Presentation made by

Pechuev Ivan

Larisa Lazutina was born on June 1, 1965 in the Karelian town of Kondopoga. She is a Russian athlete, cross country skier. She was the winner of nine world championships, and won five Olympic medals (1992, 1994, 1998 - 3 gold medals). Lazutina was the winner of the World Cups (1990 and 1998), repeated champion of Russia. She is an Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1987) and in 1998 was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

Larisa Lazutina started skiing when she was nine. After school she entered Khabarovsk Institute of Physical Education, and graduated with a degree of Teacher-Trainer. Her first coaches were Yu. Yakovlev and A. Kravtsov. In 1984, Lazutina was invited to the national team, where her coach was N. Lopuhov. In 1987, she became the winner in relay at the World Championships. Larisa Lazutina also studied at the Karelian State Pedagogical Institute.

Great success in the athletic career Larisa Lazutina made in 1990 by becoming the winner of the World Cup. In 1992, in Albertville the athlete won her first gold medal in the relay. As for the individual competition, she made no significant progress. In Lillehammer she won again as a member of the Russian team in the relay. At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships (Thunder Bay, 1995), Lazutina showed her skills and won four gold medals and was awarded the title - Honored Master of Sports.

In 1998 at Nagano Olympic Games, she put on her greatest performance, winning medals in all five events open to women, with three gold medals (5 km., pursuit, relay), a silver in the 15 km., and a bronze in the 30 km, and was the winner (as the member of the national team) in the 4x5 km relay race. After the Olympics, by the Decree of the President of Russia Larisa Lazutina was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. At the World Cup in 1999 she won two gold medals, and one of them - in the most difficult race – 30 km.

Among the great number of sports families the family of Larisa Lazutina - outstanding skier and Hero of Russia – is one of the happiest. Her husband, Gennady Lazutin is a coach in skiing. Her children - Alice and Daniel - also follow the steps of their parents and in future they will hopefully make their fans happy by their brilliant victories. Daniel plays hockey, he is a trainee at Tikhonov sports school.

Lazutina is a member of the Council on Physical Training and Sports under the President of Russia. Currently, Larisa Lazutina has the rank of the Major of the Russian army. She is an amazing and interesting person. She likes to talk about her victories and achievements, about the difficulties that she overcame and that made her stronger. Now Larisa Lazutina is the Deputy of the Moscow Regional Duma and Chairman of the Committee on Education and Culture.