Doina Melinte Editorial Photo

Doina Ofelia Melinte (born December 27, 1956 in Bacau, Bacau County) is a retired Romanian athlete. She won gold medals over 1500 metres at the European Indoor Championships in 1985, 1988 and 1990, the latter race even being a European record time with 4:00.27. On the same day she set another new European record with 4:17.14 over the distance of 1 mile. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles she won a gold medal in 800 meters ahead of Kim Gallagher (silver) and countrywoman Fiţa Lovin (bronze) as well as the silver medal in 1500 meters behind Gabriella Dorio (gold) and ahead of another Romanian, Maricica Puică (Bronze). She continued to win a 1500 m bronze medal at the 1986 European Championships, and a year later she set a new championship record with 4:05.68 at the 2nd World Indoor Championships and finished third at the outdoor World Championships. She defended her World Indoor title in 1989, winning in a championship record of 4:04.79.