Nadezhda KHNYKINA-DVALISHVILI

Nadezhda Khnik’ina (later Dvalishvili) was born in Bakı, Azerbaijan to a Russian family, but grew up in Tbilisi, Georgia, where she took up athletics at age 16. Khnik’ina was one of the top Soviet female sprinters in the early 1950s and also competed in the long jump. Khnik’ina won Olympic bronzes in the 1952 200 metres and the 1956 long jump. She was also fourth with the Soviet 4x100 relay team and was eliminated in the semis of the 100 at the 1952 Olympics. Khnik’ina won a long jump bronze at the 1951 World Student Games and was a four-time Soviet Champion – 1951 and 1953 in the 100 and 200 metres. During her career, Khnik’ina set four world records – 7.3 in 60 (1951), 45.6 in the 4x100 relay (1953) and 1:39.7 (1951) and 1:39.0 (1953) in the 4x200 relay. She also equaled Fanny Blankers-Koen long jump world record of 6.25 in 1954, but the result was not ratified by the IAAF. Khnik’ina married Georgian high jumper Anzor Dvalishvili in 1955 and later worked at the Tbilisi State Institute of Physical Culture.

Personal Bests: 100 – 11.7 (1951); 200 – 24.16 (1952); LJ – 6.25 (1954).