Yekaterina Ilyinychna Podkopayeva (Russian: Екатерина Подкопаева; born 11 June 1952 in Moscow) is a retired middle-distance runner who represented the USSR and later Russia. She gained international recognition in 1983, when she won two bronze medals at the World Championships (in 800 and 1500 metres). The same year she managed an 800 m time of 1:55.96. She resurfaced in 1992, winning the European Indoor Championships and placing 8th in the Olympics. More victories in European and World Indoor Championships followed until she retired after the 1998 season. When she won the 1500 metres at the 1997 World Indoors, she was 44, the oldest World Indoor champion ever.

International competitions

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing the  Soviet Union
1983	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	3rd	800 m	1:57.58
			3rd	1500 m	4:02.25
1984	Friendship Games	Moscow, Soviet Union	3rd	1500 m	4:01.61
1990	Goodwill Games	Seattle, United States	2nd	1500 m	4:09.91
Representing  Unified Team
1992	European Indoor Championships	Genoa, Italy	1st	1500 m	4:06.61
	Olympic Games	Barcelona, Spain	8th	1500 m	4:02.03
	World Cup	Havana, Cuba	1st	1500 m	4:17.60
Representing  Russia
1993	World Indoor Championships	Toronto, Canada	1st	1500 m	4:09.29
1994	European Indoor Championships	Paris, France	1st	1500 m	4:06.46
	European Championships	Helsinki, Finland	3rd	1500 m	4:19.37
1996	European Indoor Championships	Stockholm, Sweden	2nd	1500 m	4:09.65
1997	World Indoor Championships	Paris, France	1st	1500 m	4:05.19

Personal bests

• 800 metres - 1:55.96 (1983)
• 1000 metres - 2:37.27 (1993)
• 1500 metres - 3:56.65 (1984)
• Mile run - 4:23.78 (1993)