Donskaya, Elena Alexandrovna

After finishing seven classes, in September 1930, she entered FZU (school of factory apprenticeship) at the Hammer and Sickle factory. Having graduated from it, she worked as a toolmaker here. While studying at the school she was engaged in athletics, swimming.

In 1940 she graduated with honors from the 2nd Moscow Medical Institute . She worked as a physical education doctor in the pool. She trained and played for the Moscow Dynamo.

During the Great Patriotic War

During the war years, she served in a field military hospital, then in an evacuation hospital in Vladimir, part of the 4th Shock Army of the Western Front.

The war ended with the rank of captain of the medical service.

She was awarded the Order of the Red Star and World War II degree, the medal "For Military Merit".

Post-war years

In February 1946, she was transferred for further service to the division of internal troops named after F.E. Dzerzhinsky. She worked in various medical positions in the 3rd, 2nd motorized rifle and artillery regiments, in 1950 she became the head of the medical service of the 2nd motorized rifle regiment.

In March 1951, she was awarded the title of Major of the Medical Service.

At the same time, she continued to play sports.

In the summer of 1946, as part of the division’s national team, she competed in the championship of the internal forces for swimming, where she took second place at a distance of 100 meters on her side and became the third medalist in 100 meters breaststroke.

Its results in military shooting competitions were seen by the Dynamo coaching staff.

In 1953, she first participated in the USSR Championship.

Since 1955 - in the sports team of the division. F.E. Dzerzhinsky.

In 1955 she became the champion of Europe. In subsequent years, she won the European Championship annually from 1956 to 1961.

At the World Championships in Moscow (1958), she won two gold medals - in the individual and team championships. At the world championship in Cairo (1962) she again won gold in the individual championship. In response to the success of the Soviet athlete, the US team demanded that the main judges of the world championship in bullet shooting reduce the size of sports targets.

From 600 Donskaya “knocked out” 599 points. This result from 1963 until the time of her death remained unsurpassed.

In December 2007, at the celebrations dedicated to the 110th anniversary of shooting sports in Russia, Elena Donskaya was awarded in two categories - “The Legend of Shooting Sports” and “Sports Glory” ^[3] .

In March 2018, a new FOC was opened in the microdistrict of Dzerzhinsky Balashikha. The total area of ​​the building is about 6500 square meters. The complex has a swimming pool with an area of ​​25 by 13.5 meters, a gym, an aerobics room, martial arts, team sports. In the future, it is planned to install additional stands at the facility so that it will be possible to hold mass competitions. The capacity of the building is more than 100 people at a time.

A memorial plaque named after Elena Donskaya, multiple European and World champion in small-bore rifle shooting, a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, a colonel of the medical service, whose name was given to the new FOC, was opened on the building.

• A. I. Mikhalev - How do you live, veteran? , Dynamo Newspaper No. 9 (46) for September 2011
• Elena Donskaya: I continue medical and coaching