Gulnara Iskanderovna Samitova-Galkina (, ) (born 9 July 1978 in Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatarstan) is a Russian distance runner. In July 2004 she ran 3000 metres steeplechase in a new world record of 9:01.59 minutes. Early that year she won a bronze medal over 1500 metres at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Gulnara Samitova-Galkina is of mixed Tatar and Russian origin. She is a two-time national champion in the women's 5000 metres. Samitova claimed the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in the 3000 m steeplechase, breaking her own world record in the final with a time of 8:58.81 min, becoming the first woman in history to run under 9 minutes for the steeplechase. She won both the 800 and 1500 metres races at the Russian Team Championships in June 2009, clocking a personal best of 2:00.29 in the 800 m and a world leading time over 1500 m. She missed the entire 2010 season, including the 2010 European Athletics Championships, after she fell pregnant. She gave birth to her daughter Alina in June, and returned to training that autumn. International competitions Personal bests 800 metres - 2:00.29 min (2009) 1500 metres - 4:01.29 min (2004) Mile run - 4:20.23 min (2007) 3000 metres - 8:42.96 min (2008) 3000 metres steeplechase - 8:58.81 min (2008) 5000 metres - 14:33.13 min (2008) See also List of Olympic medalists in athletics (women) List of 2008 Summer Olympics medal winners Steeplechase at the Olympics List of IAAF World Indoor Championships medalists (women) List of 5000 metres national champions (women) List of long-distance runners List of Tatars List of Russian sportspeople References External links Focus on Athletes – in-depth article from IAAF 1978 births Living people People from Naberezhnye Chelny Sportspeople from Tatarstan Russian female steeplechase runners Russian female middle-distance runners Russian female long-distance runners Russian female cross country runners Olympic female steeplechase runners Olympic female long-distance runners Olympic athletes of Russia Olympic gold medalists for Russia Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics World Athletics Championships athletes for Russia Russian Athletics Championships winners World record setters in athletics (track and field) Tatar people of Russia