Valentyna Ksenofontivna Rastvorova (Валентина Ксенофонтовна Растворова; 17 July 1933 – 24 August 2018) was a Ukrainian[1] who was a Soviet fencer who competed in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympics in the individual foil and team foil events. She won an individual silver medal and team gold medal in 1960, and a team silver medal in 1964. She also won six gold and two silver medals at the world championships of 1956–67.

Valentina Rastvorova
Rastvorova at the 1960 Olympics
Personal information
Birth nameВалентина Ксенофонтовна Растворова
Валентина Ксенофонтівна Растворова
Born(1933-07-17)17 July 1933
Odesa, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Died24 August 2018(2018-08-24) (aged 85)
Height1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight60 kg (132 lb)
SpouseBoris Grishin
ChildrenYevgeny Grishin (son)
Yelena Grishina (daughter)
RelativesSergey Bida (grandson)
Sport
SportFencing
EventFoil
ClubDynamo Moscow
Medal record
Representing the  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1960 Rome Foil team
Silver medal – second place 1960 Rome Foil individual
Silver medal – second place 1964 Tokyo Foil team
World Fencing Championships
Gold medal – first place 1956 London Foil team
Gold medal – first place 1958 Philadelphia Foil individual
Gold medal – first place 1958 Philadelphia Foil team
Gold medal – first place 1961 Turin Foil team
Silver medal – second place 1962 Buenos Aires Foil team
Gold medal – first place 1965 Paris Foil team
Gold medal – first place 1966 Moscow Foil team
Silver medal – second place 1967 Montreal Foil team

Biography

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Personal life

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She was born in Odesa, Ukraine.[1] In 1956 Rastvorova graduated from the Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism.

She was married to Boris Grishin, an Olympic water polo player. Their son, Yevgeny Grishin, is an Olympic champion in water polo.[2] Her daughter, Yelena Grishina, made it to the finals of the Olympics in foil in 1992 and 1988.[3]

Her grandson, Sergey Bida, is a world champion épée fencer.[4] He made his Olympic debut in Tokyo, winning a silver medal.[5] He was ranked #1 in the world in 2020.[6] He is also a three-time European épée team champion.[7] He moved to the United States in 2023 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, along with his wife, Olympic épée fencer Violetta Khrapina Bida.[8][9]

Fencing career

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She competed in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympics in the individual foil and team foil events. She won an individual silver medal and team gold medal in 1960, and a team silver medal in 1964.[2] At the 1956 Olympics, she came in fifth in individual women's foil.[10]

She also won six gold and two silver medals at the world championships of 1956–67, mostly in team foil (1956 London gold: foil team; 1958 Philadelphia gold: foil and foil team; 1961 Torino gold: foil team, bronze: foil; 1962 Buenos Aires silver: foil team; 1965 Paris gold: foil team; 1966 Moscow gold: foil team; 1967 Montréal silver: foil team).[11][12][13]

After retiring from competition, she worked as a fencing coach at her club Dynamo Moscow.[11][14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Olympedia – Valentina Rastvorova". olympedia.org.
  2. ^ a b "Valentina Rastvorova". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  3. ^ Chirashnya, Igor (7 May 2020). "Parenting Insight from Elena Grishina, Champion Fencing Mom of the World's #1 Epee Fencer, Sergey Bida". Academy of Fencing Masters. Academy of Fencing Masters.
  4. ^ "Sergey Bida". FIE. FIE. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  5. ^ Etchells, Daniel (23 January 2020). "World silver medalist Bida going for gold at FIE Épée Grand Prix in Doha". Inside the Games. Dunsar Media. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  6. ^ "The International Fencing Federation". The International Fencing Federation official website.
  7. ^ Владимир Линдер, Павел Андрианов, Ирина Прасканова, Сергей Шилов (2021). На крыльях «Буревестника». История студенческого спорта (in Russian).
  8. ^ Igor Chirashnya (21 June 2023). "Welcome Sergey Bida to the United States and to AFM!". Academy of Fencing Masters.
  9. ^ Scherma, Redazione Pianeta (22 June 2023). "Sergey Bida lascia la Russia e si sposta negli Stati Uniti: sarà Maestro e parteciperà alle gare domestiche USA". pianetascherma.com (in Italian).
  10. ^ "Valentina Rastvorova - Olympic Facts and Results". www.olympiandatabase.com.
  11. ^ a b Растворова Валентина Ксенофонтовна. Great Soviet Encyclopedia
  12. ^ "Olympedia – Valentina Rastvorova". www.olympedia.org.
  13. ^ "Valentina Rastvorova - Escrime". L'Équipe.
  14. ^ Большая олимпийская энциклопедия. Том 2. О–Я. ЛитРес. 5 September 2017. p. 545. ISBN 978-5-04-049811-6.