Melnik, Faina (b. 1945)
Melnik, Faina (b. 1945)
Ukrainian discus champion. Name variations: Myelnik. Born in June 1945.
Faina Melnik won the Olympic gold medal in the discus in Munich in 1972 with a throw of 66.62 meters. From 1971 to 1975, she was almost unbeatable, setting the record 11 times, from 64.22 meters to 70.50 meters. She first passed the 70-meter mark on August 20, 1975, in Zurich. Melnik won the European championships twice, in 1971 and 1974. In 1976 in the Montreal Olympics, she finished a disappointing fourth and never seemed to recapture her power.
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Melnik, Faina (b. 1945)