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1966-
Winner of nine Olympic medals

Egorova was a snow queen.  Lou Capozzola

As a nine-year-old growing up in Siberia, Lyubov Egorova wanted to be a ballerina but took up skiing instead. In 1982, she moved from her home in Tomsk to St. Petersburg -- then called Leningrad -- to train on her homeland's best cross country course. Egorova, a late bloomer, placed sixth overall in the 1990 World Cup season standings and did not win her first international competition until the following year at age 25. She took gold in the 30K freestyle event at the 1991 world championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy, defeating fellow Russian and defending champ Elena Valbe and finished the year ranked third in the World Cup standings. Competing for the unified team under the Olympic flag at the 1992 Albertville Olympics, Egorova medaled in all five Nordic Skiing events and won a total of three golds and two silvers.

At the 1994 Lillehammer Games, Egorova maintained her reputation as the most dominant female athlete in winter sports, winning four medals (three gold and one silver). When she placed fifth in the 30K event, Egorova fell just short of tying the record for most winter Olympic medals won by a woman. Overall, however, she had won either gold or silver in nine straight Nordic skiing races -- a feat unmatched by anyone. Egorova is second among all female Winter Games medal-winners with six golds and three silvers. Raisa Smentanina, also of Russia, has 10 medals -- four gold, five silver and one bronze.

In 1997, Egorova failed a doping test at the1997 Nordic World Skiing Championships in Trondheim, Norway. She admitted to accidentally using the banned substance bromantan, which acts as a stimulant. She was stripped of the gold medal she had won in the 5K and barred from the remaining events of the championships. Later that year, the International Skiing Federation banned Egorova from competition for three years. She is currently living in St. Petersburg with her husband, Igor Seyoev, a former Russian sailor.

They Said it: "It is really hard work. Sometimes you don't want to go to practice. You're tired, you cry and then you force yourself to do it. Maybe that's the reason I win." -- Egorova

-- Joan Truscio

Athletes were selected by Sports Illustrated For Women, Sports Illustrated and CNN/SI editors, writers and correspondents who considered the athletes' on-field performance and achievements, plus their contributions to women's sports. Because athletic achievement was a key criterion, women whose contributions were made solely in administration and coaching are not included.

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