Tatiana Burakova has died at the age of 67 ©Ukrainian Athletics Federation

European Athletics has paid tribute to Ukrainian sprinter Tatiana Burakova, following the two-time Olympic medallist’s death at the age of 67.

A European Athletics statement said the organisation was saddened by the news of Burakova's death on March 11.

The Ukrainian Athletics Federation had announced in 2018 that Burakova had been diagnosed with cancer.

Competing under her maiden name Prorochenko, she won bronze as part of the Soviet Union’s women’s 4x100 metres relay team at the Montreal 1976 Olympics.

She also finished sixth in the women’s 200m.

Burakova secured gold four years later in Moscow, running the opening leg as the Soviet Union won the women’s 4x400m event.

The team also included Tatyana Goyshchik, Nina Ziuskova and Irina Nazarova.

Tatiana Burakova won 4x400m relay gold at the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games ©Getty Images
Tatiana Burakova won 4x400m relay gold at the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games ©Getty Images

The team achieved a time of 3min 20.12sec to beat reigning champions East Germany, whose squad included world record-holder Marita Koch.

Burakova finished third in the women’s 200m at the 1977 World Cup in Düsseldorf, before winning silver in the 4x400m at the 1978 European Athletics Championships in Prague.

Burakova later became a coach for the Ukrainian national team.

Her husband Viktor Burakov also won a gold medal in the 4x400m relay at the Moscow 1980 Olympics, after running in the heats.

Their son Volodymyr also represented Ukraine at four successive editions of the European Championships in the 400m and 4x400m.