Valentina Zakoretskaya Soviet female parachutist. Date of Birth: 30.04.1947 Country: Ukraine

1. Biography of Valentina Zakoretskaya
2. Parachute Sport Career
3. Coaching and Achievements
4. Personal Life
5. Titles and Awards
6. Records

Biography of Valentina Zakoretskaya

Valentina Zakoretskaya was a Soviet sportswoman and parachutist. She was born on April 30, 1947, in Voroshilovgrad to a working-class family. In 1982, she graduated from T.G. Shevchenko Lugansk Pedagogical Institute. Valentina represented Lugansk, Ukraine, and the Soviet Union in various parachute sport competitions, winning numerous gold, silver, and bronze medals in the Championships of Ukraine, the Soviet Union, and the World.

Parachute Sport Career

At the age of 16, Valentina Zakoretskaya started her parachute sport journey as a member of the parachute group at the Lugansk Aero Club. She participated in the 1970 Yugoslavia Championship and went on to achieve a series of victories and awards. In 1967, she became the captain of the Soviet Union national team in parachuting, and in 1976, she became the absolute world champion. Valentina set 50 world records and 4 All-Union records during her career, with over 11,500 parachute jumps.

Coaching and Achievements

After retiring from active competing in 1980, Valentina Zakoretskaya dedicated herself to coaching. She trained the Ukrainian national team in parachuting from 1978 to 1984. Later, she became a trainer and instructor for parachute training at the Enakievo State Aviation Sports Club. Valentina mentored 22 masters of sport of the USSR and Ukraine and four international masters of sport. She actively participated in public movements and supported protest actions, such as the youth group STAN. She also spoke out against illegal construction in Lugansk and the LVVAUSH town area.

Personal Life

Valentina Zakoretskaya's daughter, Yuliya Zakoretskaya, followed in her mother's footsteps and became a junior champion of Ukraine in parachuting at the age of 14.

Titles and Awards

Throughout her career, Valentina Zakoretskaya received numerous titles and awards, including:
- Master of Sport of the USSR International Class (1970)
- Three-time World Champion (1970, 1972, 1976)
- Three-time Absolute Champion of the USSR (1971, 1972, 1975)
- Four-time Champion of the Armed Forces of the USSR
- Order of the Red Banner of Labor
- Order of Princess Olga, 2nd degree
- Honorary Badge of the Central Committee of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League "Sporting Valor"
- Certificates and diplomas from the State Committee for Sports of the USSR and Ukraine

Records

Valentina Zakoretskaya holds the record as the only female parachutist in the world to complete more than 11,000 jumps. Her name was first included in the Guinness Book of Records in 1976 for this achievement. She was recorded in the book again in 1987 for 10,000 jumps and in 1998 for eleven and a half thousand jumps. Only Cheryl Sterns has surpassed her record with 21,000 jumps. Cheryl is a two-time absolute world champion.