Svetlana Ponomarenko
{{short description|Russian long-distance runner}}
Svetlana Ponomarenko ({{langx|ru|Светлана Пономаренко}}; born 28 November 1969) is a Russian long-distance runner who competes professionally in marathon races. She has a best of 2:29:55 hours for the distance. She won six consecutive marathons—going unbeaten from 2006 to 2008—winning in Frankfurt, Dallas (twice), Minneapolis, Nashville and Athens, Greece.
Career
Born in Orenburg, Soviet Union, she began running marathons in 1998, when she finished second to Alina Ivanova in the Siberian International Marathon in Omsk.{{cite web
|title=Svetlana Ponomarenko
|publisher=Association of Road Racing Statisticians
|date=2023
|location=Mattole Valley, California
|editor1=Ken Young
|editor2=Andy Milroy
|url=https://more.arrs.run/runner/7556
|url-status=live
|access-date=20 September 2023
|language=en
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920191431/https://more.arrs.run/runner/7556
|archivedate=20 September 2023
}}Riddle, Greg (10 December 2006). [http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/running/stories/121106dnsporockwomen.2ed6a63.html For Russian, it's lonely at the top] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929232604/http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/running/stories/121106dnsporockwomen.2ed6a63.html |date=2011-09-29 }}. The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 22 April 2011. Ponomarenko was third at the Stockholm Marathon in June and was fourth at the Cesano Boscone Marathon in Italy that October.{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130414090219/http://athletix.org/?p=3145 Marathon races and Cross Country results for '99]}}. Athletix. Retrieved 22 April 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/kenyans-dominate-gold-marathon|title=Kenyans dominate Gold Marathon|publisher=IAAF|date=18 October 1999|access-date=6 May 2016}} She began taking part in major European competitions soon after, coming sixth at the Millennium edition of the Rome City Marathon in 2000 and taking third place at the 2001 Athens Classic Marathon.{{cite news|last=Wallace-Jones|first=Sean|date=1 January 2000|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/loroupe-retains-marathon-crown-at-dawn-of-new|title=Loroupe retains Marathon Crown at dawn of New Millennium|publisher=IAAF|access-date=6 May 2016}}{{cite news|last=Butcher|first=Pat|date=4 November 2001|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/dream-debut-for-noah-bor-in-athens|title=Dream Debut for Noah Bor in Athens|publisher=IAAF|access-date=6 May 2016}} At the 2002 Athens Marathon, she was some distance behind the winner and came sixth in just under three hours.{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130414070318/http://athletix.org/?p=3149 Marathons - XC results 2002]}}. Athletix. Retrieved 22 April 2011. She led for much of the 2004 Athens Marathon, but ended up in third place behind Ethiopian rivals.{{cite news|last=Butcher|first=Pat|date=7 November 2004|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/cherono-and-compatriots-overwhelm-opponents-i|title=Cherono and compatriots overwhelm opponents in Athens|publisher=IAAF|access-date=6 May 2016}}
Her performances were much improved in the 2005 season: she recorded a time of 2:31:26 for fifth at the Frankfurt Marathon and was also fourth at that year's Prague Marathon.[http://marathoninfo.free.fr/athletes/russie/ponomarenko_svetlana.htm Ponomarenko Svetlana]. Marathon Info. Retrieved 22 April 2011. She took her first race victory at the Frankfurt race the following year as a late surge saw her overtake all challengers and improve her best to 2:30:05 hours.{{cite news|last=Butcher|first=Pat|date=29 November 2006|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/kigen-successfully-defends-frankfurt-title|title=Kigen successfully defends Frankfurt title|publisher=IAAF|access-date=6 May 2016}} Ponomarenko made her first appearance on the United States road circuit in December and she ran for time, completing a solo run at the Dallas White Rock Marathon to take another win and personal best by dipping under the two and a half hour mark with 2:29:55 hours. She continued her marathon win-streak into the following year with a win at the Twin Cities Marathon in hot conditions.{{cite news
|first=Matthew
|last=Kojetin
|title=Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon
|work=Minnesota Daily
|date=8 October 2007
|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfyCUYGN6nE
|via=YouTube
|others=2 minutes 14 seconds
|publisher=posted by kojetinmp, Ponomarenko appears at the 48 second mark
|publication-date=8 October 2007
|location=Minneapolis, Minnesota
|access-date=20 September 2023
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920170843/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfyCUYGN6nE
|archive-date=20 September 2023
|language=en
}}[http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=20773 Four US Titles Up For Grabs at Twin Cities Marathon Races]. Running Times Magazine (20 September 2010). Retrieved 22 April 2011. Her fourth consecutive victory over the distance came at the Athens Marathon. Making her fourth appearance at the competition, she finished almost eight minutes ahead of the next best woman to set a race record of 2:33:19.{{cite news|last=Nikitaridis|first=Michalis|last2=Wenig|first2=Jörg|date=4 November 2007|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=2/newsid=42256.html|title=Race records fall in Athens Marathon|publisher=IAAF|access-date=22 April 2011|archive-date=15 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111115223544/http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=2/newsid=42256.html|url-status=dead}}
Ponomarenko's race at the 2008 Country Music Marathon in Nashville saw the Russian again cross the tape some distance ahead of her rivals, with runner-up Olena Shurkhno some three minutes adrift.{{cite news|last=Monahan|first=Ian|date=27 April 2008|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/chebii-ponomarenko-take-country-music-maratho|title=Chebii, Ponomarenko, take Country Music Marathon victories|publisher=IAAF|access-date=6 May 2016}} Severe winds affected her performance at the Dallas Marathon at the end of the year but she managed to take her second career win in the city.Fetterman, Debbie (14 December 2008). [http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/dfetterman/stories/121508dnspofettermancol.310c3ae.html Wind hurts times at Dallas White Rock Marathon]. Denton Record Chronicle. Retrieved 22 April 2011. {{Dead link|date=May 2016}} Her streak of six wins, going undefeated for three years, came to an end at the 2009 San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, where she was second to her younger compatriot Tatyana Pushkareva.[http://eng.rusathletics.com/nov/nov.php?ind=5418 Pushkaryova wins in San Antonio]. Russian Athletics (16 November 2009). Retrieved 22 April 2011. She was again the runner-up at the Twin Cities Marathon in 2010, finishing behind Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba.{{cite news|last=Estes|first=Jim|last2=Ramsak|first2=Bob|date=4 October 2010|url= http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/deba-clocks-22723-in-minneapolis-reyes-takes|title=Deba clocks 2:27:23 in Minneapolis, Reyes takes US Marathon title|publisher=IAAF|access-date=6 May 2016}} She was again beaten by Deba at the 2011 Los Angeles Marathon, but her eighth place finish made the 41-year-old the top masters athlete at the event.{{cite web|publisher=AthLinks|access-date=22 April 2011|url=http://www.athlinks.com/time.aspx?eventid=157994&courseid=216823&r=40826849&mode=o&gender=F&page=1|title=Honda LA Marathon presented by K-Swiss 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003215031/http://athlinks.com/time.aspx?eventid=157994&courseid=216823&r=40826849&mode=o&gender=F&page=1|archive-date=3 October 2011|url-status=dead}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{World Athletics}}
{{Footer Twin Cities Marathon Champions Women}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponomarenko, Svetlana}}
Category:Russian female long-distance runners
Category:Russian female marathon runners
Category:Sportspeople from Orenburg
Category:Frankfurt Marathon female winners