Yulia Ryabchinskaya

Yulia Ryabchinskaya (January 26, 1947 - January 13, 1973) was a canoeist from Ukraine and Olympic champion. She represented the USSR at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where she received the gold medal in the women's 500 meter kayak singles event. [ [http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=18&sp=CAN "1972 Summer Olympics – München, Germany – Canoeing"] "databaseOlympics.com" (Retrieved on August 27, 2008)]

Only four months after her Olympic victory, Ryabchinskaya was taking part in winter training at Lake Paleostomi in the Soviet republic of Georgia when she fell into the water and died from abrupt cooling. [Wallechinsky, David and Jamie Loucky (2008). "Canoeing: Women's Kayak Singles 500 Meters". "The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics: 2008 Edition". London: Aurum Press Limited. p. 491.]

References

* [http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ry/yuliya-ryabchinskaya-1.html Sports-reference.com profile]