 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Muna 1967, akakunda zita remamita zana paSpartakiad uye aive wechitatu mumamita mazana maviri pa1967 European Cup. Akanga ariwo menduru yegoridhe yakapetwa kaviri yeSoviet Union pa1967 European Indoor Games. Akakunda imwe ndarama muSweden medley relay pa1968 European Indoor Games. Yaiva mugore rino kuti iye akanga kubudirira kwake kukuru pamwe Soviet relay chikwata sezvo iye nevamwe vake chikwata yakatarwa itsva nyika chinyorwa 43.9 masekonzi nokuda 4 × 100 m relay panguva Soviet Championships ipapo akavandudza nayo mberi kuti 43.6 masekondi panguva mitambo bvunzo chiitiko pamberi 1968 Mexico City yeOlympic. Chikwata chinosanganisira Popkova, Lyudmila Zharkova, Galina Bukharina naLyudmila Samotyosova vakamhanyisa kumhanya mumutambo weOlympic, vachiita 43.41 masekondi, asi izvi zvaingokwana kuti vawane menduru yebronze sezvo zvikwata kubva kuUnited States neCuba zvakapfuurawo pasi pechiratidzo chepasirose yapfuura. Popkova akamiririrawo nyika yake mumakwikwi emamita mazana maviri uye akabviswa zvishoma mumasemifainari mushure mekupedza wechishanu. 