Yolanda Chen

Iolanda Chen in 2010

Yolanda Chen (Russian: Иоланда Чен; born July 26, 1961 in Moscow) is a retired Russian athlete. She started as a pentathlete, but decided to specialize in long jump. In 1988 she achieved a personal best of 7.16 metres, a good result, but from 1992 she switched in triple jump instead, a relatively new event for women. Inspired by her father Yevgeniy Chen, who was among the world elite in the 1950s, she managed to jump 13.72 metres in 1992.

In 1993 Iolanda Chen improved to 14.97 metres, a new outdoor record which would also remain her personal best. Her record was beaten at the World Championships the same year by fellow Russian Anna Biryukova, who jumped 15.09m. In 1995 Chen appeared at the World Indoor Championships and won the gold medal with 15.03 metres, a new world indoor record. This was a huge improvement from the previous championship record of 14.47m. Unfortunately she did not follow up this success, finishing 11th at the World Championships the same year.

Chen married pole vaulter Yevgeniy Bondarenko.

Achievements

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing Soviet Union
1989	European Indoor Championships	The Hague, Netherlands	2nd	Long jump
1990	European Championships	Split, Yugoslavia	5th	Long jump
Representing Russia
1993	World Indoor Championships	The Hague, Netherlands	2nd	Triple jump
	World Championships	Stuttgart, Germany	2nd	Triple jump
1995	World Indoor Championships	Barcelona, Spain	1st	Triple jump	15.03 WR
	World Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	11th	Triple jump

External links

• Yolanda Chen at World Athletics
• IAAF bio