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Irina Privalova made a spectacular start to competition in 1993. In the
indoor season, she equalled the world record of 6.05sec in the 50m at
Moscow on 2 February, and then established a new world mark of 6.04sec
at Grenoble on 7 February. At the 60m distance, she broke Jamaican
Merlene Ottey's world record at Madrid on 11 February, setting a new
time of 6.92sec. At the World Indoor Championships at Toronto, the 60m
was expected to be a match race between Privalova, and 1992 Olympic 100m
champion Gail Devers (USA).
In the final, on March 12, Devers just
beat Privalova, whose time of 6.97sec made her the first woman to run
60m in under 7 seconds and lose. Two days later, Privalova easily won
the 200m gold medal in 22.15sec. Outdoors, Privalova undertook a
gruelling schedule at the 1993 World Championships, competing in four
events, the 100m, 200m, and both relays. In the 100m final on August
16, Privalova (see photo above) finished fourth behind winner
Gail Devers, which duplicated their respective finishing places at the
Olympic Games the previous year. In the 200m, Privalova won her first
individual World Championships medal, finishing third behind Ottey in
22.13sec.
However, Privalova produced her best performances in the
relays. Running the anchor leg for the Russian team in the 4 x 100m
relay, Privalova received the baton at the same time that Devers
received the baton for the USA. The two battled neck and neck down the
straight and hit the line together, with Privalova, and the Russian
team, narrowly winning the gold medal. In the 4 x 400m relay, Privalova
again ran the anchor leg for the Russian team, which won the silver
medal behind the USA, with Privalova recording the fastest leg of any
runner with her time of 48.47sec. (Ron Casey)
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