indoor Track and Field 1849-2013 |pages=234–235|date=2014 |publisher=editVallardi |isbn=978-88-95684-56-7}}</ref>

At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, racing as Irina Privalova, she won a bronze medal in the 100 m.<ref name="shero1">{{cite news |last1=Casey |first1=Ron |title=Irina PRIVALOVA - 100m bronze at 1992 Olympics |url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics/c-i-s/irina-privalova-675/100m-bronze-at-1992-olympics_a09575/ |access-date=5 April 2021 |publisher=sporting-heroes.net |date=1 August 1992}}</ref> The race was incredibly tight – [[Gail Devers]] won in 10.82 s, [[Juliet Cuthbert]] was second in 10.83 s, and Privalova third in 10.84 s. Privalova also came fourth in the 200 m.

At the 1993 World Indoor Championships, Privalova narrowly lost to Gail Devers in the 60 m, 6.95 s to 6.97 s, but won the 200 m title (in 22.15 s, then the second fastest time ever; she want faster in 1995 at 22.10 s, second fastest time ever to the world record of 21.87 s).

In the 1993 World Athletics Championships, Privalova won her only gold medal at a world championship in the [[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 m relay]]. She narrowly held off the United States's Gail Devers on the anchor leg – both teams recording a championship record time of 41.49 s.

In 1994, in August at the [[1994 European Athletics Championships|European Championships]], for Russia she won gold in the 100 and 200 m and silver in the 4 × 100 m relay; in September, at the [[1994 IAAF World Cup]], representing Europe, she won the 100 m and 400 m, and came third in the 200m.

In 1995, Privalova moved up to the 400 m for the World Indoor Championships that year where she won in her first major race over the distance – she had not even contested the Russian championships at that distance.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Stephen |title=In a world championship with few stars, Irina Privalova stands |url=https://apnews.com/article/7f43e7d75f2f3a78d13f1a260da8615e |access-date=5 April 2021 |publisher=AP News |date=10 March 1995}}</ref>

Her campaign at the 1996 Olympics was curtailed by injury. She was eliminated at the semi-final stage in the 100 m, did not start the 200 m, but was part of the Russian team that came fourth in the [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 m relay]].

In 1997, Privalova suffered a torn muscle in the final of 60 m at the World Indoor Championships. She was out for 18 months but returned to win the 200 m at the European Championships in 1998.<ref name="wa_2">{{cite news |title=Privalova to miss world championships with knee injury |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/privalova-to-miss-world-championships-with-kn |access-date=4 April 2021 |publisher=World Athletics |date=29 May 2001}}</ref> In the individual events she camoe fourth in the 100 m and won bronze in the 200 m.

In 1998, at the European Championships, Privalova found a time of 10.83 s was only good enough for silver in 100 m, being defeated by [[Christine Arron]]'s European record winning time of 10.73 s.<ref>{{cite web |date=19 August 1998|title=Hosts hammer the opposition as Diagana takes a tumble |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/hosts-hammer-the-opposition-as-diagana-takes |publisher=World Athletics |access-date=18 April 2021}}</ref> However, she successfully defended her European title in the 200 m and also won Silver in the 4 × 100 m relay.

In 1999, her World Championships ended prematurely when she had to withdraw from all her events after completing the first round of the 100 m. She did not compete again until the 2000 indoor season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Irina Privalova back on track |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/irina-privalova-back-on-track |access-date=7 April 2021 |publisher=World Athletics |date=13 January 2000}}</ref>

== 400 m Hurdles ==

In 2000, Privalova switched to the 400 m hurdles as her main event targeting the 2000 Olympics. This followed a year out of the sport with injury, forcing her to miss the 1999 World Championships.<ref name="wa_400h">{{cite news |last1=Holchack |first1=Vic |title=Irina Privalova targets Olympic hurdles gold|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/irina-privalova-targets-olympic-hurdles-gold |access-date=31 March 2021 |publisher=World Athletics |date=8 September 2000}}</ref>

She worked on the switch with her coach and husband, Vladimir Paraschuk. Paraschuk chose the 400 m hurdles because it was an event that reduced the risk of injury, was within Privalova's capabilities as an existing 400 m runner, and it had at the time a comparative lack of formidable competitors. In addition, she had tried athletics multi-events so had had some experience with hurdling.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Paraschuk |first1=Vladimir |title=Irina Privalova -Appraisal of Her 400M Hurdles Olympic Success |website=ukhurdlesclub.net |url=http://www.ukhurdlesclub.net/coaching/coach%20Privalova.htm |access-date=31 March 2021}}</ref>

She achieved Olympic gold after running only 6 races previous to arriving at the games.

