Melnik represented the Soviet Union at Munich in 1972 and won with a throw of 66.62 metres, a world record.

She finished fourth in the discus at Montreal 1976 and 10th in the shot put.

Four years later, at the Olympics in Moscow, she failed to reach the final of the discus.

Melnik, born into a Jewish family in Ukraine a month after the end of the Second World War, also won gold medals at the European Championships in Helsink in 1971 and Rome three years later.

She was also crowned Universiade champion at Moscow in 1973.

Melnik graduated from the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry and later worked as a dentist and athletics coach in Moscow. 

Natalya Lisovskaya and Svetlana Krivelyova, the 1988 and 1992 Olympic shot put gold medallists, was among those she coached.