Tamara BYKOVA

Tamara Bykova took up athletics in 1976 and made her international début at the 1980 Olympics, where she finished ninth. Bykova was the top female high jumper of the world in the mid-1980s and set three world records before the 1984 Olympics (2.03 on 21 August 1983, 2.04 on 25 August 1983 and 2.05 on 22 June 1984). She would have been a favorite for gold in Los Angeles, but the Soviet Union boycotted the 1984 Olympics. She competed at the Friendship Games, placing only third, also taking a bronze medal when she finally got to compete at the Olympics in 1988. Her best year was 1983 when she won all her major titles, winning the World Championships, Universiade and European Indoors. Bykova won at least 12 silver medals and four bronze medals at various internationals. She initially placed second at the 1990 Goodwill Games, but was disqualified for a positive doping test, and received a three months ban from the IAAF. Bykova last competed internationally at the 1991 World Championships, where she was seventh and she retired from sports after the fall of the Soviet Union, after winning Soviet titles in 1980, 1982-83, 1985 and 1989.

Personal Best: HJ – 2.05 (1984).