Margarita Anatolyevna Ponomaryova (; 19 June 1963 – 16 September 2021), also known as Margarita Khromova, was a hurdler from Russia, best known for setting the world record in the women's 400 metres hurdles in 1984 with 53.58 secs.
Ponomaryova was known by her married name of Khromova from 1985 to 1989, before reverting to her maiden name from 1990 onward.
Career Ponomaryova was born in Balkhash, Kazakh SSR in the former Soviet Union. She began her international career by winning two medals at the 1981 European Junior Championships.
In 1984, she made a dramatic improvement in the 400 metres hurdles to break the world record with 53.58 secs on 22 June in Kiev, to become the first woman to run below 54 seconds for the event. She was prevented from competing in that years Los Angeles Olympics due to the Soviet boycott.
1984 proved to be the only year where Ponomaryova would be the world's number one 400 m hurdler, however her international career would continue for another decade. In 1985, now competing as Margarita Khromova, she finished sixth in the World Cup in Canberra. In 1986, she reached the European Championship final in Stuttgart, placing eighth. The following year she was a semi-finalist at the World Championships in Rome, narrowly missing the final.
Having failed to make the 1988 Seoul Olympics, she won her biggest individual title when winning at the 1989 World Student Games (Universiade). In 1990, (as Margarita Ponomaryova), she finished fifth in the European Championship final in Split. She won the 1991 European Cup ahead of Sally Gunnell, before finishing eighth later that year in the World Championship final in Tokyo.
Ponomaryova represented the Unified team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. In the semi-finals she ran 53.98 sec, to qualify for the final as the third fastest. However, in the final she only managed 54.83 to finish sixth. At the following years World Championships in Stuttgart, she reached her peak running 53.48 sec to win the bronze medal. This was her first (and only) individual medal at Olympic or World Championship level. The race was won by Sally Gunnell in a then world record of 52.74. Ponomaryova also won a silver medal in the 4x400 metres relay.
International competitions Representing 1981European Junior ChampionshipsUtrecht, Netherlands3rd 400 m hurdles 57.452nd 4 × 400 m 3:31.411984Friendship GamesPrague, Czechoslovakia3rd 400 m hurdles54.65 1985 World Cup Canberra, Australia 6th 400 m hurdles 56.901986Goodwill GamesMoscow, Soviet Union4th 400 m hurdles55.08 European Championships Stuttgart, Germany 8th 400 m hurdles 55.56 1987 World Championships Rome, Italy semi-final 400 m hurdles 54.861989UniversiadeDuisburg, Germany1st 400 m hurdles 57.033rd4 × 400 m 3:28.60 1990 European Championships Split, Yugoslavia 5th 400 m hurdles 55.221991 World Indoor Championships Seville, Spain2nd 4 × 400 m 3:27.95 European Cup Frankfurt, Germany1st 400 m hurdles 54.42 World Championships Tokyo, Japan 8th 400 m hurdles 55.27Grand Prix FinalBarcelona, Spain5th 400 m hurdlesRepresenting 1992 Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain 6th 400 m hurdles 54.83 World Cup Havana, Cuba3rd 400 m hurdles 56.46Representing 1993World ChampionshipsStuttgart, Germany3rd400 m hurdles 53.482nd 4 × 400 m 3:18.38Grand Prix FinalLondon, United Kingdom4th400 m hurdles
References