VOLGOGRAD (Russia), Feb 3: Russian Olympic 3,000m gold medallist Yelena Romanova has died at the age of 42, local media reported.

Romanova, who topped the Olympic podium at the Barcelona Games in 1992, was found dead in her flat on Sunday. The cause of death has not yet been given.

The runner was also a silver medallist in the 3,000m at the 1991 world athletics championships, and picked up a gold (10,000m) and silver (3,000m) at the European championships in Split in 1990.

At the 1996 Olympic Games, she finished sixth in the 5,000m, which had superseded the shorter 3,000m event.Romanova was working as a coach in the Volgograd regional sports school, raising several athletes to the level of the national athletics squad members.—AFP