Representing the Soviet Union, Krepkina had made her Olympic debut at Helsinki 1952 when she was eliminated in the heats of the 100 metres and was part of a 4x100m relay team that finished fourth.

She achieved exactly the same results at Melbourne 1956 and Rome 1960, except in the Italian capital she also took part in the long jump, where she won a surprise gold medal.

Krepkina jumped 6.37 metres to set an Olympic record as she defeated Poland’s Elżbieta Krzesińska, the defending champion, and East Germany’s Hildrun Claus, the world record holder.

"Other long jumpers did not take me seriously," Krepkina said of her performance.

"I didn't have a perfect technique - I just ran, but I rarely stepped over the bar.

"I caught on to it and flew.

"My abs were strong, thanks to my high-level gymnastic and acrobatic preparation.

"That's how I won that gold medal in Rome and set the Olympic record."

By a curious coincidence, Krepkina was assigned bib number 159 at Rome 1960 and her height was also 159 centimetres.

Following the Games, this number adorned the wall in her apartment in Kyiv.

At the European Championships, Krepkina won gold medals in the 4x100m relay at Bern in 1954 and Stockholm in 1958, respectively.

In 1958, she also finished second in the 100m to Britain’s Heather Young.

A few weeks after that performance, in Kyiv, Krepkina tied the world record of 11.3sec set by Australia’s Shirley Strickland in 1955.

The mark stood for two years until American Wilma Rudolph broke it at Rome 1960 to win the Olympic gold medal.

Krepkina was also a member of the Soviet team that set a world record in the 4x100m relay in 1956.

During her long career Krepkina also won eight Soviet titles, the 100m in 1952, 1957 and 1958. 200m in 1952, the 4×100m relay in 1952, 1960 and 1965, and the 4×200m relay in 1952.

In retirement she worked as a children's athletics coach in Ukraine.

In 2019, Krepkina was awarded the Order of Princess Olga II degree. 

In 2008, she had received an award at Ukraine's annual "Person of the Year" ceremony in the "Pride of the Country" category.

Krepkina, who died on Tuesday (April 25) and was buried today, never boasted of her successes.

Once, during a greeting on her 80th birthday, she said: "I can realise that people are proud of me.

"But I still don't know why I should be proud of myself."

Krepkina added that her most significant achievement in her life was not medals but the help she and her husband provided to a number of orphans.