Yelena Vyalbe

Yelena Vyalbe is a retired Russian cross-country skier who is regarded as one of the greatest female cross-country skiers in history. Throughout her career, she achieved remarkable success, winning numerous medals at World Championships and the Winter Olympics during the 1990s. Vyalbe is particularly known for her exceptional performance in distance races, and she holds several records in cross-country skiing. As of 2023, she ranks third in the all-time medal tally for World Championships, behind only Norwegian legends Marit Bjørgen and Therese Johaug. Vyalbe was recently in the news due to her historical standing among the most decorated athletes in cross-country skiing.