Injury and motherhood forced her retirement after 2000 and so she was never able to train to try the challenge of breaking the 400 m hurdles world record: in 2001, she suffered a knee ligament injury and then gave birth in December 2001 to her second child, forcing her to miss the 2002 season.<ref name="reuters2"/><ref name="wa_2"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Irina Privalova to return to competition |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/irina-privalova-to-return-to-competition |access-date=7 April 2021 |publisher=World Athletics |date=22 January 2003}}</ref>

In 2004, she attempted a switch to 800 m to attempt to qualify for the Olympics that year but failed in her attempt.<ref name="reuters2"/> She had already stopped racing the 60 m ('her favourite event') to avoid injuries and was using the 800 m as part of her training schedule.<ref>{{cite news |title=Privalova sets her sights on World Record |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/privalova-sets-her-sights-on-world-record |access-date=8 April 2021 |publisher=World Athletics |date=27 October 2000}}</ref>

== Russian Athletics Federation Presidency ==

In 2020, Privalova stood for the presidency of the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Eveson |first1=Ali |title=Four-time Olympic medallist Privalova nominated for RusAF Presidency |date=3 November 2020 |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1100332/privalova-nominated-for-rusaf-presidency |publisher=insidethegames.biz |access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref> She was chosen as first vice-president after coming third in the vote.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Andy |title=Russia's triathlon President to lead RusAF |date=2 December 2020 |url=https://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/russias-triathlon-president-to-lead-rusaf/ |publisher=The Sports Integrity Initiative |access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref>

In February 2021, the winner Peter Ivanov relinquished his authority until December 2022 to take up a position with a government agency with Privalova taking charge.<ref>{{cite web |title=Russian track president Pyotr Ivanov resigns 3 months into 4-year term |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/pyotr-ivanov-russian-track-president-resignation-1.5913496 |publisher=CBC Radio Canada |access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref>

== World Indoor Records ==

Privalova achieved world record times indoors on six occasions:<ref>{{cite book |publisher=IAAF |title=Progression of IAAF World Records 2011 Edition |pages=408–409, 578}}</ref>
* 6.05 s for the 50 m sprint in Moscow on 2 February 1993.
* 6.04 s for the 50 m sprint in Grenoble on 7 February 1993.
* 6.03 s for the 50 m sprint in Moscow on 1 February 1994.
* 5.96 s for the 50 m sprint in Madrid on 9 February 1995.
* 6.92 s for the 60 m sprint in Madrid on 11 February 1993.<ref>{{cite news |title=Privalova takes 60-meter women's indoor world record |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/02/11/Privalova-takes-60-meter-womens-indoor-world-record/5243729406800/ |access-date=2 April 2021 |publisher=UPI |date=11 February 1993}}</ref>
* 6.92 s for the 60 m sprint in Madrid on 9 February 1995.

She also two other times that would have been records but were not ratified due to faults with the timing:
* 6.00 s for the 50 m sprint in Moscow on 2 February 1993 – photo-finish device was not lined up correctly.
* 5.99 s for the 50 m sprint in Vienna on 6 February 1994 – time recorded during a 60 m race.

In addition, she shares the world's best time for the unofficial distance (for record purposes) of 300 m. Her time of 35.45 s was achieved on 17 January 1993 in Moscow (it was equalled by [[Shaunae Miller-Uibo]] in 2018).<ref>{{cite web |title=WOMEN'S INDOOR WORLD RECORDS |url=https://trackandfieldnews.com/records/womens-indoor-world-records/ |publisher=Track and Field News |access-date=30 March 2021}}</ref>

== Personal life ==

Privalova originally competed under her married name of Sergeyeva.  Her first pregnancy forced her to miss the 1988 Olympics.<ref name="wsj1">{{cite news |last1=Lilley |first1=Jeffrey |title=A Must See, but Not On NBC: Irina Privalova |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB838674021474826000 |access-date=13 April 2021 |publisher=Wall Street Journal |date=30 July 1996}}</ref> After a separation and divorce, she competed under her maiden name of Privalova.<ref name="shero1"/><ref name="indoor1"/>

