Anita Stukāne-Balode
Personal information
Birth nameAnita Balode
Born (1954-02-09) 9 February 1954
Cēsis, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
EducationBiology
Alma materUniversity of Latvia
Sport
CountryLatvia
SportTrack and field
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Soviet Union
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place1979 Mexico CityLong jump
IAAF World Cup
Gold medal – first place1979 MontrealLong jump

Anita Stukāne (née Balode, born 9 February 1954) is a Latvian former Soviet track and field athlete who competed in the long jump. Her personal best for the event was 6.80 m (22 ft 3+1⁄2 in).[1]

Her career flourished very briefly in the late seventies and early eighties. She first rose to prominence in 1978 when a jump of 6.69 m (21 ft 11+1⁄4 in) ranked her tenth in the world for the season.[2] During her career, she set an indoor personal best of 6.62 m (21 ft 8+1⁄2 in).[3]

The 1979 season marked the pinnacle of her long jumping career. She won her first and only national title at the Soviet Spartakiad, clearing 6.66 m (21 ft 10 in) to come out as the Soviet Union's top woman jumper.[4] A lifetime best was achieved at the Universiade held in Mexico City, where she took advantage of the altitude to win the gold medal with a mark of 6.80 m (22 ft 3+1⁄2 in), beating Jodi Anderson of the United States.[5] Only Brigitte Wujak jumper further that year. Stukane and Wujak went head-to-head at the 1979 IAAF World Cup and the Soviet athlete came out on top with a gold medal-winning leap of 6.64 m (21 ft 9+1⁄4 in).[6]

Stukane continued to compete (later getting married and changing her name to Anita Balode-Stukāne), but her highest world ranking after 1979 was 20th in the 1981 season.[2]

National titles

Personal bests

  • Long jump outdoors: 6.80 m (22 ft 3+1⁄2 in) (1979)
  • Long jump indoors: 6.62 m (21 ft 8+1⁄2 in) (?)

References

  1. ↑ Anita Stukane. IAAF. Retrieved on 2015-06-03.
  2. 1 2 Anita Balode-Stukane. Brinkster Track and Field. Retrieved on 2015-06-03.
  3. ↑ World all time best long jump indoor, women. Athletics Bredband. Retrieved on 2015-06-03.
  4. ↑ Soviet Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-06-03.
  5. ↑ Universiade - Women's Medallists. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-06-03.
  6. ↑ IAAF World Cup. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-06-03.
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