Larisa Alexandrova-Popova was born on April 9, 1957 in Tiraspol. She was a sportsman who was dedicated to the academic canoeing. She is the first representative of the MSSR (presently R. Moldova) who won the title of Olympic champion. She became an emeritus master of the USSR in 1980. She was 5 times champion of the USSR (1976, 1980 (single and double), 1982, 1984) and Olympic champion in 1980 (Moscow, USSR). She was also decorated with the silver medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada.
World Champion in 1981 (Munchen, Germany), 1982 (Lucerne, Switzerland) and 1983 (Duisburg, Germany). Since 1992, CNOS member of the Republic of Moldova and President of the National Association “Sport and Woman”.
She was decorated with the medal “For merit in work” (1976), the Badge of Honor (1980), “The Olympic Order” of Moldova (2007), “Order of Honor” (2011).