Privalova married her coach, Vladimir Paraschuk, and in 2000 they lived in Moscow with sons from previous marriages. Paraschuk was also, at that time, coach of track and field at [[Moscow State University]] from which Privalova has a degree in journalism (graduated in 1995).<ref name="wa_400h"/> Under the tutelage of Paraschuk, Privalova trained alone, using the somewhat spartan facilities of the university, rather than attending a sports institute like most of her compatriots.<ref name="wsj1"/>

In 2008, she is described as the mother of three children: Alexei, aged 20; Maria, aged 6; and Katya, then 2 years old.<ref name="reuters"/><ref name="reuters2"/>

== Accolades and awards ==

In 1994, Privalova was awarded [[European Athlete of the Year]] trophy for women.

In 2001, she was awarded the Silver Order of Merit by the IAAF ([[World Athletics]]) for an 'exceptional contribution to the world athletics movement'.<ref>{{cite news |title=Irina Privalova Awarded IAAF Silver Order of Merit |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/irina-privalova-awarded-iaaf-silver-order-of |access-date=6 April 2021 |publisher=World Athletics |date=23 October 2001}}</ref>

== World Rankings ==
Privalova was ranked among the best in the world in both the 100 and 200 m sprint events in the 1990s, then again later in the 400 m hurdles when she switched to that event in 2000. This is according to the votes of the experts of [[Track and Field News]].<ref>{{cite web |title=WOMEN'S WORLD RANKINGS INDEXED BY ATHLETE, 1956-2019 |url=https://trackandfieldnews.com/womens-world-rankings-by-athlete/ |publisher=Track and Field News |access-date=31 March 2021}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|+World Rankings
|-
!Year
!100 m
!200 m
!400 m 
!400 m h
|-
|1991
|align="center" | 4th
|align="center" | 4th
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|-
|1992
|align="center" | 1st
|align="center" | 2nd
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|-
|1993
|align="center" | 4th
|align="center" | 3rd
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|-
|1994
|align="center" | 3rd
|align="center" | 3rd
|align="center" | 9th
|align="center" | -
|-
|1995
|align="center" | 3rd
|align="center" | 3rd
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|-
|1996
|align="center" | 7th
|align="center" | 5th
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|-
|1997
|align="center" | –
|align="center" | –
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|-
|1998
|align="center" | 9th
|align="center" | 5th
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|-
| 1999
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | -
|-
| 2000
|align="center" | –
|align="center" | –
|align="center" | -
|align="center" | 1st
|-
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sally Gunnell]]}} 
{{s-ttl|title=[[European Athlete of the Year|Women's European Athlete of the Year]]|years=1994}} 
{{s-aft|after=[[Sonia O'Sullivan]]}}
{{s-sports}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Daimí Pernía]]}} 
{{s-ttl|title=[[400 metres hurdles#Women.27s Seasons Best|Women's 400 m Hurdles Best Year Performance]]|years=2000}} 
{{s-aft|after=[[Nezha Bidouane]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Commons category|Irina Privalova}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 400 m hurdles Women}}
{{Footer World Champions 4 x 100 m Women}}
{{Footer World Indoor Champions 60m Women}}
{{Footer World Indoor Champions 400m Women}}
{{Footer European Champions 100 m Women}}
{{Footer European Champions 200 m Women}}
{{Footer IAAF World Cup Champions 100m Women}}
{{Footer IAAF World Cup Champions 400m Women}}
{{Russian Athletics Championships women's 100 metres champions}}
{{Russian Athletics Championships women's 200 metres champions}}
{{Russian Athletics Championships women's 400 metres hurdles champions}}
{{European Athlete of the Year (women)}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Privalova, Irina}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Moscow Oblast]]
[[Category:People from Lyuberetsky District]]
[[Category:Russian female sprinters]]
[[Category:Russian female hurdlers]]
[[Category:Soviet female sprinters]]
[[Category:Olympic female sprinters]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Russia]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for the Unified Team]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Russia]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the Unified Team]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the Unified Team]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Russia]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1994 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Russia]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships winners]]
[[Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships medalists]]
[[Category:IAAF Continental Cup winners]]
[[Category:European Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:European Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:CIS Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Russian Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:World Athletics indoor record holders]]
[[Category:European Athlete of the Year winners]]
[[Category:21st-century Russian sportswomen]]
[[Category:Soviet Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Russian sportswomen]]