Alevtina Kolchina

Who is Alevtina Kolchina?

Alevtina Pavlovna Kolchina is a former Soviet cross country skier who competed during the 1950s and 1960s for Burevestnik and later for Dynamo sports societies. She competed in four Winter Olympics, earning a total of five medals. Kolchina also competed several times at the Holmenkollen ski festival, winning three times at 10 km and once at 5 km. She was married to four-time Olympic cross country medalist Pavel Kolchin until his 2010 death.

Kolchina's biggest success was at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, where she won 3 medals in 10 km, 3 medals in the 3 x 5 km relay, and 2 medals in 5 km.

For her successes in the world championships and at the Holmenkollen, Kolchina received the Holmenkollen medal in 1963. Kolchina is the third woman, first Soviet/Russian, and first female Nordic skier to ever win the Holmenkollen medal. Kolchina and her husband are the first husband and wife team to ever win the Holmenkollen Medal.