Svetlana FEDOTKINA

Svetlana Fedotkina made her international speed skating début in 1993 with fairly inconspicuous appearances at the international allround tournaments. The following season, she started well, with two podium positions at World Cups over 1,000 and 1,500 m. Still, she was considered an outsider for an Olympic medal in 1994. But as top favorite Gunda Niemann failed to deliver in the 1,500, the podium was wide open. One of the last medal prospects to race, Fedotkina had the fastest split at the bell, but lost nearly a second on the final lap. Still, that result was good enough for an unexpected silver medal. After that performance, Fedotkina failed to make the news until 1996, when she was caught having used stanozolol and suspended from competition for two years. Her suspension was prolonged after refusing another doping test at the end of her suspension. Fedotkina then returned to speed skating, but failed to make the national team. She then briefly played ice hockey for Lokomotiv Krasnoyarsk. Fedotkina, who was Russian allround champion in 1995, later worked as a researcher for the Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University.

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.05 (1994); 1000 – 1:20.26 (1994); 1500 – 2:02.69 (1994); 3000 – 4:30.24 (1993); 5000 – 8:16.20 (1993).